With its in-depth look at some of the themes and real-life stories behind the fiction, The Dan Brown Companion gives a unique insight into the world of one of the most successful bestselling novelists of our time. A huge Dan Brown following has emerged, determined to walk in the footsteps of his lead character Robert Langdon and to delve deeper into the fiction. Simon Cox, bestselling author of Cracking the Da Vinci Code and Illuminating Angels and Demons, now brings us this definitive guide. Questions are answered and plots thickened as we look for the clues that inspired Dan Brown. From the death of popes to the Priory of Sion, the mystery of Rennes-le-Château to the Illuminati, all the facts are finally laid bare. The Dan Brown Companion is an exceptional guide to the real world of mystery and intrigue that lies at the heart of the Robert Langdon novels and is a must-have for all Dan Brown fans.

This book is designed to appeal to fans of Dan Browns Robert Langdon novels, particularly The Lost Symbol (2009). Beyer explores some of the books codes, puzzles, and historical references. Although he does raise some interesting questions How does The Lost Symbols original title, The Solomon Key, help us to understand the meaning and importance of one of the books characters? he also spends a lot of time on matters peripheral to his theme. Why, for example, in a book that is presumably being read by someone who is intimately familiar with Browns novels and their hero, Robert Langdon, would the author devote nearly 2 full pages to a physical description of the character and an explanation of what he does for a living? Similarly, the authors lengthy travelogue-like description of The Lost Symbols setting, Washington, D.C., could be replaced by a simple list of elements from the Brown novel that actually exist in Washington, freeing up 30-odd pages for meatier pursuits. Recommended for readers who cant get enough of Brown and Langdon, but for a better and much more entertaining exploration of Browns techniques, try The Va Dinci Cod (2005), the hilarious Da Vinci Code parody written by A. R. R. R. Roberts.

An all-inclusive guide to key concepts and details about Dan Brown’s novel Inferno—featuring black-and-white illustrations. Go deep into the provocative and always compelling world of Dan Brown’s novel, Inferno. Delivering crucial background on the characters, codes, symbols, secrets, and setting of the novel, Inferno Decoded also offers a wealth of fascinating details about the historical and cultural background and the questions it raises. As in Michael Haag’s previous bestseller, The Rough Guide to The Da Vinci Code, the author illuminates the life and work of Dante Alighieri and the world of medieval Florence. Also included: an overview of Dante and his work, along with the other themes of Brown’s thriller; a guide to its sources and Tuscan locations; and a look back at the earlier career of Brown’s hero, Harvard Professor of Symbology, Robert Langdon.

#1 WORLDWIDE BESTSELLER • "Dr. Langdon is once again wrapped up in a global-scale event that could have massive ramifications on the world’s religions. As he does in all his novels, Brown[‘s] extensive research on art, architecture, and history informs every page." —Entertainment Weekly Robert Langdon, Harvard professor of symbology, arrives at the ultramodern Guggenheim Museum Bilbao to attend the unveiling of a discovery that “will change the face of science forever.” The evening’s host is Edmond Kirsch, a forty-year-old billionaire and futurist, and one of Langdon’s first students. But the meticulously orchestrated evening suddenly erupts into chaos, and Kirsch’s precious discovery teeters on the brink of being lost forever. Facing an imminent threat, Langdon is forced to flee. With him is Ambra Vidal, the elegant museum director who worked with Kirsch. They travel to Barcelona on a perilous quest to locate a cryptic password that will unlock Kirsch’s secret. Navigating the dark corridors of hidden history and extreme re­ligion, Langdon and Vidal must evade an enemy whose all-knowing power seems to emanate from Spain’s Royal Palace. They uncover clues that ultimately bring them face-to-face with Kirsch’s shocking discovery…and the breathtaking truth that has long eluded us.

The definitive truth within Dan Brown's fantastic fiction—revealed at last. With millions of copies of his books in print, a major motion picture based on The Da Vinci Code in theaters, and religious leaders everywhere launching scathing attacks on his work, Dan Brown is, quite simply, a phenomenon. His novels, intricate mosaics combining well-researched facts with action-packed storytelling, have created their own industry of location tours, seminars—even PBS specials. But perhaps the one thing that still keeps his readers guessing is that nagging question: How much of this is true? The Unauthorized Dan Brown Companion tells all. Unlike the avalanche of books specifically about The Da Vinci Code , The Unauthorized Dan Brown Companion covers all of Dan Brown's books and, crucially, has no religious agenda or political axe to grind—these are the facts. • Could there actually be an unbreakable code that would cripple US intelligence, as in Digital Fortress? • How much truth lies in The Da Vinci Code's history-altering propositions that have so angered the Vatican? • Are the Illuminati from Angels and Demons really alive and well? The answers are here, covering every picture, place, proper name, and historical event through all of Brown's books, explaining what's absolutely true, possible, improbable, or completely fictitious. One of Dan Brown's greatest accomplishments as a writer is his uncanny ability to blur the line between fact and fiction. Now, with The Unauthorized Dan Brown Companion, readers will at last have all of the information to distinguish for themselves between the inventions of a master storyteller and the historical revelations of a first-rate investigator. John Helfers is a full-time writer and editor currently living on Green Bay, Wisconsin. He is the co-editor of The Valdemar Companion, a guide to the work and life of fantasy writer Mercedes Lackey. Recent published books include two anthologies he edited, In the Shadow of Evil and Slipstreams. He has also written nonfiction, with his history of the United States Navy, The Alpha Bravo Delta Guide to the U.S. Navy, published in 2003.

The countdown to oblivion has started - who will stop the clock? A famous scientist is found dead, a mysterious symbol burned into his skin. Many miles away in Rome, the world's cardinals gather to elect a new pope. Little do they know that beneath their feet, a vast bomb has started to tick. Professor Robert Langdon must work out the link between these two seemingly unconnected events if he is stop the Vatican being blown sky high. 'A breathless, real-time adventure' San Francisco Chronicle

With its lavish gazetteer section and its in-depth look at some of the themes and real-life stories behind the fiction, The Dan Brown Companion gives a unique insight into the world of one of the most successful bestselling novelists of our time. A huge Dan Brown following has emerged, determined to walk in the footsteps of his lead character Robert Langdon and to delve deeper into the fiction. Simon Cox, bestselling author of Cracking the Da Vinci Code and Illuminating Angels and Demons, now brings us this definitive guide. In the gazetteer, you will visit the magical and mysterious places featured within The Da Vinci Code and Angels and Demons, as well as being introduced to the lives of the artists, scientists and other influential people mentioned in the books. In the narrative section, questions are answered and plots thickened as we look for the clues that inspired Dan Brown. From the death of popes to the Priory of Sion, the mystery of Rennes-le-Château to the Illuminati, all the facts are finally laid bare. The Dan Brown Companion is an exceptional guide to the real world of mystery and intrigue that lies at the heart of the Robert Langdon novels and is a must-have for all Dan Brown fans.