Books similar to Dan Brown's - Page 2

Gazella · 03-06-2013, 10:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bookworm_Girl

I like the Cotton Malone series by Steve Berry. Each book revolves around a different historical mystery that needs to be decoded, and his adventures are spread all across the globe.

Sounds great! Will make sure to check them out. Thanks.

Bilbo1967 · 03-06-2013, 11:00 AM

......

Penforhire · 03-06-2013, 03:48 PM

Gazella, actually I was thinking of Pillars of the Earth and World Without End. I haven't read his Century trilogy yet.

Critteranne · 03-09-2013, 11:00 AM

Thank you for starting this thread. Sometimes I'm in the mood for a "Dan Brown" style book -- one that isn't actually by Dan Brown.

I've noticed a lot of indie books in that style.When I first got my Kindle, I bought a couple of them, added a bunch to my wishlist, downloaded a lot of samples. I even created a category/shelf called "Codeian Thrillers" on my Kindle.

But...

But I'm been afraid to read any of them because the reviews are all over the board, with authors accused of bad writing and even worse research. (Although sometimes it's the reviewers who get the facts wrong. One author got a bad review because he had characters speaking Persian instead of Arabic.

) Also, a lot of the thrillers promise to be "controversial," but the controversy often turns out to be "Why didn't the author hire an editor?"

So has anyone else had luck, good or bad, with indie "Codeian" and architectural thrillers? Please help me clean out my wishlist -- it's getting clogged!

Gazella · 03-09-2013, 11:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Critteranne

So has anyone else had luck, good or bad, with indie "Codeian" and architectural thrillers? Please help me clean out my wishlist -- it's getting clogged!

It'd be nice to know the books you have on your wish list and your "Codeian Thrillers" collection as you call it. Plus that way, we'll know which books in your collection/wish list are worth reading

Critteranne · 03-09-2013, 11:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gazella20

It'd be nice to know the books you have on your wish list and your "Codeian Thrillers" collection as you call it. Plus that way, we'll know which books in your collection/wish list are worth reading

Ooh, good idea. The Codeian Thrillers collection includes the following, most of which I got when there were ebook bargains. I still have to start most of them, let alone finishing them (sigh), and some might be more techno-thriller than "Codeian."
The Radix by Brett King
The Devil Colony by James Rollins
The Roswell Conspiracy: Tyler Lock 3 by Boyd Morrison (Hi Boyd!)
Pandora's Temple by Jon Land
The Templar Legacy by Steve Berry
The Trinity Game by Sean Chercover
The Lost Constitution by William Martin
The Templar Concordat by Terrence O'Brien
Foucault's Pendulum by Umberto Eco
The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco
The Second Messiah by Glenn Meade

Samples of
A sample of God's Lions: The Secret Chape by John Lyman
30 Pieces of Silver: An Extremely Controversial Historical Thriller by Carolyn McCray
The Nostradamus Prophecies by Mario Reading
Plague of Coins (The Judas Chronicles #1) by Aiden James

My wishlist is huge. Again, some of these might be pure adventure and not so much archaeological.

Spoiler:

Edited to Add:
And did I really write "architectural thrillers"?!

Now that's a genre I'd like to see...

HarryT · 03-09-2013, 01:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Critteranne

Edited to Add:
And did I really write "architectural thrillers"?!

Now that's a genre I'd like to see...

Ken Follett's "The Pillars of the Earth" is precisely that - an architectural thriller.

Bookworm_Girl · 03-09-2013, 02:08 PM

On your wishlist I have read the books by Raymond Khoury, Andy McDermott and Scott Mariani and would recommend them! They are all recognized authors. I especially like the Mariani books.

Another author I like is Kate Mosse. Start with Labyrinth. She writes strong female characters.

NickyWithNook · 03-09-2013, 03:54 PM

If you're interested in a very light version of that general theme, Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore is great fun.

Edited to add that I love these types of books too and I see new ones to check out suggested by people. Yay!

Bookworm_Girl · 03-09-2013, 05:24 PM

Some more books in this genre that I have read are the Daniel Knox series by Will Adams, The Book of Air and Shadows by Michael Gruber and People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks.

I really enjoyed the Ken Follett books mentioned, both the Pillars of the Earth series and the newer Century series. Although I wouldn't personally classify them as "Dan Brown" enigma-type thrillers. I still highly recommend them however!

Critteranne · 03-09-2013, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bookworm_Girl

On your wishlist I have read the books by Raymond Khoury, Andy McDermott and Scott Mariani and would recommend them! They are all recognized authors. I especially like the Mariani books.

Another author I like is Kate Mosse. Start with Labyrinth. She writes strong female characters.

Thanks for reminding me about the Mariani. I could have sworn I bought The Mozart Conspiracy, but I don't seem to have it after all. Maybe I was just thinking it over when I saw the paperback at the B&N.

On Amazon, I'm fascinated by the way so many of the indie authors have many more reviews than, say, Chris Kuznesk are Allan Folsom or some of the other similar writers appearing in hardback and paperback. Are people more likely to post a review if they bought the Kindle version? Or are those indie authors selling that many copies because of the cheaper kindle prices? Some of the indie authors on my "Codeian" wishlist have higher overall ratings, too, but I don't always trust those numbers. I've come across too many one-star reviews that say something useless like "The book never arrived in the mail."

Fat Abe · 03-09-2013, 07:02 PM

Try Thomas Pynchon's The Crying of Lot 49. Clues, symbols? We got plenty of stinkin' clues. One Amazon reviewer says the book reads like a hyperstylized game of literary three card monte. If Dan Brown were an intellect, then he might one day write "The Lot 49 Code".

Gazella · 03-10-2013, 12:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fat Abe

Try Thomas Pynchon's The Crying of Lot 49. Clues, symbols? We got plenty of stinkin' clues. One Amazon reviewer says the book reads like a hyperstylized game of literary three card monte. If Dan Brown were an intellect, then he might one day write "The Lot 49 Code".

Excellent! Added to wish list. Thanks!

Gazella · 03-10-2013, 12:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Critteranne

Ooh, good idea. The Codeian Thrillers collection includes the following, most of which I got when there were ebook bargains. I still have to start most of them, let alone finishing them (sigh), and some might be more techno-thriller than "Codeian."

I haven't read any of the listed books. But Umberto Eco and Steve Berry's books have been recommended by several members here so they're worth reading.

AndrewH · 03-12-2013, 12:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NickyWithNook

If you're interested in a very light version of that general theme, Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore is great fun.

I agree! Mr Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore had that Dan Brown feel to it, though much more lighthearted.

03-06-2013, 11:00 AM	#17
Bilbo1967 Not scared! Posts: 13,424 Karma: 81011643 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Midlands, UK Device: Kindle Paperwhite 10, Huawei M5 10	...... Last edited by Bilbo1967; 03-09-2013 at 06:11 PM.

03-09-2013, 05:24 PM	#25
Bookworm_Girl E-reader Enthusiast Posts: 4,873 Karma: 36536965 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Southwest, USA Device: Kindle Oasis 3; Kobo Aura One; iPad Mini 5	Some more books in this genre that I have read are the Daniel Knox series by Will Adams, The Book of Air and Shadows by Michael Gruber and People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks. I really enjoyed the Ken Follett books mentioned, both the Pillars of the Earth series and the newer Century series. Although I wouldn't personally classify them as "Dan Brown" enigma-type thrillers. I still highly recommend them however! Last edited by Bookworm_Girl; 03-09-2013 at 05:28 PM.

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03-06-2013, 03:48 PM	#18
Penforhire Wizard Posts: 2,230 Karma: 7145404 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Southern California Device: Kindle Voyage & iPhone 7+	Gazella, actually I was thinking of Pillars of the Earth and World Without End. I haven't read his Century trilogy yet.

03-09-2013, 11:00 AM	#19
Critteranne Guru Posts: 815 Karma: 23183490 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: MD Device: Kindle, iPad	Thank you for starting this thread. Sometimes I'm in the mood for a "Dan Brown" style book -- one that isn't actually by Dan Brown. I've noticed a lot of indie books in that style.When I first got my Kindle, I bought a couple of them, added a bunch to my wishlist, downloaded a lot of samples. I even created a category/shelf called "Codeian Thrillers" on my Kindle. But... But I'm been afraid to read any of them because the reviews are all over the board, with authors accused of bad writing and even worse research. (Although sometimes it's the reviewers who get the facts wrong. One author got a bad review because he had characters speaking Persian instead of Arabic. ) Also, a lot of the thrillers promise to be "controversial," but the controversy often turns out to be "Why didn't the author hire an editor?" So has anyone else had luck, good or bad, with indie "Codeian" and architectural thrillers? Please help me clean out my wishlist -- it's getting clogged!

03-09-2013, 02:08 PM	#23
Bookworm_Girl E-reader Enthusiast Posts: 4,873 Karma: 36536965 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Southwest, USA Device: Kindle Oasis 3; Kobo Aura One; iPad Mini 5	On your wishlist I have read the books by Raymond Khoury, Andy McDermott and Scott Mariani and would recommend them! They are all recognized authors. I especially like the Mariani books. Another author I like is Kate Mosse. Start with Labyrinth. She writes strong female characters.

03-09-2013, 03:54 PM	#24
NickyWithNook Guru Posts: 750 Karma: 3942770 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: American living in Australia Device: Kobo Libra Colour, Kindle Fire, Kindle Pwhite (Don't use Nook anymore)	If you're interested in a very light version of that general theme, Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore is great fun. Edited to add that I love these types of books too and I see new ones to check out suggested by people. Yay!

03-09-2013, 07:02 PM	#27
Fat Abe Man Who Stares at Books Posts: 1,826 Karma: 10606722 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: 50th State, USA. Also, PA, NY, CA, and elsewhere. Device: All of the Above	Try Thomas Pynchon's The Crying of Lot 49. Clues, symbols? We got plenty of stinkin' clues. One Amazon reviewer says the book reads like a hyperstylized game of literary three card monte. If Dan Brown were an intellect, then he might one day write "The Lot 49 Code".