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    Origin: A Novel
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    Origin: A Novel
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    Origin: A Novel
    Audiobook18 hours

    Origin: A Novel

    Written by Dan Brown

    Narrated by Paul Michael

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    Whoever You Are.
    Whatever You Believe.
    Everything Is About To Change.

    The stunningly inventive new novel from the world’s most popular thriller writer

    Bilbao, Spain

    Robert Langdon, Harvard professor of symbology and religious iconology, arrives at the ultramodern Guggenheim Museum Bilbao to attend a major announcement—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 whose dazzling high-tech inventions and audacious predictions have made him a renowned global figure. Kirsch, who was one of Langdon’s first students at Harvard two decades earlier, is about to reveal an astonishing breakthrough . . . one that will answer two of the fundamental questions of human existence.
    As the event begins, Langdon and several hundred guests find themselves captivated by an utterly original presentation, which Langdon realizes will be far more controversial than he ever imagined. But the meticulously orchestrated evening suddenly erupts into chaos, and Kirsch’s precious discovery teeters on the brink of being lost forever. Reeling and facing an imminent threat, Langdon is forced into a desperate bid to escape Bilbao. With him is Ambra Vidal, the elegant museum director who worked with Kirsch to stage the provocative event. Together they flee 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 a tormented enemy whose all-knowing power seems to emanate from Spain’s Royal Palace itself . . . and who will stop at nothing to silence Edmond Kirsch. On a trail marked by modern art and enigmatic symbols, Langdon and Vidal uncover clues that ultimately bring them face-to-face with Kirsch’s shocking discovery . . . and the breathtaking truth that has long eluded us.

    Origin is stunningly inventive—Dan Brown’s most brilliant and entertaining novel to date.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio
    Release dateOct 3, 2017
    ISBN9780739319307
    Unavailable
    Origin: A Novel
    Author

    Dan Brown

    Dan Brown is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Origin, The Da Vinci Code, Digital Fortress, Deception Point, The Lost Symbol, Angels & Demons, and Inferno. He is a graduate of Amherst College and Phillips Exeter Academy, where he spent time as an English teacher before turning his efforts to writing full-time. He lives in New England with his wife. Visit his website at DanBrown.com.

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    Reviews for Origin

    4/5

    1,499 ratings127 reviews

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    • 4/5
      Loved reading this. I read it over two nights, which felt fast considering this is a big book. As with all the other Robert Langdon books, I love how it teaches me new things, in this case about the art world in Spain, and all the amazing architecture there. The buildings he described sound amazing, and I never new they existed. There is also his trademark religion and conspiracies. I didn't guess the ending, but I wasn't that surprised either. This book was pure fun to read.
    • 4/5
      It's Dan Brown. Fun and fast paced. Don't need to have read (or remembered!) the others to enjoy.
    • 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.
    • 5/5
      Mind-expanding and fast-paced. My favorite Dan Brown book yet.
    • 3/5
      An interesting premise lies behind this one (along with a lot of food for thought), but it's overhyped at the outset, which results in something of an underwhelming resolution in the end. Along the way, Brown provides plenty of action and does an evenhanded and fair job of presenting both sides of the religion/science debate that he explores in this one, but he also goes off on something of a free association philosophical ramble near the end that seems out of place. Really, though, the problem is that The Big Secret was way oversold at the outset and there was no way for things to live up to that sort of hype. There are also problems that result from some of the conclusions drawn from the revelation of The Big Secret, but those are better suited for a philosophy or religion class than a book review. In short, a solid outing from Brown that fails to stick the eventual landing.
    • 5/5
      „May our philosophies keep pace with our technologies. May our compassion keep pace with our powers. And may love, not fear, be the engine of change.” (Originalzitat)

      Inhalt:

      Der erfolgreiche, geniale Zukunftsforscher Edmund Kirsch hat seinen Freund und früheren Professor Robert Langdon eingeladen, im Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao zusammen mit einigen hundert weiteren Gästen an der Präsentation seiner sensationellen Entdeckung teilzunehmen: die Antworten auf die beiden größten Fragen der Menschheit „Woher kommen wir“ und „Wohin gehen wir“. Ein Gott als Schöpfer ist bei diesen streng wissenschaftlichen Fakten keine Option mehr. Doch bevor Edmund Kirsch die eigentliche Präsentation, die gleichzeitig weltweit übertragen wird, starten kann, wir er vor den Augen aller erschossen.

      Doch es gibt ein Passwort und einen Ort, wo dieses Projekt des Zukunftsforschers gespeichert ist, und somit auch nach seinem Tod noch veröffentlicht werden kann. Nur einer kann diese Rätsel lösen und so das Geheimnis um den Inhalt der wissenschaftlichen Erkenntnisse seines Freundes lüften: Robert Langdon. Gemeinsam mit Ambra Vidal, der Direktorin des Guggenheim Museums Bilbao, die für die Präsentation eng mit Edmund Kirsch zusammen gearbeitet hatte, beginnt für den Professor ein gefährlicher Wettlauf gegen die Zeit, gegen mächtige Feinde, die genau diese Veröffentlichung auf jeden Fall verhindern wollen. Hat Robert Langdon Erfolg und was genau ist diese bahnbrechende Entdeckung?

      Bis vor wenigen Tagen hätte ich auf die Frage nach dem meiner Meinung nach besten Buch von Dan Brown (einer meiner Lieblingsautoren) ohne zu zögern geantwortet: „Inferno“. Ich weiß, da gehen die Meinungen auseinander. Wie auch immer, seit heute ist meine Antwort: „Origin“. Diesmal begibt sich der Autor in ein neues Setting, in dem Symbole und Rätsel zwar eine Rolle spielen, jedoch geht es hier vor allem um die essentiellen und zeitlosen Fragen der Menschheit „Woher kommen wir“ und „Wohin gehen wir“ und auch um die Tatsache, dass Wissenschaft, Technik und Religion hier völlig kontroverse Antworten geben.
      Für mich ist es großartig, wie Robert Langdon hier einen spannenden Thriller entwickelt hat, der mögliche Antworten anbietet, ohne jemals unlogisch zu werden.
      Eine beeindruckende Geschichte, die auch zum Nachdenken anregt.

      Ich empfehle dieses Buch von Dan Brown nicht nur Dan Brown Fans, sondern auch Technik-interessierten Lesern, die auch einen spannenden Roman zu schätzen wissen. Wer, so wie ich, die Stadt Barcelona und Gaudi liebt, wird die vielen präzisen Schilderungen einzelner Orte, Bauten usw. ebenfalls genießen. Manchmal hatte ich während des Lesens in Wikipedia nachgesehen – Dan Browns Beschreibungen sind wieder exakt und entsprechen absolut der Realität.
    • 4/5
      An excellent read that made me very uncomfortable sometimes when religious beliefs were challenged. It was a great story highlighting a number of places in Spain that should be visited and challenged Darwinism plus the future of the human race. The conclusion was magnificent and scary at the same time.
    • 3/5
      Usual Dan Brown: page-turner but with little attention to reality. In this case poor quality straw men for the religious, particularly, Christian characters. And regurgitation of animosity between science and religion is several centuries out of date (at best).
    • 3/5
      I have enjoyed several of Brown's books, but this one was just okay. In my opinion some of his others were better and while this one reads quickly and has well developed characters, the plot is a bit weaker than some of the earlier books. As usual Brown has done his research and he builds his story has some factual basis, but its a bit more convoluted than some of his others and it was harder for me to stay engaged in the story.
    • 3/5
      3.5***

      I do not think this was the best book of the series, but I must say that I identified with it strongly. It is timely, but I also believe it will age well. There are a lot of minor details that should not go unnoticed, particularly in the world today.

      The main reason I did not think this book was as great as the others was because it felt more like a series of secrets waiting to be revealed rather than a set of puzzles needing to be solved. At no point was I in doubt that we (the readers) would discover what everybody was hiding and how they would resolve it.
    • 4/5
      Interesting read, and fewer manic chases than usually occur in this series. As usual I was reading the book in one hand and googling the locations in the other. An added plus in that it was set around Barcelona, and I was familiar with a number of the places.The usual gripes, that the writing is so predictable, a place will be mentioned and then immediately followed by an overview, every SINGLE time. And the second that the main character is absurdly know-it-all. I do believe if I met him and told him I’d had lunch in a Crawley wimpey, he would have been invited to the opening the previous year, oh & the waitess would have fallen for him.Regardless, I’m still a sucker for a novel that both entertains and also peaks my interest about real things enough that I’m searching for more info.
    • 5/5
      Amazing! Professor Langdon gets into so much trouble! I love this series.
    • 4/5
      It has all the flavor of Robert Langdon serious, however, the story line is not as compelling as the other books.
    • 3/5
      Part of what I enjoyed about the prior books was the description of historical places and great masterpieces. In this book it is modern art and Avant guard architecture which don't interest me.He created a story line with a fictional King of Spain and his heir.Edmonds presentation showed a simplistic world view. Scientist all rejoicing over a new discovery. Scientist can be just as petty, cruel to those who challenge established beliefs as religious people.I was able to see what the big twist at the end of who was behind things was.
    • 5/5
      Another breathless adventure for Robert Langdon. I enjoyed the story, but perhaps even more, I enjoyed learning about some really interesting Spanish architecture and locales.
    • 4/5
      Dan Brown’s Origin follows Robert Langdon on his fifth adventure, where he must work to uncover the work of his former student and futurist Edmond Kirsch, who claims to have discovered information about humanity’s origins and future that will make religion obsolete. Joining Langdon is Guggenheim Museum Bilbao director Ambra Vidal, who is engaged to Spain’s prince, as the two are pursued by ultraconservative forces within the Spanish government and the Palmarian Catholic Church. Much of the conflict is similar to Brown’s other Robert Langdon novels, though he focuses on modern art and Francoist and post-Franco Spanish history in this work.The basic premise is interesting and those who enjoy Brown’s use of history and geography to tell a story will find plenty to enjoy here. The narrative makes for a quick read and will entertain those looking for something to read on vacation. That said, Origin contains some rather awkward sections. For example, the Spanish prince’s courtship methods, which may once have conveyed an awkward charm, now read like the actions of a stalker (pg. 197-198). Brown also works in references to hipsters (pg. 6). and “tech-savvy millennial[s]” (pg. 151) as well as Diane531’s encircled “A” for Atheism symbol (pg. 28) as if checking off items on a list of modern buzzwords. While Brown often reproduces historical symbols in his work for his readers’ benefit, here he focuses more on modern symbols, such as the “A” and the symbol for entropy (pg. 397). The only historic symbol is the “Victor” motif used by Franco and his followers.In terms of his “facts,” Brown has some that a casual reading of the books he name-drops would disprove. For example, Brown describes Kirsch using a graph to show the development of cranial capacity, with modern Homo sapiens exceeding Homo neanderthalensis (pg. 404). Anthropologists have demonstrated that Neanderthals had larger brains than modern humans, but this was not necessarily an indicator of greater intelligence. In a particularly odd section, Brown portrays Kirsch arguing that the neurons in a human brain behave like a binary computer complete with neurons firing “on” or “off,” though the character’s (and Brown’s) familiarity with work like Richard Dawkins’ The Blind Watchmaker should have shown how such a metaphor is inaccurate (pg. 252).Unlike his other books, which featured an intangible-yet-meaningful treasure or prize, this book’s ultimate knowledge comes in the form of a well-produced TED Talk. Brown even references the current trend of TED Talks (pg. 409). In terms of continuity, assuming this book takes place after the events of Brown’s previous novel, Inferno, it seems odd that Kirsch’s predictions for humanity’s future (and the news coverage Brown describes of them) make no mention of the virus from that book and its effect on human reproduction. That said, in a particularly resonant passage, Bown portrays the ailing king warning his son about the potential for “aggressive nationalism and intolerance” to return society to the chaos of the past, possibly drawing on the trends currently occurring both in Europe and the United States (pg. 428).In the end, however, those looking for escapism will find it in this book. Origin hits the right notes for a light summer read.
    • 2/5
      good plot, poorly written.
    • 4/5
      Slow start and slow ending but the middle was great. Was aware of the big revelations and figured the computer was behind it all. Still a good read.
    • 3/5
      I want to give it 2.5 stars. I have only read one other Dan Brown book - The Da Vinci Code. I guess I am not a fan of his writing. He probably could have made the book a little bit shorter. I did have a problem with that throughout most of the book, a person was either Creationist or an atheist scientist. I felt like the author at the end acted like he came up with the idea of Christians who also believe in science. That is not new. I am United Methodist and believe in science too. Creationists can be somewhat extreme, so I guess that is what the author was trying to do. Take the extremes on both sides and eventually come up with a middle. Places in the book are real, and I looked up a few. Very interesting. If you are a fan of Dan Brown, you might really like this. Otherwise, you could probably find something else you enjoy more.
    • 5/5
      Like most of Dan Brown's books you get drawn in within the first few pages. The descriptions of art and architecture make you want to travel to the locations featured in the story. I really enjoyed the pace of the novel, and the conflict developed between technology and religion. Some of the people elements such as the relationship between the prince and Ambra seemed to distract from the story rather than add to it. It also felt like symbolism to a backseat to art in this book which I am somewhat ambivalent about.
    • 4/5
      I have to say that the last few Dan Brown books have been quite good, and tend to show a degree of sophistication that is missing from some of his earlier books. Having touched on a number of contentious issues in the past, going all the way back to The Da Vinci Code with Origins, Brown goes to the heart of the big disagreement between religion (or at least the Abrahamic ones) and science and takes a look at the beginnings asking whether there was a Creator God who set things in motion, or whether scientific rules could have done it all on their own. Along the way, he takes a look at artificial life and the growing impact of technology (I did rather like the description of Tesla self driving cars as having an autopilot mode - much less threatening in my opinion :-)). It does rather read as if Brown was going to go for a pro scientific point of view but through Langdon he ends with a nod towards a science enlightened religion (also indicated in earlier Langdon novels). The book is far too long, though, with loads of exposition included just to show that Brown has read up on the subjects.
    • 5/5
      A well built mystery novel with an interesting topic.
    • 3/5
      In this book, Dan Brown, through his characters, explores the origin of life. Creation vs. evolution--or more exactly, a creator vs. life spontaneously beginning in the primordial soup. Edmond Kirsch believes he has used a new model of the universe's physical laws (based on the best way to disperse energy) to explain how life began on earth. He also believes he's used his AI supercomputer to model where "evolution" based on this new understanding of how the universe works will take man. Kirsch believes this discovery will have profound ramifications for the religions, so he arranges to show part of his presentation to 3 religious leaders prior to his worldwide premiere.Kirsch's friend Robert Langdon is invited to the premiere, where he witnesses Kirsch being assassinated before the videotaped presentation can be shown. Langdon and event coordinator/museum curator Ambra Vidal then set out to trigger Kirsch's presentation. This is complicated by the fact that Vidal is engaged to the prince of Spain and is being guarded by royal guards whom they must give the slip. Kirsch's AI assists them with this. In addition to Kirsch's assassination, two of the three clerics whom he met with also perish under mysterious circumstances. A web of intrigue surrounds who gave the order for the assassin to be put on the guest list at the museum premier, who ordered the deaths of the 2 clerics, and who is feeding information to the media (causing Kirsch's worldwide viewership to increase quite a bit).In the end, I would say I probably agree more with Langdon's view (or perhaps Father Bena's view) than Kirsch's. Langdon correctly identifies that something needed to create or author the laws of physics that Kirsch is claiming life is following. He likens it to the difference between patterns and codes. Patterns appear in nature, but they don't necessarily mean anything. Codes can be a pattern, but by definition, there is a meaning behind them. Father Bena argues that God (or the Creator if you prefer) gave us intellect therefore he intends us to use it. Can God use evolution to create? Yes. Did he? I don't know--that's one of the things I don't think we'll know this side of heaven. To me, it doesn't matter.
    • 4/5
      I really enjoy Dan Brown's novels. They always involved a decent amount of intelligent thought as well as a serious dose of adventure. I love when I think I've got it all figured out and I find out I was way off track and Brown's books always manage that. 4*
    • 1/5
      Origin
      1 Star

      Exceedingly disappointing!
      It is like Brown decided to phone it in. The plotting is lazy and predictable; the character development is non-existant and every trope from every Langdon book is rehashed ad nauseum.

      It is time for this series to end.
    • 3/5
      I am continuously amazed at the research that must go in to each of the Langdon books. I find, however, that as you progress through the series they have become increasingly weaker in terms of plot and characters. By far this is the weakest of the series. While I enjoyed the religious/technical undercurrents of where we came from and where we're going I found the plot over simplified and unable to realistically carry the novel.
    • 3/5
      Fast paced but not much of a mystery. Very heavy on art, architecture, and technology. Brown writes an entertaining story but leaves out the suspense.
    • 3/5
      I've read all of Brown's novels, and I used to love them. His use of codes, history, art, it was all tied together with intelligence and suspense and good writing. Now... it's just not the same. This book, the 5th Robert Langdon, feels written more to be a movie than the past Langdons. There's more action, which I don't object to, but the science, art and history are clunky and don't mix well. And it's the same formula- a murder, a damsel in distress, Langdon and damsel on the run, only so much time before something bad will happen again. Oh, and it's religion's fault. Let's not forget that. The spark is gone for me and Dan. This will be the last of his I attempt, regrettably. I don't like giving up on authors I've enjoyed, but sometimes you just have to let them go.
    • 4/5
      You know what your are getting with Dan Brown, a not very mysterious mystery, a chase, an attractive woman, churches, lots of art and art history, a tour of a city or country and a finale of "is that it?" And Origin is no different - this time it's Spain and Barcelona and Gaudi who get the treatment - not that I think Barcelona needs any more tourists!It's light and entertaining and as usual sends me scurrying to the Net to look up some of these places and art. But the mystery really is a major let down - if Elon Musk etc really stood up and said this, there would be a universal shrug of "yeah, tell us what we don't know". Hardly world changing.
    • 4/5
      I enjoyed this book as I have enjoyed Brown's other novels. This makes me think, and I appreciate any book that makes me think and consider the world in a different point of view. I enjoyed the thrill of the chase, so to speak, when Langdon and Ambra go in search of a password they must have. I did struggle with the method that Kirsch used to prove the origin of life - perhaps I don't understand computers enough. Still, in my mind, it didn't prove a thing. Brown leaves the issue open with several well-placed questions that indicates the reader must make up his/her own mind.