(C-) 59% | Very UnsatisfactoryNotes: Smug and sterile, it just refuses to get to the point. All idle chit-chat and touristy fluff, it's a dumb book that *thinks* it's smart.*Check out progress updates for detailed commentary: Progress updates:12/17/2019 - Preamble:Back in August I set up a poll asking people what they'd like me to read from the books I own. I write pretty detailed status updates, and would prefer they be about books others are interested in. I'm not queuing them in order, though...

Where do we come from? What are we? Where are we going?–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Gauguin posed this question with his brush over a hundred years ago,in Tahiti, an island of beauty and pain,from which he gifted us his most beautiful paintings.And in his painting above, he launched his inquiries into the essence of life and the meaning of existence,leaving them as question marks hanging in the air, which humanity endlessly attempts to answer,using science, myth, religions, and imaginat...

Dan Brown is back, and I think he's delivered some of his best work in a while. I wasn't a huge fan of his last two – *Inferno* and *The Lost Symbol*. To me, they felt a bit stale after *Angels & Demons* and *The Da Vinci Code*. *Origin (Robert Langdon, Book 5)* is now probably my second favorite of his (behind Angels and Demons). Here are some key takeaways: Religion and Science – This is a major conflict in our world today. It's an exhausting battle for someone like me who attends church but...

Dan Brown is back with another thriller so moronic you can feel your IQ points flaking away like dandruff. "Origin (Robert Langdon, Book 5)" marks the fifth outing for Harvard professor Robert Langdon, the symbologist who uncovered stunning secrets and shocking conspiracies in "The Da Vinci Code" and Brown’s other phenomenally best-selling novels. All the worn-out elements of those earlier books are dragged out once again for Brown to hyperventilate over like some grifter trying to fence fake a...

Where do we come from?Where are we going? Yes, it's the new Dan Brown book. Yes, it's pulpy and ridiculous. But I have to say it-- it was really entertaining, too. The thing about Brown is that he's a mediocre-at-best writer with really fascinating ideas. If you spend too much time analysing individual scenes and sentences, then you're going to start to see the cracks, big and small. Big cracks like world-renowned scientists jumping to ludicrous conclusions, and small cracks like world-renown...

If you're reading this to decide whether or not you want to dive into Origin (Robert Langdon, Book 5), I'm going to assume two things:1) You've already read the previous books in the series and, therefore, don't need any introduction to Robert Langdon or Dan Brown's signature blend of art, history, symbols, and puzzles.2) You're not expecting literary fireworks (because if you are, it's like going to a cheap all-you-can-eat buffet and complaining about the lack of caviar and foie gras).Dan Brown...

When A-- H-- woke up this morning, at the crack of dawn, she was in no way prepared for the absolute dismay she would have to face during the day. As she pulled her long, black hair into a bun, she contemplated the decision she had made the previous night. She had decided, bravely, to read Dan Brown's new treatise on the amalgamation of history and technology, religion and science. As she thumbed through the massive tome, she was, despite her initial trepidation, caught unawares of how crummy th...

Update:I just finished "Origin (Robert Langdon, Book 5)". It's not the best Robert Langdon adventure in my opinion, but it's entertaining as hell. As always, if you're looking for some quality writing, this isn't the book for you. However, I love these books. I love that I can look up a building, a piece of art, or a religious organization I've never heard of, and they're all real. So if that's your cup of tea, I'd recommend "Origin (Robert Langdon, Book 5)" for you. Yes, Robert Langdon is my gu...

Another great trip with Professor Robert Langdon, courtesy of Dan Brown... this time to Spain!In another collision between Science & Religion.We return for a new journey with the brilliant Robert Langdon in a new episode of the clash between science and religion!To fully enjoy this journey... I won't tell you, as I did with *The Da Vinci Code*, *Angels & Demons*, *The Lost Symbol*, and *Inferno*, to prepare your illustrated edition.Illustrated Edition, because, sadly, one wasn't released for...

Alright, Danny boy, let's see what you've cooked up for us this time. Anyone want to wager how many times he name-drops the Mickey Mouse watch?

Man, I'm seriously hoping that thing meets its end under the wheels of a garbage truck. Seriously, Dan Brown's *Origin (Robert Langdon, Book 5)* is testing my patience. Looking for a good book review? Maybe skip this one.