Penzler Pick, December 2001: In the world of page-turning thrillers, Dan Brown holds a special place in the hearts of many of us. After his first book, Digital Fortress, almost passed me by, he wrote Angels and Demons, which was probably one of the half-dozen most exciting thrillers of last year. It is a pleasure to report that his new book lives up to his reputation as a writer whose research and talent make his stories exciting, believable, and just plain unputdownable.

The time is now and President Zachary Herney is facing a very tough reelection. His opponent, Senator Sedgwick Sexton, is a powerful man with powerful friends and a mission: to reduce NASA's spending and move space exploration into the private sector. He has numerous supporters, including many beyond the businesses who will profit from this because of the embarrassment of 1996, when the Clinton administration was informed by NASA that proof existed of life on other planets. That information turned out to be premature, if not incorrect. (This story is true; I repeat, Dan Brown's research is very, very good.) The embattled president is assured that a rare object buried deep in the Arctic ice will prove to have far-reaching implications on America's space program. The find, however, needs to be verified.

Enter Rachel Sexton, a gister for the National Reconnaissance Office. Gisters reduce complex reports into single-page briefs, and in this case the president needs that confirmation before he broadcasts to the nation, probably ensuring his reelection. It's tricky because Rachel is the daughter of his opponent. Rachel is thrilled to be on the team traveling to the Arctic circle. She is a realist about her father's politics and has little respect for his stand on NASA, but Senator Sexton cannot help but have a problem with her involvement.

A pretty good book, but a little disappointing in the end.

Dan Brown's book "Deception Point" is a very good novel on all accounts. I highly suggest you read it if you are into the mainstream high-speed action novels Brown is known for. If you read "Angels & Demons" or "The Da Vinci Code" you will like this book but I doubt you'll like it better than either of those. The book had a few nice twists and turns and good action but I found the end very upsetting. This weak and cheap happy ending leaves you with a bad taste in your mouth and gives the book overal a feeling of "ehh." Still, uptil the last 15 pages it is very satisfying. Pick it up.

The Deception Works !!!!!!!!

Dan Brown must be known for his book "The Da Vinci Code" but even this book is one of his masterpiece. NASA discovers a meteor and the president, under the pressure from the opposition against overfunding NASA research, send in 4 civilians to confirm the news and let the world know about the discovery. This will enhance the credibility of the president as election is round the corner.

Everything goes as planned. The meteor is dicovered and its age confirmed. But, something gets seriuosly wrong with the whole peoject and suddenly, racheal and Micheal, the two who are send by the president are running for life.

The action sequence are breath-taking. It's a typical Dan brown style of writing if you have read his earlier works. The thrill continues as racheal and micheal gets back to the white house to confirm the news of a deception. But, by that time, some more deaths follow.

What comes at the end is never ever expected in the course of the story. The book is great and with plenty of fast-paced, hold-your-breadth action, it is sure to find itself in the bestsellers list.

Bad

one can tolerate a book that starts off like a bestseller and ends like a... well, something that doesn't look like a bestseller. but this book belongs to the worst category: intermittently readable. starts off well, then the reader is lost in the Labyrinth of the Technical Jargon, then picks up again, then slacks, again, and then, finally, mercifully, ends. skip it!