Foucault's Pendulum: Reviews & Comparisons to Da Vinci Code

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the literary comparisons between Umberto Eco's "Foucault's Pendulum" and Dan Brown's "The Da Vinci Code." Participants share their experiences with both books, discussing themes, writing styles, and personal reactions. The conversation includes subjective reviews and reflections on the complexity and depth of Eco's work compared to Brown's more accessible narrative.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Exploratory
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants find "Foucault's Pendulum" to be a challenging read, requiring extensive background knowledge and research, while others appreciate its depth and complexity.
  • Several participants express a preference for Eco's writing style over Brown's, citing it as more cerebral and rich in detail.
  • There are mixed feelings about the pacing and engagement level of both books, with some finding Eco's work slow and difficult to follow, while others enjoy its intricacies.
  • Some participants argue that "The Da Vinci Code" is more accessible and action-oriented, making it easier to read, while others criticize it for lacking depth compared to Eco's narrative.
  • Critiques of Dan Brown's works include claims of historical inaccuracies and oversimplifications, with some participants expressing disappointment in his treatment of complex subjects.
  • A few participants mention their struggles with the mathematical elements in "Foucault's Pendulum," indicating a divide in how readers engage with the book's intellectual demands.
  • Some participants express a desire to read or re-read "Foucault's Pendulum" after hearing others' positive reviews, while others remain skeptical based on their initial experiences.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally do not reach a consensus on the merits of either book, with multiple competing views on their quality, readability, and thematic depth remaining throughout the discussion.

Contextual Notes

Some participants note that their opinions are influenced by personal reading preferences and experiences, which may not align with others. There are also references to the need for external resources to fully appreciate Eco's work, highlighting the varying levels of background knowledge among readers.

The_Professional
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foucault's pendulum has drawn some comparisons to the da vinci code. based on reviews the writing is more cerebral and requires you to have a dictionary as you read through.

has anybody read it? what do you think of it?
 
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I loved The Name of the Rose and Baudolino, I never got past the first few pages of Foucault's Pendulum though.
 
I loved Foucault's Pendulum as well as The Name of the Rose. Foucault's Pendulum was hard-going, though...
 
The Rule of Four was a De Vinci Code wannabe that wasn't bad. It was the first work by the particular authors and it showed but other than that not bad.
 
Just read Foucault's Pendulum about a month ago. Amazing book - a real heavy read though.

As with comparisons to The Da Vinci Code goes, the Dan Brown book is like a kids book compared to Eco's book. Sure, both talk about the Templars, but Eco's goes so much more deeper into the legends and myths.

The book is extremely rich in detail and you can see Eco has done some proper homework before putting pen to paper. Yes, a lot of the facts presented might be contested by scholars but on the whole, it's a solid piece of writing with much fewer eccentricities than Brown's novel.

Also, the book has a much better storyline than Brown's book. After I read it, I felt good and that I accomplished something. The story was awesome and I felt that at the end, I actually did something worthwhile.

With Brown's book; yes, I was fascinated by it but after Googling for an hour or two after I'd read the book, the book is not such a miraculous novel as I once thought it was.

If you have the time (and more importantly, the patience) read Foucualt's Pendulum. It is a MUCH MUCH better book than The Da Vinci Code. And if you do intend reading both books, read The Da Vinci Code first:smile:

:rolleyes: Oh, and you'll need a comprehensive Encyclopaedia, not a dictionary. I sat with my GPRS enabled cellphone and Googled everything I didn't understand whilst reading Foucault's Pendulum! :rolleyes:
 
Speaking of books anyone read "garden of beasts" Truely amazing book and I recommend it, PreWW2 History in Germany and a thriller rolled into one..
 
Shahil said:
Just read Foucault's Pendulum about a month ago. Amazing book - a real heavy read though.
As with comparisons to The Da Vinci Code goes, the Dan Brown book is like a kids book compared to Eco's book. Sure, both talk about the Templars, but Eco's goes so much more deeper into the legends and myths.
The book is extremely rich in detail and you can see Eco has done some proper homework before putting pen to paper. Yes, a lot of the facts presented might be contested by scholars but on the whole, it's a solid piece of writing with much fewer eccentricities than Brown's novel.
Also, the book has a much better storyline than Brown's book. After I read it, I felt good and that I accomplished something. The story was awesome and I felt that at the end, I actually did something worthwhile.
With Brown's book; yes, I was fascinated by it but after Googling for an hour or two after I'd read the book, the book is not such a miraculous novel as I once thought it was.
If you have the time (and more importantly, the patience) read Foucualt's Pendulum. It is a MUCH MUCH better book than The Da Vinci Code. And if you do intend reading both books, read The Da Vinci Code first:smile:
:rolleyes: Oh, and you'll need a comprehensive Encyclopaedia, not a dictionary. I sat with my GPRS enabled cellphone and Googled everything I didn't understand whilst reading Foucault's Pendulum! :rolleyes:
Awesome review. I think I'll have to look it up. I've read Angels&Demons and Deception Point. I haven't read the De Vinci Code yet because Dan Brown just doesn't really do anything for me. I'm happy to know that there are authors who write in the same themes and do it well.
 
I loved The Name of the Rose, the metaphors and atmosphere, so really looked forward to reading Foucault's Pendulum when I did about 5 years ago. I was disapointed, although full of interesting concepts like Cabala, it went nowhere. It really felt like a big waist of time. I haven't read the Da Vinci Code because I'm sure I would be disapointed with it too.:smile:
 
I've read all Dan Browns books, all of them were brilliant reads. The best by far was Illuminati (Angles and demons in English)
 
  • #10
Anttech said:
I've read all Dan Browns books, all of them were brilliant reads. The best by far was Illuminati (Angles and demons in English)
Maybe I will try them after all :smile:
 
  • #11
Anttech said:
I've read all Dan Browns books, all of them were brilliant reads. The best by far was Illuminati (Angles and demons in English)
Are you kidding? In Angels & Demons he didn't even refer at all to the real history of the Illuminati and only barely touched on the more dubious conspiracy theory histories. Most of it he just made up. The funiest part is that the Illuminati was disbanded by the Jesuits yet Brown takes you to Vatican City and somehow fails to ever mention the Jesuits.
Deception point was worse. He claimed that all the technology he depicted was real when from what I can tell most of it had to be fantasy. And secondly, while a good portion of the plot revolved around a presidential election campaign, the Vice President was never mentioned once nor was a running mate mentioned for the other candidate.:confused:
He knows how to make a story move, though his methods here get a little old, and his plots aren't bad. That's about all I'll give him as an author though.
 
  • #12
some critics would argue that brown's earlier books were subpar then progressively got better from angels and demons to the da vinci code.
 
  • #13
I read the first few paragraphs of Foucault..., cringed at the slaughter of mathematics at the hands of poetic licence, and never looked at the book again.
 
  • #14
Gokul43201 said:
I read the first few paragraphs of Foucault..., cringed at the slaughter of mathematics at the hands of poetic licence, and never looked at the book again.

why, it should be an entertaining read at the very least.
 
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  • #15
my rare hardcover just arrived today, and will embark on this journey as soon as i finish 3 other books, hah. wish me luck
 
  • #16
Gokul43201 said:
I read the first few paragraphs of Foucault..., cringed at the slaughter of mathematics at the hands of poetic licence, and never looked at the book again.

I think that's all the "maths" Mr. Eco delves into if I remember right. I don't know though...the book was a worthwhile read you know. I did get a bit irritated at times but I persisted and I think it paid of. Kinda like that Lar Von Trier (or whatever his name is .. he made the movie "dancer in the dark" staring bjork) movie 'Dogville' staring Nicole Kidman. Set was crap, it moved sooooooooo slowly and it was about 3.5 hours long. I sat through it and by the end, I was glad I did.

WOrks for some people, and not for others I guess...
 
  • #17
As for Dan Brown's books, I only liked the Da Vinci Code, and Angels and Demons. The only one I haven't read was Digital Fortress. Looks like I'll be reading Focult's Pendulum, an The Rule of Four.
 
  • #18
I remember reading Foucalt's Pendulum, it didn't make any sense to me until about 100 pages in but then I found it fascinating. I just got it and re-read it, picking up a lot of things I missed the first time. definitely a heavy read. Then I also read The Island Before Time by Eco, another good complicated but interesting book.
 
  • #19
Eco's book is more subtle (it put me to sleep a few times) than 'Da code'; however, The Da Vinci Code is more readable. It has more action and moves at a faster pace. I should probably reread Eco's 'Pendulum' too. I think I missed a lot also. The Island before Time... sounds interesting.
 
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  • #20
The Island Before Time is about the international dateline, sort of. It is back in the middle ages and mixed in with the search for longitude. Quite interesting.
 
  • #21
Doesn't Eco have a new book out "The Mysterious Flame of Queen Loana" Has anyone read it yet?
 
  • #22
Is Foucault's Pendulum full of suspense?
 
  • #23
Slight suspense.

DVC is a close resemblance, but as said previously, Foucault's Pendulum goes far more into details and such.

Good book, IMHO. Also, if you like that book, you should read The Heart or the Rose(I believe). ^_^
 
  • #24
Blahness said:
Good book, IMHO. Also, if you like that book, you should read The Heart or the Rose(I believe). ^_^

you mean the 'name of the rose'. probably the only one of eco's books that has been made into a movie. the film's a bit dated and sean connery still looks like he does now.
 
  • #25
Name of the rose, that's right.

Damn my bad memory. X.x'
 

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