Robert Langdon (book series)

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Box set of the first four books in the series with their British covers Robert Langdon book series.png
Box set of the first four books in the series with their British covers

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. [1]

Contents

Books of the series

No.TitlePublication dateISBN
1 Angels & Demons May 1, 2000 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 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 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 9780385537858
Robert Langdon wakes up in a hospital in Florence, Italy with a head wound and no memory of the last few days. When an assassin shows up in the hospital and attempts to kill Langdon, Dr. Sienna Brooks helps him escape and discover what had happened during those missing days by following clues involving Dante's Inferno.
5 Origin October 3, 2017 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.

Reception

The series has sold over 120 million copies. [2] [3]

Film and television 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.

The novel The Lost Symbol was adapted in 2021 by Peacock with Ashley Zukerman playing the lead character, Professor Robert Langdon. The series has 1 season containing 10 episodes. In January 2022, Peacock canceled the show after only 1 season, which will continue to be available for streaming. [4]

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<i>Inferno</i> (Brown novel) 2013 novel by Dan Brown

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<i>Robert Langdon</i> (franchise) American film franchise

The Robert Langdon franchise consists of American action-adventure mystery-thriller installments, including three theatrical films directed by Ron Howard, and a television series. The films, based on the novel series written by Dan Brown, center on the fictional character of Robert Langdon. Though based on the book series, the films have a different chronological order, consisting of: The Da Vinci Code (2006), Angels & Demons (2009) and Inferno (2016), all starring Tom Hanks as Langdon, alongside different ensemble casts. Despite mixed-to-negative critical reception, the films are considered box office successes, having a combined gross total of $1.5 billion worldwide.

<i>Origin</i> (Brown novel) 2017 novel by Dan Brown

Origin is a 2017 mystery thriller novel by American author Dan Brown and the fifth installment in his Robert Langdon series, following Inferno. The book was released on October 3, 2017, by Doubleday. The book is predominantly set in Spain and features minor sections in Sharjah and Budapest.

The Da Vinci Code is a play based on the 2003 mystery thriller novel of the same name by Dan Brown, adapted by Rachel Wagstaff and Duncan Abel.

<i>The Lost Symbol</i> (TV series) American action-adventure television series

Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol, or simply The Lost Symbol, is an American action-adventure mystery-thriller television series based on Dan Brown's 2009 novel The Lost Symbol. The series is a prequel to the Robert Langdon film series and features Ashley Zukerman as fictional Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon. It also stars Eddie Izzard, Beau Knapp, Rick Gonzalez, Valorie Curry and Sumalee Montano in main roles. Dan Trachtenberg directed the series pilot and serves as executive producer on the series alongside Ron Howard, Brian Grazer and Brown himself. The series consists of ten episodes, premiered on September 16, 2021, on Peacock. In January 2022, the series was cancelled after one season.

References

  1. Duttagupta, Ishani (2014-11-16). "Dan Brown: I would love to write about Hinduism; but don't know enough about Indian culture". The Economic Times. ISSN   0013-0389 . Retrieved 2024-11-03.
  2. Daniel Henninger. "Holy Sepulchre! 60 Million Buy 'The Da Vinci Code'". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2009-05-18.
  3. Marcus, Caroline (September 13, 2009). "Brown is back with the code for a runaway bestseller". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved September 13, 2009.
  4. Jennifer Maas. "'Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol' Canceled at Peacock After One Season". Variety.com. Retrieved May 17, 2022.