Tom Sullivan, about to graduate from Princeton, is haunted by the violent death of his father, an academic who devoted his life to studying one of the rarest, most complex and most valuable books in the world. Coded in seven languages, the Hypnerotomachia Poliphili, an intricate mathematical mystery and a tale of love and arcane brutality, has baffled scholars since 1499.
Tom's friend Paul is similarly obsessed and when a long-lost diary surfaces, they finally seem to make a breakthrough. But only hours later, a fellow researcher is murdered and the two friends suddenly find themselves in great danger. Working desperately to expose the book's secret, they slowly uncover a Renaissance tale of passion and blood, a hidden crypt and a secret worth dying to protect.
...ContinuaYou can find a hundred reviews of this book on the internet. You can read there about the puzzling "Hypnerotomachia" that lies -supposedly- in the heart of its plot. You will be intrigued by the comparisons with Dan Brown, Donna Tart, Scott Fitzgerald, Umberto Eco. It seems then that there aren't a lot of things I can say about it myself, apart from how I felt reading it. All I can say is that it felt good, just like how we need to feel when reading a book...
If you like books, go get it!
Not quite like The Da Vinci Code. In Dan Brown's thriller, the puzzles were clearer and it was obvious why people were willing to kill to keep the secret concealed. I went through almost half the book of The Rule of Four before i finally understood what the Hypernerotomachia Poliphili was all about and why the characters in it were so keen to solve the mystery. I feel there was not much depth to the characters in the story - the romance seemed to be a throw-in - but it didn't really affect the novel overall i reckon. If you lack time and are deciding between Dan Brown's Da Vinci or Angels or Demons or The Lost Symbol and The Rule of Four, i would recommend Dan Brown's novels instead.
...ContinuaReally enjoyed this fast-paced historical novel on the obsession with discovering the secret of the Hypnerotomachia, an ancient book which has claimed many lives. Four students are embroiled in decades' long academic research and politics. Lots of back stories, some romance thrown in, and a lot of history! Interesting details -- which in fact may turn some off because of the depth of the details.
...Continua"Nothing is lighter than being young with the world on your shoulders; it gives you a feeling of possibility so seductive..." I can see where, given the right audience, this could be a great read for someone...just not me. I've never been a young male on the verge of college graduation struggling with my father's lost dreams. Decoding the Hypnerotomachia wore me out!!
...Continua
