Great fun!

Hypnerotomachia is the ancient book that has a group of Princeton students intrigued, and for good reason--it's full of codes and puzzles in a way that is reminiscent of "Code" but even better. And while these brainy blokes are not as fleshed out as I would like, they move the story along nevertheless. What's remarkable to me is that some people prefer Da Vinci to this book. Forgettaboudit. The Rule of Four is MILES ahead of Code and better written. And this work really reminded me more of Raiders of the Lost Ark than Code--not in a car-chase sort of way, but in the "Oh, Look, I'm a student in school looking for adventure" kinda way. Caldwell and Thomason must have done something right with this book, because it kept me hooked for hours and not too many others do that. The pacing is first rate--both these guys reallly know how to tell a story and keep it moving. Another great book I've come across in the last month was The Bark of the Dogwood. It too has some anagrams and puzzles, but you'd never know it on the surface as the author doesn't make it as obvious as "Four" or "Code." Still, it's a good read. But before you do anything I suggest you delve into this current craze by Ian Caldwell and Dustin Thomason. This book is just really good fun. Enjoy!

Summer read

The problem with any book that is over-hyped or has made it to a bestseller list is that we expect too much. If you'd run across this novel on your own, simply by scanning the shelves in a bookstore, and read it and liked it, you'd be running down the street screaming its praises. But then, if you'd been scanning the titles in a bookstore, there's probably NO WAY you would have picked it up, simply because the title doesn't really tell you what the book is about. Anyway. While I enjoyed this book very much, there were a few things wrong with it. The time line used in the books makes it hard to enjoy because there is just no way, physically, that the characters could do as much as they did in so little time. And I'm overlooking their scholarly accomplishments, I'm only talking about physically moving between so many places. I realize that authors nowadays don't do all their homework (look at Da Vinci Code and its mistakes), and I realize that most people don't care---they simply want a good story. But if you take the time and energy to write a book, and the costs involved, shouldn't you also take the time to get it right? This is a good beach read, constructed for the masses. Just don't go into a fast-food place, order a hamburger, and expect filet mignon.

No Way Near The DaVinci Code!

I purchased this book because it was tauted as The DaVinci Code for 2004. NOT! Where the DaVinci Code engaged the reader in the problem solving and code breaking, in The Rule of Four, the reader is spoon-fed the answers. I was very satisfied with the DaVinci Code, esp. when I would get the answers to the cyphers correct. I am so disappointed in The Rule of Four, that maybe I will just set it on fire too, though I doubt anyone would martyr themselves rescuing it...