Techno-Thrillers discussion

October 2025 Book of the Month (BOTM): We had a tie on the favorite authors theme, so went with both of them, as I usually do.

The Secret of Secrets by Dan Brown (2025)


This book comes out tomorrow, Sep 9, 2025. Annoyingly, 57 people have already submitted ratings, and many reviews. One guy gave it 2 stars before it is even published because he thinks it is going to be too many pages. Can’t say how much I hate that. I personally would not allow anyone to do that before a book comes out.

Publisher's Summary
The world’s most celebrated thriller writer returns with his most stunning novel yet—a propulsive, twisty, thought-provoking masterpiece that will entertain readers as only Dan Brown can do.

Robert Langdon, esteemed professor of symbology, travels to Prague to attend a groundbreaking lecture by Katherine Solomon—a prominent noetic scientist with whom he has recently begun a relationship. Katherine is on the verge of publishing an explosive book that contains startling discoveries about the nature of human consciousness and threatens to disrupt centuries of established belief. But a brutal murder catapults the trip into chaos, and Katherine suddenly disappears along with her manuscript. Langdon finds himself targeted by a powerful organization and hunted by a chilling assailant sprung from Prague’s most ancient mythology. As the plot expands into London and New York, Langdon desperately searches for Katherine . . . and for answers. In a thrilling race through the dual worlds of futuristic science and mystical lore, he uncovers a shocking truth about a secret project that will forever change the way we think about the human mind.

"Annoyingly, 57 people have already submitted ratings, and many reviews."

I'm a relative newcomer to Goodreads, and I'd no idea that this went on. How depressing.

It’ll get over 100,000 ratings. It won’t matter. But it is annoying.

My preordered book was there today on Audible. Going to dive in. Let’s try page 1. Someone always dies right off the bat. That’s Dan Bown’s style … his version of in medias res. Let’s see …

Haha. How long did it take for someone to appear dead? You’ll have to read it to see.

About 30% in. So far so good. Is it thriller or technothriller? I think there is tech, but that’s a not settled. Thriller. Yes. If overly verbose explanation to satisfy your inner geek is the goal … his books certainly do that. Some of Browns books get way too mired in the solving of symbolic puzzles and were annoying and underwhelming. This continues the Robert Langdon series, but I think there was only one logic puzzle so far, … seemed like it was “meant” to be solved … and I came close to correctly solving it myself. You want that carrot out there in the Goldilocks zone, not impossible, but just barely beyond reach.

Started this on the plane yesterday. Enjoying and intrigued by the premise so far! I read another thriller with a golem recently, trying to remember which one it was.

Once you’ve read it, feel free to weigh in on how it ranks on a couple of lists:
  • Technothrillers: Best of the 2020s
  • Best Books of Dan Brown

I’ve also created a Dan Brown Challenge:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...