"Origin" by Dan Brown

Dan Brown’s Origin is the newest installment in the adventures of Harvard Professor of Symbology and Religion Iconography Robert Langdon. Dan Brown’s books are not my favorite. His writing style is a bit cheesy and he tends to make his art descriptions overly dramatic.  What I do like about Dan Brown is his ability to get me interested in certain historical facts, sights, scientific discoveries or pieces of art. Origin was no exception. I do now desperately want to visit Barcelona and already started a non-fiction book about quantum physics.

In terms of the overall story line, Origin was a pleasant surprise. I liked the plot and found the resolution to be more than satisfying. It is not possible to give a description of this book without spoiling the entire plot. Just be prepared to read about a sensational scientific breakthrough, a religious fanatic, a series of assassinations and there is a royal family thrown in the mix.  Sounds like Brown’s standard fare, doesn’t it? Some portions of the novel were predictable, some descriptions were too drawn out, and I lost count of how many times references were made to Langdon’s “eidetic” memory. Nonetheless, it is an entertaining and fast-paced novel, which did spark my curiosity about some famous sights in Spain and got me thinking about reading more non-fiction focused on latest scientific discoveries.  4 out of 5 stars.