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Journalism of Courage
Dan Brown is back after eight years — with his new thriller ‘The Secret of Secrets’ in which his unlikely hero Robert Langdon races through Prague’s cobbled streets pursued by the city’s mysterious Golem. The Harvard symbologist also tries to decode a contentious idea: noetic science.
But, before going into all that, invoking a piece of advice otherwise given to people watching commercial Bollywood flicks: “Dimaag band kar ke dekho.” Literally, “close your mind and watch the film.” It’s used more to suggest that you enjoy the watch without trying to get too analytical. So, here we are, going with the flow.
Like most commercial Bollywood films, Brown’s books generally follow a template: a horrific event occurs, Professor Robert Langdon gets embroiled, a dangerous secret is at risk of being revealed while a shadowy sect wants to protect it (so much secrecy!), there is an eccentric villain or assassin straight out of Bond territory, and, naturally, there’s a beautiful woman drawn to Langdon who helps him save the world, which is always in danger.
There is, however, something very different from a Bollywood potboiler: his novels are packed with information about places, buildings, objects, and history, so much so that they often read like a polished Wikipedia entry or Rough Guide. Readers frequently end up discussing the trivia almost as much as the plot itself.
This familiar template is on full display in Brown’s latest book, The Secret of Secrets, his first in eight years and sprawling over 700 pages. Robert Langdon, Professor of Religious Symbology, is visiting Prague with his long-time friend and now romantic interest, Dr Katherine Solomon, an “internationally acclaimed Noetic Scientist.”
If you are wondering, as many readers will, “What the hell is Noetic Science?” Katherine herself explains it early on: it is “the science of human consciousness,” or more simply, the study of the human mind’s activity.
And here lies the book’s big mystery. Katherine is working on proving human precognition, the ability to know things before they happen. She argues that consciousness extends beyond the human brain, potentially reshaping long-held beliefs. Her research, however, attracts the attention of sinister forces: a shadowy organisation, a mystic assassin who believes he is a Golem with a holy mission, and conspirators who erase her manuscript and abduct her publisher. To complicate matters, Langdon himself is suspected of staging a bomb scare, even as he insists he saw a crown-wearing apparition wielding a silver spear and reeking of death.
Religion, conspiracy, science, riddles, puzzles, and trivia: Brown once again blends his trademark ingredients in The Secret of Secrets. Literary elegance has never been his forte, so if you are seeking nuanced prose, you won’t find it here. Instead, Brown sticks to familiar language, often weighed down by clichés and clunky jargon. Lines like “Her presentation had been a dazzling tour de force that left the crowd stunned and clamoring for more” abound.
Yet, he makes up for this with relentless pacing. Chapters are short (6–7 pages), perspectives shift quickly, and the plot barrels forward.
The book is also stuffed with trivia, sometimes fascinating, sometimes excessive. From Prague’s hundred spires to the story behind Random House’s name, Brown dives into side notes that can feel like digressions. At times, they enrich the story; often, they feel like interruptions, and many readers may find themselves skimming to get back to the action.
Still, despite predictability, Brown sprinkles in enough twists to keep readers engaged. There are missteps—characters behaving implausibly, factual slips (Robin Sharma named alongside Picasso, for instance), and a few clumsy contrivances—but the book delivers on its promise: an entertaining, page-turning thriller.
The Secret of Secrets is a decent thriller, familiar yet fun, with generous servings of history, trivia, and conspiracy. Just remember the Bollywood-style advice: suspend cynicism, give your analytical brain a rest, and enjoy the ride.
The Secret of Secrets
Dan Brown
Penguin Random House India
704 pages
₹1,499 (hardback) | ₹918.65 (Kindle)
