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Puzzle master does it again

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By KEVIN WALKER | The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 20, 2009

"The Lost Symbol," by Dan Brown (Doubleday, $30)

The most important thing to know about Dan Brown's new book is this: I had a difficult time putting it down. That's the ultimate praise you can give a thriller, and in this case, it's richly deserved.

Who knows the sort of pressure Brown has been under to duplicate the success of "The Da Vinci Code"? But he managed to pull it off, concocting yet another puzzle-filled, plot-driven, propulsive read that deals with secret societies and ancient mysteries.

Unlike the last time, Brown isn't taking on the fundamental underpinnings of Christianity, something that elevated "Code" beyond just the bounds of a "good thriller." This time, the setting is Washington, D.C., and the secret society is the Freemasons, who supposedly have spent centuries guarding knowledge that could lead to the enlightenment of mankind.

Once again, Brown hero and Harvard professor Robert Langdon is in the middle of the action, trying to track down a Masonic pyramid that acts as a map to knowledge about "ancient mysteries." That is, if you can solve all the puzzles it throws at you, naturally.

Brown again demonstrates a genius in taking the ordinary and making it mysterious. We've all seen pictures of the U.S. Capitol hundreds of times, but how many of us know that the Statue of Liberty could fit in its rotunda? Or that it was designed as a tribute to one of Rome's "most mystical shrines," The Temple of Vesta? Or that there is a painting in the rotunda, "The Apotheosis of Washington," that depicts George Washington's transformation into a god?

Brown does that sort of thing with a few more Washington landmarks. He even provides addresses of many places. One expects the tourist industry in Washington is already fired up about this book.

Brown fans will see certain similarities to his earlier work. His villain, as always, is colorful but rather one-dimensional. In this case, it is Mal'akh, a tattooed, muscular guy who believes the secrets of the Masons will give him ultimate power. Also, although Brown's writing has improved, you do not turn to this guy for poetic prose or moving, lyrical passages.

As usual, the story is set in a tight time frame. Langdon is called to Washington by an old friend, Peter Solomon, to give a speech at the Capitol. When he arrives, however, he finds he has been duped by Mal'akh, who has kidnapped Solomon and wants Langdon to track down the Masonic pyramid.

In a grisly scene, Langdon's first clue is a severed hand planted on the floor of the Capitol rotunda, a hand that points straight up at "The Apotheosis of Washington." (Brown's right; it's fairly freaky. You can check it out on numerous sites on the Internet.) Joining Langdon on his search is another highly placed Mason; the dean of Washington National Cathedral; Katherine Solomon, a scientist and sister of Peter Solomon; and a CIA director who has a mission of her own involving national security.

Part of the book deals with Katherine Solomon's chosen field, noetic science, a real discipline that explores the potential of human consciousness, including the idea that thoughts can affect reality. One of the more interesting passages in the book is a flashback scene in which Katherine and Peter Solomon discuss the power of thought as well as the idea that ancient mystics had knowledge that foreshadowed modern scientific theories, such as superstring theory, a model in which there are at least 10 dimensions to reality (rather than the three most of us are used to).

So, there's enough in the book to get the reader thinking about something beyond chases and fights, although Brown provides plenty of that, as well. To say much more would be to give too much away, but this is a very pleasurable read, better than expected after all the hype. Brown sticks to his game plan. Turns out, it's a pretty good plan.

Kevin Walker edits Friday Extra and the books pages for the Tampa Tribune.

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