Unravelling mysteries with Dan Brown

Begin with a gruesome and cryptic murder, add a feisty and beautiful woman with knowledge concerning an extraordinarily volatile and enormously powerful substance, then throw in an ancient conflict with the most powerful and secretive religion on earth, top it off with a dashing and learned professor in a tweed coat and you've got an instant best seller.

Such is the fail-proof formula for acclaimed author Dan Brown's original feat of fiction, "Angels and Demons." The novel, which was written in 2001, serves as a precursor to Brown's remarkably successful "Da Vinci Code." The plot follows Harvard's favorite bachelor professor, Robert Langdon, on a suspenseful adventure to save civilization using his unparalleled intellectual savvy.

The plot of "Angels and Demons" follows a similar trajectory to that of "The Da Vinci Code" and moves just as quickly. The reader is hardly given a chance to settle into his chair when Langdon is abruptly awoken and whisked away at the speed of light (or rather the speed of sound) in a high-speed jet to an elite Swiss research facility, Conseil Europ‚en pour la Recherche Nucl‚aire (CERN), where he is asked to unravel the mysterious murder of pioneering physicist Leonardo Vetra.

Initially drawn to the case because of the ancient and disturbing nature of the murder and mutilation, Langdon is introduced to the late scientist's revolutionary (and dangerous) discovery: a highly unstable substance, antimatter. If placed in the wrong hands, antimatter could have a devastating effect on civilization as we know it; a mere droplet would be capable of powering New York City for a full day -- or of leveling it.

It is up to Landgon, along with his lovely and intelligent sidekick Vittoria Vetra (Leonardo's daughter), to decipher the messages of an ancient scientific brotherhood, the Illuminati, in order to save one of the world's most sacred cities. The story plays on the deeply rooted conflict between science and religion and follows the Illuminati's alleged plot to annihilate the Catholic Church. The story, a race against the clock, takes the reader on a historical scavenger hunt through Rome, and reaches its climax within the guarded walls of the Vatican City's secret conclave.

Most readers were first introduced to Dan Brown's practically indecipherable interplay of fact and fiction "The Da Vinci Code." In both books, Brown's work weaves historical fact, theory, place, and legend with his own imaginative plot twists. The result is an exhilaratingly believable (for the most part) tale and a field day for conspiracy enthusiasts.

"Angels and Demons" appears at the outset to be refreshingly rooted in the discoveries of science, unlike its sequel which tended to get lost in a maze of historical "what ifs." In "Angels" second half, however, the reader comes across similarly implausible events and twists to those in "Da Vinci."

As can be verified by taking a look at Brown's sources, most of his scientific references, along with those regarding locale and even the elusive Illuminati, are factual -- in a broad sense. It is the specifics, as well as the miraculous unscrambling of ancient puzzles and mysteries, that emanate from Brown's seemingly limitless imagination.

These factual liberties are to be expected in any historical novel, and it is Brown's creative right to craft the fictional adventure of his choosing as well as the world in which it takes place. Itt is not Brown's creative license, however, that becomes irksome to the reader toward the end of the novel. The far-fetched invincibility of his characters -- both emotional and physical -- begins to unravel his otherwise clever and absorbing story.

Langdon's capabilities and disposition are at times unbelievable. The unassuming art history professor is an exemplary renaissance man who is not only able to discern the meaning of almost any ancient or contemporary symbolism, but also manages to have the skill of an Olympic swimmer, the charm of James Bond, a crime solving savvy surpassing that of Sherlock Holmes, and the lifespan of an immortal feline.

Despite the factual reaches and superhero characteristics, Brown's work is an undisputable page turner. There is a reason that the author has recently had five books simultaneously on the New York Times Best Seller List. The pages of Brown's books seem to turn themselves. His work is clever, comprehensive; fast paced, and always delivers a much anticipated climax.

For an accurate account of the history of the Catholic Church, the scientific origins of the universe, or the infiltration of the U.S. government, readers should probably stick to reference journals and legitimate historic documents. Those texts, however, are rather unlikely to get your blood pumping, your mind racing, and even your heart fluttering. After all, there is something insatiably alluring about a smart man in a tweed coat.