The Truth About The Da Vinci Code by Dan BrownThe Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown was on the New York Times bestseller list for over two years, recently returning to the top of the ranking. listing due to the paperback version being released in March 2006. Published by Doubleday in March 2003, it was an instant success. The book is a very well-written work of fiction that combines the use of historical facts and artifacts with a completely fictional adventure. Brown's use of history lent some credibility to his story. When it comes to writing, authors enjoy creative freedom. So if they choose to use historical facts in a fiction book, does that make it a non-fiction book? The use of historical facts, events, artifacts, etc. in fiction writing cannot transform that fiction into non-fiction. A fiction book is a fiction book, no matter how much fact is used to enrich a storyline. The Da Vinci Code is the thrilling adventure story of Robert Langdon. He becomes involved in the quest for the truth behind the beginnings of Christianity and the Holy Grail. The main plot of the book is based on the idea that the Holy Grail is Mary Magdalene herself, the supposed bride of Christ, and that she had a daughter, thus the lineage of Christ continues after his death. This truth about the lineage of Christ is of course the Church's greatest secret and could destroy the Church if it were ever discovered by the public. This is why this truth has been kept secret and protected by a number of secret religious societies. (Brown) Dan Brown claimed that all historical information in his book was accurate. On the Today Show, he said: “Obviously there are – Robert Langdon is fictional, but all the art, the architecture, the secret rituals, the secret societies, all of that is historical fact. " (Today). This is reaffirmed at the bottom of one of the first pages of his book, accompanied by a brief description of the Priory of Sion and Opus Dei, the two main secret societies in the book. However, alongside this mention of historical accuracy is the statement on the book's copyright page: "In this work of fiction, the characters, places, and events are either products of the imagination of the author, or they are used entirely fictitiously"..