50 Must-Read 50 Beta
← The Must-Read 50
Cover of Origin by Dan BrownOrigin
Modern · Fiction, Thriller, Adventure

Origin

by Dan Brown
2017 · 461 pages · Fiction
62.3Must-Read
Score Modern
Lifetime bestseller
≈ 12 hours to read · about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day

What it's about

Robert Langdon arrives at the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao for the unveiling of a discovery that 'will change the face of science forever', hosted by Edmond Kirsch, a billionaire futurist and one of his first students. When the evening ends in chaos, Langdon races to reveal Kirsch's secret.

Why it's worth reading

It spent 6 weeks at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list and was one of the ten best-selling books of 2017.

You'll love it if you liked

Cover of Inferno by Dan BrownInferno
InfernoDan Brown
Cover of The Da Vinci Code by Dan BrownThe Da Vinci Code
The Da Vinci CodeDan Brown
Cover of The Lost Symbol by Dan BrownThe Lost Symbol
The Lost SymbolDan Brown

Good to know

It's a Robert Langdon thriller and stands alone.

By the numbers

62.3Must-Read Score
  • Readers4 out of 100 · counts 42%
  • Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
  • Bestseller81 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
  • Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%

Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.

Where it ranks

Why it made the list

Bestseller
#1 New York Times bestseller (6 weeks at #1)One of the ten best-selling books of 2017 (Publishers Weekly)

Reads as

Gripping, Adventurous

How we rank

Already read it? Upload your Goodreads or StoryGraph history and get the 50 best books you haven't read, tuned to your taste.Get my 50

More by Dan Brown

Cover of The Da Vinci Code by Dan BrownThe Da Vinci Code
The Da Vinci CodeDan Brown
Cover of Angels & Demons by Dan BrownAngels & Demons
Angels & DemonsDan Brown
Cover of The Secret of Secrets by Dan BrownThe Secret of Secrets
The Secret of SecretsDan Brown
Cover of The Lost Symbol by Dan BrownThe Lost Symbol
The Lost SymbolDan Brown

If you like this, read next

Cover of Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland by Patrick Radden KeefeSay Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland
Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern IrelandPatrick Radden Keefe
Cover of Verity by Colleen HooverVerity
VerityColleen Hoover
Cover of Gone Girl by Gillian FlynnGone Girl
Gone GirlGillian Flynn
Cover of The Martian by Andy WeirThe Martian
The MartianAndy Weir
Cover of 2666 by Roberto Bolaño2666
2666Roberto Bolaño
Cover of Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn MuirGideon the Ninth
Gideon the NinthTamsyn Muir

Explore the best-of lists

All 36 best-of lists →
Mysteries and thrillersTop 25 · 555 rankedModern booksTop 25 · 1,573 rankedBooks of the 2010sTop 25 · 736 rankedFantasy booksTop 25 · 459 rankedLiterary novelsTop 25 · 309 rankedMemoirs and biographiesTop 25 · 290 rankedScience fiction booksTop 25 · 313 rankedRomancesTop 25 · 233 ranked

Quick answers

Is Origin worth reading?

Yes. It spent 6 weeks at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list and was one of the ten best-selling books of 2017. It ranks #2,158 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 62.3 (the best book we found scores 99).

What is Origin about?

Robert Langdon arrives at the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao for the unveiling of a discovery that 'will change the face of science forever', hosted by Edmond Kirsch, a billionaire futurist and one of his first students. When the evening ends in chaos, Langdon races to reveal Kirsch's secret.

How long does it take to read Origin?

About 12 hours (461 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.

What should I read after Origin?

If you liked it, try Inferno by Dan Brown, The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown or The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown.