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Where does the rule come from that you can't read good books while travelling? It is nonsense! Camilla Send a noteboard - 18/09/2009 10:16:56 AM
Yes Camilla, i'm looking at you ;)

Dan Brown writes airport novels. You're bored in an airport, you look for a book, this seems interesting, pulls you in from the start...sold. And Dan Brown had been doing that for several years largely unnoticed (and largely unsold) until the Davinci Code.

For some reason, that no-one can pinpoint (after all if we could we'd all be doing it), that book at that time in that place, had the x-factor for want of a better word. No it isn't the greatest literature ever, not it isn't entirely factual, not it may not be the greatest thriller on earth...but somehow it grabbed societies imagination and it didn't let go. Just like Rowling, just like Meyers...no one can plan it, it just happens.

Over 80million copies later there is little doubt it is a truly great airport novel.

Of course a lot of people jump on the FACT element and tear it to pieces *cough*Camilla*cough*, however lets actually look at that:


I wouldn't jump on the fact element if he weren't touting it outside his books. That makes it a legitimate point of attack.

Firstly, it's a fictional book, it's a story, from front cover to back, and anyone who is going to get uppity about what he says inside it. Well really. It's called immersion people, say it's true at the start and you are hooking the audience from the get go. Hollywood does it all the time, with their stories 'based on truth'. But somehow when a book does it the snobbery comes out.


No. The facts page would be dubious, a little shady; but that is not my problem. A lot of books do that. Hell, doesn't The Three Musketeers pretend to be based in memoirs found in a dusty bookshop? I have no problem with that. I do, however, have a problem with the moron going outside the book and claiming it as truth. That is lieing. Which is different from fiction.

Secondly. Yes Dan Brown did say it was 99% true in an early publicity interview for the book...an early publicity interview for the book...go back and read that part again...PUBLICITY. Get it yet people? He was a struggling author selling about 10,000 copies each of his 1st 3 novels, at that stage you do anything to get publicity as you are trying to sell your book! And it worked, he finally became a great salesman (something many 'better' authors simply cannot do), who cares if it wasn't entirely accurate, it got books off the shelves.


Lieing.

He's since gone back and used words more akin to "alleged" and "rumored", and said he hopes his book stimulate debate etc. All fine by me.

So yes. Pure literary snobbery, that a 'hack' author can attain what many here would consider 'better' authors cannot. But really, the book isn't meant for a lot of people here. It's an airport novel, it's quick, fast entertainment. I quite liked it, it isn't great but it hits a spot.


That, I confess, irks me. I must admit part of the reason why the book makes me so angry is that it said on the cover it was Umberto Eco meeting Agatha Christie. Which is just wrong.

The real miracle though is my father, and he probably is the intended audience in many regards. He's read less than 10 books in his life since he left school. Some car racing biographies, he gave lord of the rings a go after the movies, and Dan Brown...

Like Rowling, Dan Brown gets people to read. It fires their imagination, it creates debate, outrage, snobbery. It makes a big noise, a big fuss, and so more people pick it up to see what it's all about, my father being one of them. He quite liked it, so he read Angels and Demons, then Deception Point, he's looking forward to the new book. If the books get him to read more, well that makes me smile. Nice one Dan.


Getting people to read is good. Yes. I am not arguing about that. I am saying Brown is a Bad Man who lies and deceives, outside the bounds of fiction. Basically, that he is a devious bastard and I don't like him.
*MySmiley*
structured procrastinator
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Why is it that so many people hate Dan Brown? Tom - 14/09/2009 09:24:31 PM 2697 Views
His prose is bad. Very bad. Rebekah - 14/09/2009 09:28:28 PM 1530 Views
It's not any worse than Robert Jordan's prose. I'd say it's better, in fact. Tom - 14/09/2009 09:30:17 PM 1369 Views
Re: It's not any worse than Robert Jordan's prose. I'd say it's better, in fact. Camilla - 14/09/2009 09:32:44 PM 1501 Views
In defense of italics... smaug - 14/09/2009 11:58:35 PM 1462 Views
Re: In defense of italics... Camilla - 15/09/2009 08:02:56 AM 1444 Views
I just rechecked... smaug - 15/09/2009 11:17:23 AM 1365 Views
Thereby... Wibble - 15/09/2009 10:31:44 PM 1385 Views
I have a problem with comparing those italics. Rebekah - 15/09/2009 10:33:53 PM 1383 Views
Oh probably Wibble - 15/09/2009 10:40:15 PM 1394 Views
Hehe Rebekah - 15/09/2009 10:42:23 PM 1486 Views
In defense of nothing in particular... smaug - 15/09/2009 11:16:09 PM 1463 Views
Ah. Leroux did publish it as a serial in magazine first so that makes sense. *NM* Rebekah - 15/09/2009 11:19:40 PM 681 Views
Re: Thereby... Camilla - 16/09/2009 10:40:18 AM 1528 Views
I love that line, and nothing you say will change that. Legolas - 15/09/2009 11:15:29 PM 1400 Views
That line is great smaug - 15/09/2009 11:21:03 PM 1429 Views
Jordan didn't have the good sense TO FINISH ANY FUCKING PLOT THREAD Tom - 15/09/2009 04:46:06 AM 1371 Views
Wow, the vehemence. Craig - 15/09/2009 05:55:38 AM 1437 Views
Riddle me this, Batman - if he weren't dying, would he have even done that? *NM* Tom - 15/09/2009 01:53:57 PM 787 Views
Yes. Werthead - 15/09/2009 03:38:34 PM 1372 Views
burn *NM* LadyLorraine - 15/09/2009 04:24:49 PM 668 Views
Relevant post as always Celia *NM* Walker_Boh - 15/09/2009 11:36:34 PM 734 Views
So you say... Tom - 16/09/2009 02:17:47 AM 1350 Views
No, he didn't. Werthead - 16/09/2009 04:44:31 AM 1467 Views
Re: Jordan didn't have the good sense TO FINISH ANY FUCKING PLOT THREAD Camilla - 15/09/2009 08:05:26 AM 1402 Views
His attitude to history isn't really any different from that of most writers Tom - 15/09/2009 01:54:55 PM 1415 Views
Except Camilla - 15/09/2009 04:56:23 PM 1397 Views
And ALSO except Tom - 17/09/2009 02:59:03 PM 1484 Views
Re: And ALSO except Camilla - 17/09/2009 05:27:40 PM 1369 Views
I vehemently disagree with this! Rebekah - 14/09/2009 09:33:05 PM 1652 Views
How many chapters of Aes Sedai dresses and horse names did we go through in his books? Tom - 15/09/2009 04:45:04 AM 1417 Views
I'd have a slow moving plot to fast moving nonsense any day. fionwe1987 - 15/09/2009 05:36:20 AM 1491 Views
With Jordan, that movement was glacial Tom - 15/09/2009 01:58:08 PM 1353 Views
so...your problem with jordan is that you're impatient? LadyLorraine - 15/09/2009 04:26:07 PM 1324 Views
How many of us can say we're not antsy to know what happened? nossy - 15/09/2009 05:03:24 PM 1378 Views
So plot progression is all that matters? What about the other stuff I mentioned? *NM* fionwe1987 - 15/09/2009 04:50:06 PM 678 Views
Jordan's characters are just as two-dimensional as Brown's Tom - 16/09/2009 02:17:19 AM 1340 Views
Bull... fionwe1987 - 16/09/2009 03:15:49 AM 1352 Views
No, I think you're just blinded by liking WoT Tom - 17/09/2009 03:00:28 PM 1339 Views
No, you seem to be blinded by disliking him, more like. Legolas - 17/09/2009 06:25:21 PM 1356 Views
It's not hyperbole. Tom - 17/09/2009 08:13:47 PM 1377 Views
Yes, it is, and you're really going to have to back your stance up with arguments. Legolas - 17/09/2009 09:21:56 PM 1404 Views
No it isn't, and I won't. I'm bored with this debate. *NM* Tom - 18/09/2009 02:57:00 PM 703 Views
Yeah like that's not the case with you and Dan Brown. fionwe1987 - 17/09/2009 06:56:37 PM 1399 Views
I don't think Dan Brown is a stellar writer. Tom - 17/09/2009 08:11:41 PM 1381 Views
Heh. It was "favourite" fantasy series not "best". Rebekah - 17/09/2009 08:19:02 PM 1330 Views
Then why defend him? fionwe1987 - 18/09/2009 12:14:35 AM 1338 Views
No Camilla - 18/09/2009 10:09:02 AM 1493 Views
Examples. Werthead - 17/09/2009 01:53:21 AM 1579 Views
LOL Rebekah - 17/09/2009 03:16:23 PM 1404 Views
Because he is shit? Camilla - 14/09/2009 09:38:59 PM 1666 Views
Camilla, you've read shit before and liked it. Tom - 15/09/2009 04:43:24 AM 1440 Views
Re: Camilla, you've read shit before and liked it. Camilla - 15/09/2009 08:04:18 AM 1358 Views
Yes, I was talking about the book. Tom - 15/09/2009 01:58:54 PM 1380 Views
Re: Yes, I was talking about the book. Camilla - 15/09/2009 04:56:53 PM 1298 Views
Also Camilla - 14/09/2009 09:41:25 PM 1417 Views
Hate is a strong word. PhotoJim - 14/09/2009 09:44:02 PM 1457 Views
Nicely put. *NM* Rebekah - 14/09/2009 09:46:03 PM 677 Views
*NM* Tashmere - 15/09/2009 04:16:35 AM 701 Views
He still didn't dick around with us as long as Robert Jordan did. *NM* Tom - 15/09/2009 04:41:01 AM 710 Views
I'm not disagreeing with you on that one. *NM* PhotoJim - 15/09/2009 12:12:52 PM 735 Views
Elitism and frustration he sells so much and better authors don't? Legolas - 14/09/2009 09:51:39 PM 1341 Views
I think so. Tom - 15/09/2009 04:40:20 AM 1431 Views
you thought meyers was entertaining???? LadyLorraine - 15/09/2009 04:28:48 PM 1340 Views
You thought it wasn't entertaining? Darth_Katie - 15/09/2009 07:42:06 PM 1325 Views
I would phrase that 'better' authors Wibble - 15/09/2009 10:29:54 PM 1354 Views
Okay, fair enough. Legolas - 15/09/2009 11:16:56 PM 1296 Views
Given that I know nothing about Dan Brown nossy - 14/09/2009 09:54:15 PM 1460 Views
Pfft! ~locks your reply~ Rebekah - 14/09/2009 10:00:23 PM 1367 Views
ooo, lock me baby! nossy - 14/09/2009 10:12:48 PM 1428 Views
A couple of the above points, and Suspension of Disbelief. Craig - 14/09/2009 10:23:26 PM 1434 Views
Good point about the "Ridiculous Things", that bugged me too. Legolas - 14/09/2009 10:35:32 PM 1476 Views
there is a difference between a book, which is a respectable medium, and a hollywood movie. jh - 14/09/2009 10:41:06 PM 1364 Views
There is really only a difference if you're looking for some higher learnin' nossy - 14/09/2009 10:52:39 PM 1426 Views
That statement makes no sense. *NM* jh - 14/09/2009 10:55:53 PM 598 Views
She must have been reading too much Dan Brown. Rebekah - 14/09/2009 10:58:51 PM 1328 Views
Yes it does nossy - 14/09/2009 11:00:41 PM 1332 Views
Only to the strangest of elitists. *NM* Ghavrel - 15/09/2009 12:49:53 AM 723 Views
Go read screenplays for fun, populist. *NM* jh - 15/09/2009 10:20:01 AM 728 Views
Ghavrel - 15/09/2009 06:25:26 PM 1337 Views
Oh, I am sorry. jh - 16/09/2009 11:11:07 AM 1247 Views
Well... Craig - 14/09/2009 11:16:00 PM 1320 Views
I accept your points, but also your final statement Tom - 15/09/2009 04:38:46 AM 1331 Views
More to the point then... people don't really need a good reason to hate something in particular. Craig - 15/09/2009 06:00:33 AM 1426 Views
You didn't even like him as Mugatu in Zoolander? *NM* Tom - 15/09/2009 01:47:57 PM 685 Views
Now, now. Craig - 15/09/2009 07:03:48 PM 1330 Views
Suspension of disbelief is a relative thing random thoughts - 15/09/2009 11:25:32 PM 1427 Views
Damn near everything is a relative thing. Craig - 16/09/2009 05:25:48 AM 1398 Views
I'm indifferent to him Larry - 15/09/2009 01:14:37 AM 1370 Views
If you're indifferent, you are apparently in a minority. Tom - 15/09/2009 04:36:28 AM 1357 Views
To put Brown's mediocrity in perspective, read Da Vinci and then Foucault's Pendulum by Umberto Eco. *NM* RandAllThor - 15/09/2009 01:32:11 AM 720 Views
Eh, I enjoyed DaVinci better. You can all crucify me now. Craig - 15/09/2009 01:49:28 AM 1306 Views
Re: Eh, I enjoyed DaVinci better. You can all crucify me now. RandAllThor - 15/09/2009 01:54:17 AM 1449 Views
Re: Rose Craig - 15/09/2009 02:16:53 AM 1331 Views
As someone who appreciated Foucault's Pendulum I don't argue his mediocrity. Tom - 15/09/2009 04:30:31 AM 1240 Views
I agree with your last sentence strongly. Joker - 26/09/2009 08:18:42 PM 1606 Views
I don't hate him, and I've never read any of his books Brian - 15/09/2009 01:45:37 AM 1320 Views
He was over hyped to me. Tashmere - 15/09/2009 04:15:32 AM 1343 Views
Da Vinci, not "Da Vinchi". The latter would be pronounced like "Da Vinki" in English. *NM* Tom - 15/09/2009 04:32:40 AM 688 Views
I will fix it for for you. I just didn't care enough to look up the spelling on it. Tashmere - 15/09/2009 02:49:08 PM 1442 Views
I agree it was way overhyped. everynametaken - 16/09/2009 02:12:39 AM 1275 Views
Heh, I actually had the opposite. Craig - 16/09/2009 05:26:55 AM 1364 Views
The thing I hate the most is actually the fans who suddenly "know" stuff.... Sophy - 15/09/2009 07:49:22 AM 1517 Views
Yes! *NM* Camilla - 15/09/2009 08:06:35 AM 712 Views
I try to avoid stupid people like that altogether Tom - 15/09/2009 01:49:53 PM 1278 Views
And move to a deserted island? Sophy - 15/09/2009 02:33:01 PM 1589 Views
Those people are everywhere, but you don't have to talk to them Tom - 17/09/2009 03:02:24 PM 1449 Views
Lol. I agree wholeheartedly. everynametaken - 16/09/2009 02:17:51 AM 1430 Views
My take on why Dan Brown is so disliked. MightyYT - 15/09/2009 08:51:04 AM 1450 Views
As I've said before, I don't disagree that he's a mediocre writer Tom - 15/09/2009 01:52:23 PM 1347 Views
He 'true' book claims 5 million women were killed during the witch hunt AgentOrange - 15/09/2009 11:55:40 AM 1320 Views
I would hardly say I hate him Mark - 15/09/2009 02:33:13 PM 1388 Views
I think it's more the totally inexplicable nature of his success Werthead - 15/09/2009 03:48:28 PM 1475 Views
Eragon and Twilight indicate all that is evil to me in the world LadyLorraine - 15/09/2009 04:33:29 PM 1452 Views
I hardly think it's that inexplicable. Legolas - 15/09/2009 04:33:39 PM 1335 Views
Honestly, his works play on a very basic fact of human psychology., everynametaken - 16/09/2009 02:23:56 AM 1461 Views
Misplaced superiority. Jacob - 15/09/2009 05:10:34 PM 1398 Views
Well, regarding goodkind... jh - 15/09/2009 05:23:34 PM 1400 Views
I couldn't say... Jacob - 15/09/2009 05:57:12 PM 1418 Views
well, you stuck with the poor quality books longer than me. *NM* jh - 16/09/2009 12:39:23 AM 687 Views
It's pure literary snobbery Wibble - 15/09/2009 11:08:44 PM 1426 Views
I agree with you 100%. Tom - 16/09/2009 02:20:11 AM 1305 Views
Very nice summary. everynametaken - 16/09/2009 02:32:38 AM 1459 Views
That's more than a little unfair. Craig - 16/09/2009 05:29:59 AM 1352 Views
Dan Brown is a snob. Sophy - 16/09/2009 06:32:21 AM 1556 Views
Where does the rule come from that you can't read good books while travelling? It is nonsense! Camilla - 18/09/2009 10:16:56 AM 1601 Views
because all of the cool kids hate him random thoughts - 15/09/2009 11:17:29 PM 1230 Views
He has an enormous schwanzstucker. *NM* TaskmasterJack - 16/09/2009 01:18:37 AM 920 Views
I figured that'd set most guys against him. *NM* rebelaessedai - 16/09/2009 01:51:56 AM 699 Views
I don't get it either. everynametaken - 16/09/2009 02:01:04 AM 1319 Views
I think you'll appreciate this Tom Geoff - 16/09/2009 03:03:24 PM 1590 Views
Hmm. The sneerathon seems like a good idea. jh - 16/09/2009 03:52:15 PM 1345 Views
That was lovely, thank you! Tom - 17/09/2009 03:04:46 PM 1332 Views
My pleasure Geoff - 17/09/2009 03:58:31 PM 1486 Views
I don't. I think he's just average, though occasionally fun for an easy read/skim *NM* IndigoAjah - 17/09/2009 12:39:05 AM 737 Views
Plenty of them probably don't. They just don't have the guts to say what they truly think. *NM* Vodalus - 17/09/2009 10:10:39 PM 669 Views
And yet there's still no "Why do so many people hate Faile?" post on the WoT board... *NM* TaskmasterJack - 18/09/2009 04:05:26 PM 915 Views
How do you know? *NM* jh - 18/09/2009 04:57:15 PM 698 Views
I pop in there on occasion. TaskmasterJack - 18/09/2009 05:09:59 PM 1703 Views
Oh, it's a job. jh - 18/09/2009 07:35:32 PM 1482 Views
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