Dan Brown is the author of a number of best-selling novels around the world.  His combination of thriller, history, science, myth, fact and fiction have entranced readers in over 52 languages having sold 200 million copies of his books.

Dan Brown has to date published only 5 books. But it was The Da Vinci Code which catapulted this unassuming secret society enthusiast into the public spotlight.  Having been made into a film, The Da Vinci Code is one of the most popular books of all time with its success boosting the sales of his first three novels. (Deception Point, Digital Fortress and Angels and Demons).  His estimate reported income for The Da Vinci Code is reported to be £250 million.

His influences are well-known, purely because he has told us.  In spite of his novels being historically serious, Dan Brown isn’t adverse to using the element of humour within his writing.  Having taught Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing (one which I too studied in college) he states that there is no “wittier” dialogue anywhere else.  Robert Ludlem who is the author of the Bourne Series (which were also made into a set of hit films starring Matt Damon for the lead role as Jason Bourne) have made an impression on Dan Brown’s writing.  Certain traits include taking the main character out of familiar settings, 24 hour time frames and strong female leads.  I would aspect the lack of titles in Dan Brown’s repertoire would be down to the high levels of research needed for each novel.  His latest works The Lost Symbol which details the in’s and out’s of the freemasons took six years to write.

Dan Brown is one of the few writers who talks about writer’s block and how to address it.  In a more unusual stance of adopting inversion therapy, which in short terms involves hanging upside down or in a funny angle so that the blood flow to the head increases.

With Success comes criticism.  He was accused of plagiarizing Daughter of God and was unsuccessfully sued.  Authors Michael Baigent and Richard Leigh also brought about a copyright infringement case whereby they argued that Dan Brown had stolen ideas from their novel Holy Blood, Holy Grail.  But the judge ruled in Dan Brown’s favour.

In 2005, Dan Brown was at the peak of his fame with the editor of Time Magazine quoting him as:

“Keeping the publishing industry afloat; renewed interest in Leonardo da Vinci and early Christian history; spiking tourism to Paris and Rome; a growing membership in secret societies; the ire of Cardinals in Rome; eight books denying the claims of the novel and seven guides to read along with it; a flood of historical thrillers; and a major motion picture franchise.”

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