Hooked on Books discussion

Members Starting the BR: Bernadette & Angie ☯
Book: Inferno by Dan Brown

Anyone is free to join in this Buddy Read! Happy Reading!

Hello Bernadette!
When would you like to start this one?

I have the book. I'm ready whenever you are.

I probably can't start it until Saturday. Does that work for you or would you prefer a different date?

Perfect!

I started reading today. I have to say the beginning of this one was much better for me than the last one.

(view spoiler)[Maybe it's because Langdon wakes up with amnesia and we don't get the overload of historical information all at one time! Of course, it could just be me!

I also am intrigued with the nurse that was thrown in the danger with Langdon and I want to know more about her. (hide spoiler)]

Starting today!

I'm at 16% (through Ch 17). I recently finished reading a James Patterson book and Dan Brown seems to write his books in a similar manner, short chapters that flip back and forth between various parts of the story. I didn't really notice that in the other books. I think I jumped out at me now because I just finished a Patterson book.

I'm glad they are back in Italy.

(view spoiler)[Things I need to know/noticed:

• What surprise – a female assistant/associate again😂

• When they were opening the cylinder, I thought that object appeared in one of the other books, so of course I had to look for it. It was in the DaVinci Code.

• We need to learn more about Sienna’s background.

• Who is the Silver Haired woman?

• Why is The Shade already famous/well-known?

Angie, I agree with you about the initial overload of historical information. It made it easier to get into right away. (hide spoiler)]

Oh! I thought the cylinder sounded familiar, but I didn't go look it up. Thank you for that tidbit!

I want answers to the same questions you have!

The book was published in 2013 and at that time they predicted "we're well on track to reach eight billion very soon" when talking about the global population, "predicting there will be some nine billion on earth" before 2050. The world population today is 8.1 billion!

It does make you think about global warming, overuse of the land & sea, famines, epidemics, etc. Scary.......

Yes, Bernadette, it really does make you think about those things. It is scary how the population is growing so much and how can the world support that continuation. Also, scary is what could be tried to help control it (much like in the book.)

What do you think about the amnesia aspect? I think it's making the book easier to follow for me!

Angie ☯ wrote: "Yes, Bernadette, it really does make you think about those things. It is scary how the population is growing so much and how can the world support that continuation. Also, scary is what could be tr..."

The amnesia aspect is making it easier to read. It's almost like were finding out what is happening or has happened at the same time Langdon is.

That is what I thought too and I'm liking the way it's flowing!

I'm at Ch 64 (@61%) - I am really enjoying this book.

(view spoiler)[At this point we have another curious character, the weird man following them with a rash on his face chasing Langdon & Brooks. It seems to me like it is more than contact dermatitis from an allergy to soy. I don't think he is the "good guy" he is pretending to be.

Zobrist's while described as brilliant seems to be deranged. I'm guessing there is something in the sack that will cause some kind of global plague to reduce the population. (hide spoiler)]

I am with you. This may be my favorite book of the series.

(view spoiler)[I think I said out loud, there's no way that's an allergic reaction! But, I'm having a hard time figuring out who are the good guys versus the bad guys in this one. I've thought everyone was a bad guy at some point, including Langdon! LOL (hide spoiler)]

I finished the book, so I'm going to let you drive the conversation so that I don't give anything away!

Angie ☯ wrote: "I am with you. This may be my favorite book of the series.

[spoilers removed]

I finished the book, so I'm going to let you drive the conversation so that I don't give anything away!"

Agree! There seems to be less science in this one.

You know we'll have to finish up the series!

Yes, we will need to get that last series book in!

Finished! Angie, you said you couldn't tell the good guys from the bad guys, no kidding! Not the ending it was expecting.....
(view spoiler)[
• Did Zobrist have 2 lovers? Sienna and Ferris – I wonder if one knew of the other.
• Sienna seemed like a traitor but then saved herself
• Langdon was being used by the Consortium
• A sterility virus is ingenious; to “humans will stop having so many babies” (I can’t remember the page).

In previous books, Langdon usually saves the day, and the world is returned to its status quo. In this one he doesn’t. Langdon and his associates attempt to stop the mass dispersal of a virus that will sterilize 1/3 of the world’s population for all time, and they fail. This means that any future Langdon book will take place in a world that has been irrevocably changed. Should be interesting. (hide spoiler)]

This book was not at all what I was expecting.

(view spoiler)[
I think that Zorbrist did love affairs with both Sienna and Ferris and I don't feel like either of them knew about the other but the book doesn't really say.

I was afraid when we learned about Sienna's past and that she was hiding from someone/something that she might not be one of the good guys. As the book went on, I thought she was a traitor as well, but I think she just had a completely different view of how to stop Zorbrist (and all other scientists/countries) for trying something similar.

The ending was very much different than the other Langdon books but it worked. I didn't want Sienna to be a bad guy!

You are very much correct! Any other Langdon books will be in a world that has not be "set aright". Looking forward to how that plays out! (hide spoiler)]

Glad we decided to read this one! As you had said a bit early now we will have to finish reading the series!

I don't always read the book blurbs, but because #4 was my favorite of the series by far I wanted to see what was said about the last book.

This doesn't give any details about the story, just compares the praise for #4 and #5. If you want to go in completely blind, skip this note.....

(view spoiler)[
Inferno - Dan Brown has raised the bar yet again, combining classical Italian art, history, and literature with cutting-edge science in this sumptuously entertaining thriller.

Origin is stunningly inventive--Dan Brown's most brilliant and entertaining novel to date.

It will have to be something to top Inferno for me! (hide spoiler)]

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