Title: Digital Fortress
Author: Dan Brown
Narrator: Paul Michael
Rating (Story): ★★☆☆☆
Rating (Narration):★★★★☆
As a fast paced spy thriller that won’t require much thinking, Digital Fortress will feel familiar to any one who has read Dan Brown’s other books. When I read it several years ago I enjoyed it as a bit of junk food for my brain. However, as an audiobook I found its little foibles far more annoying.
Our main characters are both supposed to be very intelligent people. but the entire plot relies on them making stupid and irrational decisions. Susan in particular comes across as a complete ditz. Her fiance, who is only pulled into the mystery because of her, ends up having all of the adventures. And even worse, when Susan finally has the opportunity to solve a code and show the intelligence we’ve heard so much about, it happens to be a code she taught her fiance and he figures it out! Basically, I ended this book wanting to punch Dan Brown in the face for making one of the weakest heroines ever. On the bright side, the narration was quite good and by far the easiest to understand of any of the narrators I’ve listened to so far.
Hmm. I really enjoyed this novel, thought that was a good three or four years ago when I read it, so my preference could be lacking nowadays.
As you said, the plot was nothing special. What I did like was that the pacing sped along in a fairly thick book.
Good review.
I agree! The pacing was definitely one of the strong points, even at the slower speed of an audiobook 🙂