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High Spirited Fun! Deep in the heart of a Swiss research laboratory, a brilliant physicist is savagely murdered on the brink of a groundbreaking experiment involving the origins of the universe - an experiment that could debunk religion in favor of science once and for all. The scientist's corpse is branded with a single word: "Illuminati," referring to the centuries-old atheist cult that sprang up in opposition to the Catholic Church. Of more immediate concern is the theft of a canister of antimatter, an unspeakably volatile substance that annihilates anything it touches. Robert Langdon, a professor of religious symbology at Harvard, is brought in to examine the markings, even though he insists that the Illuminati have been dead for many years. Soon, however, it becomes obvious that the brotherhood is alive and well, and mounting an unprecedented attack on its archnemesis, the Church. Teaming up with the dead man's daughter, Vittoria Vetra (a beautiful and brilliant scientist herself, of course), Robert has only a few hours to solve an ancient puzzle that may lead him to the heart of the Illuminati lair, and help him thwart their diabolical plan to destroy religion. It's important, when reading books like this, to be able to unquestioningly swallow virtually any plot development at all. Superhuman physical prowess and a credulity-stretching range of expertise are the norm, as are a steady stream of unbelievable coincidences. And yet, you must believe them. Dark matter in a high-tech canister of doom? Sure! Secret satanic societies threatening to blow up the Vatican? Why not! Like the intrepid Robert Langdon, you just have to learn to accept these things as normal, and smear each page with a generous dollop of suspension of disbelief before reading it. If you can make yourself believe, though, there's plenty of gadgety, high-speed fun to be had. When you've got four hours to stop a global disaster, there isn't a whole lot of time for character development, and this is reflected in the story. Robert leads an Indiana-Jones-esque double life, effortlessly switching from mild-mannered religious studies professor to hardcore action hero (though he lacks the bullwhip that really lends credibility). Vittoria is your standard fiery, intelligent, beautiful heroine, basically lacking in any flaw except her inability to find true love, blah blah. Most of the other characters undergo at least one are-they-good-or-are-they-evil switcheroo as the plot develops, but that isn't really the same thing as having a complex and believable personality. No, these characters are painted with broad brushstrokes, and while they're concrete enough to hang a fast-moving thriller on, you wouldn't want to hear them sit down and have meaningful interactions about feelings and such. ANGELS & DEMONS is a fun, high-spirited and not overly serious romp, ideal for distracting yourself from the tribulations of daily life. Another very enjoyable (though quite different) Amazon-pick I recommend is THE LOSERS' CLUB: Complete Restored Edition by Richard Perez. Two wonderful, fast reads.