Origin: (Robert Langdon Book 5) (Robert Langdon, 5) Paperback – 12 July 2018

I very nearly gave up on finishing this book as the level of detail and slow initial pace, in my opinion, made me question if it was worth hanging in there to finish the book.As the book came alive in the second half, I realised it was well worth the wait.The revelations and bringing together of the numerous strands made reading to the end an absolute necessityAnd posed many questions in my mind as to what the future of mankind, spiritualism, and AI might be.I finished this book feeling it was a worthwhile read, leaving me with a wider appreciation of the subject matter.More than a few thoughts as to where do we go from here and how we will do so with careful consideration of the potential outcomes.All in all, it is a very thought-provoking piece of work.

With many seasoned writers criticising Dan Brown’s choice of words and accuracy of descriptions, enjoying one of his books feels very much like a guilty pleasure — if I appreciate his work, what does that say about my own literary standards? Going into this novel, I was certainly more wary of that and tried to be more critical of his writing. However, despite encountering several out-of-place observations, a miraculous recovery time for a middle-aged man, and unnecessarily dragged-on suspense achieved through long-winded monologues, Origin was a thoroughly entertaining read.The author’s trick of switching between characters’ view points between chapters did a good job at maintaining suspense, and he did it in a way which was not overly convulated as well. His descriptions of landmarks tended to be rather bland, but I did appreciate the characters’ numerous comments on artwork and architecture, although most of them were not actually required for the advancement of the plot. I just would have preferred it if these observations were made less in the style of what you’d find in a tourist brochure — a habit that was quite prevalent in his previous work as well.He also has a tendency to repeat phrases and ideas along the book, such as the two questions that formed the gist of the novel’s recurring theme. And when it finally came to the big revelation, I couldn’t help but feel a bit let down, as the “major” discovery that was made did not seem like something that would sway the majority of the population on such a contentious issue. Also, there’s a huge chunk of the final few chapters that focuses on concepts of physics and chemistry that I feel would be overwhelming for someone without prior knowledge in that area.Perhaps my biggest gripe with this was the lack of any sense of danger towards the second half of the novel, thus losing some of the momentum that was propelling the story forward. Having said that, the revelations at the very end more than made up for this. It was not unexpected as most other suspects at that point had been ruled out, but it kept me flipping through the final pages regardless.All in all, Origin was a thoroughly enjoyable read that would satisfy most Robert Langdon fans.

Dan Brown is one of those authors that divides opinion; like Marmite you either love or hate his books. I fall into the love category and have been looking forward to reading Origin for a while. Robert Langdon is back and finds his life in danger again after attending an event in which a friend, Edmond Kirsch, is going to reveal a scientific breakthrough. The evening does not go as planned and Robert finds himself trying to find the truth behind the discovery. Yes, it is the same formula as his previous books, but it is a formula that works and still kept me on the edge of my seat. Every time Dan Brown releases a book there seems to be a lot of articles in the media and on social media where his writing is attacked, a lot of these from other writers and highbrow reviewers. I really don't understand this as it doesn't happen to many other authors, and lets face it we all like different books which keeps discussions interesting; I do wonder if there is some jealousy in this due to his success.Origin is set in Spain, and the plot is set over one night. The focus of this book is religion versus science and the age old question of 'where do we come from' and 'where are we going' as human beings. Science goes straight over my head, I am more of a history, literature and arts girl, but I found this really interesting and fairly easy to follow. There was obviously a lot of research involved in this book, and it really pays off with its detail and understanding of the topics covered. The attention to detail is also apparent in the setting of this book. Spain, and its wonderful cities and architecture are brought to life, especially the works of Antoni Gaudí; the unfinished Sagrada Família and the Cast Míla and all their artistic motifs.We see a slightly different side to Robert Langdon in this book as he is out of his comfort zone in the world of modern art and science; something I felt I could identify with. But he is his usual dashing self, solving the clues to save the day. His companion in Origin is the beautiful Ambra Vidal, director of the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao and fiancé to the Prince of Spain. I loved her independence, intelligence and feistiness; she knows her own mind and what she wants from life. Obviously they find themselves on the run from the authorities, not knowing who to trust and in danger, from 'The Regent' who wants them dead before they uncover Edmond Kirsch's discovery. This combination makes for a fast paced, intelligent, compelling read.If you like Dan Brown's formula then this book will not disappoint. It is action packed, tense, suspenseful, and intelligent in its plot; its always good to learn something new as you read a novel. It is comforting to see Robert Langdon back doing what he does best, and the new characters are complex, flawed and you are never sure who to trust and there are plenty of red herrings. I really hope there will be more in this series; if you haven read any of the books then I suggest you start at the beginning with Angels and Demons. In my opinion Origin is another brilliant book from Dan Brown, pure escapism.

It is readable but there are stains on the book pages and cover.

Another amazing book from Dan Brown. Loved every page.I found the theme around new technologies and AI and religion very close to my interests.. you do need to have an open mind to enjoy the book though.

It was very interesting but it was hard going at some points. When I got into it you realise were he was going and I did agree with what was being said.