Book: Origin
Author: Dan Brown
Reviewed by: Samantha Keogh
Review made possible by: Penguin Random House South Africa
The 40-year-old billionaire claims he is about to unveil a discovery that “will change the face of science forever.”
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.
Within minutes Kirsch is dead and Langdon once again finds himself on the run in a bid to save the world.
In this installment, with the help of Amvra Vidal – museum director and fiancee of the future king of Spain – he must find Kirsch’s master computer and release his discovery before those chasing them can stop them from making Kirsch’s discovery known to the world.
Together they flee to Barcelona on a perilous quest to locate a cryptic password that will unlock Kirsch’s secret.
AS a fan of Brown, I found this installment a little slow in getting started.
However, if you can make it through the first 100 pages, what follows is yet another high-paced journey around the world.
Like the other four books in the series, religious iconology plays an important role in Langdon’s triumph.
However, what makes this a different, and fascinating, read is the technological and scientific threads on which the book’s plot is based.
This is a must read for all Brown, and Langdon, fans and would make an excellent stocking filler.
For those who are not familiar with Brown’s previous four installments, rest assured like the other books, Origin is a stand alone story which does not require you to have read the preceding volumes to enjoy this one and would make an excellent introduction to Brown’s writing.
