'Da Vinci Code' too easy to crack

Strange indeed are the ways of destiny. Despite having consigned Dan Brown's "Da Vinci Code" to my ignore list I came into possession of the very same book last week, courtesy of a neighbour. The currently raging bestseller, despite being a decent read compared to the run of the mill works, only ended up vindicating amazon.com's majority opinion. The book had a highly intriguing plot and the author employed a judicious mix of fact and fiction which would have made Frederick Forsyth proud. But alas the similarities with Forsyth ended right there!

Despite having a very interesting premise to work with, the author botched up the execution. Characterisation was indeed non-existant and the author had the annoying habit of lapsing into needless little flashbacks every now and then disrupting the narrative. The pacing was not at all smooth and the author's big suspense at the end turned out to be a damp squib. The predictable twists and the anti-climactical ending only served to leave a lingering sour taste.

I just can't help but think that such an exciting premise in the hands of a master storyteller like Forsyth would have resulted in a truly memorable read!