First, I am almost done with The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown. I watched the movie a couple of weeks ago, and I was so astounded by the inaccuracy of the film that I was certain the book could not be as bad. It is.

There are so many historical inaccuracies and myths in the book that it would take weeks to catalog them. But here is the best – the Merovingian kings of early France were descendants of Jesus and Mary Magdalene. It would be laughable if so many people hadn’t bought this book.

Fact: The Merovingians did rule post-Roman Empire Gaul/France. They were named for a semi-mythical founding father named Merovech.

Fact: The Merovingians did not accept the Nicaean Creed as properly detailing Jesus’ divinity. They were followers of Arius, who taught something similar to modern Jehovah Witnesses.

The problem with any theories involving the Merovingians is that we know next to nothing about them. There are only three sources – Decem Libri Historiarum by Gregory of Tours; Chronicle of Fredegar by Fredegar and others; and Liber Historiae Francorum by an unknown editorial team. All are relatively close to the period, and yet they say next to nothing.

The book was terrible. It is so inaccurate as to be absurd.

The other thought was the film Stranger than Fiction. I wasn’t sure what to think about Will Ferrell in a serious role. The film was surprisingly well done. The acting was passable, but the premise was great. We often cause havoc and pain in others lives without being aware of what we do. When confronted with the pain, any thinking person would change their actions.

Will Ferrell’s character, Harold Crick, resolves himself to his fate, and showing himself willing to put his own life at the hands of the writer controlling his life. When he submits, it alters everyone’s paths and brings about non-linear results.

I found the work thoroughly post-modern; the art of writing driving real life but then real life altering art. It was intriguing. I wouldn’t class it as a phenomenal masterpiece or anything, but it was much more intelligent than anything else I’d ever seen Ferrell in.

So, a book I find absolutely inaccurate and repugnant; and a film that was surprisingly intelligent. It was a decent week.