Fiction</br>Action Adventure</br></br>Product Description</br></br>The explosive Robert Langdon thriller from Dan Brown the #1 <i>New York Times</i> bestselling author of <i>The Da Vinci Code</i> and <i>Inferno</i>now a major film directed by Ron Howard and starring Tom Hanks and Felicity Jones.<BR><BR>An ancient secret brotherhood. A devastating new weapon of destruction. An unthinkable target. When world-renowned Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is summoned to his first assignment to a Swiss research facility to analyze a mysterious symbolseared into the chest of a murdered physicisthe discovers evidence of the unimaginable: the resurgence of an ancient secret brotherhood known as the Illuminati...the most powerful underground organization ever to walk the earth. The Illuminati has now surfaced to carry out the final phase of its legendary vendetta against its most hated enemythe Catholic Church.<BR> <BR>Langdons worst fears are confirmed on the eve of the Vaticans holy conclave when a messenger of the Illuminati announces they have hidden an unstoppable time bomb at the very heart of Vatican City. With the countdown under way Langdon jets to Rome to join forces with Vittoria Vetra a beautiful and mysterious Italian scientist to assist the Vatican in a desperate bid for survival.<BR> <BR>Embarking on a frantic hunt through sealed crypts dangerous catacombs deserted cathedrals and the most secretive vault on earth Langdon and Vetra follow a 400-year-old trail of ancient symbols that snakes across Rome toward the long-forgotten Illuminati lair...a clandestine location that contains the only hope for Vatican salvation.<BR> <BR>Critics have praised the exhilarating blend of relentless adventure scholarly intrigue and cutting wit found in Browns remarkable thrillers featuring Robert Langdon. An explosive international suspense <i>Angels & Demons</i> marks this heros first adventure as it careens from enlightening epiphanies to dark truths as the battle between science and religion turns to war.</br></br>Amazon.com Review</br></br>It takes guts to write a novel that combines an ancient secret brotherhood the Swiss Conseil Europ?en pour la Recherche Nucl?aire?? a papal conclave?? mysterious ambigrams?? a plot against the Vatican?? a mad scientist in a"lchair?? particles of antimatter?? 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 (<i>Digital Fortress</i>) for achieving the nearly impossible. Angels & Demons is a no-holds-barred?? pull-out-all-the-stops?? breathless tangle of a thriller--think Katherine Neville's <i>The Eight</i> (but cleverer) or Umberto Eco's <i>Foucault's Pendulum</i> (but more accessible). <p/> 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" ancient symbol branded upon his chest. His final discovery?? antimatter?? the most powerful and