Customer Reviews

Da Vinci Code Decoded: The Truth Behind the New York Times #1 Bestseller

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(14)

 

 

As a fan of The Da Vinci Code I've been curious about lots of the things Dan Brown wrote about, but without having to read all the dry history texts like Holy Bllod Holy Grail. So I was eager to check out some of the Da Vinci Code guides that are being published now. Guess what? Nearly all of them aren't written for fans, but by a certain type of Christian (hey, not all of us object to DVC) who just wants to argue against any possibility of the history framing The Davinci Code.

This is the only one written from a balanced, secular point of view. It's comprehensive but compact enough to be readable by almost anyone with a mild interest in the various topics such as The Priory of Sion, Knights Templar, Merovingian/Davidic bloodlines, etc etc.

It's also great value at under $10 and has lots of photos, so for my money this is the one to get unless you just want to read dogmatic arguments about why The Da Vinci Code's version of history couldn't possibly be true.

Writing a non-fiction book that covers a topic which is not only controversial, but normally considered to be folklore, is a considerable challenge. The only books of this kind that I am willing to read are those that stick to the topic, that are rational, and down to earth. Many books of this genre constantly beg the reader to stretch the imagination and tolerate shoddy research. The DaVinci Code Decoded, however, reads like an exceptional book about history, which is what it is. There are no apologies being made here for the fact that the truth is sometimes mysterious, and there is virtually zero time dedicated to sensationalism. Martin Lunn has written an informed book from an informed point of view, and he is himself as unique and sincere as it is required to claim any authority on the subject. References are made one by one as they appear in Brown's novel, and he simply states what he knows to be true. The Romantic aspect needs no assistance. Conclusions are drawn that are not at all like what Brown's novel has to say and at other moments, they agree. There is also exclusive information that Brown obviously didn't know, and frankly I don't think anyone else knew, either! This is certainly refreshing after reading many redundant books following the Holy Blood, Holy Grail. Writing this book was a matter of responsibility to an organization which was researching these topics long before Dan Brown's success. It was technically in the works long before any of the others which followed suit. There is certainly no "jumping on the gravy train" going on here. The most fascinating thing is that Dan Brown is actually the one who has the tiger by the tail, and Martin Lunn is rather capable of explaining why.

I loved Dan Brown's book and wanted to know more so I picked this up because it was the only one of the Davinci Code related books that was under $10 and had lots of photos. What a value! It hits everything I was curious about with lots of detail: the history of the Priory of Sion and the Knights Templar (loved the fact that Friday 13th comes from the execution of the Templars), Mary Magdalene and Jesus' relationship and their possible bloodline, where the Holy Grail might be (Valencia in SPain), lots of detail on all the buildings and paintings in the novel, what it's really like to be in Opus Dei, etc etc.

Buy it - you won't be disappointed - and it's amazingly cheap considering all the photos.

I have read Martin Lunn's book, and will say that it is rich in content. It could be a great guidebook for those that wish to know more about what Brown's many plots were about, but lacks any real hard scholarship. He fails to provided his reader with any direct references to Primary, or reputable secondary documentation. While he claims a Masters degree in History, He would get low marks in any freshmen history class, let alone a graduate program. I am not referring to the contents interesting points, nor the informative entertainment. This books failing is in it's lack of proofs provided by Martin to establish a foundation to base his many assumptions. There is no bibliography, nor footnotes to speak of, and the references section provides only secondary sources of questionable scholarship as well. Oh, and I am a historian, and not a religious fanatic with an agenda. Expert, please. Be wary of people that declare they are experts in anything my fellow reader.

Who on earth are these people who don't like it? I came to the Da Vinci Code uninitiated, and read it just because just about everyone was reading it. One problem - in common with everyone else I wasn't able to sort out what was for real and what wasn't. Then I heard about Lunn's book, and it all made sense. There is so much knowledge packed into this book its unreal. What ever you wondered about in da Vinci Decoded is covered, all you need to do is look in the index. I also liked the pictures. It is one thing reading about a person, place. Another seeing it. Easy enough for anyone to get a good grip on the subject. Also you can carry it around in your back pocket - great for the summer!

There are a lot of choices of "Da Vinci Code" guides right now to buy. Some take a secular approach like this one does. What I think distinguishes "Da Vinci Code Decoded" is provocative manner it parallels the events of the Dan Brown novel with enlightening historical events. It's one of the best companion guides I have read, and I have many of them.

I've taken the time to read the guides published by religious zealots who are just looking to trash Dan Brown and any critical eye that is shed upon their beliefs. Fortunately, in America, everyone has a right to choose what he or she believes. And it would be great if more people were tolerant of others' beliefs and viewpoints, particularly when they disagree with their own.

If you are interested in a non-dogmatic, critical view on the history and religion you may (or may not) be familiar with, this book is for you.

Disclaimer: I'm connected to this book.

Fact: I've read this book.

Hypothesis: Most of the people posting negative reviews below have NOT read the book.

It's fairly obvious to anyone who has actually read more than the book description and the author bio. I have two theories as to why these reviews are being posted: (a) because Martin Lunn's book is not simply an argument against the religious history underpinning 'The Da Vinci Code'; and (b) because the reviewers are in some way affiliated with competing books about 'The Da Vinci Code'.

They won't admit to it, of course, but bear it in mind when you see those 1 star ratings.

By the way, of all the various books, only this one and Dan Burstein's anthology are in any way fair and balanced in a non-Faux News way. Burstein's book is very different - not really a holistic guide, but a collection of essays. But for the real fan it's probably worth picking up Lunn's book and Burstein's if you can afford it.

The ultra-Christian 'Da Vinci Code' debunkers have been giving this book several 1 star ratings... Is that because they are seriously reviewing this book or is it because they are pushing an agenda?

This is the only book I've found that offers a fair and reasonable assesment of the facts in Brown's novel without a Christian debunking bias.

For those of you interested in the differences between fact and fiction, this is the book for you. A great quick read. Full of interesting historical tidbits - such as where Friday the 13th comes from. Rounds all the right bases - Knights Templar, Opus Dei, Priory of Sion... I think of all the guides out there right now this one is the most bang for your buck. Highly recommended.

The publication and subsequent widespread popularity of "The Da Vinci Code" has led to a host of books attempting to delve further into the subject matter and separate fact from fiction. The authors and producers of these books usually fall into two categories: those of the Christian faith that feel threatened and try to discredit everything Dan Brown presents in his novel; and those who wholeheartedly agree with Mr. Brown and seek to reinforce the subject matter of his novel. Additionally, in my personal opinion, both of these camps also seem to be motivated by a a desire to capitalize on the popularity of "The Da Vinci Code" for profitable gain. While these types of exploratory 'history' books (and I use that term very loosely in this case) no doubt succeed in clearing a decent profit margin they fail miserably as researched historical treatises on the subject matter of "The Da Vinci Code".

Both, "The Rough Guide To The Da Vinci Code" and "Da Vinci Code Decoded" purport to be properly researched exploratory works with the former taking the side of discrediting much of Mr. Brown's novel and the latter supporting much of it. However, what the astute reader will notice is that neither makes its case very well and both are guilty of the same gross error, namely not presenting any tangible historical reference to accompany the myriad of 'facts' (I use this term quite loosely as well) presented. By this I mean, whenever they present any information, whether it opposes or supports Mr. Brown, there is no specific reference as to where that information came from. As far as the reader knows, the author could be entirely fabricating the information themselves as there is no footnote and corresponding reference for the reader to check to ensure the author is not just asserting their own opinions as 'facts'. While that type of writing is entirely acceptable in a fictional novel such as "The Da Vinici Code", it is most unacceptable in non-fictional writing where the claim is made that the book presents researched historical facts. If the books are so well researched, where are the footnotes and references that will allow the reader to double check the facts themselves? These books are in essence 'he said / she said" publications where it is the word of the author against the word of Dan Brown, and as such are of no use in the realm of legitimate historical study.

Please do not be fooled by the authoritative style with which these books are written, as they are essentially just someone's opinion and should not be taken as fact. I would recommend the curious reader who desires to learn more about the subject matter of "The Da Vinici Code" to seek out and read academic historical texts for further information, but at the same time I would suggest taking that with a grain of salt as well. Historical facts have a tendency to become distorted and manipulated over the years to serve personal and national agendas. If you don't believe it is in human nature to manipulate historical accounts, consider this real world example: the Japanese government as of this day does not teach Japanese students about the atrocities and war crimes that Japan committed historically in Asia (atrocities and war crimes that are well documented by the rest of the international community). The details have been stricken, literally, from Japanese school history books. This is even more important when we remember that Japan actually lost World War II and yet they are still engaging in this type of activity. Imagine if they had won...furthermore, imagine if the Germans had won: would the attempted genocide of the Jews even be spoken of today much less remembered in a couple hundred years?

These are the types of things one must consider when studying history. So, if you want to learn more about the Da Vinci code, ignore "The Rough Guide To The Da Vinci Code" and "Da Vinci Code Decoded", do your own research, keep an open mind, and decide on your own what seems most likely from a logical standpoint.