ORIGIN: Read a free sample now

by Dan Brown

An extract from Origin, the spell-binding new thriller from the bestselling author of The Da Vinci Code and Inferno.

Dan Brown’s new novel, Origin, features renowned Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon and is set in Spain, where Langdon is drawn into a terrifying race against time that will bring him face-to-face with a world-shaking truth that has remained buried – until now.

This preview includes the prologue and first chapter of Origin.

Origin is out on 3rd October 2017.




‘Dan Brown is the master of the intellectual cliffhanger’ Wall Street Journal
‘As engaging a hero as you could wish for’ Mail on Sunday
‘For anyone who wants more brain-food than thrillers normally provide’ Sunday Times

Genres: Thriller, Fiction, Mystery, Literature, Romance, Novels

Kindle Edition

Expected publication January 1, 2099

About the author

Dan Brown is the author of numerous #1 bestselling novels, including The Da Vinci Code, which has become one of the best selling novels of all time as well as the subject of intellectual debate among readers and scholars. Brown’s novels are published in 56 languages around the world with over 200 million copies in print.

In 2005, Brown was named one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World by TIME Magazine, whose editors credited him with “keeping the publishing industry afloat; renewed interest in Leonardo da Vinci and early Christian history; spiking tourism to Paris and Rome; a growing membership in secret societies; the ire of Cardinals in Rome; eight books denying the claims of the novel and seven guides to read along with it; a flood of historical thrillers; and a major motion picture franchise.”

The son of a mathematics teacher and a church organist, Brown was raised on a prep school campus where he developed a fascination with the paradoxical interplay between science and religion. These themes eventually formed the backdrop for his books. He is a graduate of Amherst College and Phillips Exeter Academy, where he later returned to teach English before focusing his attention full time to writing. He lives in New England with his yellow lab, Winston.

Brown’s latest novel, Origin, explores two of the fundamental questions of humankind: Where do we come from? Where are we going?

Reviews

[Rupa Abdi · Rating 4 out of 5]

The plot is familiar: Our good old Prof. Robert Langdon's old friend who is about to reveal an 'earth shattering' discovery is killed and it is left to Prof. Langdon to unravel the mystery behind the who, the what and the why of it, with a female fatale in tow. There is also a religious fanatic, not unlike Silas of Da vinci Code, who is hot on their heels with not- so-pleasant intentions. Throw in the usual fare of secret codes and symbols, ancient paintings and poetry with prophetic undercurrents and the re-emergence of a secret religious cult and you have the typical Dan Brown concoction !! Dan Brown's brilliance lies in perceiving patterns between science, art and religion. And here he does not disappoint. The final revelation, however, is neither mind blowing nor unpredictable.

[BabyLunLun · Rating 3 out of 5]

The curiousity is killing me

Edmond Kirsch , a former student of Robert Langdon makes a groundbreaking discovery. He invited Robert Langdon and head of the major 3 religions in the world to make an announcement.

Now I am very interested in what major discovery Edmond Kirsch has discovered but if it happened in real life, I guess no one would give a fuck what religion's leaders thinks

Anyway, I am preparing myself to be completely blown away and challenge

[Erik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Immersive and historically rich. Been reading Dan Brown for a couple of years now and it feels he had taught me more than College could ever. Geographically explicit it makes me want to visit every mentioned place.
Half of premise is quite predictable in some sort of way, but interesting and catchy nonetheless.
Hoping to read more of him in the following months.
ER

[Manish Sharma · Rating 5 out of 5]

can't wait for the release. Robert Langdon about to shake the world of beliefs.

DAN BROWN is about to explode the world 🌍. can't wait for the release. Robert Langdon about to shake the world of beliefs.

[V · Rating 2 out of 5]

I would give this book 2 and a half stars but since I can’t, I’m giving it two because I don’t think Dan Brown will suffer much :)


Spoilers below:


Pros-

It was gripping and fast paced

Cons-

It was predictable

This is his fifth book to wholly and unapologetically fail the Bechdel test (literally a line in the book where the only important female character talks about how a big strong man makes her feel feminine and young after a ton of men were intimidated by her being too pretty and tall)

Said woman actually finds herself attracted to Robert Langdon at the end who is I think at this point some twenty years older than her and also what is it with all these gorgeous women falling for him?? It’s getting OLD.

Edmond Kirsch is a billionaire and the end of the book is all overtly optimistic visions of the future and science and religion coming together and an age where everyone is fed and housed while ignoring the very real capability Kirsch has to solve this problem TODAY with his billions. I personally felt that was super sanctimonious.

And last but my least favourite — the CONSTANT adulation of Winston Churchill — a mass murderer and colonizer, complicit in the deaths of 3 million (likely more) south asians. It goes so far as to literally incluxe one of his quotes: “History will be kind to me for I intend to write it.” This quote goes beyond a slap in the face— it is Dan Brown spitting at the billions of colonized around the world who have suffered under dictators like Churchill, rubbing salt in the wound while we try to recover. Tying this in with Kirsch’s whole billionaire save-the-world irony, this is the most insulting and ignorant Dan Brown book so far.


All this to say — I want my ten dollars back.

The only reason this gets two and a half stars instead of zero or one, is because I will admit that Dan Brown knows how to write and how to captivate an audience, but it’s high time he caught up with the present day and checked his privilege.

[Siddanth Arvind · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, it's been a long time since I came back to Goodreads and remembered its very existence and its purpose, I specifically do not have an opinion of sorts, nor am I a hardened critic to have earned the right to be able to criticize this piece of art. The pace of storytelling and the research that every other Dan brown book involves remains unmatched, and this book screams the everlasting dan brown character in it.

I personally am a fan of reading fast-paced anthropological thrillers and this just serves the purpose right!

[Tahseen Nakavi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Origin by Dan Brown has addressed the conflict between science and religion capably, particularly around the concept of Creation. The core questions asked in his book involve Who are we? Where did we come from? And most importantly, where are we going?
This time Dan Brown shifts his locales of the plot from France and Italy to Spain. It makes for an exciting backdrop as this country is known for its crossroads for modern science and religion, especially Catholicism. Brown tells the readers how Spain has MareNostrum, one of the most complex supercomputers. The conflict between facts and beliefs is explored through Langdon’s experiences across art, religion and conspiracy.

The cloak and dagger kind of quest starts off when Langdon participates in a presentation at the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, where one of his erstwhile pupils from Harvard who is a famous futurist now reveals a stunning discovery that promises to break open two of the biggest questions we face. Not only are these questions traced in the title of a Paul Gauguin painting, but they are found engraved - “Where do we come from?” and “Where are we going?”

Professor Robert Langdon finds himself solving a cryptic puzzle as he races against time in quest of the answers in company of a curator of the Museum who is also engaged to the Royal Prince. He is helped by Winston, a Supercomputer (Winston being a tribute to Winston Churchill). The cryptic puzzle in this book is a computer password that has forty-seven characters. Winston is ultra advanced and makes Siri looks like a schoolgirl in comparison. You get to learn many new things in this book, such as Brown even going to a stretch to explain what Uber ride's main purpose is and also about the outdated U logo of its sharing app. information.

Brown stunned me in the end.

[Maryna Burdenko · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE BOOK WITH AN AFTERTASTE

I read Dan Brown being a teenager.
And still remember my impressions afterwards.This time they remain the same.

I like the idea how dynamic are the twists & turns. In addition, your imaginary journey is travelling across such picturesque cities as Barcelona, Madrid, Bilbao, Budapest.

Not only this book is full of adventures, but also it gives you some food for though. The issues about Science, Religion and AI are thought-provoking.

And one of the main thing I like the most about the author's writing is that all my suspicions about the murderer were right. I mean that I had some thoughts that this could be the most unexpected plot twist if Brown might implement it & he actually did it. I was literally dreaming of author's out of the blue turns.

As a great bonus, you can solve the riddles through the art, poems, architecture. Thus, feel yourself as a top-notch detective with some sophisticated taste. Way to go, Dan Brown! You absolutely nailed it.

Extra:

Once I've watched some video of Dan Brown telling the interviewer some information how does he normally prep for his book writing. The author spends much time to explore some facts, figures how smth might work etc. According to such great research we see how skillfully the author writes about different aspects.

***
'I believe,' the pope continued, that in some cases forgiveness can be dangerous. When we forgive evil in the world, we're giving evil a permission to grow and spread.'

'I urge you to place your faith in the human capacity & love, because these two forces, when combined, possess the power to illuminate any darkness.'

' "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." '

P.S. These quotes do resonate with me as Ukrainian!

[Akila Perera · Rating 5 out of 5]

"𝑊𝑒𝑙𝑙, 𝑠𝑐𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑟𝑒𝑙𝑖𝑔𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑒𝑡𝑖𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑠, 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑦’𝑟𝑒 𝑡𝑤𝑜 𝑑𝑖𝑓𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑢𝑎𝑔𝑒𝑠 𝑡𝑟𝑦𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡𝑜 𝑡𝑒𝑙𝑙 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑎𝑚𝑒 𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑦. 𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒’𝑠 𝑟𝑜𝑜𝑚 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑙𝑑 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑏𝑜𝑡ℎ." "𝑀𝑦 𝑓𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑑𝑠, 𝐼 𝑎𝑚 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑠𝑎𝑦𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝐼 𝑘𝑛𝑜𝑤 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑎 𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑖𝑠 𝑛𝑜 𝐺𝑜𝑑. 𝐴𝑙𝑙 𝐼 𝑎𝑚 𝑠𝑎𝑦𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑖𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑖𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑖𝑠 𝑎 𝑑𝑖𝑣𝑖𝑛𝑒 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑐𝑒 𝑏𝑒ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑠𝑒, 𝑖𝑡 𝑖𝑠 𝑙𝑎𝑢𝑔ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 ℎ𝑦𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑦 𝑎𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑟𝑒𝑙𝑖𝑔𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠 𝑤𝑒’𝑣𝑒 𝑐𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑖𝑛 𝑎𝑛 𝑎𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑚𝑝𝑡 𝑡𝑜 𝑑𝑒𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑒 𝑖𝑡."

Yet another classic Masterpiece in the Robert Langdon series!! Who can ever compete with Dan Brown's impeccable style of narrating out facts without ever boring the reader.

If I'm to say why I love Dan Brown, it's probably the amount of knowledge I can consume from one book seamlessly without ever feeling tired!

Add in the classic persona of Robert Langdon, cryptography Origin doesn't not disappoint at all!!!
Needless to say the book has some great lines delivered like the ones above!!

It was awhile after the last #robertlangdon book for this to be released but I can assure that as a die hard fan of Dan Brown's workit was every bit worth the wait!!

[Valentyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, it was my final Dan Brown book with my absolute favourite Robert Langdon. I cannot start describing how much dan Brown's books cannot stop to amaze me with its historical fulfilment and crazy twists. To be completely honest, that was not my favourite book with Professor, but I definitely had good tome reading different character perspectives saying religion is bullshit. That gave me extra happiness. However, I gave this book 4.2 stars just because i found the lack of actual symbols and codes a bit upsetting. I was used to Robert Langdon being a smartass, and in this book it was a bit odd for me to see them talking about rather moral dilemmas than solving ancient codes, especially after reading The Lost Symbol.. But, besides that I really enjoyed this book and ones and for all realised that dan Brown is one of my favourites. Historical facts that interdependent with a little fiction just blows my mind every-time.

[Eleth Roberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Origin* is Dan Brown at his best—fast-paced, thought-provoking, and irresistibly entertaining. From the very first chapter, Brown pulls you into a world where cutting-edge science collides with ancient faith, weaving a mystery that feels both urgent and deeply relevant.

Robert Langdon once again proves to be an engaging guide as he navigates breathtaking Spanish landmarks, each described so vividly that the settings become characters themselves. The novel’s central questions—*Where do we come from? Where are we going?*—add a layer of intellectual intrigue that elevates the story beyond a typical thriller.

Brown masterfully balances suspense with fascinating scientific concepts, and the reveal is both surprising and satisfying. The pacing never drags, the stakes keep rising, and the twists are classic Dan Brown—clever, cinematic, and immensely fun.

[Xiao Bai · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's another superb book by Dan Brown, always love his mind boggling detective book. This book's main thoughts are on the implications of believing in an religion, but also mention the purpose of religion. The main 2 main questions of humanity is Where do we come from, and Where do we go?, is ultimately, a question that cannot be answered yet by any scientific methods. I think this book really did question my own understanding of the purpose of humanity— near the end. As said by many, and put forth even better by this book, we are merely the orderly creations of nature to spread energy and introduce more entropy to create disorder.

[Vincze Andrada · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Today we face the darkest evils in the world with nothing more than our ability to forgive, to love, and to be compassionate. And so we allow- no, we encourage- the evil to grow. In response to repeated crimes against us, we delicately voice our concerns in politically correct language, reminding eachother that an evil person is evil only because of his difficult childhood, or his impoverished life, or his having suffered crimes against his loved ones- and so his hatred is not his own fault. I say, enough! Evil is evil! We have all struggled in life!"

[Felix Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started ORIGIN intending to skim the sample — just a quick peek. Two hours later, I was still glued to the screen. The world-building was sharp, the tension immediate. The opening chapter hits like a fast drop on a roller coaster, leaving you breathless and hungry for answers. Every paragraph asked a question I needed to chase. The characters felt real, flawed, and urgent. When I reached the end of the sample, I genuinely felt abandoned — like being dropped off a cliff. If the goal was to hook me, mission accomplished.

[Yanesh Tyagi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting begining. Science challenging religion.

An interesting begining. Religion and technology has been a favourite topic of Dan. Its too early to write a review as I have read only 24 pages but the story seems to be promising. Robert's first student, now a billionaire​ futuristic inventor reminds of Elon Musk. This guy is going to shatter the very foundation of all religions. Lets see what follows...

[Aditi Mukherjee · Rating 4 out of 5]

By all standard definitions, Origin is an action thriller. The book has everything - a problem that must be solved, gun fight and a hint of romance; all in the backdrop of the enigmatic locales of Bilbao, Madrid, Barcelona and Seville in Spain. The plot will arrest your attention throughout the book while Brown reveals the secrets one by one. The author lives up to the expectations of his readers. This book too, like many of his other bestsellers will probably be made into a movie.

[Gourav Kumar]

This Book is one of the best book i have ever read. This book is must read for the those who seek answers between religion and science . This book revolves around 2 basic questions .
where did we come from ?where are we going ?
Dan Brown has conveyed the message of science in a very thrilling manner while maintaining balance between his atheist character Edmund Kirch and the notions of religion .

“The dark religions are departed/And sweet science reigns”

[Anupam · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Like any Dan Brown novel, Origin is a fantastic read. From the moment you start, the suspense and adventure will keep you hooked, making it nearly impossible to put down until you reach the final page. However, the climax—specifically the revelation of the central mystery—feels somewhat underwhelming. Still, if you're a Dan Brown fan, this book offers an exhilarating journey through history, art, religion, and science. Don't miss out on this thrilling ride along with Robert Langdon!"

[Tracy Ebert · Rating 5 out of 5]

ORIGIN is a thriller that wastes no time. The first pages are filled with tension and unanswered questions that demand resolution. The atmosphere is thick with suspense — the kind that keeps you leaning forward in your seat. The writing is sharp and focused, and the pacing never eases up. I devoured the sample in one sitting and immediately wanted the full book. Anyone who loves mystery, high stakes, and bold storytelling should read this.

[Ganesh · Rating 5 out of 5]

An really ORIGINal novel

Though the book will be released on 3rd Oct, the preview itself is gripping.. And Dan brown is a master of the quest books, this time the fusion of modern architecture and past will surely be a classic combination. I wish to start reading it on my newly purchased KINDLE PAPER WHITE. ALSO I AM GETTING A HARD COPY TO READ AGAIN FOR A BOOK FEEL...

[Zoran Zola · Rating 4 out of 5]

As always great book from Dan Brown. But as aspiring writer, I find that description of the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao did not help the story at all. Likewise I find that some of the scientific theories in the book are too heavy for the people not versed in the sciences.
I just wish that the “predictions” of the book eventuate ad would really like to have a friend like Winston 😊

[Polly Krize · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this sample in exchange for an honest review.

Sure, we all know Robert Langdon and his adventures, usually accompanied by a beautiful sidekick and lots of racing around cities of the world, being chased by villains galore. But you must admit that he is a fascinating character, very knowledgeable in his field. Worth reading the whole book, I think!

[Magdalena · Rating 3 out of 5]

All in all, it was interesting book bur for some reason it was difficult for me to follow the time events. It was like jumping from one story to another and somewhere there was a lost connection or a moment. I can't believe what I will say, but I'm little disappointed,i didn't expect that from the absolutely number one author for me.

[Zain Mustafa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good thought process that when machine learning gets conscious, it can get people killed even the creator which Winston did. But this technology is decades away to achieve. We are still finding problems with computational resources to implement methods that we already know of. Overall, a good book to read for a techie like myself.

[Khaoula El habib · Rating 2 out of 5]

I see taht I am one of the few poeple who doesn't really like the book. it was my first dan brow and it was really confusing, too much information and events in few days.
But I like the two basic Ideas, the first is that we can discuss and argu any idea even if it relates to religions. second is to never trust a computer ...

[AJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

A reread after ~5 years, and I enjoyed it probably just as much. Had to read while in Spain. Dan Brown is just such a fun and stimulating read tbh! And now even more than 5 years ago what he reveals at the end of this book is growing more and more plausible, with parallels between winston and chatgpt….

[Nishi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Couldn't have been any better in my point of view. It helped me to improve my understanding of several concepts like entropy and all. But most importantly, it provided me with a completely new perception of thinking on some diverse topics such as religion. Damn dude, just feeling proud that I made it this far from then. By the way it was my first Dan Brown novel.
Must read is all I'd say!!!

[Felix Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading the first pages of ORIGIN felt like walking into a locked room and suddenly realizing someone else is inside with you. The atmosphere — electric. The pacing — relentless. I kept whispering “just one more page,” until I realized the sample was over. The cliffhanger wasn’t cruel; it was brilliant. I didn’t just read it — I experienced it.

[Delores Kirlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

What impressed me most about ORIGIN was the author’s ability to drop readers into a dangerous world without confusing them. The stakes are clear, the danger is real, and the characters feel alive. The narrative pulled me in and refused to let go until the final line of the sample. If you want a story that hits hard and keeps you thinking long after the scene ends, don’t miss this one.

[Rylan Hayes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fast-paced, atmospheric, and addictive — ORIGIN is everything a thriller should be. The free sample is more than a teaser; it’s a full-on hook. I didn’t just want answers — I needed them. The writing is vivid, the characters are compelling, and every chapter ends with a sharp point of tension that forces you to continue. Highly recommended.