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A Tale of the Grail Fasten your seatbelts. This book is one heck of a ride. _The Da Vinci Code_ is more than a journey in search of the Holy Grail and far more than your typical murder mystery/who-dun-it. It concerns the history of the Priory of the Scion, an extraordinary brotherhood formed in the middle ages and perpetuated to the current day to protect the mystique and secrecy of the Holy Grail. The Church is terrified that the Grand Master and his colleagues know of the existence of ancient documents which if revealed could shake the church down to its very foundations. One past Grand Master of the Priory of Scion was Leonardo Da Vinci, whose "Last Supper," "Mona Lisa," and other masterpieces contain clues pertaining to the relationship of Jesus and the much slandered Mary Magdelaine, and how certain powerful and reactionary forces have a vested interest in suppressing the importance and meaning of their bond. The book explains the dual meaning of the term "Sangreal": San Greal or Holy Grail vs. Sang Real or bloodline. First and foremost a crime mystery, _The Da Vinci Code_ begins with the murder of the curator of the Louvre. The victim is the current Grand Master of the Priory of Scion and grandfather of Sophie Neveu, who together with Robert Langdon, a Harvard professor of symbology, endeavor to locate the Grail and to understand better its deeper meaning, or what the book refers to as the attempt to recapture "the Sacred Feminine" that was eradicated by power hungry male religious leaders (possibly starting with Jesus disciple, Peter). The book is packed with puzzles, cryptograms and poetry containing clues as to the whereabouts of the Grail. Conspirators--and their identities shocked and surprised me--ensure that those who do not serve their purposes are promptly disposed of. _The Da Vinci Code_ presents great works of art and structures of historic architectural splendor as vital "characters" in a riveting thriller that I found impossible to put down.