ALL 7 Of The Dan Brown Books In Order

Controversy, conspiracy, mind-blowing concepts, fast-paced action, and race against time to discover secret truths and save the day. What’s not to love about Dan Brown books – am I right?

ALL 7 of the Dan Brown Books (in Order)

Dan Brown’s books are bestsellers, and they are SO good that not one, not two, but three of them have become major motion pictures. And that’s not all – one book has been made into an entire TV series.

All the Dan Brown books that made it to the big screen, namely The Da Vinci Code, Angels And Demons, and Inferno, are all from Dan Brown’s Robert Landon series, as is the TV series The Lost Symbol.

In the movies, Robert Langdon is played by famous movie star Tom Hanks, and each one, like the books, follows his movements as he tries to get to the bottom of some big conspiracy.

The most famous Dan Brown book (and movie) is The Da Vinci Code, which was actually one of the best-selling novels of all time. As mentioned earlier, this is one from the Robert Langdon series.

But if you don’t want to jump ahead, and you’d rather read them in chronological order, you’ve certainly come to the right place – we’ll get to that fairly shortly.

About Dan Brown Books

Robert Langdon

Dan Brown’s most well-known books are unequivocally the series chronicling the amazing adventures of Harvard Professor Robert Langdon and his mind-blowing discoveries.

The Robert Langdon series spans just 5 books in total, but in addition to that, there are also 2 other books, which have a very similar feel to them, but technically speaking isn’t part of the same series, since there is a different main character in place of Robert Langdon. I’ll be covering all 7 books in this article.

At this point, it’s worth pointing out that every single Dan Brown book, including all of those in the Robert Langdon series, can easily be read as standalone novels, since each novel is a complete story of its own, and there are often new lead characters in each book to assist in Langdon’s quest to discover the truth.

Every storyline in each Robert Langdon book is finished by the last page, and there are no cliffhangers to worry about at the end, and each new book starts afresh.

And this is perfect if you’ve already started reading one of them, you can just pick whichever one you like the sound of best for your next read.

However, I totally get the desire to read things in the right order, I like to do it myself.

And Dan Brown likes to write his Robert Langdon books in order too since the order the reader ought to read them in is the same chronological order as the days they were published. (More on this later.)

As for the two Dan Brown books written in the same style, one was published just before the first book in the Robert Langdon series, and the other was published in between the first and the second book of the Robert Langdon series.

Dan Brown’s books are explosive in their mind-blowing messages, and the action is fast-paced from the very beginning right the way through to the shocking end.

They can span a great deal of the globe, and many scenes are rather unusual.

In the Robert Langdon series, Langdon is a Professor (and expert) of art history and symbology, and he embarks on journeys of discovery that require solving and decoding strange puzzles, racing against time to uncover conspiracies, and evading capture.

All of the Dan Brown books are works of fiction, however, they are considered by many to be quite the eye-opener, since the concepts that the reader is led to are so potentially believable to many of us today.

This is because much of the material for the story is derived from real symbols and based on real organizations.

(Incidentally, Dan Brown has also written a children’s book, called Wild Symphony, which is completely unrelated to any of his other books, and he has also written 5 non-fiction books on symbology, religious iconology, and more.)

Although Robert Langdon features in 5 of the books, there’s little in the way of character progression or relationship development between the various characters, so in that respect, there’s no real need to read the books in order. But if you want to, why ever not?

Dan Brown Books In Order

The Robert Langdon Series

Angels & Demons

Angels & Demons (Robert Langdon)

The story begins when a cryptic symbol is burned into the chest of a recently murdered physicist, and Langdon is asked to examine it.

In doing so, Langdon begins to discover a conspiracy against the Catholic Church by the famous Illuminati.

The battle between science and religion turns to war, and Langdon is caught up in a race against time to find an apocalyptic time bomb.

Pros

  • Action, adventure, religion, science, and history
  • Uncovering a dark conspiracy and a race against time
  • A wild ride with multiple unexpected twists and turns

Cons

  • Those who read The Da Vinci Code book first, describe this book as a relative let down

The Da Vinci Code

The Da Vinci Code (Robert Langdon)

This is Dan Brown’s most popular book – and for good reason, too!

Another body is found, carved with ancient symbols, and Langon works with cryptologist Sophie Neveu to follow an intriguing trail of clues leading to the works of Leonardo da Vinci.

As the story progresses, the two come across the Priory of Sion, a secret society with members such as Sir Isaac Newton, Victor Hugo, and Da Vinci himself. And there are also mentions of Mary Magdalene.

Pros

  • Mind-Blowing concepts relating to religion, and in particular Christianity
  • A high-action page-turner that will have you on the edge of your seat
  • Controversial and shocking – not to be missed!

Cons

  • There’s little mention of the character Vittoria Vetra from the previous book

The Lost Symbol

The Lost Symbol (Robert Langdon)

While giving a lecture, Langdon is interrupted with news of a strange artifact found in the building.

Then it turns out that the life of his mentor, Peter Soloman, is in danger, and the only way to save him is by examining the 5 strange symbols inscribed on the artifact.

Pros

  • Langdon’s invited into a lost world of esoteric, potentially dangerous wisdom
  • Fascinating tale and action-packed thriller, compete with Brown’s trademark puzzles
  • Roller coaster, a whirlwind of a ride, with Dan Brown’s most terrifying villain to date

Cons

  • Many people felt that this novel was a let-down after the previous one
  • Perhaps not as exciting as his other books

Inferno

Inferno (Robert Langdon)

The story begins with Langdon waking up with no recollection of the past couple of days, and soon discovers that he’s the target of a ruthless assassin.

Again there are pieces of a puzzle to solve before the assassin catches up with him, and this time with assistance from Sienna Brooks. There’s action from start to glorious finish.

Pros

  • Combines classical Italian art, history, and literature with cutting-edge science
  • Book-length scavenger hunt, requiring solving of puzzle after strange puzzle
  • A fast and furious race against imminent doom

Cons

  • Has been described by some as a travelog for art aficionados

Origin

Origin: A Novel (Robert Langdon)

The story begins with an event for the unveiling of a discovery that “will change the face of science forever” hosted by one of Langdon’s first students who is now a billionaire.

But chaos begins and the discovery could soon be lost forever. So Langdon flees to Barcelona with museum director Ambra Vidal to locate a cryptic password that will unlock the shocking discovery.

But the enemy is on the loose, and the two of them have to move quickly if they are to succeed.

Pros

  • Clash of religion and science with Interesting predictions on the future of mankind
  • Tackles some of philosophy’s biggest questions: Where do we come from? Where are we going?
  • Intense story with plenty of twists and turns

Cons

  • Some Dan Brown readers start to find the Robert Langdon formula predictable at this point

Dan Brown’s Standalone Novels

Digital Fortress

Digital Fortress: A Thriller

The story begins with cryptographer Susan Fletcher being asked to break an impossible code. But Fletcher discovers that if the code is released, it would cripple US intelligence.

In a tempest of secrecy, lies, and betrayal, Fletcher battles to destroy the balance of world power for all time.

Pros

  • A fast-paced, action-packed page-turner awash with twists and turns
  • A suspenseful thriller that’s also educational at the same time
  • It keeps the reader guessing right to the very end!

Cons

  • A little technical in places and the tech descriptions don’t match the current tech

Deception Point

Deception point

A strange object has been discovered buried deep in ice in the Arctic, and this object if revealed could have major implications for the upcoming U.S. presidential elections.

To ensure the White House finds it first, they enlist the help of intelligence analyst Rachel Sexton to investigate.

But there’s even more devastation that could be brought about by the unveiling than originally believed, and assassins begin hunting Sexton down.

Pros

  • A conspiracy of staggering brilliance and a shocking deception
  • Espionage and politics collide in this mind-blowing thriller
  • A real page-turner with plenty of sub-plots guaranteed to keep you engaged
  • The female main character (always a plus)

Cons

  • Some readers found it overly technical

Final Thoughts

Every Dan Brown book is a marvel of its own. Every book has a different revelation for the reader to absorb at the end, with dramatic and eye-opening discoveries that can turn the world as you know it upside down and inside out.

While some people say that Dan Brown’s books follow a familiar pattern, regardless of whether the protagonist is cool-headed Professor Robert Langdon or some other code-breaking expert, it’s this nature of the book that attracts so many raving fans.

Not only are there strange artifacts and symbols for the reader to puzzle over and enjoy, but there is also fast-paced action and threats to the lives of both the main protagonists and those they care about.

The picture always comes together piece by piece, but the protagonists have to move quickly in each book if they’re ever going to save the day and get to the truth of matters once and for all.

If the sound of one of the books appeals to you more than another, you don’t have to patiently read them in chronological order if you don’t want to.

You can just go right ahead and read the one you’re most drawn to. And if you like what you can read, you can go on to read more!

Frequently Asked Questions

Is It Necessary To Read The Robert Langdon Series In Order?

When a reader goes through a series of books, this is commonly done in chronological publication order.

However, this is not necessary with the Robert Langdon series, because all of them can be read as standalone novels.

What Are The Dan Brown Books In Order Of Popularity?

1. The Da Vinci Code
2. Angels & Demons
3. Deception Point
4. Origin
5. The Lost Symbol
6. Inferno
7. Digital Fortress

YouTube video
Anna Davis