Can't Get Me Enough of That Robert Langdon - Book Review

I just finished reading Dan Brown's newest book Inferno. Like all Dan Brown books, I had a great time reading it.

I've read all the Dan Brown books I know of, which is I think all of them. All of them pretty much have the same review from me; super fun to read, cartoon action with just the right amount of violence with a "Scooby Doo" ending woven specifically for adults. *antagonist shaking fist* ".... and I would have gotten away with it too were it not for that meddling symbologist."

I've mentioned before that I have a bit of a crush on Robert Langdon. I don't like the Tom Hanks version of him, but I don't quite have a clear picture in my head of what he looks like. I know he's olive skinned. He's kind of like Indiana Jones except he wasn't Han Solo in his past life.

In all the Robert Langdon-themed books Robert Langdon is thrown into some kind of mystery involving 14th Century art and culture where if he doesn't solve the mystery and determine who is the good guy and who is the bad guy before all the sand falls through the hourglass, or bag of plague breaks into the water supply or mason jar of anti-matter explodes, the whole world will be changed forever. There's always some good looking smart woman who teams up with him and (surprise) has all the right language, science or social skills to help him with his mystery. There's always some guy that seems good, but turns out bad. There's always some bad guy who is really, in fact, good, just a little misunderstood.

This formula works for me. I enjoy it. If Dan Brown were to write another book, I would read it. I'd like to suggest, however, he takes a break from Italy. Three Dan Brown books in Italy. That's enough. Take Robert Langdon out of his comfort zone. Make him go on some adventure in Greece. I betcha the Odyssey is rife with mystery and symbols that would make Robert Langdon all excited. Make him go search out something Mayan. Send him somewhere where he can't wear tweed and loafers. Send him to Disneyland and have a whole chapter about how his Mickey Mouse watch gets thrown into a bin of like Mickey Mouse watches and he has to find his lest something apocalyptic happens during the Main Street Electrical Parade. OK, that last one was silly, but sheesh, Dan Brown, let Robert Langdon go somewhere else for a change.

I can't wait for the next Dan Brown book, be it about Robert Langdon, the bored government gister or the wound too tight computer programmer, or some entirely new character.