I finished Dan Brown’s new novel, "The Last Symbol," this afternoon. I was one of those dorks who pre-ordered it, so it arrived last week. But as I told my mom, “I don’t want to start it until I have time to finish it. I’m not going to be able to put it down.” So I’m a complete geek, but this is nothing new to those who know me.

How was the book? Exactly like every other Dan Brown book that has Robert Langdon as a main character. It features an intelligent, gorgeous woman, a dangerous extremist, and a mysterious ancient society.

It’s somewhat ridiculous how similar all his books are. Slate actually has a Dan Brown sequel generator. You punch in the city and it creates a plot summary for you. I entered Philadelphia and Major League Baseball and it came up with a fantastical plot involving the Archbishop, the Sistine Chapel and Babe Ruth.

The question remains why I continue to find Brown’s work so addicting. I figure them out pretty quickly, normally within the first 100 pages. And Brown himself has said he sees himself writing Robert Langdon novels for years to come. And I’ll keep buying them and reading them. Why though? I think in this case, the simplest answer is true. His novels are fast-paced and interesting. They’re thrillers, but you walk away feeling you like you learned something.

Have a theory? Leave a comment.