The Lost Symbol (Robert Langdon, #3)

Title: The Lost Symbol (Robert Langdon, #3)

Author: Dan Brown

Published in: 2009

Date read: 22nd January 2013

Score: 4/5

Genre: Thriller, Mystery

Plot: (Warning, may contain spoilers):
"The Lost Symbol" by Dan Brown, published in 2009, is the third novel featuring his renowned symbologist protagonist, Robert Langdon. Shifting the focus from European art and religious history, this installment plunges Langdon into the enigmatic world of Freemasonry and ancient American secrets, set almost entirely within Washington D.C.

The story begins when Langdon is unexpectedly summoned to give a lecture at the U.S. Capitol Building by his mentor, Peter Solomon, a prominent Mason, philanthropist, and head of the Smithsonian Institution. However, upon arrival, Langdon discovers it's a trap. He finds a gruesome, surgically severed hand – Peter Solomon's hand – displayed in the Capitol Rotunda, positioned to replicate a Masonic ritualistic gesture.

Langdon quickly realizes that the perpetrator is Mal'akh, a heavily tattooed, muscle-bound villain driven by a messianic complex and a distorted understanding of ancient wisdom. Mal'akh believes that by sacrificing Peter Solomon and uncovering a long-lost Masonic secret, he can gain unimaginable power and fundamentally alter the world. He forces Langdon to decipher a series of intricate puzzles, symbols, and architectural clues hidden throughout Washington D.C.'s iconic landmarks, threatening to kill Solomon if Langdon fails.

The pursuit leads Langdon and various government agencies, including the CIA's Office of Security, on a frantic, high-stakes chase through the city's labyrinthine underbelly and its most famous monuments, from the Library of Congress to the Washington National Cathedral. He is joined by Katherine Solomon, Peter's estranged sister and a brilliant noetic scientist, whose research into the power of human thought and belief becomes unexpectedly crucial to the mystery.

As Langdon deciphers the ancient codes and Masonic symbols, he uncovers profound secrets related to the founding fathers, the very spiritual blueprint of America, and a hidden wisdom believed to be capable of transforming human consciousness. The "Lost Symbol" itself is hinted to be a powerful, esoteric truth that Masons have sworn to protect for centuries.

The novel explores themes of ancient wisdom versus modern science, the power of belief, the true meaning of initiation, and the ethical dilemmas of scientific discovery. The climax is a dramatic showdown where Langdon and Katherine must confront Mal'akh in a desperate race against time, not only to save Peter Solomon but to prevent Mal'akh from unleashing a dangerous and misunderstood power upon the world. "The Lost Symbol" is a race against time, decoding historical mysteries in a quest to save a life and a profound secret.

Comments:
Another great book. I enjoyed it throughout and was thoroughly entertained.

Books that we've read by Dan Brown (7):
Digital Fortress (1998), Angels & Demons (Robert Langdon, #1) (2000), Deception Point (2001), The Da Vinci Code (Robert Langdon, #2) (2003), The Lost Symbol (Robert Langdon, #3) (2009), Inferno (Robert Langdon, #4) (2013), Origin (Robert Langdon #5) (2017)