jaywll@bookwyrm.social reviewed Origin by Dan Brown
None
4 stars
The surprise twist at the end was pretty predictable, but an entertaining read nonetheless.
542 pages
English language
Published July 27, 2018
Robert Langdon, Harvard professor of symbology and religious iconology, arrives at the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao to attend the unveiling of a discovery that will change the face of science forever. The evening's host is his friend and former student, Edmond Kirsch, a forty-year-old tech magnate whose dazzling inventions and audacious predictions have made him a controversial figure around the world. This evening is to be no exception: he claims he will reveal an astonishing scientific breakthrough to challenge the fundamentals of human existence. But Langdon and several hundred other guests are left reeling when the meticulously orchestrated evening is blown apart before Kirsch's precious discovery can be revealed. With his life under threat, Langdon is forced into a desperate bid to escape, along with the museum's director, Ambra Vidal. Together they flee to Barcelona on a perilous quest to locate a cryptic password that will unlock Kirsch's secret. In their …
Robert Langdon, Harvard professor of symbology and religious iconology, arrives at the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao to attend the unveiling of a discovery that will change the face of science forever. The evening's host is his friend and former student, Edmond Kirsch, a forty-year-old tech magnate whose dazzling inventions and audacious predictions have made him a controversial figure around the world. This evening is to be no exception: he claims he will reveal an astonishing scientific breakthrough to challenge the fundamentals of human existence. But Langdon and several hundred other guests are left reeling when the meticulously orchestrated evening is blown apart before Kirsch's precious discovery can be revealed. With his life under threat, Langdon is forced into a desperate bid to escape, along with the museum's director, Ambra Vidal. Together they flee to Barcelona on a perilous quest to locate a cryptic password that will unlock Kirsch's secret. In their path lie dark forces which will do anything to stop them. To evade a tormented enemy who is one step ahead of them at every turn, Langdon and Vidal must navigate labyrinthine passageways of hidden history and ancient religion. On a trail marked only by enigmatic symbols and elusive modern art, Langdon and Vidal uncover the clues that will bring them face-to-face with a world-shaking truth that has remained buried - until now.--Publisher's description.
A fun guilty pleasure
4 stars
Brown is a guilty pleasure for me as an aspiring literature connoisseur. But it seems he's getting better. I enjoyed the ending and the premise. Beware the literary device of character-finds-something-amazing-but-the-author-doesn't-tell-you-to-keep-you-engaged; he uses it like 11 times. A pet peeve of mine.
Brown is a guilty pleasure for me as an aspiring literature connoisseur. But it seems he's getting better. I enjoyed the ending and the premise. Beware the literary device of character-finds-something-amazing-but-the-author-doesn't-tell-you-to-keep-you-engaged; he uses it like 11 times. A pet peeve of mine.
spacesatori reviewed Początek by Dan Brown
Review of 'Początek' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
lepiej niż ostatnio, więc jest progres!!!
Review of 'Origin' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
While not high literature, of course, Brown's books are enjoyable, if a bit slow in the pacing in this case.
Here you have a solid Langdon tale with THREE surprise endings. While taking more than 100 chapters to get there (don't freak, they're short), I found the ending(s) worth it.
While not high literature, of course, Brown's books are enjoyable, if a bit slow in the pacing in this case.
Here you have a solid Langdon tale with THREE surprise endings. While taking more than 100 chapters to get there (don't freak, they're short), I found the ending(s) worth it.
Review of 'Origin' on 'Goodreads'
3 stars
Origin is a science-fiction thriller. It plays in the very close future. Self-driving cars are a reality and a proper quantum computer has been developed.
A scientist and overall rich man has figured out the secret to life. But is this really something we want to know?
A lot of inspiration was drawn from existing people and authors. Think of Elon Musk, Peter Diamandis, Ray Kurzweil and many others. If you follow these people, the book may not even feel like SF to you.
In general, I liked the story. The biggest part of the book is an Indiana Jones-like chase across Spain (mostly Barcelona), searching for artifacts, finding clues and solving riddles. This was a great and engaging read.
The final part of the book is a fairly long exposition, which contains interesting ideas, but felt a bit too drawn out.
The actual conclusion of the book was very …
Origin is a science-fiction thriller. It plays in the very close future. Self-driving cars are a reality and a proper quantum computer has been developed.
A scientist and overall rich man has figured out the secret to life. But is this really something we want to know?
A lot of inspiration was drawn from existing people and authors. Think of Elon Musk, Peter Diamandis, Ray Kurzweil and many others. If you follow these people, the book may not even feel like SF to you.
In general, I liked the story. The biggest part of the book is an Indiana Jones-like chase across Spain (mostly Barcelona), searching for artifacts, finding clues and solving riddles. This was a great and engaging read.
The final part of the book is a fairly long exposition, which contains interesting ideas, but felt a bit too drawn out.
The actual conclusion of the book was very short and could have used a bit more depth.
This is a book that will appeal to many people. If you like Dan Brown, if you like a good thriller, if you like some light SF, if you like a light read, if any of the above, this is for you.
Subjects
- English fiction
- Fiction
- Quests (Expeditions)
- Cryptographers
- Secrecy
Places
- Barcelona (Spain)
- Spain
- Barcelona