- Fiction
- Murder Mystery
- Symbology
The third instalment in the Robert Langdon series by Dan Brown is another example of his fantastic research, seamlessly weaving authentic locations, symbology, organisations, and rituals into the narrative. This creativity draws you deeper into the story, helping you vividly visualise every detail.
The Lost Symbol follows our favourite Harvard professor as he is, quite literally, pulled into another mystery he must solve. This time, it’s to save his close friend, Peter Solomon, a wealthy educator and prominent Freemason, who is being held hostage by a fanatic obsessed with mystical powers. Langdon must uncover an ancient secret hidden by the Masons to free Peter.
This novel carries the same edge-of-your-seat, treasure-hunt feeling as the previous books, with puzzles and codes that keep you engaged and constantly guessing—or even trying to solve the symbology yourself. However, it felt like this one dragged a bit longer. It’s a bigger book, but I enjoyed it just as much as the others.
I couldn’t help comparing this novel to the TV series based on it and, unlike the films I felt the show almost ruined the story for me. The series deviated much more than the films, changing characters, the plot, and even character interactions. It was hard not to keep making those comparisons. Still, I found the book far better. I’ve always been a fan of TV adaptations staying close to the source material—there’s a reason the books do well. That said, I understand others might feel differently.
Langdon’s companion this time is Peter Solomon’s sister, Katherine. She’s a slightly older character than we’ve seen in previous novels, possibly reflecting the passage of time and Langdon’s own aging. Interestingly, she wasn’t as much of a love interest as some of the previous female leads.
It always amazes me how Brown uses real-life organisations and places in his stories, offering an unfamiliar perspective on what is often misunderstood or easily judged. His books always leave me wanting to research more on my own to see how much I can learn.
I’m excited to dive into the final two novels in the Robert Langdon series and see what trouble Langdon will get into next. I’m particularly looking forward to Origin, since it hasn’t been adapted into a TV show or film yet, and I’m excited to visualise it with a fresh perspective.
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