Dan Brown is arguably one of the best writers for thrillers and mystery. He debuted with his first book in 1998 with “Digital Fortress,” which instantly became a fan favorite. A lot appreciated the techno-thriller aspect of the book, perhaps why Brown released another novel, “Deception Point. ”
“Deception Point” also did well; however, the book that made him a bestseller was “Angels and Demons.” The author introduced a character — Robert Langdon, Harvard University professor of religious iconology and symbology.
Dan Brown’s Langdon Series
Whenever Dan Brown is discussed, the focus is on his book related to the Langdon series. “Angels and Demons” was followed by “The DaVinci Code,” which was the #1 bestseller in many countries. “The Lost Symbol” followed by “Inferno,” and finally “Origin.”
There is a good reason Brown’s books featuring Langdon are a massive success. Brown’s books are an explosion of history and not in a wrong way. He gives a fresh perspective of historical places, the history of the most significant individuals of all times, secret societies, symbolic aspects in famous paintings, churches, and even government buildings like the Capitol, Washington D.C.
Why Are His Books Massive Success?
Dan Brown has a knack for mixing history with mystery. The way he writes is attractive, making the reader knowledgeable about the future while simultaneously trying to decode secrets side-by-side with Langdon. All five books on the Langdon series to date follow the Harvard professor for 24 hours, and during that period, he needs to solve the mystery thrown at him.
This aspect creates an urgency to read and finish the book fast. Because his books start slow, and it takes around 70-80 pages to get the grip, after that, it is just unstoppable.
Along with that, all the organizational and historical facts in the book are true. Hence, it creates a thin line between facts and fiction. The books also give you a world tour from Rome and Vatican City to Istanbul and Paris.
Dan Brown doesn’t shy away from mentioning controversial things. He freely talks about the Illuminati, Freemasons, Opus Dei, Priory of Sion, and Vatican Archives. I relate the most contentious topic in his books to Christianity — Jesus and his “wife,” Mary Magdalene.
Brown’s books, especially those in the Langdon series, have made him the highest-paid writer with a net worth of almost $178 million.
Adaptations of Brown’s Books.
Out of the 7 thriller novels, he has written, there have been three movie adaptations and a TV adaptation.
The movie series took off with The Da Vinci Code in 2006. Even though the critics did not receive it well, it did well commercially. The movie grossed $758 million worldwide, making it the second highest-grossing movie of 2006.
Angels and Demons, which were released in 2009, followed the DaVinci Code. Comparatively, it did better than its predecessor for critics; however, commercially, it couldn’t do as well as The DaVinci Code, with only over $485 million worldwide.
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The last installment was Inferno, which was released in 2016. Like the previous two installments, Inferno couldn’t satisfy the critics but grossed $220 million worldwide.
Ron Howard directed all the movies, and Tom Hanks plays the role of Langdon.
There is one upcoming TV show for The Lost Symbol. Hanks will not be reprising his role as Langdon, but Ashley Zukerman will play the Havard Professor.
That being said, there is a reason it has not received well adaptations. There is only so much the directors and writers can fit in the movies since Brown’s books are packed with thrills and mystery. To enjoy Brown’s work to the fullest, it is always better to read the books before watching the movies and series.
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