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    Origin: A Novel
    Origin: A Novel
    Origin: A Novel
    Audiobook (abridged)7 hours

    Origin: A Novel

    Written by Dan Brown

    Narrated by Paul Michael

    3.5/5

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    About this audiobook

    #1 WORLDWIDE BESTSELLER • "Dr. Langdon is once again wrapped up in a global-scale event that could have massive ramifications on the world’s religions. As he does in all his novels, Brown[‘s] extensive research on art, architecture, and history informs every page." —Entertainment Weekly

    Robert Langdon, Harvard professor of symbology, arrives at the ultramodern Guggenheim Museum Bilbao to attend the unveiling of a discovery that “will change the face of science forever.” The evening’s host is Edmond Kirsch, a forty-year-old billionaire and futurist, and one of Langdon’s first students.

    But the meticulously orchestrated evening suddenly erupts into chaos, and Kirsch’s precious discovery teeters on the brink of being lost forever. Facing an imminent threat, Langdon is forced to flee. With him is Ambra Vidal, the elegant museum director who worked with Kirsch. They travel to Barcelona on a perilous quest to locate a cryptic password that will unlock Kirsch’s secret.

    Navigating the dark corridors of hidden history and extreme re­ligion, Langdon and Vidal must evade an enemy whose all-knowing power seems to emanate from Spain’s Royal Palace. They uncover clues that ultimately bring them face-to-face with Kirsch’s shocking discovery…and the breathtaking truth that has long eluded us.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio Publishing Group
    Release dateOct 3, 2017
    ISBN9780739319277
    Author

    Dan Brown

    Dan Brown ha vendido más de 234 millones de ejemplares de su obra en todo el mundo y sus libros han sido traducidos a 56 idiomas. Es el autor de grandes best sellers internacionales como El código Da Vinci, que a día de hoy sigue siendo el libro más vendido en español con más de ocho millones de ejemplares, Origen, Inferno, El símbolo perdido, Ángeles y demonios, La conspiración y Fortaleza digital. Es licenciado del Amherst College y de la Phillips Exeter Academy, donde fue profesor antes de dedicarse por completo a la escritura. Vive en Nueva Inglaterra. Puedes seguir su trabajo en www.danbrown.com y @authordanbrown.

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    Reviews for Origin

    3.5/5

    1,347 ratings98 reviews

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    • 3/5
      This is my first and probably my last Dan brown novel.
    • 4/5
      Slow start but, classic Brown penchant for topical detail.
    • 3/5
      Why do I love these kinds of stories? Partly because the writing is so super tight that the critic in me only has the story to analyze, rather than the storytelling, as well.
      Besides that, the dialogue is believable and rarely feels forced—-that’s a huge issue for me. Talk like real people, people!!!! So even though the content of stories like this (Brad Meltzer, etc.) is not anywhere near what I'm actually interested in in "real life", I appreciate a well-written, fast-paced book that keeps me guessing.

      That said, the plot on this one was only mediocre---until the secrets were revealed---then it became super meh. Edmond's "where did we come from" is hardly believeable---his "where are we going" is spot on but nothing to be excited about. The king's secret was a big disappointment. On top of all that, I spent the entire book thinking there had to be more to Winston---he seemed too good to be true. His "secret" was the only one I figured out pretty early on.

      Finally, we were annoyingly reminded of Langdon's "eidetic memory" at least 40 bazillion times.

      Moving on to the good parts… I do love a book that helps me learn. Facts about museum air, Beethoven, and the "Maman" sculpture---an edition of which I've seen at our local Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art.

      Then there's the whole idea of humans and technology fusing. Do writers who laud this stuff know they’re furthering an agenda to make it more palatable? Do they care? His projection was 50 years. It’s been five and here we are in clinical trials for brain chips implants. On pg. 577, Langdon says, "humanity was about to enter a period of almost unimaginable ethical ambiguity." Ethical ambiguity is inevitable when there is no standard to judge good or evil.

      Favorite quotes:

      "We must be willing to get rid of the life we've planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us." -Joseph Campbell

      "There is nothing more damaging for children than the loss of hope." That's something I've had to remind myself over and over the last couple years as our world flushes itself down the toilet. I still have a responsibility to try to give them a life filled with the peace and hope of Yeshua.
    • 4/5
      The characterizations aren't that great, and the dialog corny, and I really didn't need to be told so many times about Langdon's "eidetic" memory, but the plot is clever and the conclusion is interesting and it was entertaining. It reminded me more of a Chrichton novel more than a Dan Brown book as the main story line was more science based than history based.
    • 4/5
      The fifth book in the Robert Langdon series, this book is a mystery-thriller set in Spain in current times. Though it is part of a series, this book can easily be read as a stand-alone. Harvard professor of symbology Robert Langdon is attending a major scientific announcement by billionaire futurist Edmond Kirsh, one of Langdon’s former students, at the Bilbao Guggenheim museum. It is reported to be of such importance that it will create a paradigm shift in the thinking on the origins of the human species and drastically impact the world’s religions. A violent event interrupts Kirsch’s presentation, sending Langdon and Ambra Vidal, the museum’s curator and future Queen of Spain, on a dramatic chase across the countryside.

      Brown combines elements of science, technology, religion, and history into an entertaining and thought-provoking story. One of the most intriguing characters in the novel is Winston, an advanced artificial intelligence charged with maximizing the exposure of his creator’s scientific discovery. The reader is exposed to a wide variety of concepts, including the latest thinking in evolutionary biology, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and a host of topics espoused by such scientists as Darwin, Gould, and Hawking. It also features the art of Antoni Gaudi, the poetry of William Blake, and other real works of art and literature.

      Ethical and moral questions are examined from both religious and scientific viewpoints. Contemporary issues are included – conspiracy theories, fake news, information leaking from unnamed sources, fanning the flames of disagreement in internet audiences. We have religious disputes, a traditionalist church bordering on cult, and religious leaders disappearing. At various times, suspicion falls on church leaders, the Royal Guard, and, of course, protagonist Robert Langdon.

      It is somewhat formulaic in structure. If you have read others in the series, you will recognize Robert Langdon having to flee with a local woman, the primary conflict setting science against religion, and the need to solve a complex puzzle to achieve an objective. There are a few scenes that seem to be inserted solely to draw out the narrative and chase scenes across Spain. There is a major motivational issue with one significant element. Even so, it is a book that engages the brain while it entertains.
    • 3/5
      After Inferno I should have known the honeymoon was over. I really did not like this book. I loved Da Vinci Code and Angels and Demons but sadly this is just bad. Lots of words; this could have been edited in half and would have been the same book, just as bad though. The reveal is super anticlimactic. The most terrifying thing from this novel came in the last chapter from the AI computer, Winston...now that would have been an interesting short story.

      Is there really a disconnect of Science and Religion? Isn't Science another invention of God? Don't answer, I am not into debating this.

      I do think Mr Brown is great at writing a travel log. I enjoy looking up art and architecture he describes.

      I think we should let Professor Langdon retire and live in peace. (less)
    • 5/5
      Questions where do we come from and where are we going?
    • 3/5
      You, know ... it's Dan Brown. It's fun, it's easy, it's a page turner. I was interested because of my recent visit to Barcelona and seeing Gaudí's La Sagrada Familia, Casa Milà, Park Güell, etc ...

      Without the Barcelona connection, I would have found Origin quite flat.
    • 5/5
      I was spellbound. The detail included regarding historical facts, architecture, and knowledge makes Dan Brown one of the better fiction writers of our time. This book does not disappoint.
    • 5/5
      Great plot. Robert Langdon helps Edmond Kirsch deliver a message that could change what the world believes regarding how the human race began.
    • 3/5
      In the past I have enjoyed this series - Robert Langdon is a great character however, in this book, the story was terribly disappointing. The writing and story jumped all around, the characters didn't seem to be consistent in their beliefs and actions, and the story seened to be running along the same formula of others in the series.

      This is probably my last Dan Brown book.
    • 4/5
      Oh, Professor Langdon, with your oft-mentioned eidetic memory, lopsided grin, and italicized thoughts...
    • 2/5
      Not my favorite of Dan Brown's books. Origin was stuffed full of exposition, but not of the usual fun, fact-filled kind--instead, it was just a lot of talk about the big secret to be revealed, with no new revelations along the way. The book opens with a carefully-orchestrated evening that read like a blow-by-blow of a PowerPoint slide show or a movie, which isn't very exciting to read about, and it felt like almost nothing happened for the first 100 pages. Pretty weird for an action/thriller book.

      I think my biggest disappointment, which colored everything else, was how little history there was in here. I guess that's to be expected for a book centering around a futurist. I'll just have to wait for the next one.

      Overall, I also just wasn't that surprised by the big reveal. The two discoveries just didn't seem to be that big of a deal to me--given that we're basically ignoring our impending extinction due to climate change, and the fantastic ability of some to ignore science, I can't imagine that they'd have that big an impact on how the world functions day to day.

      I don't have a ton of time, so I'll just hit a few likes/didn't likes. Big spoilers ahead!


      Liked:
      >> Three cheers for the king and Valdespino. I picked up a few hints of the final reveal but dismissed them because I didn't think Brown was brave enough. I was happily surprised that turned out not to be the case! Of course, maybe a happy, chaste homosexual love story isn't so "threatening" when it's wrapped up neatly in a bury-your-gays trope. See the next point, below...

      Didn't Like:
      >> Valdespino lived his entire life according to his strict Catholic religious principles so as not to compromise his soul...and then committed suicide? That doesn't fit with his character at all, and I can't see any point for it to happen.
      >> Ambra Vidal falls in love with Langdon literally overnight. Since Angels & Demons I've been reasonably happy with how Brown writes women, but this was just awful.
      >> I was also annoyed that her infertility dates back to a childhood illness. Didn't Brown establish in Inferno that something like three quarters of the population is now infertile? (This was also ignored during the description of Kirsch's population graph--there was no dramatic population drop.)

      Huh?
      >> I still don't understand what was happening at the palace with all the backstabbing, arrests, leaving phones behind, king unattended, etc. Winston was behind some of it, but why? Wouldn't the king be distraction enough? Why have the captain of the guard arrested?
      >> I also felt like the fact that Kirsch's changed ending to his presentation was left dangling. I thought this would turn out to be Winston's doing as well, softening the message to usher in the future...but Edmund's last minute change was never addressed.
    • 3/5
      I’m honestly conflicted about this book. On the one hand, we have an interesting setup of a world-changing announcement that goes wrong. On the other hand, it’s Dan Brown writing the story.

      Don’t get me wrong—Brown is a good storyteller. Do note that I didn’t say “writer” because that is seriously not his forte. He’s on top of his game this time around, telling a story that has more twists and turns than a Hindi serial on steroids. It was an absolute page-turner; I finished the book in a day, all 461 pages of it!

      But that’s where the problem begins. The writing is formulaic and trite by this point. I predicted who the ‘big bad’ by the middle of the book. The red herrings were simply too obvious. In fact, it got so bad that I could predict the twist coming at least a dozen pages away. Glaring is an understatement. And let’s not forget the characters: flat, cardboard, and uninspired are just some of the words that come to mind.

      Having said that, Brown still knows how to wrap art, literature, European history, architecture, and people into a compelling package. It felt like a movie script, which means it’s going to be glorious to watch. But at the same time, it will be extremely boring too.
    • 5/5
      this is now my new fave Dan Brown novel! <3 highly recommend to everyone
    • 3/5
      Not as action packed as the previous installments, not a lot of the famous Langdon code breaking. Red herrings and a couple of storylines which didn’t seem too important, especially at the end. Very intricate set up as always with real world settings and information interwoven with fiction. Slower build and burn with a less dramatic payoff. Still well written.
    • 4/5
      It's been a long while since I've picked up a good old-fashioned potboiling pageturner. I'd forgotten how much silly fun they can be. Very much in the same vein as the earlier Robert Langdon books, so if those entertained you, this one probably will too.
    • 4/5
      Typical Dan Brown, spins a good story about religion, artificial intelligence and the age old question of evolution versus creation. Listened to audio book and was very engaging for a long drive.
    • 4/5
      Dan Brown writes some of the best series that draws you in, and this book is a great example of that.
      I love the action and the emotions that come from reading this book, and I am going to read it again!
    • 5/5
      This was an extremely entertaining book. I enjoyed the suspense leading up to the climax, as well as the twist ending.

      The themes of the book are both right up my alley. I enjoy reading about religious thought and technology so the ideas the author touches on in this story were intriguing to me. I also like dystopian and sci-fi stories and this had a bit of both.

      Most of all, I like that the ideas the author introduces are thought-provoking. Plus, I could identify with some of what Father Bena said towards the end of the novel. I've had similar thoughts myself.

      There was enough foreshadowing that I started to guess who Monte@iglesia.org might be before the author laid it out and I was immensely satisfied with both myself and the story. It was a page-turner and definitely worth the time.
    • 4/5
      Good stuff!!! Can't wait for the movie!!!
    • 3/5
      Dan Brown is the author of The Da Vinci Code. Robert Langdon is a Harvard professor of symbology and religious iconology. His former student, Edmond Kirsch is a 40 year old billionaire, (kind of reminded me of Elon Musk) who wants to meet up with his old professor. Kirsch plans on letting Langdon in on his world changing discovery which Kirsch plans on announcing very soon. The setting is Spain and this announcement of Kirsch's discovery will challenge all the teachings of the Catholic Church, and Christianity as well. Kirsch has spent his life in pursuit of life's questions: How did we get here?, and Where are we going? Kirsch reveals his discovery to leaders of the 3 major religions; Christianity, Judaism, and Islam which initiates an assassination plot. .... This was a hard book for me to follow. First off, many of the character names were difficult for me to remember being in a different language. Second, it was boring in the middle. I skipped 15 chapters 45-60, and didn't miss anything important in the plot other than the introduction of one police character. The ending was intriguing I must say but since I believe in Creator God, I felt I was wasting my time.
    • 3/5
      Haters gonna hate but Orgin is a strong 3.5 for me... I had never read one of his books before this one but I get it now-- Dan Brown knows how to write a fast-paced, thrilling book that features more intruguing plotlines than private detectives, car chases, and big young bouncing breasts.

      I attended an author event to get my copy of Origin and hear him speak and was stunned at how charming, whipsmart, and HILARIOUS he is. He took audience questions for over 30 minutes, opening himself up to the weirdness of the public. One woman, wearing a solar-eclipse-themed tie-dyed t-shirt, stood up to describe how she bought Da Vinci code on the day it came out and how enthralled she was with it, "...until the end, when they step outside the chapel in the evening," and here she dramatically slowed and raised her hand in the air, "to see Venus rising in the east." Then she paused even more dramatically in silence with her hand still raised and said, "I called your publisher the moment I read that and no one ever got back to me. But later editions, did correct that error, so maybe you got my message after all. Do you have anything to say about that?" Dan Brown's timing was perfect when he immediately replied, "When you stood up I thought, 'That's her. That's the Venus in the east lady.'" The audience howled.

      The book makes a point that man fills in the science knowledge gaps with God, and I don't disagree. So anyway, I'm biased because the event was surprisingly entertaining in every way and also because I'm in love with Spain, which is like a character in this novel. He takes us to Bilbao, Madrid, Barcelona, Valle de los Caidos, and I adore these spots. A little bit of queso never hurt anyone.
    • 2/5
      A few thoughts:
      -If I never see the phrases “where do we come from? Where are we going?” again, it will be too soon.
      -If somebody ever gifted Dan Brown with a manual of writer advice that included the concept of “show don’t tell,” Dan Brown clearly threw it out the window as fast as he did some of his plot points.
      -I’m fairly certain the working title of this book was “how much can I phone it in before anyone notices oh also here’s a symbol I guess”
      -Was he sponsored by FedEx? Or is it just a subtle nod to Tom Hanks as Robert Langdon and also Castaway?
      -Is it just me or is this groundbreaking discovery that could destroy religion forever has extremely little do with religious world views?
      -It’s a good thing he left about 70 pages after the plot ends for espousing his own views through bland character monologues, I was worried there would be more plot.
    • 3/5
      This book frustrated me. It was like one big gigantic tease until the very end.

      Robert Langdon is invited by his friend and prominent computer scientist Edmond Kirsch to attend the unveiling of a huge discovery that Kirsch has made. The unveiling is a huge melodramatic production that takes forever to get to the point, and before Kirsch can get to the point, chaos breaks out, and the discovery is not announced. We are now 135 pages into the book.

      The rest of the book (455 more pages) is spent following Langdon and Ambra Vidal, the director of the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao where the unveiling was taking place, as they try to figure out what Kirsch's discovery was and how to make sure it gets announced to the world as originally planned.

      Normally, I would not have an issue with 455 pages of this sort of plot. There can be plenty of intrigue and action and solving of mysteries. While author Dan Brown does include some interesting mystery solving scattered throughout the book -- and that's what gives this book its 3 stars -- the overall feeling of the book is that it DRAGS. A lot. Like Brown is trying to draw out the mystery of the big reveal and instead of building up suspense he just made me want to say, "Just tell it already!"

      I guessed the twist at the end, but nonetheless I did like the twist. But this book would have been fine at half its length and not so drawn out.
    • 5/5
      Robert Langdon is at it again, solving puzzles while in peril. This time the suspense and adventure takes place in Spain. Religion, art and technology intersect in this one and the references to each made for an interesting read. I guessed the resolution about half way through, but I still enjoyed the entertaining ride!
    • 3/5
      I generally like the Robert Langdon series, but damn did I forget how much Dan Brown loves a good info dump. Maybe my memory is fuzzy, but it seemed to me that the random info dumps had much much less to do with the story this time. Or, maybe the story just made less cohesive sense this time. Either way, instead of a brain-candy adventure, this one turned into a confusing slog through Spanish politics and the ethics of AI. Also, the "twist" at the end isn't particularly shocking to anyone who was paying attention...and shouldn't have surprised someone as allegedly brilliant as Langdon.
    • 5/5
      Mind-expanding and fast-paced. My favorite Dan Brown book yet.
    • 4/5
      Dan Brown's Origin puts two central questions of the human condition at its heart: Where do we come from? Where are we going? That is, what is the origin of life on earth and what happens after death? It is an answer to exactly those questions that scientist Edmond Kirsch wants to reveal to an audience at the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain, and viewers around the globe who can tune in via live stream. Kirsch invites protagonist Robert Langdon, his former professor, to his presentation. As one can imagine, not everyone shares Kirsch' knack for science and the age-old debate of religion and creationism vs. science and evolution plays into how the novel unfolds. When it finally comes to his moment of glory, Edmond Kirsch is assassinated and Robert Langdon flees the scene with Ambra Vidal, director of the Guggenheim and fiancée of the prince of Spain. Guided by an AI that Edmond Kirsch has developed the pair have to overcome many obstacles and evade many enemies who want to stop them from completing their intended task: publishing Edmond Kirsch's presentation for all the world to see.

      While the novel certainly provides some interesting insights into different approaches to the question of origin and destiny and the cast of characters is chosen in a way that makes readers want to continue reading to find out about the different motivations of the different parties involved, I found some of the twists and turns in the plot quite easy to guess, which subtracted from the reading experience. As a reader of the whole Robert Langdon series I was also disappointed to find fewer riddles and codes that the protagonist has to crack. Origin, while an enjoyable read, fails to grip over its whole length of 500+ pages. 3.5 stars for an overall good novel.
    • 4/5
      It's Dan Brown. Fun and fast paced. Don't need to have read (or remembered!) the others to enjoy.