The story follows the same general formula Brown used in the other two Robert Langdon stories, The DaVinci Code and Angles & Demons – two favorites. Few authors can put me on the edge of my seat with the written (or spoken) word: certainly Stephen King tops that list, but Brown is not too far behind. Less terrifying, but nearly as riveting. Like its predecessors, the research apparent in the book is immensely impressive. I love the entire idea of Professor Langdon: a charismatic “hero” built on brains; a more authentic, believable Indiana Jones. And like all great fiction, the book sustains a feel of believability, and mixes it within enough smarts to leave the reader thinking.

A few other personal observations / reactions (avoiding spoilers):

• The book has many acts with very distinct textures. They all work, and the transitions are mostly smooth. In many ways, the range of emotions Brown shifts between is impressive.
• The latter acts have a considerably more epic feel that the earlier chapters, which felt a bit more Brown formulaic.
• The pop culture references – notably the iPhone and Twitter – made me smile. In one sense, they ground the book in “our” world and add to the story’s authenticity. On the other hand, they felt a bit forced, I worry they’ll date the book quickly.
• I predicted – or at least hypothesized – two major twists fairly early on (one involving a character’s identity, the other involving the true location of a mystery). The surprises were still “executed” brilliantly, and there were plenty I didn’t see coming.
• If I have any serious critique, it suffers a little from what I’ll coin 24 syndrome. The number of traumas the characters experience in a very short time frame detracts a bit from the believability. As I mentioned, Brown generally transition deftly between acts, but when you step back, the characters bounce back a bit too quickly from their experiences.

Despite my minor critiques, I enjoyed almost every moment of The Lost Symbol, and hope that I don’t have to wait 5 more years for my next Langdon adventure!