A Book Review: Origin by Dan Brown

Dan Brown, the king of conspiracy thrillers, is back with his new book, Origin. This is the fifth novel featuring Robert Langdon, Harvard Professor of symbology and religious iconology. Dan Brown requires little introduction because his books are controversial and he sold 200 million copies. So, what is Origin about? There will be no spoiler in my book review but I will tell you the premise. Are you ready? In Origin, Edmond Kirsch, a billionaire and a futurist, made a scientific discovery, and then he told a Bishop, a Rabbi, and a Mullah that the days of religion are numbered.

It would be a lie to say that I did not enjoy reading Origin. This book was a blast to read. It was a page-turner and I read it in the space of 24 hours. Origin is fast-paced and addictive. Pringle's catchphrase describes this book the best, "once you pop, you can't stop". Let me just say, the puzzles in this book intrigued me, and I could not put this book down until I reached the answers to all the mysteries. Having said this, I don't think Dan Brown has improved his writings. He still does that "tourist guide" thing where he drops wikipedia-styled paragraphs in mid chapters and disrupting the narratives. Yet, Dan Brown's strength was never in his writings, but in the sense of mystery that he invoked through the puzzles and the conspiracy theories.

Not many authors can beat Dan Brown at creating puzzles and weaving conspiracy theories, this is his forte and he is as unbeatable as Mike Tyson in his prime. In this book, I was very impressed by Dan Brown's ability to fabricate mysteries and conspiracy theories by stringing together pieces of European arts and scientific theories. This book gave me a feeling that I was reading something that I shouldn't read, it gave me an illusion that I became smarter, a connoisseur of arts and history, from reading it; and I think that is why Dan Brown's novels are continuing to attract millions of readers – his books give you a real sense of suspense and mystery. You can say whatever you want about Dan Brown, but you have to tip your hat to this man for his powerful imaginations.

Structure wise, Origin followed the same formula as its predecessors; Robert Langdon rescued a damsel in distress and together they set out to uncover a secret that will destroy religion. However, Origin is not about pitting science against religion. Instead, the book's main theme is about the role of technology and its impact on the human civilization (which includes religion). This also means, where Dan Brown's previous books were about history, his new book is more about the future. Make no mistake, in Origin Robert Langdon still ran around in cathedrals and underground tombs to decipher codes, so if you are craving for this type of action then this book will give you plenty of it.  

In my opinion, while Origin may not trump Angels and Demons (which is my favorite Dan Brown book), but it is far better than The Lost Symbol and Inferno. In fact, I would go as far as saying that I prefer Origin to The Da Vinci Code. As an entertainment, this book is a success, but it is also asking an interesting question about technological progress, while enquiring about religion's place in a world where science continues to shed light into the deep mysteries previously answered only by religion. Perhaps in the near future, instead of asking "where do we come from and where are we going", we will be asking "where does religion come from, and where is religion going?" 

Origin is unputdownable and it is fun. A word of caution, prepare to lose sleep if you open this book.