Introduction
Origin by Dan Brown is his fifth book featuring Harvard professor of symbology and religious iconology Robert Langdon. Edmond Kirsch is a former student of Langdon. Kirsch is a billionaire computer tech genius who has a controversial presentation to make. When his presentation is interrupted, it falls to Langdon to solve the riddle to unlock Kirsch’s research. Langdon’s life is threatened by unknown assailants desperate to keep Kirsch’s research from the public. Can Langdon solve the riddle before Kirsch’s research is lost forever?
Summary
Edmond Kirsch has discovered something about the origin of man that will challenge the world’s religions. He tells his findings to a religious leader from Christianity, Islam, and Judaism. They are shaken by the news. Kirsch plans to announce his findings at a large event watched worldwide at the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain. Langdon is one person Kirsch invites to the event. Ambra Vidal is the museum director who planned the event with Kirsch. She is also the finance of Prince Julian, the heir to the Spanish throne. Edmond talks to Langdon before the event in private. He poses two questions about the human race to Langdon. How did it all begin? Where are we going? Kirsch starts his presentation but something goes wrong. Langdon and Vidal must flee the museum and solve a riddle to unlock Kirsch’s presentation so everyone can see what he planned to say. Their only ally is Winston, the artificial intelligence that Kirsch had invented. They must avoid the Guardia Real (the Spanish Royal Guard), the Spanish police, and members of the Palmarian Church on their journey from Bilbao to Barcelona. The finale takes Langdon and Vidal from Gaudi’s Casa Mila to Sagrada Familia to the Barcelona Supercomputing Center and a final resolution.
Recommendation
I liked this book, and it fits well with the other novels in the series. The plot moves quickly, and the premise is intriguing. I was worried the solution would not be as shocking as it was portrayed to be in the novel. Without providing spoilers, I would say Kirsch’s conclusions do not pose the threat to religion he proposes. Where do we come from? There is still room for a creator. Where are we going? The answer has been used in science fiction novels for decades. I think it is good that mystery readers will be exposed to science fictional topics in this novel, so like that idea. The formula of the book is like a travelogue, send Langdon to a location and set one scene in each famous landmark that is there. It’s easy, but it works.
Links
Origin by Dan Brown is Book #5 of the Robert Langdon Series
This is the link to Origin’s Goodreads page.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32283133-origin
This is a link to my book review of The Atlantis Gene by A. G. Riddle, Book 1 of the Origin Series. This novel is about the origin of man. It is a technothriller like