Robert Langdon (book series)
The Robert Langdon book series is named after Robert Langdon, the protagonist of the novels by American author Dan Brown. Langdon is portrayed as a Harvard University professor of religious iconology and symbology, a fictional field related to the study of historic symbols, which is not methodologically connected to the actual discipline of semiotics. Brown's novels that feature the lead character also include historical themes and Christianity as motifs, and as a result have generated controversy. Brown states on his website that his books are not anti-Christian, and that he is on a "constant spiritual journey" himself.
Books of the series
| No. | Title | Publication date | ISBN | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Angels & Demons | May 1, 2000 | ISBN 9780593055045 | |
| When physicist Leonardo Vetra is murdered and branded with the word Illuminati, his boss, CERN director Maximilian Kohler, asks Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon for help. Meeting Vetra's daughter, Vittoria, Langdon learns that the Illuminati, an ancient anti-religious sect, plan to destroy Vatican City with an antimatter canister invented by Vetra refashioned as a weapon. Arriving during the election of the new Pope, the two follow a secret trail to find the group's lair and stop them. | ||||
| 2 | The Da Vinci Code | March 18, 2003 | ISBN 9780307474278 | |
| When the curator of the Louvre, Jacques Saunière, is murdered, circumstantial evidence leaves Robert Langdon as the prime suspect. Joined by Saunière's granddaughter, Sophie Neveu, he seeks to prove his innocence by following a trail left by the secret organization Saunière was part of and discovers a shocking secret dating back to the time of Christ. | ||||
| 3 | The Lost Symbol | September 15, 2009 | ISBN 9780385504225 | |
| Robert Langdon arrives in Washington DC at the behest of his mentor, Freemason Peter Solomon, only to find that he's been kidnapped. Joined by his old flame and Solomon's sister, Katherine, Langdon follows a trail of clues that leads him deep into the secrets of the Masons, whose members include Solomon's tattooed kidnapper. | ||||
| 4 | Inferno | May 14, 2013 | ISBN 9780385537858 | |
| Robert Langdon wakes up in a hospital bed suffering from amnesia, thanks to a bullet to the head. A woman tries to kill him and he is saved by a doctor, Sienna Brooks, who warns him that the US government now wants him dead. Robert finds links to Dante's Divine Comedy in messages projected by a canister in his jacket pocket and uses his knowledge of symbology to follow a trail leading him to a serious threat posed by a recently deceased madman obsessed with overpopulation. | ||||
| 5 | Origin | October 3, 2017 | ISBN 9780593078754 | |
| Robert Langdon is invited to the Guggenheim museum in Spain to attend an event held by famous futurist and former student Edmond Kirsch, who has made a discovery he claims will change the way people view religion forever. When Kirsch is murdered before his announcement, Langdon attempts to uncover and release his secret before it's lost forever, leading him into conflict with those who would prevent the release, including members of Spain's Royal family. | ||||
Film adaptations
The novels were a success around the world and became bestsellers, and soon adapted into films in which Ron Howard directed and produced 3 of 5 novels: The Da Vinci Code (2006), Angels & Demons (2009), and Inferno (2016), with Tom Hanks portraying the lead character, Professor Robert Langdon. All three were released by Columbia Pictures.
See also
References
- Daniel Henninger. "Holy Sepulchre! 60 Million Buy 'The Da Vinci Code'". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2009-05-18.
- Marcus, Caroline (September 13, 2009). "Brown is back with the code for a runaway bestseller". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved September 13, 2009.