I recently finished reading Origin by Dan Brown. Dan Brown achieved international acclaim with his blockbuster book The Davinci Code which also became a blockbuster film. That book and film were followed by a series of other successful books and films in the franchise, centering on the same character, Robert Langdon. Dan Brown is back with his fan-favorite character, Robert Langdon as he unravels a mystery that entangles artificial intelligence, science and religion in a knot of murder and mystery solving. The book cover illustration has been taken from the Wikipedia website for explicit use under the Fair Use doctrine which allows copyright images to be used for the purpose of discussing the book.
Dan Brown likes to infuse his work with rich historical context, art and music references and a healthy dose of intrigue. Origin transports readers to Spain with her rich history, arts and culture. We are introduced to a mysterious offshoot of Catholicism called the Palmarian Catholic Church, which appoints her own pope and does not recognize the pope in Rome. An assassin with ties to the Palmarian Church is on the loose, attempting to prevent the release of a culture-changing revelation from a billionaire technologist, Edmond Kirsch. Kirsch was once a student of Robert Langdon. Langdon is introduced to a game-changing Artificial Intelligence known as Winston. With the assistance of the elegant future queen of Spain and a computer, Langdon faces insurmountable odds in discovering the truth. But the truth is not always a static concept. Sometimes, truths are uncovered in the search for another answer.
I believe that part of Dan Brown's popularity lies in his ability to write complex ideas into an easy-to-read format. The hardcover version of this book sits at 456 pages. I wouldn't necessarily call this book a page-turner, but it was a solid piece of fiction. There was decent misdirection, interesting characters and an interesting antagonist. The broader concept of this book was one that appeals to me, but there were elements of the book that seemed a bit over-the-top for me. This book would be exceptional as a graphic novel. The boundaries of what one believes are more easily bent in that format. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed this book. I would even recommend it. It is solid fiction with a high degree of modern relevancy. Brown is good at working those elements into his writing. I just thought it seemed a bit too far fetched at times.
Origins combines mystery, technology, art, music, history and geography into a compelling tale of our...well...origins. Where do we come from? Where are we going? It is the latter question that makes up the twist in this plot. A future that may not be that far-fetched. The rise of a new competitor for resources. It will be interesting to see how these questions are answered in the real world. In fiction, it is neatly tied up and packaged in a non-judgmental examination of the juxtaposition between science and religion alongside the emergence of new knowledge. Knowledge that grows exponentially with new developments in technology. It provides food for thought along with an interesting story filled with intrigue, puzzles and artistic references. If nothing else, you will learn a little bit more about the world. While not Brown's best work, it was an easy and interesting read.
