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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 2332 Views
His prose is bad. Very bad. Rebekah - 14/09/2009 09:28:28 PM 1181 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 1053 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 1205 Views
In defense of italics... smaug - 14/09/2009 11:58:35 PM 1126 Views
Re: In defense of italics... Camilla - 15/09/2009 08:02:56 AM 1150 Views
I just rechecked... smaug - 15/09/2009 11:17:23 AM 1057 Views
Thereby... Wibble - 15/09/2009 10:31:44 PM 1090 Views
I have a problem with comparing those italics. Rebekah - 15/09/2009 10:33:53 PM 1092 Views
Oh probably Wibble - 15/09/2009 10:40:15 PM 1109 Views
Hehe Rebekah - 15/09/2009 10:42:23 PM 1165 Views
In defense of nothing in particular... smaug - 15/09/2009 11:16:09 PM 1173 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 517 Views
Re: Thereby... Camilla - 16/09/2009 10:40:18 AM 1237 Views
I love that line, and nothing you say will change that. Legolas - 15/09/2009 11:15:29 PM 1057 Views
That line is great smaug - 15/09/2009 11:21:03 PM 1095 Views
Jordan didn't have the good sense TO FINISH ANY FUCKING PLOT THREAD Tom - 15/09/2009 04:46:06 AM 1076 Views
Wow, the vehemence. Craig - 15/09/2009 05:55:38 AM 1099 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 621 Views
Yes. Werthead - 15/09/2009 03:38:34 PM 1080 Views
burn *NM* LadyLorraine - 15/09/2009 04:24:49 PM 504 Views
Relevant post as always Celia *NM* Walker_Boh - 15/09/2009 11:36:34 PM 595 Views
So you say... Tom - 16/09/2009 02:17:47 AM 1065 Views
No, he didn't. Werthead - 16/09/2009 04:44:31 AM 1141 Views
Re: Jordan didn't have the good sense TO FINISH ANY FUCKING PLOT THREAD Camilla - 15/09/2009 08:05:26 AM 1102 Views
His attitude to history isn't really any different from that of most writers Tom - 15/09/2009 01:54:55 PM 1067 Views
Except Camilla - 15/09/2009 04:56:23 PM 1071 Views
And ALSO except Tom - 17/09/2009 02:59:03 PM 1178 Views
Re: And ALSO except Camilla - 17/09/2009 05:27:40 PM 1072 Views
I vehemently disagree with this! Rebekah - 14/09/2009 09:33:05 PM 1358 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 1110 Views
I'd have a slow moving plot to fast moving nonsense any day. fionwe1987 - 15/09/2009 05:36:20 AM 1164 Views
With Jordan, that movement was glacial Tom - 15/09/2009 01:58:08 PM 1061 Views
so...your problem with jordan is that you're impatient? LadyLorraine - 15/09/2009 04:26:07 PM 1020 Views
How many of us can say we're not antsy to know what happened? nossy - 15/09/2009 05:03:24 PM 1071 Views
So plot progression is all that matters? What about the other stuff I mentioned? *NM* fionwe1987 - 15/09/2009 04:50:06 PM 502 Views
Jordan's characters are just as two-dimensional as Brown's Tom - 16/09/2009 02:17:19 AM 1032 Views
Bull... fionwe1987 - 16/09/2009 03:15:49 AM 1072 Views
No, I think you're just blinded by liking WoT Tom - 17/09/2009 03:00:28 PM 1041 Views
No, you seem to be blinded by disliking him, more like. Legolas - 17/09/2009 06:25:21 PM 1051 Views
It's not hyperbole. Tom - 17/09/2009 08:13:47 PM 1075 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 1099 Views
No it isn't, and I won't. I'm bored with this debate. *NM* Tom - 18/09/2009 02:57:00 PM 544 Views
Yeah like that's not the case with you and Dan Brown. fionwe1987 - 17/09/2009 06:56:37 PM 1107 Views
I don't think Dan Brown is a stellar writer. Tom - 17/09/2009 08:11:41 PM 1050 Views
Heh. It was "favourite" fantasy series not "best". Rebekah - 17/09/2009 08:19:02 PM 1053 Views
Then why defend him? fionwe1987 - 18/09/2009 12:14:35 AM 1024 Views
No Camilla - 18/09/2009 10:09:02 AM 1181 Views
Examples. Werthead - 17/09/2009 01:53:21 AM 1252 Views
LOL Rebekah - 17/09/2009 03:16:23 PM 1103 Views
Because he is shit? Camilla - 14/09/2009 09:38:59 PM 1312 Views
Camilla, you've read shit before and liked it. Tom - 15/09/2009 04:43:24 AM 1098 Views
Re: Camilla, you've read shit before and liked it. Camilla - 15/09/2009 08:04:18 AM 1066 Views
Yes, I was talking about the book. Tom - 15/09/2009 01:58:54 PM 1016 Views
Re: Yes, I was talking about the book. Camilla - 15/09/2009 04:56:53 PM 1000 Views
Also Camilla - 14/09/2009 09:41:25 PM 1111 Views
Hate is a strong word. PhotoJim - 14/09/2009 09:44:02 PM 1175 Views
Nicely put. *NM* Rebekah - 14/09/2009 09:46:03 PM 529 Views
*NM* Tashmere - 15/09/2009 04:16:35 AM 537 Views
He still didn't dick around with us as long as Robert Jordan did. *NM* Tom - 15/09/2009 04:41:01 AM 553 Views
I'm not disagreeing with you on that one. *NM* PhotoJim - 15/09/2009 12:12:52 PM 568 Views
Elitism and frustration he sells so much and better authors don't? Legolas - 14/09/2009 09:51:39 PM 1017 Views
I think so. Tom - 15/09/2009 04:40:20 AM 1078 Views
you thought meyers was entertaining???? LadyLorraine - 15/09/2009 04:28:48 PM 1038 Views
You thought it wasn't entertaining? Darth_Katie - 15/09/2009 07:42:06 PM 1041 Views
I would phrase that 'better' authors Wibble - 15/09/2009 10:29:54 PM 1060 Views
Okay, fair enough. Legolas - 15/09/2009 11:16:56 PM 976 Views
Given that I know nothing about Dan Brown nossy - 14/09/2009 09:54:15 PM 1165 Views
Pfft! ~locks your reply~ Rebekah - 14/09/2009 10:00:23 PM 1069 Views
ooo, lock me baby! nossy - 14/09/2009 10:12:48 PM 1133 Views
A couple of the above points, and Suspension of Disbelief. Craig - 14/09/2009 10:23:26 PM 1133 Views
Good point about the "Ridiculous Things", that bugged me too. Legolas - 14/09/2009 10:35:32 PM 1179 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 1031 Views
There is really only a difference if you're looking for some higher learnin' nossy - 14/09/2009 10:52:39 PM 1113 Views
That statement makes no sense. *NM* jh - 14/09/2009 10:55:53 PM 426 Views
She must have been reading too much Dan Brown. Rebekah - 14/09/2009 10:58:51 PM 1057 Views
Yes it does nossy - 14/09/2009 11:00:41 PM 1025 Views
Only to the strangest of elitists. *NM* Ghavrel - 15/09/2009 12:49:53 AM 558 Views
Go read screenplays for fun, populist. *NM* jh - 15/09/2009 10:20:01 AM 568 Views
Ghavrel - 15/09/2009 06:25:26 PM 1054 Views
Oh, I am sorry. jh - 16/09/2009 11:11:07 AM 936 Views
Well... Craig - 14/09/2009 11:16:00 PM 1029 Views
I accept your points, but also your final statement Tom - 15/09/2009 04:38:46 AM 1032 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 1098 Views
You didn't even like him as Mugatu in Zoolander? *NM* Tom - 15/09/2009 01:47:57 PM 530 Views
Now, now. Craig - 15/09/2009 07:03:48 PM 1027 Views
Suspension of disbelief is a relative thing random thoughts - 15/09/2009 11:25:32 PM 1110 Views
Damn near everything is a relative thing. Craig - 16/09/2009 05:25:48 AM 1098 Views
I'm indifferent to him Larry - 15/09/2009 01:14:37 AM 1088 Views
If you're indifferent, you are apparently in a minority. Tom - 15/09/2009 04:36:28 AM 1050 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 548 Views
Eh, I enjoyed DaVinci better. You can all crucify me now. Craig - 15/09/2009 01:49:28 AM 1014 Views
Re: Eh, I enjoyed DaVinci better. You can all crucify me now. RandAllThor - 15/09/2009 01:54:17 AM 1157 Views
Re: Rose Craig - 15/09/2009 02:16:53 AM 1046 Views
As someone who appreciated Foucault's Pendulum I don't argue his mediocrity. Tom - 15/09/2009 04:30:31 AM 913 Views
I agree with your last sentence strongly. Joker - 26/09/2009 08:18:42 PM 1262 Views
I don't hate him, and I've never read any of his books Brian - 15/09/2009 01:45:37 AM 1024 Views
He was over hyped to me. Tashmere - 15/09/2009 04:15:32 AM 1040 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 527 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 1125 Views
I agree it was way overhyped. everynametaken - 16/09/2009 02:12:39 AM 974 Views
Heh, I actually had the opposite. Craig - 16/09/2009 05:26:55 AM 1071 Views
The thing I hate the most is actually the fans who suddenly "know" stuff.... Sophy - 15/09/2009 07:49:22 AM 1173 Views
Yes! *NM* Camilla - 15/09/2009 08:06:35 AM 517 Views
I try to avoid stupid people like that altogether Tom - 15/09/2009 01:49:53 PM 977 Views
And move to a deserted island? Sophy - 15/09/2009 02:33:01 PM 1236 Views
Those people are everywhere, but you don't have to talk to them Tom - 17/09/2009 03:02:24 PM 1095 Views
Lol. I agree wholeheartedly. everynametaken - 16/09/2009 02:17:51 AM 1093 Views
My take on why Dan Brown is so disliked. MightyYT - 15/09/2009 08:51:04 AM 1142 Views
As I've said before, I don't disagree that he's a mediocre writer Tom - 15/09/2009 01:52:23 PM 1020 Views
He 'true' book claims 5 million women were killed during the witch hunt AgentOrange - 15/09/2009 11:55:40 AM 1035 Views
I would hardly say I hate him Mark - 15/09/2009 02:33:13 PM 1082 Views
I think it's more the totally inexplicable nature of his success Werthead - 15/09/2009 03:48:28 PM 1185 Views
Eragon and Twilight indicate all that is evil to me in the world LadyLorraine - 15/09/2009 04:33:29 PM 1166 Views
I hardly think it's that inexplicable. Legolas - 15/09/2009 04:33:39 PM 1036 Views
Honestly, his works play on a very basic fact of human psychology., everynametaken - 16/09/2009 02:23:56 AM 1127 Views
Misplaced superiority. Jacob - 15/09/2009 05:10:34 PM 1093 Views
Well, regarding goodkind... jh - 15/09/2009 05:23:34 PM 1064 Views
I couldn't say... Jacob - 15/09/2009 05:57:12 PM 1136 Views
well, you stuck with the poor quality books longer than me. *NM* jh - 16/09/2009 12:39:23 AM 529 Views
It's pure literary snobbery Wibble - 15/09/2009 11:08:44 PM 1074 Views
I agree with you 100%. Tom - 16/09/2009 02:20:11 AM 998 Views
Very nice summary. everynametaken - 16/09/2009 02:32:38 AM 1155 Views
That's more than a little unfair. Craig - 16/09/2009 05:29:59 AM 1019 Views
Dan Brown is a snob. Sophy - 16/09/2009 06:32:21 AM 1175 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 1277 Views
because all of the cool kids hate him random thoughts - 15/09/2009 11:17:29 PM 950 Views
He has an enormous schwanzstucker. *NM* TaskmasterJack - 16/09/2009 01:18:37 AM 688 Views
I figured that'd set most guys against him. *NM* rebelaessedai - 16/09/2009 01:51:56 AM 550 Views
I don't get it either. everynametaken - 16/09/2009 02:01:04 AM 1010 Views
I think you'll appreciate this Tom Geoff - 16/09/2009 03:03:24 PM 1209 Views
Hmm. The sneerathon seems like a good idea. jh - 16/09/2009 03:52:15 PM 1038 Views
That was lovely, thank you! Tom - 17/09/2009 03:04:46 PM 1036 Views
My pleasure Geoff - 17/09/2009 03:58:31 PM 1101 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 558 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 508 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 689 Views
How do you know? *NM* jh - 18/09/2009 04:57:15 PM 554 Views
I pop in there on occasion. TaskmasterJack - 18/09/2009 05:09:59 PM 1324 Views
Oh, it's a job. jh - 18/09/2009 07:35:32 PM 1150 Views
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