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Public Zone 公開區 => Bookwyrm 書蟲天地 => Topic started by: hangchoi on 22 June 2013, 09:59:43
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Watched the movie a few years ago and it just happened last week that I went to HMV and found a copy of the fiction at just HK$49. Think this should be an interesting read to compare the book with the movie.
I never read fiction and this is the first time I read a full fiction, save those fictions/novels we had to read during my secondary school days. I spent a week of my bedtime reading on it and it turns out to be a valuable read.
It is well written, fluent, fast-paced and full of excitement. It made me kept turning the pages eventhough I knew what was going on from the movie. The fiction "version" provides even more detailed information about the Priory of Sion, Templar Knight, the reasoning beyond their deduction of the "codes", and some other information about the religious history. It filled up my queries about the movie.
The movie was quite in line with the fiction, save a few scenes that would give audiences a better visualization effect.
I understand that some religious personnel, especial Christian, criticized heavily on this movie and some regards this fiction provided pseudo-history. However, I think that Dan Brown had just listed out a number of facts with a series of questions (quite logical as I see), and then he put all together to portrait a different version of his own about the happening to Templar Knights, Sion, or even the whole Christian religion, plus some further questions for the reader to think. He also showed he is cautious in approaching any comments on it and he deliberately stated in the fiction, via Robert Langdon that he did not say Christianity was false or whatever, even his version of story in the fiction was correct.
I really think that may not be too big deal for a fiction like that and I incline to think that the Church may be a bit over-react, which I still appreciate it as the Church has to maintain its divinity and integrity, given its history or its mission. On the other hand, those people in argument or those conspiracy theorists were too concentrated on the "codes" of the paintings in Louvre and the wordings of cryptex, without going back to some very simple basic issue of the origin of Christianity.
An enjoyable read, I think I would have indulged into it IF I read the book before the movie.
Some fringe benefits of reading this fiction is that I have a few more sightseeing spots for my coming trip to London and Scotland.......Temple Church and Rosslyn Church. ;D ;D ;D
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:) I don't read fictions normally but I read this one few years ago. I read many Templar stuff many years ago, thus I was interested in this book when it came out.
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Well, I have repeated many times that in my mind that "Religion" is very different from "Religious Organisation/Church"!!! Anyway, Can I borrow your book after you are done?
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Well, I have repeated many times that in my mind that "Religion" is very different from "Religious Organisation/Church"!!! Anyway, Can I borrow your book after you are done?
Done already. U can take it anytime.
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I think I am really in this type of fiction.
Another visit to HMV, anothe $49, another Dan Brown's book, The Lost Symbol. ;D
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Finished The Lost Symbol this evening.
It is written in the same style as Da Vinci Code. This time he tries to unveil the mysteries of FreeMason and the scene was set in Washington DC. The story is quite thrilling and moves fast, tho this one has almost 700 pages. However, the scene setting and the codes/clues that Dan Brown put forward is rather similar, even I can guess it right of the final spot hiding the mystery. Despite the story about magical power, it outlines quite clearly about the ritual of FreeMason and some of their views about religion, behaviours, etc. It also incorporates a lot of different scientific explanation and stories, which make the readers found interesting.
It does not pose any conspiracy challenging any particular religion this time but it poses a question as to the true nature of God for whatever religion, especially nowadays there are a lot of religions doing apotheosis. It rings my bell that recently Vatican is going to put their ex-Pope as Saint.
Quite interesting to read and entertaining.
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One of my friends from my first job is a Free Mason in HK. When I ask him many years ago about the Templar stuff (before the Dan Brown books were popular), he did not seem to have a clue!!!
We had a nice lunch at the Free Mason hall in mid-level. :)
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One of my friends from my first job is a Free Mason in HK. When I ask him many years ago about the Templar stuff (before the Dan Brown books were popular), he did not seem to have a clue!!!
We had a nice lunch at the Free Mason hall in mid-level. :)
Yes, I know they have a lodge (if I can say that) in mid-level. I don't know whether they are under the same rules as US (I suppose they do) but in HK they don't have (or show) as much influence. Well, one of the requirements for being a Free Mason is that you have to stick in certain religion, which I think I will never be a Free Mason. :)
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Yes, I know they have a lodge (if I can say that) in mid-level. I don't know whether they are under the same rules as US (I suppose they do) but in HK they don't have (or show) as much influence. Well, one of the requirements for being a Free Mason is that you have to stick in certain religion, which I think I will never be a Free Mason. :)
Yes, my friend says one of the basic requirement is to believe in a supreme being.
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Yes, my friend says one of the basic requirement is to believe in a supreme being.
That may be one of the issue that The Lost Symbol tries to put to the reader to think. It says that religious belief should actually be interpreted as believing yourself as god. Whatever the books of different religions like Bible and Koran, there have some hidden meaning to point out that mankind should believe themselves that their mind is their own god.
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My kid sent me the following...
Religious Truth
Taoism: Shit happens.
Buddhism: If shit happens, it really isn't shit.
Hinduism: This shit has happened before.
Islamism: If shit happens, it is the will of Allah.
Catholicism: Shit happens because you deserve it.
Protestantism: Work harder or shit will happen.
Materialism: Whoever dies with most shit wins!
Atheist: I can believe this shit!
Judaism: Why does this shit always happen to us!
Rastafarianism: Let's smoke this shit.