Edmond Kirsch, a billionaire philanthropist, computer scientist, futurist, and strident atheist, attends a meeting at the Santa Maria de Montserrat Abbey in Catalonia (Spain) with Roman Catholic Bishop Antonio Valdespino,[4] Jewish Rabbi Yehuda Köves, and Muslim Imam Syed al-Fadl, members of the Parliament of the World's Religions. Kirsch informs them that he has made a revolutionary discovery that he plans to release to the public in a month. He has informed them out of respect, despite his hatred of organized religion, which he blames for his mother's death. The three learn that he is presenting it in three days' time, prompting Valdespino to demand that he stop.
Kirsch hosts an event at the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao. Among those in attendance are Kirsch's former teacher, Robert Langdon, and the Guggenheim's curator Ambra Vidal, the fiancée of the future King of Spain, Prince Julián. The guests receive a headset through which they communicate with a voice named Winston, which reveals to Langdon that it is an artificial intelligence invented by Kirsch. Winston leads Langdon to a private meeting with Kirsch, who claims that his presentation will reveal humanity's origins and future.
During the presentation, which is broadcast worldwide, Kirsch reveals that he intends to end the age of religion and usher in an age of science. However, he is killed by Luis Ávila, a former naval admiral introduced to the controversial Palmarian Catholic Church following the deaths of his family in a bombing. Ávila was commissioned by the Regent, a high ranking person from the church. Meanwhile, both Al-Fadl and Köves are killed as well.
While Ávila escapes, Langdon meets Ambra. He warns her not to trust Julián (as Ávila was put on the guest list by request from the Royal palace) and they escape his guards and leave the museum, determined to release Kirsch's discovery. They steal Kirsch's phone and escape with the help of Winston, who has Kirsch's personal jet fly them to Barcelona. Ambra reveals that the presentation is protected by a 47-character password, a line from Kirsch's favorite poem. Neither know which poem was chosen but deduce that it can be found at Kirsch's home, on Antoni Gaudí's Casa Milà.
Meanwhile, the three murders have sparked worldwide outrage, fueled by information leaked by the anonymous source "monte[at]iglesia.org". Word of the meeting in Catalonia spreads, and suspicion falls on Valdespino, who sneaks Julián off the palace grounds. To save face, the royal family's public relations manager claims that Langdon kidnapped Ambra.
Langdon and Ambra go to Casa Milà, and search for the poem. Langdon learns that Kirsch was dying of pancreatic cancer, prompting a rushed release of the presentation. Langdon finds that Kirsch owned a book of the complete works of William Blake, which he donated to Sagrada Família, leaving it open at a specific page. The police arrive and, as Ambra tries to explain she was not kidnapped, Kirsch's phone is destroyed. A helicopter with two Guardia Real agents arrives and gets her and Langdon to safety. Langdon assures Ambra that he can find Winston's physical location, so he can broadcast the discovery, and the helicopter takes them to Sagrada Família.
There, the two discover that the password is the final stanza of Four Zoas, "The dark Religions are departed & sweet Science reigns". On the Regent's orders, Ávila arrives, killing both agents and chasing Langdon and Ambra. In an ensuing fight, Ávila falls to his death. Langdon and Ambra escape the police in the helicopter.
Langdon finds Winston's source inside the Barcelona Supercomputing Center. They discover a device called E-Wave, a Mare Nostrum supercomputer which Kirsch calls "Quantum cube". After entering the password, the presentation starts, to hundreds of millions of viewers. Kirsch explains that he simulated the Miller–Urey experiment, using E-Wave's ability to digitally speed forward time, to recreate what he believes is the moment of abiogenesis. This is Kirsch's proof that humanity was created by natural events. He then claims that in roughly fifty years, humanity and technology will merge, hopefully creating a utopian future. The presentation sparks widespread debate. Ambra returns to the palace and Langdon is cleared of all charges. Winston reveals that, per Kirsch's will, he will self-delete the next day.
Meanwhile, Valdespino brings Julián to his dying father in the Valley of the Fallen. The King admits that he is homosexual and Valdespino is his platonic lover. Both tell Julián not to follow old traditions, but to do what he feels is right for the country. The King dies during the night and Valdespino takes his own life to be with him. Julián makes amends with Ambra, and they decide to start their courtship over.
The next day, going over all he has learned, Langdon realizes that Winston is Monte and the Regent. Winston had orchestrated Kirsch's murder to make him a martyr and most likely organized the murder of Köves and al-Fadl to destroy the Palmarians' reputation. He had intended for Ávila to be arrested, his death having been an accident. He then self-deletes, leaving Langdon shaken. Despite this, Langdon returns to Sagrada Família, where he and others of multiple races and religions are united by hope for the future.
Bishop Antonio Valdespino: The loyal bishop to the Spanish royal family and whom Kirsch meets at the beginning of the novel.
Rabbi Yehuda Köves: A prominent Jewish philosopher.
Syed al-Fadl: A prominent Islamic scholar.
Admiral Luis Ávila: Ex-officer of Spanish Navy who has lost his wife and son to religious extremism and later becomes a devout member of Palmarian Catholic Church and secondary antagonist of the novel.
Commander Garza: Commander of the Guardia Real.
Fonseca: Guardia Real Agent
Rafa Díaz: Guardia Real Agent who assists Vidal.
Father Beña: A priest of Sagrada Família.
Mónica Martín: Public Relations Coordinator, Spanish Palace.
Brown visited many of the places in the book, for example the Guggenheim in Bilbao.[5] Brown wrote and researched the book for four years. It is dedicated to his mother, who died in 2017. It had an initial printing of 2 million copies, with printing set for 42 languages.[6]
Reception
The New York Times praised Origin for focusing on "serious ideas" relating to religion and atheism, and whether religion and science can co-exist. It also said the book had a "geeky" humor.[7]The Guardian found the apocalyptic "witches brew" of themes to be relevant to modern times, but it also noted the characters' dialogue made them sound like "cybernauts".[8] Another Guardian review said the book was fun "in its own galumphing way".[9]
The Washington Post panned the book, calling the themes and writing style "worn-out."[10]USA Today gave it a score of 2.5/4 and said it was "only a fitfully entertaining religious rehash of his greatest hits," but said fans of Langdon would like it.[11]The Daily Telegraph said it was "light on action" and focused more on historical factoids and intellectual ideas, to its benefit. It gave it 3 of 5 stars. The review called Brown a good communicator but a "lousy" storyteller.[12]
In August 2018, the book was No. 1 on The New York Times bestseller list. It was on the list for 23 weeks.[13]
Related Research Articles
Origin(s) or The Origin may refer to:
Teresa of Ávila, OCD, also called Saint Teresa of Jesus, was a Carmelite nun and prominent Spanish mystic and religious reformer.
Pope Gregory XVII, also known by the religious name Fernando María de la Santa Faz, was the 1st Pope of the Palmarian Catholic Church, who in this capacity, claimed to be the 263rd Pope of the Catholic Church from 6 August 1978 until his death on 21 March 2005. He was a visionary, seer and mystic, who, following the apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary as Our Crowned Mother of Palmar, founded a religious order which claimed to continue the work of the Carmelites, known as the Carmelites of the Holy Face; after 1978, this order became synonymous with the Palmarian Church.
Daniel Gerhard Brown is an American author best known for his thriller novels, including the Robert Langdon novels Angels & Demons (2000), The Da Vinci Code (2003), The Lost Symbol (2009), Inferno (2013), and Origin (2017). His novels are treasure hunts that usually take place over a period of 24 hours. They feature recurring themes of cryptography, art, and conspiracy theories. His books have been translated into 57 languages and, as of 2012, have sold over 200 million copies. Three of them, Angels & Demons, The Da Vinci Code, and Inferno, have been adapted into films, while one of them, The Lost Symbol, was adapted into a television show.
Robert Langdon is a fictional character created by author Dan Brown for his Robert Langdon book series: Angels & Demons (2000), The Da Vinci Code (2003), The Lost Symbol (2009), Inferno (2013) and Origin (2017). He is a Harvard University professor of Religious Iconology and Symbology.
Angels & Demons is a 2000 bestselling mystery-thriller novel written by American author Dan Brown and published by Pocket Books and then by Corgi Books. The novel introduces the character Robert Langdon, who recurs as the protagonist of Brown's subsequent novels. Angels & Demons shares many stylistic literary elements with its sequels, such as conspiracies of secret societies, a single-day time frame, and the Catholic Church. Ancient history, architecture, and symbology are also heavily referenced throughout the book. A film adaptation was released on May 15, 2009.
The Palmarian Church, officially registered as the Palmarian Christian Church and also known as the Palmarian Catholic Church, is a Christian church with an episcopal see in El Palmar de Troya, Andalusia, Spain. The Palmarian Church claims to be the exclusive One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church founded by Jesus Christ. It claims that the Holy See, the institution of the Papacy and the headquarters of the Catholic Church was moved to El Palmar de Troya at the Cathedral-Basilica of Our Crowned Mother of Palmar, under the auspices of the Patriarchate of El Palmar de Troya, in 1978, due to the alleged apostasy of the Roman Catholic Church from the Catholic faith.
The Da Vinci Code is a 2006 mystery thriller film directed by Ron Howard, written by Akiva Goldsman, and based on Dan Brown's 2003 novel of the same name. The first in the Robert Langdon film series, the film stars Tom Hanks, Audrey Tautou, Ian McKellen, Alfred Molina, Jürgen Prochnow, Jean Reno, and Paul Bettany. In the film, Robert Langdon, a professor of religious symbology from Harvard University, is the prime suspect in the grisly and unusual murder of Louvre curator Jacques Saunière. On the body, the police find a disconcerting cipher and start an investigation. Langdon escapes with the assistance of police cryptologist Sophie Neveu, and they begin a quest for the legendary Holy Grail. Sir Leigh Teabing, a noted British Grail historian, tells them that the actual Holy Grail is explicitly encoded in Leonardo da Vinci's wall painting The Last Supper. Also searching for the Grail is a secret cabal within Opus Dei, an actual prelature of the Holy See, who wish to keep the true Grail a secret to prevent the destruction of Christianity.
The Lost Symbol is a 2009 novel written by American writer Dan Brown. It is a thriller set in Washington, D.C., after the events of The Da Vinci Code, and relies on Freemasonry for both its recurring theme and its major characters. Released on September 15, 2009, it is the third Brown novel to involve the character of Harvard University symbologist Robert Langdon, following 2000's Angels & Demons and 2003's The Da Vinci Code.
Langdon Brown Gilkey was an American Protestant ecumenical theologian.
The Da Vinci Code, a popular suspense novel by Dan Brown, generated criticism and controversy after its publication in 2003. Many of the complaints centered on the book's speculations and misrepresentations of core aspects of Christianity and the history of the Catholic Church. Additional criticisms were directed toward the book's inaccurate descriptions of European art, history, architecture, and geography.
The Church of Colònia Güell is an unfinished work by Antoni Gaudí. It was built as a place of worship for the people on a hillside in a manufacturing area in Santa Coloma de Cervelló, near Barcelona. Colònia Güell was the brainchild of Count Eusebi de Güell; who enlisted the help of architect Antoni Gaudí in 1898. However, work was not started until 1908, 10 years after commission. The plan for the building consisted of constructing two naves, an upper and a lower, two towers, and one forty-meter-high central dome. In 1914, the Güell family halted construction due to the death of Count Güell. At the time, the lower nave was almost complete so between the years of 1915 and 1917, it was completed and readied for use.
The Da Vinci Code is a 2003 mystery thriller novel by Dan Brown. It is Brown's second novel to include the character Robert Langdon: the first was his 2000 novel Angels & Demons. The Da Vinci Code follows symbologist Langdon and cryptologist Sophie Neveu after a murder in the Louvre Museum in Paris entangles them in a dispute between the Priory of Sion and Opus Dei over the possibility of Jesus and Mary Magdalene having had a child together.
Angels & Demons is a 2009 American mystery thriller film directed by Ron Howard and written by Akiva Goldsman and David Koepp, based on Dan Brown's 2000 novel of the same title. It is the sequel to the 2006 film The Da Vinci Code, also directed by Howard, and the second installment in the Robert Langdon film series; however, the novel version was published before The Da Vinci Code novel.
Edmund Kirsch was a Czech businessman and translator.
Antoni Gaudí i Cornet was a Spanish architect and designer from Catalonia, known as the greatest exponent of Catalan Modernism. Gaudí's works have a sui generis style. Most are located in Barcelona, including his main work, the Sagrada Família church.
Robert Langdon (1924–2003) was an Australian scholar known for his work as the executive officer of the Pacific Manuscripts Bureau, a part of the Australian National University.
The Confidant from Casa Batlló, also known as the Double Sofa or Banc de dues places , is a furniture piece designed by Antoni Gaudí. Originally designed for the dining room of Casa Batlló on Barcelona's Passeig de Gràcia, the chair is currently exhibited in the Modern Art collection of the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya and at Gaudí House Museum in Barcelona. Replicas are displayed at the Gaudí-designed Casa Batlló and Casa Milà.
Inferno is a 2013 mystery thriller novel by American author Dan Brown and the fourth book in his Robert Langdon series, following Angels & Demons, The Da Vinci Code and The Lost Symbol. The book was published on May 14, 2013, ten years after publication of The Da Vinci Code (2003), by Doubleday. It was number one on the New York Times Best Seller list for hardcover fiction and Combined Print & E-book fiction for the first eleven weeks of its release, and also remained on the list of E-book fiction for the first seventeen weeks of its release. A film adaptation was released in the United States on October 28, 2016.
The Robert Langdon book series is named after Robert Langdon, the protagonist of the novels by American author Dan Brown. Langdon is portrayed as a Harvard University professor of religious iconology and symbology, a fictional field related to the study of historic symbols, which is not methodologically connected to the actual discipline of semiotics. Brown's novels that feature the lead character also include historical themes and Christianity as motifs, and as a result have generated controversy. Brown states on his website that his books are not anti-Christian, and that he is on a "constant spiritual journey" himself.
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