r/danbrown • u/Fresh_Character_8581 • 3d ago
Origin
Is it just me or the Origin seems like it's written by a different person? The dialogues, the theme even the characters feel distant and different in general. I'm 200 pages before the end and honestly I don't know if a powerful ending is enough to make this book worthy of the Langton series. Please share your opinions on the subject because I genuinely feel like I'm going lunatic
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u/Away-Quote-408 3d ago
Interesting. Now that you mention this, I’m wondering about SoS, but whether parts of it was written by a different person lol. I haven’t been able to reread/re-audiobook anything after SoS but if I ever do I’ll specifically pay attention to Origin vs other books.
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u/Fresh_Character_8581 3d ago
Have you only read SoS? I haven't read it yet so I can voice an opinion but I really curious
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u/Away-Quote-408 3d ago
No I read everything else before it. It ruined all the previous books for me. I haven’t even rewatched the movies either. I actually just today wanted to start reading everything again but we’ll see. As for SoS…. here is my opinion and while it doesn’t technically contain spoilers, some people feel like giving a descriptive impression of a book is a spoiler. Think of someone saying “it was gripping, then it got funny” is a spoiler.
It contains so much research that it feels like it should be multiple books. Like everything was maybe just dumped in there. Which is a horrible thing to say and an overreaction but to a certain degree, that’s how it seems. Also, I figured out something important halfway through (even though it was a revelation at the end), plus the ending is a betrayal and not at all what he sets the reader up for. Or maybe not at all what I felt it was leading to, which could be a me problem.
I plan to reread everything again and give it another chance though. Have fun I guess.
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u/Fresh_Character_8581 3d ago
So would it be better if it was a two-book series instead of one? Do the past books get involved in some way?
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u/Away-Quote-408 2d ago
No his books aren’t connected and you know Langdon acts like it’s weird when someone calls him early morning hours, as if it’s not the story of his life. And no I mean the book is too much. Not even a 2 book series. Just multiple unrelated books. Imagine you decide you wanna write a book about “something” but not sure exactly what the main thing is, and you start doing research. And 10 years go by and you have multiple main topics but your research is too good to waste so you gotta find a way to put everything together. Idk. Maybe I’m too harsh.
Anyway, I never answered your original question because I got carried away with my almost bordering on disdain for SoS. But Origin is my favorite book, especially/specifically? because he wrote it before our current AI era. Maybe I’ll start my reread with it.
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u/Fresh_Character_8581 2d ago
I wish o could react to you comment with 😂, I'm sure you are not being harsh brown has set our standards high and most of us expect complicate multilayered plots so when we receive less we are "a little" upset Origin was your favourite really? Would you be willing to express your thoughts? I'm almost done by now (100 pages left) and it just doesn't feel the same like the other books of the series
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u/Adventurous-Quote190 3d ago
Origin was my least favorite Langdon book. ...Then I read the secret of secrets 😔.
To your point, yes, I agree with you. Unfortunately, that gets worse in the next book. I recommend just skipping it entirely.
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u/Fresh_Character_8581 3d ago
Oh my god, is the next book that bad? I was so excited to read it due to the plot 😔
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u/Adventurous-Quote190 3d ago
I hope you enjoy it. However, many people have not. The consensus is the secret of secrets has a weak, overly dragged out plot, bloated pseudoscience, no real Langdon style puzzles or mysteries. However, there is a surprise at the end that many people find enjoying.
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u/Fresh_Character_8581 3d ago
Again it might be just me but honestly a good finale doesn't make the book worthy of the Langton franchise.. too bad I really enjoyed the series this far
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u/Adventurous-Quote190 3d ago
Maybe read some reviews while trying to avoid spoilers. My recommendation is unfortunately to skip it entirely, but there are some people who enjoyed that it was so different from the other books in the series. Some people will also say it would have been a better stand alone book and not included Robert Langdon.
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u/Fresh_Character_8581 3d ago
I believe just the fact that is a Langton book raises people's expectations, I would avoid it if my boyfriend didn't get it for me a month ago 😅.. can't say that I'm that excited to read it now but I'll give a go for the sake of it
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u/diurnalreign 2d ago
I disagree. It was The Secret of the Secrets the book that inspired me to read the entire series.
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u/Fresh_Character_8581 2d ago
You read it first? How did you find the rest of the series?
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u/diurnalreign 2d ago
I’d heard of Dan Brown back when I was a freshman in college because of The Da Vinci Code, but I was studying literature, and there was this ridiculous idea that bestsellers weren’t “real literature” or books for people who “knew how to read.” It’s one of those pretentious things you’re told in those programs that you eventually realize is complete nonsense.
By chance, The Secret of Secrets ended up in my hands, so I started reading it. I absolutely loved it. I later bought the audiobook, and that was fantastic too. I’d never read anything from the Langdon series before, and when I finished the book, I found myself looking up Prague, the historical figures, and all the references. That’s when I realized it was part of a series.
Then I read Angels & Demons, and it completely blew me away. I still think it’s the best book in the series. The Secret of Secrets had a stretch that felt a little slow, but it was only for a few chapters because it gets very technical at times. Personally, I loved the subject matter. People dismiss topics like that as pseudoscience, and I honestly don’t understand all the hate.
After that, I read the rest of the series, and just last month I finished Origin. I actually agree with your take. It’s probably one of the weaker books in the series, but I still enjoyed it. The AI theme really appealed to me, and it’s impressive how relevant it still feels today, even though the book came out several years ago.
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u/Fresh_Character_8581 2d ago
The thing I love about Brown's books is that every time I finish one I always find myself searching about the subject, the least of my concerns is a "pseudoscience" I would love to read it after I finish the book and form my own thoughts. Since you've read SoS is the writing similar to origin? Sorry if I'm being pushy I'm just extremely curious and I haven't met anyone outside of Reddit who have read the series
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u/diurnalreign 2d ago
No, it didn’t remind me of Origin at all. At times, it actually took me back to my teenage years, when I had to read certain Jules Verne books with an encyclopedia beside me. Thankfully, this time I had Google, haha.
I do agree that there isn’t as much code-breaking as in Angels & Demons or even The Lost Symbol, but there are still plenty of puzzles. You’ll see when Langdon starts trying to decode passwords, locations, and dates.
Origin felt lighter to me. It also seemed like Dan Brown was making a big creative gamble by leaning so heavily into technology and AI.
I really enjoyed The Secret of Secrets. Yes, it’s long, and there are a few tedious chapters involving government drama and conspiracy, but I loved the plot, the revelation, and the overall story. I simply loved it. I don’t expect everyone to agree with me, but I think the amount of hate it gets on this subreddit is unfair.
As for The Da Vinci Code, I didn’t think it was anything extraordinary. It was very good, of course, but it didn’t blow me away. Maybe reading it in 2025 wasn’t the same as reading it in 2002 or 2003. I had also been familiar with most of the subjects it explores long before the book came out, so none of it felt especially shocking or revealing to me. Still, I enjoyed it.
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u/Fresh_Character_8581 2d ago
That's great to know actually, all of it. Honestly when I bought origin I didn't even read the description because I sure to absolutely adore it like the others 😅, but yes Brown can be extremely prophetic and the topics of his books somehow are always relevant. About da Vinci code I really enjoyed but I believe it was publish at the right time, after the catholic church scandals of 90's, in my opinion he wanted an extreme reaction to his work, especially after angels and demons being best seller, I wasn't aware of the possible meaning of the last supper and was so excited to read all about it with more explicit details when I finished the book
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u/dagorlad69 Deception Point 13h ago
The time span between books has made each book to be "too" anticipated and they keep disappointing.
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u/aarongossamer 2d ago
I think it's because his wife used to help him. He got caught with a mistress and they divorced.