Inferno: Dan Brown Tackles Dante

Inferno is Dan Brown's fourth novel featuring Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon. His last novel, The Lost Symbol, was set in Washington D.C. and I don't remember anything about it except that it was pretty ridiculous and seemed more akin to the script for a National Treasure movie. Thankfully, in Inferno, Langdon has returned to Italy, where he must follow a series of clues that rely on his extensive knowledge of literature, art, and architecture, all while suffering from retrograde amnesia.

Dan Brown's narrative style is so distinct that it has spawned numerous mocking parodies. His work isn't highbrow literature, as much as he might like to pretend it is, but his novels are guaranteed to head to the #1 spot on the New York Times bestseller list. Inferno is no exception - all the familiar Brown tropes are present. Langdon is joined by a mysterious woman who will accompany him in a desperate race against time to locate something that is hidden at the end of a convoluted series of riddles and clues that have something to do with Dante's Inferno. There are shadowy figures in pursuit, whose motivations remain unclear and no one knows who's an enemy or a friend. And there's plenty of clunky dialogue as Langdon talks about Harris tweed jackets or the comfort of Italian loafers and gives mini lectures on Art History to educate his unenlightened compatriots.

Inferno does have some twists that make it a much more enjoyable book than The Lost Symbol and suggests a return to form for Dan Brown. The fact that the books kicks off with Langdon waking up in Florence with amnesia is pretty ingenious. What is he doing there, why are people shooting at him, who are all these random characters, and what do his disturbing hallucinations mean? Unraveling the pre-amnesia events while Langdon also pursues the scavenger hunt scenario makes this a complex and fun read. And there are so many disparate corporations and organizations that have something at stake that you will be genuinely shocked when the inevitable traitor's identity is revealed.

Inferno hearkens back to the very first Langdon novel, Angels & Demons, because it features a tantalizing mixture of Medieval art and cutting-edge science that threatens the whole of humanity. The plot is rollicking, the characters remain enigmatic until the very end, and you'll be ready to head for Italy on your next vacation. The finale is pretty open-ended like most of Langdon's adventures, but it isn't frustrating. There's plenty to mock, but there's more to like, so go ahead and add this novel to your summer reading list.