Yeah I like Dan Brown too-like hundreds and millions of other readers worldwide.There's nothing new with that.And like a faithful fan I have read all his so-far released titles-The Da Vinci Code and Deception Point being top o' the list of favorites.

But how about other writers who have tried to copy his formula to generate other best-sellers with similar plots?Like James Rollins or Sam Bourne or others?anybody read those?
I,for one,have read 3 of James Rollins' works-like Map of Bones,Subterranean and Amazonia.Currently reading The Judas Strain which unmistakeably reminds one of The Andromeda Strain by Crichton.
And very unfortunately I also read this excruciatingly boring book by Sam Bourne called The Last Testament.(Not technically though..I just gave up after reading three-fourths of the book.)

So anyone else come across any books by similar such wannabes?

exactly. i have noticed it too. though not among the writers you have mentioned but some others(don't remember their names. i noticed them during randomly sifting through books in CROSSWORD). in fact, the only book i have heard of is the last testament though sadly(??) haven't read it yet.
few of dan's trademark styles that wannabes copy:
1. simultaneous multi story-lines
2. one sentence paragraphs
e.g. ...and as he looked up from peeing, he got a shock of his life to see someone in his bathroom.
it was a cockroach.
...

and some more stuff which isn't striking me now.
but here's a point- i am not aware if the writers i have read belong to the pre dan era. besides the similarities i have mentioned here are not
innovated by brown. they were already existing, he just brought them to the mainstream. like you can find examples of both the above points in Stephen King's novels. 1st one being quite prominent in Cujo.

Did you read Steve Berry's 'Third Secret'??? Similar stuff, but a good read..
There's another one.. Templar's Legacy... same writer... Not the same class, more research and analysis...
But better than those 'cashing on Dan Brown' pieces!!!

@Omkar:I'm pretty much sure the writers I talked about belong to the post-Da vinci code era.The plot-lines kind of make it seem obvious.Map of Bones for example seems like a complete rip-off...too many similarities.And it was released in 2005.
James Rollins is not too bad though...that is if you are in the mood for some adventure/mystery/thrill and can make do with unoriginal plots.

@Ankita:Third Secret?...sounds familiar but I sure haven't read it.Might have come across the name while browsing through Google books.
Thanks for replying to this discussion btw.

Hm..Not really...Btw did anyone read The Lost Symbol?

yuki wrote:Btw did anyone read The Lost Symbol?

I did.And it did NOT impress me.Here's my review-

http://musingsofamaiden.blogspot.com/2009/10/lost-dan-brown.html

till before i was totally anti dan brown
but
wannabe's or dan browns are better then the crap cooked up by stephanie meyer.

How'd you know that some book is crap if you haven't read it?
If you can't type out a meaningful post Jin then I'd suggest you refrain from posting in my thread.I don't want spam in here.