The UK version of the cover is even clearer, featuring a key with a Masonic square and compasses (echoing it's discarded Solomon Key title, but probably giving Brother Robert Lomas a bit of a fit with its resemblance to his "Hiram key" symbol).
The Lost Symbol is due in stores September 15th.
In the meantime, friend and Brother Mark Koltko-Rivera has been deciphering the pre-publication clues released by Brown's publisher over Facebook and Twitter. Check out his Key To The Lost Symbol Tweets.
And if you want to get a jump on how Freemasonry and the city of Washington D.C. are intertwined and many of the likly sites that Brown will use in his book, check out my book Solomon's Builders: Freemasons, Founding Fathers and the Secrets of Washington D.C.
Brown's Da Vinci Code sold 81 million copies and is the 6th most popular book in the history of the English language. It's long awaited sequel will introduce literally millions of people to Dan Brown's version of who and what the Freemasons are, whether it is true or not (ask Opus Dei about that one). Masons all over the world need to polish up their elevator explanations, and grand lodges need to be prepared for greater interest. And scrutiny. The clock is ticking.
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UPDATE
From a Reuters story:
Brown's U.S. editor Jason Kaufman from Knopf Doubleday, an imprint of Random House, said in a widely reported statement that the book is "largely" set in Washington but "it's a Washington few will recognize."
"As we would expect, he pulls back the veil -- revealing an unseen world of mysticism, secret societies, and hidden locations, with a stunning twist that long predates America," said Kaufman.
Chris, _thank you_ for encouraging Grand Lodges to use this opportunity to raise public awareness regarding Freemasonry. (Scottish Rite valleys should do the same, given that the cover features the SR seal! Not to neglect YR bodies and what they can do, as well.)
ReplyDeleteA chance like this comes once -- maybe -- in a lifetime. Let's use it.
That's Ordo ab Chao. ;-)
ReplyDeleteThe Scottish Rite is often referred to as "Red Masonry." Wonder if there is any symbolism in the color of the wax seal as well as the color of the sky backlighting the capital building in DC?
Yep,
ReplyDeleteI suspected Scottish Rite and Albert Pike themes awhile ago after reading an article on the askmen.com website:
http://tinyurl.com/ma3s83
Based upon the cover of the book, this adds more proof for that theory. The Scottish Rite and Freemasons should cultivate and assign competent and knowledgeable public speakers to debunk the fiction from the fact associated with this novel.
Esquire said: That's Ordo ab Chao. ;-)
ReplyDeleteI'm a lousy typist. mubleglub@!snerk
If Dan Brown researches as usual, this will be likely based on information purely from your book, Brother Hodapp. ;,) It is interesting that the American cover closely resembles the cover to THE SECRET as well.
ReplyDeleteI can't say enough about your Solomon's Builders book. Living Close to DC, it is a great companion (and preemptive strike) for this book!
ReplyDeleteScottish Rite is really the Chapter of Clermont and the Clermont Rite of Perfection...until SR's founder stole it.
ReplyDeleteMark Koltko-Rivera-
ReplyDeleteI'm interested in how you think we could capitalize on this. I remember seeing National Treasure and thinking every lodge should have had a table in the lobby with Masonic materials. That didn't happen.