Book Review: Origin by Dan Brown

Dan Brown's newest installment of Harvard Professor Robert Langdon's travels is a thriller/mystery about a tech giant who discovers the origin (hence the title) of creation.  The beginning of the book starts with Kirsch, the computer tech billionaire, telling three big-wigs of the three major religions world that their God is a fairy tale.  He then books an entire art museum in Bilbao, Spain, to make his announcement to the world via TV/Satellite broadcast.  This billionaire has a legion of "fans" who like him are complete atheists.  Langdon, a close friend and once teacher of this man, is not a complete atheist, but entertains the idea as well.  Just as Kirsch is about to prove God does not exist, he gets shot by a devout Palmerian.  

Palmerian Chursh split away from the Catholic Church.

As the story progresses, we are taken to Barcelona to learn about Antoni Gaudi and William Blake at the Segrada Familia Church.  Langdon and the Prince of Spain's fiancee are guided by an AI program that Kirsch built before he died.  One clue leads to another and soon the Palmerian hitman is trying to kill Langdon and the fiancee. 

SPOILER ALERT: In short, we learn that the Cardinal who was originally warned by Kirsch is not the killer and is also in love with the King of Spain.  The king also loves the cardinal, but it's supposedly platonic.  We also learn that the real assassin is the AI named Winston that is operating without its maker (Kirsch).  The origin of our species has a panspermia-esque ring to it.  Brown tries to save face by claiming the particles that just happen to make life must have some kind of creator.

My Review:  I am done with Brown.  Used to love him.  I regretfully looked the other way when he somewhat threw Christians and Jesus under the bus.  

Brown has a way of intellectualizing religion.  It's not that he's making fun of Christians, but trying to paint another picture of the Christian religion, especially Catholics-at least that is what I used to believe.  This book leaves no more excuses.  Brown is an obvious atheist who likes to write anti-God novels.  He insults Christians throughout the book in subtle ways by questioning their intelligence and pointing out the how ludicrous the Bible is.  To him, the Bible is a myth at best, and more like a children's bed time story.  Like I said, I am done.  In addition to all of his pot-shots at Christians, the book is awkwardly written and the ending is really lame.  No longer a fan.  1/5 STARS.