Origin by Dan Brown:

About the author:

Dan Brown needs no introduction as he is a very famous fiction writer of our time. I have personally enjoyed all of his work so much that you can consider me a diehard fan. After Agatha Christie, he is the only fiction writer that I have followed so religiously. I have read all of his novels and I think the attention to detail and authenticated information that you will find in his books is unmatched with any other writer.

The Book:

I along with millions of fans have waited for this book for almost a year and a half. I waited for liberty books in Pakistan to open the pre-orders for it. I pre-ordered mines months before the book came out. I waited eagerly for it and started to read it as soon as I got my hands on it. But ironically, it took me ages to finish it and even more to write about it. Life was busy, work and family don’t leave you much of the day to pursue your hobbies and interests. Anyways, the deed is done, the book is finished and here are my two pennies.

The first impression:

When I started the book I had anticipated the book to be dealing with symbology, religion, and doomsday to be the part of the plot. This to some extent is true. But the buildup pre-launch of the book created a thrill which overshadowed the content. The social media was alive with the book cover, the theme that “where did we come from and where are we going” created a mystic enigma about the book, which I feel sorry to say that the book couldn’t carry.

 The storyline:

The story is about an atheist scientist who is a genius in AI and computers. He discovered and proved with the help of the AI machine and software he designed that Darwin’s theory is indeed correct. And we are in the age of transition and now evolution will make us humans into a hybrid between man and machines.

I won’t say that this a new concept as similar talk about new species which is non-living has been going around. I also agree that the concept of ultimately the machines taking over humans has been there for decades. But Dan Brown brings a middle ground evolution of humans as a hybrid with having machines or their components embedded in them.

The book revolves around historic places in Spain and a murdered friend who was on the verge of defining new religion to science and a bright future for humanity. The plot and the mystery were written amazingly. There are no loopholes or haphazardly written chapters. You will not find till the end who actually killed Langdon’s friend and why.

As always the information about historical landmarks is spot on. All the facts are given in the book are correct; don’t bother to even counter check. The storyline also incorporates computers and Artificial intelligence. It’s a crossover between religious concept and a sci-fi.

My two cents:

Don’t get me wrong, I am a huge fan of Dan Brown and books like the Da Vinci code. I totally enjoy the books written based on symbology and religious traditions. I also enjoyed the book thoroughly. But having said that, I would also say that I would not put the book in the league of the Da Vinci Code, Angels and Demons and the lost symbol. But it is definitely at the same level as the inferno.

The powerful lines in the book:

• The most self-righteous in life become the most fearful in death.
• The dark Religions are departed and sweet science reigns.
• Fear of being judged by an omniscient deity always helps inspire benevolent behavior.
• If the laws of physics are so powerful that they can create life….. Who created the laws?
• Those who can remember the past are condemned to repeat it.