The Lost Symbol (Robert Langdon Book 3)

4.3 | 30,927 ratings

Price: 1.99

Last update: 09-27-2024

About this item

#1 WORLDWIDE BESTSELLER • An intelligent, lightning-paced thriller set within the hidden chambers, tunnels, and temples of Washington, D.C., with surprises at every turn. • Don’t miss the Peacock original series Dan Brown’s The Lost Symbol!

“Impossible to put down.... Another mind-blowing Robert Langdon story.” —The New York Times

Famed Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon answers an unexpected summons to appear at the U.S. Capitol Building. His plans are interrupted when a disturbing object—artfully encoded with five symbols—is discovered in the building. Langdon recognizes in the find an ancient invitation into a lost world of esoteric, potentially dangerous wisdom.

When his mentor Peter Solomon—a long-standing Mason and beloved philanthropist—is kidnapped, Langdon realizes that the only way to save Solomon is to accept the mystical invitation and plunge headlong into a clandestine world of Masonic secrets, hidden history, and one inconceivable truth ... all under the watchful eye of Dan Brown's most terrifying villain to date.

Top reviews from the United States

Wayne C. Rogers

I think I'm just about the only one who loved this novel!

Reviewed in the United States on January 20, 2011

I have to say right off the bat that a lot of readers apparently didn't like The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown. Maybe their expectations were so high after The Da Vinci Code that no author could live up to them. I don't know. For me, The Lost Symbol was a pure joy to read. I understand that people often view things differently from each other, but I'm amazed by the sheer outrage this book seems to have stirred up during the past year.

Anyway, The Lost Symbol takes place in Washington, D.C. and has Paul Langdon trying to save the life of his close friend, Peter Solomon, while attempting to unravel the hidden codes of the Freemasons and the effect they had on the founding of our nation. Sounds interesting, doesn't it?

When Paul Langdon is asked by an old friend/mentor to give a lecture in Washington, D.C. at the spur of the moment, Langdon agrees and flies to the nation's capital from Boston. Once he reaches the Capital building, Langdon quickly discovers something is wrong and that he's been duped by a very clever impostor who calls himself, Ma'lak. Ma'lak is a giant of man with his muscled body tattooed with archaic symbols. He's also highly intelligent, rich, and seeking the hidden portal that supposedly leads to enlightenment and is discussed in the ancient doctrines of Freemasonry. He firmly believes the portal is hidden somewhere in Washington, D.C. Ma'lak has threatened to kill Peter Solomon if Langdon doesn't assist him in locating the portal by midnight. To prove how serious he is about finding it, Ma'lak has left Peter Solomon's severed hand lying on the floor of the Capital building with clues to help Langdon along in his quest. Langdon, however, must deal with a C.I.A. section's chief, seeking to stop Ma'lak in achieving his goal, believing the results will tear the country apart. Langdon doesn't know what to think because all is not what it seems. It doesn't take Langdon long to realize he doesn't know whom to trust. With the clock ticking to the inevitable countdown, our Harvard professor races to unlock the secrets of our founding fathers and to find a portal that may exist or may not. If it does, then it will offer the answers to the ancient mysteries of mankind.

At the beginning of the book, the author clearly states that the scientific research he discusses in his novel is actually being carried out today. I just recently had a debate with someone who stated The Lost Symbol was nothing but fiction and had no bases for reality. I totally disagreed with him because though I don't have a background in science, I do try to stay abreast of the current research in quantum physics, astronomy, and the understanding of the human mind in its relationship to the Universe. I've also followed many of the discoveries that have been done in the area of Noetic Sciences throughout the last twenty-five years. What's discussed in The Lost Symbol blew me away its authenticity and how it's carefully woven into the plot. Brown definitely did his research and used the scientific evidence that's out there as a basis for his fantastic novel. This is part of the reason why the book was so entertaining. Clearly, not everyone who read the novel had the same reaction as I did, but what can I say.

If anyone out there has the slightest interest in man's quest to understand his place in the Universe, then check this book out for some interesting food for thought. On top of that, it's also a damn good read that has each chapter ending with a twist that literary compels the reader to go on to the next one. The Lost Symbol is certainly one of the best books I've read in the past decade, and I highly recommend it. Buy the book, read it with an open mind, and you might walk away from it like I did, saying, "Wow!"

Archivist Glen Hut

A Lost Opportunity

Reviewed in the United States on October 7, 2009

The Lost Opportunity

In the year 2005, Dan Brown released his fourth novel, The Da Vinci Code. It soon became a world-wide sensation, outsold only by J.K. Rowling's fifth Harry Potter novel, Order of the Phoenix. Still, The Da Vinci Code is one of the most widely read books ever written. Clearly Brown hit on some sort of secret formula of entertainment. The question is, can he do it again? Does his latest novel and Code follow-up, The Lost Symbol, live up to the legacy? Well, yes...unfortunately.
The first thing one notices about this book is the jacket. Simply put, this book is beautiful. The seal of the Masonic Scottish Rite is stamped in red "wax", directly above the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., which can be seen through a pyramidal rip in yellowed parchment. Layers of arcane symbols cover nearly every inch of the jacket, and the Washington Monument is visible through a keyhole on the spine. Nearly everything on the jacket has a meaning, including several hidden puzzles that the clever reader can decipher. They say not to judge a book by its cover, but if an exception was made for The Lost Symbol, then it would be a literary masterpiece.
But who cares how the book looks? What really matters is the story. Every Dan Brown novel centers on a secret society and its, well, secrets. This time it's the Freemasons, a world-wide organization whose roots stretch all the way back to the ancient Egyptians, and whose members range from your grandpa to the President of the United States (pick your favorite, they were all Masons). The Freemasons, however, are not so much a secret society as they are a "society with secrets", secrets that people would kill for.
The story starts with the usual shadowy ceremony, this time a mysterious tattooed man named Mal'akh being inducted into the 33rd degree of Freemasonry (this being the highest possible level). But, of course, Mal'akh has sinister, ulterior motives, as can be deduced by such interior monologues as, "They have opened their doors to me," and "Soon you will lose that which you hold most dear." Despite being something of a cookie-cutter villain, Mal'akh is actually quite terrifying, with an
intriguing back story and a knack for really ruining your day. He's also really full of himself, as can be deduced by such interior monologues as, "I am a masterpiece." Mal'akh does a lot of interior monologues.
The story then jumps to returning Harvard "symbologist" (no, there is no such thing) and lover of turtle necks, Robert Langdon. Langdon receives an urgent call from his old mentor Peter Solomon and is asked to come to Washington, D.C. right away, where he is needed to give an emergency presentation on (whom else?) the Freemasons. He catches the next flight and speeds off. Naturally things don't go too well. One kidnapping, severed hand and sinister phone call later, Langdon is racing against a 12-hour clock to rescue Peter Solomon by solving the Ancient Mysteries of the Freemasons, all for the benefit of Mal'akh.
Brown's work has been accused of using the exact same template, and The Lost Symbol is no exception. The great thing about The Lost Symbol, however, is that it manages to make a tired formula new and exciting. The tone and pace are tense and urgent as Langdon struggles to sort out the web of deception in order to save his mentor. The situations Mal'akh puts the characters through are nerve-wracking and sometimes disturbing. The puzzles and codes, being Brown's specialty, are excellently crafted and immensely fun to try and solve before Langdon. Then there are the locations. From the Masonic Temple to the Smithsonian Museum, each place that Langdon visits is a real location in Washington, and each is a fantastic set piece described in wonderful detail. Lots of surprising facts are revealed about the nation's capitol city. In fact, the entire story is full of detail that never becomes too overwhelming. There are also some small secrets (try dialing the phone number Langdon is given early in the story) and nods to the fans (a mention of one of Brown's earlier novels) that can be found throughout the story.
It's unfortunate, then, that the worst part is the ending. The Lost Symbol commits the same crime as The Da Vinci Code, by rewarding readers with--well, nothing. After the intense chase across Washington, after the deception and puzzle solving, when the Ancient Mysteries are finally revealed they don't live up to the grand name. The trouble gone through just doesn't seem worth it. Not only that, but the story rambles on when it feels like it should have ended 37 pages ago. The action comes to an abrupt halt, and suddenly the characters begin to wax philosophical. There's nothing wrong with some depth to a story, but the message Mr. Brown tries to convey seems to have been lost in translation. Even Langdon is left scratching his head at the confusing conjecture. It's tempting to recommend that readers simply stop reading after the final confrontation, but that would leave loose ends. It's a disappointing conclusion to an otherwise great story.
The Lost Symbol could have been better than The Da Vinci Code, and in some ways it is; the writing is better, the story is more skillfully crafted (and more historically accurate), and there's lots more action. But it ultimately loses points for an unsatisfactory finish and several pages of pointless rambling. Read the book and enjoy the ride, just don't expect too much at the end.

Amy Scarcella

This series is AMAZING!!

Reviewed in the United States on September 16, 2024

For real you will be engaged from the first page to the last!

scintillaoffun

Gish Gallup

Reviewed in the United States on August 29, 2024

- A very fast pace to keep you from focusing on gaps in logic, technical inaccuracies and irrational characters.
- Much woo about nothing.
- A lot of claims that aren't well explained before moving on.
- Abrupt changes to the facts that are presented, resulting in a disjointed storyline.
- A rather short, simple and unsatisfying ending.
- It may awe those that are easily entertained but won't impress anyone who requires some intellectual stimulation.
- However, quite a bit of sometimes interesting trivia!

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