Angels and Demons: Special Illustrated Collector's Edition Book

It takes guts to write a novel that combines an ancient secret brotherhood, the Swiss Conseil Européen pour la Recherche Nucléaire, a papal conclave, mysterious ambigrams, a plot against the Vatican, a mad scientist in a wheelchair, particles of anti-matter, jets that can travel 15,000 miles per hour, crafty assassins, a beautiful Italian physicist and a Harvard professor of religious iconology. It takes talent to make that novel anything but ridiculous. Kudos to Dan Brown (Digital Fortress) for achieving the nearly impossible. Angels and Demons is a no-holds-barred, pull-out-all-the-stops, breathless tangle of a thriller--think Katherine Neville's The Eight (but cleverer) or Umberto Eco's Foucault's Pendulum (but more accessible).

Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is shocked to find proof that the legendary secret society, the Illuminati--dedicated since the time of Galileo to promoting the interests of science and condemning the blind faith of Catholicism--is alive, well, and murderously active. Brilliant physicist Leonardo Vetra has been murdered, his eyes plucked out and the society's ancient symbol branded upon his chest. His final discovery, anti-matter, the most powerful and dangerous energy source known to man, has disappeared--only to be hidden somewhere beneath Vatican City on the eve of the election of a new pope. Langdon and Vittoria, Vetra's daughter and colleague, embark on a frantic hunt through the streets, churches and catacombs of Rome, following a 400-year-old trail to the lair of the Illuminati, to prevent the incineration of civilisation.

Brown seems as much juggler as author--there are lots and lots of balls in the air in this novel, yet Brown manages to hurl the reader headlong into an almost surreal suspension of disbelief. While the reader might wish for a little more sardonic humour from Langdon and a little less bombastic philosophising on the eternal conflict between religion and science, these are less fatal flaws than niggling annoyances--readers should have no trouble skimming past them and immersing themselves in a heck of a good read. "Brain candy" it may be, but it's tasty. --Kelly Flynn, Amazon.com

When a world renowned scientist is found brutally murdered in a Swiss research facility a Harvard professor Robert Langdon is summoned to identify the mysterious symbol seared onto the dead man's chest. His baffling conclusion: that it is the work of the Illuminati a secret brotherhood presumed extinct for nearly four hundred years - reborn to continue their bitter vendetta against their most hated enemy the Catholic church. In Rome the college of cardinals assembles to elect a new pope. Yet somewhere within the walls of the Vatican an unstoppable bomb of terrifying power relentlessly counts down to oblivion. While the minutes tick away Langdon joins forces with Vittoria Vetra a beautiful and mysterious Italian scientist to decipher the labyrinthine trail of ancient symbols that snakes across Rome to the long-forgotten Illuminati lair - a secret refuge wherein lies the only hope for the Vatican. But with each revelation comes another twist another turn in the plot which leaves Langdom and Vetra reeling and at the mercy of a seemingly invisible enemy...ANGELS & DEMONS is a breathtakingly brilliant thriller which catapults the reader through the antiquity of Rome through sealed crypts dangerous catacombs deserted cathedrals and even the most secret vault on earth. As the prequel to Dan Brown's worldwide bestseller The Da Vinci Code it has the distinction of introducing his readers to Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon. This exclusive edition allows the reader behind the scenes of the novel which now incorporates over 150 photographs and illustrations throughout the text showing the rich historical tapestry from which Dan Brown drew his inspiration. The visual sources which provide both the backdrop and the stimulus for the novel's action are revealed for the first time and uniquely complement the reading experience.