Well, the new book by American author Dan Brown, 'The Lost Symbol' is due for release on 15th September 2009.

It is anticipated that as well as featuring main character Robert Langdon, it will involve Freemasons and Freemasonry. The original title of the book was The Solomon Key, but this was changed to its present title some time ago.

It will be interesting to see what connections to Freemasonry are made, what is fact, and what is pure speculation. Insiders say that the author has had some help from, anonymous, Freemasons. Lets not forget that Brown was lambasted in certain quarters following the publication of The Da Vinci Code, and sparked off many articles, websites, and conspiracy theories by 'experts' claiming to know the real truth.

If you want to read the first two chapters, they are available in Sunday, 13th September edition of The Mail On Sunday (UK).

Brace yourself Brethren !!!

If I'm honest Dan Brown first sparked off my interest in freemasonry.

Steward at a golf club and steward at my mother lodge,

Had to turn down office because of work commitments but in the process of joining other so I can go through the the chair in my second and then do the same in my mother lodge

Just read the newspaper excerpt. Not that impressed.

My worry is that by 'sensationalising' Freemasonry in this way it will more than likely attract the 'wrong' types of people to Masonry who will simply believe a lot of the Dan Brown nonsense. It will probably also provide more fodder for journalists to open the 'secrecy' debate in a very public way.

It will be interesting to see how things unfold as the book starts to be read more widely.

It's started already -

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/8258575.stm

I have all the Dan Brown novels and have thoroughly enjoyed them. I hope I can enjoy this one just as much,
regardless of what "nonsense" may be lurking in the story.

I bought this as an audio book and listen to it while walking the dog etc. Like all the other Dan Brown books I found it very entertaining and, I think it may do Masonry a favour. I agree with Joe, in that it may encourage the wrong type but, surely they are for us to weed out, as it were. I haven't been a Mason for long, only a couple of years, but having seen the interview process and everything else that goes into "making a Mason" I don't think that a Lodge will make many mistakes.

I am about a third into it. So far very, very good. Also Langdons lecture responses to the usual Masonic questions are great.

"Isn't Freemasonary a secret society"

"No its a society with secrets, you would not be able to walk into coca-cola and ask them for the recipe, its secret but the company is open!"

I paraphrase but you get the idea.

Well Brethren read the final chapter last night.

The book is a good read, how much of it is true I just don't know. But what I do know, is that I think Freemasonry will not suffer as a result, in fact, there is a chance that the general public may start to look at Freemasonry in a different light.

The book keeps up its high pace until the end, with an unexpected twist in the tale.

Without spoiling it for anyone yet to read the book, it has certainly opened up a new train of thought for me, and spurred me on to read more about certain things mentioned within, and made me think about Freemasonry on yet another level.

Apologies for the obvious puns in this post

The book is a good read as are all his books, well that I have read. I think the thing to do is enjoy them for what they are.

I've never bothered taking any notice of the critics of Mr Brown. They all seem to pan the books as badly written, poor plots etc. But i find them entertaining, and that's what I go by. This last one, I consider, a very entertaining read.