The Dan Brown effect

Candice: I read a very interesting (and amusing) interview in the Sunday Times this week with Dan Brown, author of the Da Vinci Code.  Dan has been a few things in his life, before becoming a block buster writer, failed musician is one.  Apparently you can find his tunes on You tube…

Anyway, the article is written as a pastiche on Dan’s style, all cliff hangers and plot twists.  I think the writer is taking the P.I.S.S. some what, as we all know the writing style of these books leaves some things to be desired.  (A bit like Fifty shades, perhaps?)  But us masses just love them.

I remember reading the Da Vinci code first, and then working my way through Deception Point, Angels and Demons and Digital Fortress in quick succession, whilst on holiday in Sorrento seven years ago.  They don’t explain in this article why but it seems that it took a while for the world to pick up on Dan’s style, hence why I had a glut of books to go through in one hit.

Dan been has picked up on for messing with the truth, as a number of people read his stories, take them as gospel (literally) and then go off to Rome or the Louvre to see if what he has said is real.  I have to say, I remember reading them and thinking this all does sound quite plausible.  And, in doing so, thinking I want to visit these places to see where he is describing and if it rings true.

Seven years on I’ve been to the Vatican, but have kinda been past the whole exploring Angel and Demon’s phase. But these books have sparked tours and whole tourism trade for the places they are based.

Out today is his new block buster – Inferno.  All I know is it is based on Dante but the premise is a closely guarded secret.  Florence, where some of the book is based is hoping for an uplift on tourism numbers alone, dependent on this launch.  I don’t think they really care about the story being fact of fiction.

So another Dan Brown juggernaut rolls off the shelves and into the general psyche. They are predicting big things for this one, and I might just be swept a lot for the ride.  Why?  Well I like a good puzzle and I’ve got some time to fill over the next week so it seems like a good idea.  Time for a download on to the iPad me thinks ( I don’t do hardback, too unwieldy).

Review, coming to a blog you know soon….