Book Reviews of The Rule Of Four

Convoluted, meandering and a waste of time. This is the kind of book that really makes you question the publishing industry choices of what is worth printing. What could have been an interesting story of a quest for a missing treasure is bogged down by confusing text and the desire to make the book seem scholarly. Supposedly, the authors took 6 years to write this book. I hope they spend the next 6 on something more productive.

I don't even know what to say about this book. It was hard to read and it was hard to understand what was going on. I can't say that I didn't like it because I would have stopped reading it if that was the case. But I wouldn't read it again.

I very much enjoyed The Da Vinci Code...but this one just didn't do it for me. I'm sorry, I don't see how you can compare the two...okay they are both about history, art, puzzles, and murder...but I did not get into this one near as much as I did the Da Vinci Code (which fascinated me).

A thoroughly engaging read on the mysteries and intricacies of an ancient text, and the ups and downs of college friendships. A well thought-out and executed story.

Picked this up at the airport and was engrossed before I even boarded my plane. Fast moving plot mixed with historical intrigue reminiscent of the Da Vinci Code, though I enjoyed this book BETTER! Great, great book.

Eh. I finished it, and it read right along. Sort of a rather watered down Davinci Code encased in reliving one's college years. And I'm not sure I believe that it's that cold and snowy in Princeton - I went to school in MN and we didn't get snow on Easter. But that is a minor detail. The book is basically a weak thriller surrounding a lot of information about a mysterious ancient text. I enjoyed it enough to finish it, and if you are in to "puzzle" books, you might, too. If you haven't yet, though, I'd say read Davinci Code or that author's other work first.

Good mystery, hard to get in to

Terrible. Pseudo-intellecutal.

The strength of "The Rule of Four" comes from its honest-yet-idealistic view of college life at Princeton. Tom, the narrator of the novel, evokes the exhiliration and frustration of those years effortlessly, and his academic and emotional triumphs and failures ring true. While Tom does not make me wish that I'd gone to Princeton - it's depicted as even more blue-blood than I could have imagined - he makes me want to book plane tickets for the next Chapel Hill reunion.

I enjoyed this book. It's a bit more on the intellectual side than similar books like the DaVinci Code or Angels & Demons, but similar. It was predictable in some places but surprising in others. Overall, an interesting read.

* * *. Mystery. Some university students attempt to decode an ancient manuscript previously attempted by former alumni/scholars.

This is not the Da Vinci Code. There is no page-turning action, except for the climax. It's more of a cerebral read. The first part is tough because the authors immediately hit us with the historic facts and puzzles. Underlining names with a highlighter helps. Nevertheless, the present day characters seem real, which is a plus.

I really enjoyed this book. Some of the places were a little more difficult to follow than others, but overall I really enjoyed it!

Being published on the heels of The DaVinci Code, I could not help but make some comparisons--and this book falls a bit short. Good story as such; I got bogged down a bit in the academia of it all. Perhaps a re-read is in order on a cold, wintry day in front of a warm fire and without expectations of fast-racing movement from one scene to another...

If you liked The DaVinci Code, but would have appreciated better writing, this book is for you.

Very good from the start. If you liked "The Da Vinci Code", you will not want to miss this one! I hope they are making it into a movie!

This is a wonderfully well-written book. The authors absorb the reader quickly and easily into their tale of a hunt for a long-lost ancient book, and by book's end, you are completely swept up in the character's obsession. This is an intriguing novel and the prologue sets things off with a bang! The "secret" that the Hypnerotomachia hides might not be quite as big as that of the DaVinci code, but you will definitely be caught up in the hunt for it along with the characters. All I can say is thumbs-up to an absorbing, entertaining read!

"The Rule of Four" carries a similar plot line to "DaVinci Code", and deciphering puzzles to solve the mystery, while intertwining history. Fascinating and an enjoyable read.

An amazing first novel! Dan Brown meets Caleb Carr and Umberto Eco - it's a great historical mystery/thriller. Wriiten with accuracy and lots of twists, often chilling.

In one word - Horrible! This may not be the worse book I've ever read, but it's pretty darn close. Unless you're an insomniac trying to get some sleep, don't waste your time or energy reading this piece of trash. I almost didn't bother posting it and almost threw it in the trash instead, but maybe someone needs lining for their bird cage.

Why do I continue to believe the reviews from The NY Times?

This is the only book in the past few years that I could not finish. It simply seemed like a total waste of time.

xxx

suspenseful!

Really interesting/fun read about two Princeton students attempting to solve a mystery about a Renaissance text.

ok .... kinda knew what was going to happen

I was totally pulled in by the fact that this novel investigates a real literary puzzle that was recently solved. After reading it, I queried the internet to find the true answer...the truth was nowhere as thrilling.

I rank this up with "Angels & Demons" which means it was much better than "The DaVinci Code".

Just could not get into this book.

Please note that this book was purchased from a public library sale, so there will be a few places in the book with the libraries stamp on it. Thanks.

a very good read!

Very much like the Da Vinci code, historical codes and secrets protected until modern day. Quick paced read.

When four Princeton seniors begin the Easter weekend, they are more concerned with their plans for the next year and an upcoming dance than with a 500-year-old literary mystery. But by the end of the holiday, two people are dead, two of the students are injured, and one has disappeared. These events, blended with Renaissance history, code breaking, acrostics, sleuthing, and personal discovery, move the story along at a rapid pace. Tom Sullivan, the narrator, tells of his late father's and then a roommate's obsession with the Hypnerotomachia Poliphili, a 15th-century "novel" that has long puzzled scholars. Paul has built his senior thesis on an unpopular theory posited by Tom's father–that the author was an upper-class Roman rather than a monk–and has come close to proving it.

"Ingenious...A balancing act between riddle-solving and thriller mechanics....The real treat here is the process of discovery." New York Times

Princeton. Good Friday, 1999. On the eve of graduation, two students are a hairsbreadth from solving the mysteries of the Hypnerotomachia Poliphili, a Renaissance text that has baffled scholars for centuries. Famous for its hypnotic power over those who study it, the five-hundred-year-old Hypnerotomachia may finally reveal its secrets - to Tom Sullivan, whose father was obsessed with the book, and Paul Harris, whose future depends on it. As the dealine looms, research had stalled - until a vital clue is unearthed: a long-lost diary that may prove to be the key to deciphering the ancient test. But when a longtime student of the book is murdered just hours later, a chilling cycle of deaths and revelations begins - one that will force Tom and Paul, with their two roommates, into a fiery drama spun from a book whose power and meaning have long been misunderstood

A good mystery.

INTERESTING SUMMER READ

A compelling modern thriller that cleverly combines history and mystery. When four Princeton seniors begin the Easter weekend, they are more concerned with their plans for the next year and an upcoming dance than with a 500-year-old literary mystery. But by the end of the holiday, two people are dead, two of the students are injured, and one has disappeared. These events, blended with Renaissance history, code breaking, acrostics, sleuthing, and personal discovery, move the story along at a rapid pace. Tom Sullivan, the narrator, tells of his late father's and then a roommate's obsession with the Hypnerotomachia Poliphili, a 15th-century "novel" that has long puzzled scholars. Paul has built his senior thesis on an unpopular theory posited by Tom's father–that the author was an upper-class Roman rather than a monk–and has come close to proving it.

From the back of the book ... "A stunning first novel, a perfect blend of suspense and a sensitive coming-of-age story."

A real page turner, and "academic" too, in the vein of Dan Brown.

Princeton. Godd Friday 1999. On the eve of graduation, two students are a hairsbreadth from solving the mysteries of the Hypnerotomachia Poliphili, a Renaissance text that has baffled scholars for centuries...a long-lost diary...

A very good book, very well written, if you liked the DaVinci Code, you'd like this one too. I cannot recommend it enough, even though it's very far out of my normal scope.

Two Princeton students are on the verge of solving the mysteries of a Renaissance text that has baffled scholars for centuries. Just when a long lost diary that may prove to be the key is unearthed, a longtime student of the book is murdered beginning a chilling cycle of deaths and revelations.

If you liked Da Vinci Code, you'll probably also enjoy this novel. Intellectually stimulating and an intriguing mystery.

Exciting DaVinci Code Knock-Off.

A stunning first novel, a perfect blend of suspense and a sensitive coming-of-age story.

If you are a fan of " The Da Vinci Code" you will love this book!

A novel about two friends who find the key to a labyrinth that holds the secrets of an ancient text called the Hypnerotomachia Poliphili. When a fellow researcher is murdered, they suddenly realize they are caught in a web of great danger.

On the eve of graduation, two students are a hairsbreadth from solving the mysteries of the Hypnerotomachia Poliphili, a Renaissance text that has baffled scholars for centuries.

As the deadline looms, research has stalled - until a vital clue is unearthed: a long-lost diary that may prove to be the key to deciphering the ancient text. But when a longtime student of the book is murdered just hours later, a chilling cycle of deaths and revelations begins...

Mystery at Princeton University.

Excellent Read!!

500 years ago the first men were murdered to protect the secret. Princeton. Good Friday, 1999. On the eve of graduation, two students are a hairsbreadth from solving the mysteries of the Hypnerotomachia Poliphili, a Renaissance text that has baffled scholars for centuries. Famous for its hypnotic power over those who study it, the five-hundred-year-old Hypnerotomachio may finally reveal its secrets---to Tom Sullivan, whose father was obsessed with the book, and Paul Harris, whose future depends on it.

500 years ago the first men were murdered to protect the secret of the rule of four. It's a good puzzler type book

If I can read Eco, I thought I could handle this. Just did not keep me interested. Maybe it will you? (Cover is blue rather than red, but same layout and images.)

I thoroughly enjoyed this book even though its heroes are mere college kids. The puzzle was almost as interesting as the DaVinci Code and there was a lot less violence in this one.

Princeton. Good Friday, 1999. On the eve of graduation, two students are a hairsbreadth from solving the mysteries of the
Hypnerotomachia Poliphili, a Renaissance text that has baffled scholars for centuries. Famous for its hypnotic power over those who study it, the five-hundred-year-old Hypnerotomachia may finally reveal its secrets---to Tom Sullivan, whose father was obsessed with the book, and Paul Harris, whose future depends on it.
As the deadline looms, research has stalled---until a vital clue is unearthed: a long-lost diary that may prove to be the key to
deciphering the ancient text. But when a longtime student of the book is murdered just hours later, a chilling cycle of deaths and revelations begins---one that will force Tom and Paul, with their
two roommates, into a fiery drama spun from a book whose power and meaning have long been misunderstood.

Great book! If you like mysteries, this one has plenty of riddles, twists, and turns!

I didn't read it

Page-turning novel with romance and suspense. Would not probably read it again. Characters are stuck in Princeton U with very little to say about life in general.

A GOOD READ ESPECIALLY IF YOU LIKE SOME HISTORY WITH YOUR SUSPENCE A FIRST NOVEL I HOPE THEY WRITE MORE

This is one of the best books I read last year. Anyone who enjoys historical novels will enjoy this, even though it is set in the present day. Lots of interesting historical tidbits, but the book is not dull at all.

Princeton. Good Friday, 1999. On the eve of graduation, two students are a hairsbreadth from solving the mysteries of the Hypnerotomachia Poliphili. Famous for its hypnotic power over those who study it, the five-hundred-year-old Hypnerotomachia may finally reveal its secrets -- to Tom Sullivan, whose father was obsessed with the book, and Paul Harris, whose future depends on it. As the deadline looms, research has stalled -- until an ancient diary surfaces. What Tom and Paul discover inside shocks even them: proof that the location of a hidden crypt has been ciphered within the pages of the obscure Renaissance text.

Armed with this final clue, the two friends delve into the bizarre world of the Hypnerotomachia -- a world of forgotten erudition, strange sexual appetites, and terrible violence. But just as they begin to realize the magnitude of their discovery, Princeton's snowy campus is rocked: a longtime student of the book is murdered, shot dead in the hushed halls of the history department.

A tale of timeless intrigue, dazzling scholarship, and great imaginative power, The Rule of Four is the story of a young man divided between the future's promise and the past's allure, guided only by friendship and love.

Mystery,obsession and suspense in a college setting.

If you liked The Da Vinci code, you'll like this one. Page turner.

I couldn't put this book down. Engaging plot, with a lot of interesting factual and historical detail. It'll make a much better movie than "The Da Vinci Code" did!

This is the blue cover paperback edition.. not red like in the picture.

I enjoyed the book as it reminded me of The Da Vinci code. Not the same storyline but the same feel if you know what I mean.

Its worth reading :o)

Likeable mystery and story of interactions among graduate students.

In the line of the DaVinci Code, with ancient documents and murders and such, but not quite the thriller as the other. Still a pretty good read.

I loved this book.

This is about a group of Princton undergrads trying to solve the mystery of an obscure Renaissance text that has baffled scholars for centuries. Murder mystery on the idea of The DaVinci Code

This is a very interesting book about two college students researching a five-hundred year old book that contains a myriad of mysteries - and no one else has been able to solve them. The book is not only about the research, it's also about the main character dealing with his past and future, as well as his relationship with his roommates.

Intellectually challenging story plot...along the lines of a coded message written 500 yrs ago and rushing against time to decipher ahead of the fanatics trying to steal it....

About Princeton friends trying to find the key to an ancient manuscript, the Hypnerotomachia Poliphili.

This book can be a little bit slow at times, but is a good book overall.

The runaway favorite of last year. Psychological thriller.

Interesting book---hard to put down.

I enjoyed it, hope that they write more together.

Two students are close to solving the mysteries of the Hypnerotomachia Poliphili, a renaissance text that has baffled scholar for centuries.
I have read this book and found it a bit similar to the DaVinci code. It is exciting and had me on the edge of my seat until the very end

I enjoyed the interesting idea of the solution to the Hypnerotomachia. I didn't like how flash backs were used, something about their use confused the story line for me. Good story, though no way near the quaility of the "Di Vinci Code".

Exciting page-turner that provides a glimpse into the intense Ivy League atmosphere of the rarified quest of the mind--a sort of DaVinci Code for the academic crowd. Brought back many memories of campus days with a murderous twist. Loved it!

Good moving plot lead to a lot of other topics for future reading

Rather dark but it keeps you interested.

From School Library Journal
Adult/High School–"A compelling modern thriller that cleverly combines history and mystery. When four Princeton seniors begin the Easter weekend, they are more concerned with their plans for the next year and an upcoming dance than with a 500-year-old literary mystery. But by the end of the holiday, two people are dead, two of the students are injured, and one has disappeared..." "This novel will appeal to readers of Dan Brown's TheDa Vinci Code (Doubleday, 2003) but it supplies a lot more food for thought, even including some salacious woodcuts from the original book as well as coded excerpts and their solutions.–Susan H. Woodcock, Fairfax County Public Library, Chantilly, VA

Princeton. Good Friday. 1999. On the eve of graduation, 2 students are a hairsbreadth from solving the mysteries of the "Hypnerotomachia Poliphili", a Renaissance text that has baffled scholars for centuries. Famous for its hypnotic power over those who study it, the 500-year-old "Hypnerotomachia" may finally reveal its secrets--to Tom Sullivan, whose father was obsessed with the book, and Paul Harris, whose future depends on it. As the deadline looms, research has stalled--until a vital clue is unearthed: a long-lost diary that may prove to be the key to deciphering the ancient text. But when a longtime student of the book is murdered just hours later, a chilling cycle of deaths and revelations begins--one that will force Tom and Paul, with their 2 roommates, into a fiery drama spun from a book whose power and meaning have long been misunderstood....

A fair effort, an interesting read. Oversold on the jacket as being of Umberto Eco and Dan Brown caliber. I'm not sure if the person writing the promo ever read any of these authors.

This is an intelligent suspense novel, a thinking-person's Da Vinci Code. The characters are smartly described, and the writing is far better than Dan Brown's. A New York Times bestseller, highly readable and engaging.

This is a book that is slightly different than the ordinary mystery but it is good.

I read so many bad reviews about this book that I had to check it out. This is a very well written and exciting book. The continuance of the storyline is well defined and the story is exceptional. If you have read The DiVinci Code I honestly believe you will like this book. Good characters that are so believable I thought "I" was back in college.

Fun and "intellectual".

If you like "National Treasure" and Dan Brown novels, you will love this suspenseful book about an ancient secret mystery.

Da Vinci code wannabe, but still adequately entertaining for a plane ride.

New

This is a thriller that I couldn't put down until the end.

Caldwell and Thomason's intriguing intellectual suspense novel stars four brainy roommates at Princeton, two of whom have links to a mysterious 15th-century manuscript, the Hypnerotomachia Poliphili. This rare text (a real book) contains embedded codes revealing the location of a buried Roman treasure. Comparisons to The Da Vinci Code are inevitable, but Caldwell and Thomason's book is the more cerebral-and better written-of the two: think Dan Brown by way of Donna Tartt and Umberto Eco. The four seniors are Tom Sullivan, Paul Harris, Charlie Freeman and Gil Rankin. Tom, the narrator, is the son of a Renaissance scholar who spent his life studying the ancient book, "an encyclopedia masquerading as a novel, a dissertation on everything from architecture to zoology." The manuscript is also an endless source of fascination for Paul, who sees it as "a siren, a fetching song on a distant shore, all claws and clutches in person. You court her at your risk." This debut novel's range of topics almost rivals the Hypnerotomachia's itself, including etymology, Renaissance art and architecture, Princeton eating clubs, friendship, steganography (riddles) and self-interpreting manuscripts. It's a complicated, intricate and sometimes difficult read, but that's the point and the pleasure. There are murders, romances, dangers and detection, and by the end the heroes are in a race not only to solve the puzzle, but also to stay alive. Readers might be tempted to buy their own copy of the Hypnerotomachia and have a go at the puzzle. After all, Caldwell and Thomason have done most of the heavy deciphering-all that's left is to solve the final riddle, head for Rome and start digging.

A very disorganized book, pretty unbelievable.

"A stunning first novel, a perfect blend of suspense and a sensitive coming-of-age story.--Nelson DeMille

I thought it was boring and way too technical. I think they really tried to copy the Davinci Code.

best seller suspence and friendship

Very good story. Similar to DaVinci code but much better writing

This book is great if you went to Princeton. Another Da Vinci Code it is NOT.

A 500-year old text is about to open its secrets to two Princeton students. Has been compared to DaVinci Code but is much more intelligent and has no chase scenes. Very intriguing.

An Astonishing NY Times Bestseller. Very exciting. A good read!

Really quick read, and an interesting story, in the vein of Da Vinci Code.

A Davinci Code yarn replete with erudite college students, an Ivy League campus covered in snow and historical Renaissance references. Fun, funny and rich with personal details and observations. A great story teller with a great eye. Much better writing than the Dan Brown books with interesting, real and dimensional characters.

This is an intellectual's mystery taking place at Princeton in 1999. It is a coming of age book of four friends about to graduate that includes literary secrets, murder, and suspense.

Princeton. Good Friday, 1999. On the even of graduation, two students are a hairsbreadth from solving the mysteries of the Hypernotomachia Poliphill, a Renaissance text that has baffled scholars for centuries. As the deadline looms, reserach has stalled until a vital clue is unearthed: a long-lost diary that may prove to be the key to deciphering the ancient text. But when a longtime student of the book is murdered just hours later, a chilling cycle of deaths and revelations begins - one that will force Tom and Paul, with their two roommates, into a fiery drama spun from a book whose power and meaning have long been misunderstood.......

I really enjoyed this book. It is better than the Da Vinci Code, and I love the "coming of age" twist.

Very disappointed with this book. Expected a very good mistery and turned out to be a boring description of college life.

Not my kind of book but others I know have liked it. University students trying to solve a mystery dealing with a Renaissance text.

A group of college roomates become involved in deciphering a code that puts all of them in danger.

I couldn't get into thi9s book, but many of my friends loved it.

I really loved this book! If you liked The DaVinci Code and Angels and Demons, you will probably like this one. Its a bit more tedious than those two, especially at the beginning, but it all comes together in a great ending. I like the fact that it was written by two young college age guys who have been friends for years.

The only thing not boring about this book were the
"nude olympics."

Very good story and great writing. It goes back and forth between a personal philosophical type of story and an action/mystery, so that gets frustrating sometimes, but a very very good book otherwise!

Highly over-rated.

This novel is about two students at Princeton in 1999 trying to unlock the mysteries of a Renaissance text; reviews compared it to "The Da Vince Code", a novel I loved. I didn't enjoy this novel half as much - too esoteric and at times I was actually bored.

A book about an ancient puzzle that some Princeton students set to figure out. A very intellectual story with many facets to it.

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