Da Vinci Code Decoded author: Martin Lunn The Disinformation Company Ltd. 2004 ISBN #0-972952-97-7 Subtitled "The Truth Behind The New York Times #1 Bestseller", author Martin Lunn's work has one purpose - to question the accuracy of Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code. How interesting that all of this energy is going to picking apart a novel that is exactly that ... a novel, a work of fiction! While Dan Brown does make the claim that is research is accurate, how much does this really matter, as the book itself is fiction? The book itself is broken down into digestible bits ... the first section addressing the life and art of Leonardo Da Vinci. Lunn does at least acquiesce to the thought that it made sense to use Da Vinci as the character that moves the plot of this book. He presents an overview of Da Vinci's life and accomplishments, and addresses coded messages, and what their importance might be. Lunn goes on to discuss the Priory of Sion, its history, the Knights Templar, and their connection with Nostradamus. Specific individuals connected with the Priory, such as Nicolas Flamel, Rene d'Anjou, Sir Isaac Newton and Victor Hugo are mentioned, as well as the "truth" about Pierre Plantard de Saint-Clair, the last Grand Master of the Priory. There are interesting little tid bits tossed in, such as the speculation that certain administrators at the French National library are in league with the Priory of Sion, in essence leaving little bits of information for researchers to stumble across. Lunn goes on to cover the Davidic and Merovingian bloodlines, a priest by the name of Sauniere, and the Rennes-le-Chateau (which is a story in and of itself). From here he moves on to Constantine the Great, the Holy Grail in Europe, and the life and times of Jesus Christ (leading to a discussion of whether Jesus Christ was married or not). Now things get even more interesting, with the introduction of the Catholic offshoot group Opus Dei. This is an actual group, which Dan Brown used as the "bad guy" in his novel, and to great effect! Lunn mentions in passing other themes from Brown's book, including cryptography, the Fibonacci Sequence and the Golden Ratio, secret societies, and even the origins of Tarot! Martin Lunn is a renowned historian, yet I found this work to read like a fiction novel itself. It is interesting, and should help the sales of Brown's book, but buyer beware: take from this book what you will, and leave the rest behind. © July 2007 Bonnie Cehovet Personal Lifestyle Reading - I offer a Personal Lifestyle Reading using Tarot that looks at past, present and future influences in your life, at the energies that are currently available to help you along your path, and at those energies that are appearing as challanges. My goal is to offer you insight into your decision making process, as well as tools that you can use to both better understand your path and make conscious, choice centered decisions. Home Personal Empowerment links Personal Empowerment articles Graphics by Art for the web