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****IMPORTANT: THIS IS NOT A THREAD FOR DISCUSSING RELIGIOUS BELIEFS, JUST THE BOOK THE DA VINCI CODE. PLEASE DON'T POST WHETHER OR NOT YOU BELIEVE IN JESUS, BECAUSE I WANT THIS THREAD TO STAY OPEN****

Well, we'll see if that helps at all.

Anyways, I just finished the novel, and it is nothing short of amazing. From the standpoint of a fictional novel, it could use a lot of work; the suspense was really cheesy, the characters were a bit cliched and predictable, etc. The real strength, though, was in the theories proposed within. I'm a bit curious as to the validity and historical accuracy of a lot of the stuff he brought up, most notably about sang real and Constantine. I went online and checked out the Mona Lisa, The Last Supper, and Madonna on the Rocks, and I found all the stuff mentioned: the female to Christ's right, the daggar, the gestures and posture of John and Jesus in MotR. But was this merely a theory that Leonardo supported as well, or was it fact that he was trying to keep alive without the historical documents to back him up?

Have any of you read it? What are your thoughts?

This post has been edited by io_rage on 14th August 2004 05:20

I couldn't put the book down. I enjoyed it for the fictitious aspects, but it was cool to pull out some art books and look at the referenced paintings. I also think it would be cool to have one of those ... boxes (I read it a few months ago, I can't remember the name) with the passcode to keep stuff safe.

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Hey, put the cellphone down for a while
In the night there is something wild
Can you hear it breathing?
And hey, put the laptop down for a while
In the night there is something wild
I feel it, it's leaving me

I've read it...IIRC, a lot of the general background historical work is fact (Priory, Knights, Da Vinci, etc.) but the more specific details are invented. (Merovingians, grand master and bloodline names, etc.)

Oh, and I used that Hebrew code thing on my nation's name. KT MPLG decodes to blatant cyberdeity promotion.

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My soul is bound to the Mistress of the Afterlife, and my fealty is to her always. So let's just hope she doesn't use it as one of her ten daily meals.

I believe in Jes--ohhh...

Well, I haven't read it, but I've read about it. Most of the stuff in there is made up (sometimes you can look these things up and not find ANYTHING at all), and the book is supposedly preachy, too. I'm not really into that kind of stuff, anyway. I like the Count of Monte Cristo type stories (Lots of adventure!).

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"Crazy? Once I was crazy. They locked me in a room to die. Die? I don't want to die. All the mice will get me. Mice? I hate mice. They drive me crazy. Crazy? Once I was crazy. They locked..."

"Show me a sane man and I'll cure him for you."

"It's not getting what you want, it's wanting what you've got."

but the more specific details are invented. (Merovingians, grand master and bloodline names, etc.

A question. This word, 'Merovingian', were does it come from? If I remember correctly, the bad guy in the Matrix trilogy was called Merovingian as well. I assumed it was a biblical reference, but as it is brought up here as something 'invented'...What does it mean in this book, and if it appears in the Bible/Christian religion, could somebody tell me what exactly it means?

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The Collapse of Heaven and Earth

Celestial - Is there any proof that a Priory actually exists? I think that would go a long way to proving the valididty of sangreal.

This post has been edited by io_rage on 14th August 2004 15:15

The Merovingians were a dynasty of Frankish kings in the years after the fall of the Roman Empire. They were brutal dictators, and were eventually deposed by the Carolingian rulers. They existed, but there is nothing in reality that links them to being Jesus' descendants as DVC says. The Matrix connection is actually in the name of the wife, Persephone, who in Greek mythology was the wife of Hades, god of the dead.

As for the Priory, at one point it did exist. It had something to do with the Knights Templar, but that purpose was never clarified. However, its continued existence to this day is artistic license as far as I know, as is any speculation on why it existed. Conspiracy theory always mentions the Templars and their related organizations (Masons, Illuminati, Priory) as being keepers of great secrets, so I guess Brown wanted to cash in.

The general Sang Real theory has been around for a really long time, but no hard evidence has yet been discovered.

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My soul is bound to the Mistress of the Afterlife, and my fealty is to her always. So let's just hope she doesn't use it as one of her ten daily meals.

I actually just finished the book last night. I was totally blown away by it. I really enjoyed the way everything came together. I was totally blown away towards the end, mainly because

Possible spoilers: highlight to view

I thought, for sure Bezu Fache was The Teacher, not Leigh Teabing

I loved the historical references, it was a nice blend of fact and fiction. A great read for any lover of conspiracy. Dan Brown really got me hooked. It almost makes me want to go on my own Grail hunt. Almost. I do however, really want to go to the Louvre sometime now. I'd love to see just how much is fact and how much is fiction, especially regarding Da Vinci's paintings.

Maybe one day, til then Mary will have to wait beneath her rose.

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Okay, but there was a goat!

If you liked the DVC alot then you should read "Angels and Demons," Another Dan Brown. Lot's of Sacreligious fun in that one too

As for the DVC, I loved it. It made me feel like an intelectual just to be reading it. I love telling my friends about the link between bunny ears and the fertility god as well, but that's just for kicks. I rather liked the charecters in the book, but I found them overshadowed by the plot really. I found the ending strange though.

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TURKEY! - (The only way not to get blocked for using Fowl Language)

I read that book. It was long, interesting,, and insteresting. It was very initersesting to say, but it really bugged me in some parts, where they were talking bought all the sangreal holy grail etc etc. stuff just because ~.~ But Nonetheless, it was a great book overall and I would recommened it to most people

This post has been edited by l)arkShadow on 25th August 2004 01:55

I've actually read 'Angels and Demons' and not the Da Vinci Code. I thought it was interesting, but it got pretty stupid at the end. I was told there was no rush to read one if I'd read the other as they play out very much the same. I'm sure I'll get around to it eventually.

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"That Light has bestowed upon me the greatest black magic!"

I can't really comment on the book itself too much, other than say how intrigueing and clever it seems. Why am I posting, then? Because, yesterday, as often happens, my English teacher leant me a book. It was infact this book. Coincidence? I think so! But, it really does seem to be a great book, clever yet accessible.