Making My Beelzebubble Burst

A rabbi, a priest, and a molecular geneticist... oh, you've heard this one?

Well, they are all part of a super-secret government project in an underground lab deep in the desert. It seems that while digging the Panama Canal in 1903, workers unearthed a huge, humanoid being with wings, horns, and cloven hooves. The being was alive but in a state of suspended animation. So of course Teddy Roosevelt took him back to the U.S. and installed him in this no-expenses-spared secret lab.

Fast-forward to the present. The molecular geneticist is there to sequence "Bub’s" DNA. There's also an M.D. and a veterinarian on the study team. The priest and the rabbi are there just in case, and there’s a crusty old army general who runs the show and reports to the president. Bub has suddenly woken up and started talking, but no one can understand him, so a noted linguist is called in. But Bub picks up English real quick, so the handsome linguist is really there to romance the pretty lady vet and to team up with her to lead the heroics when everything goes horribly wrong (as we know it will because we remember Jeff Goldblum's speech about chaos theory in Jurassic Park).

This adventure is fast-moving, gruesome, and ridiculous if you think about it (and you don’t have to think very hard). But it had enough interesting characters (including Bub) and unexpected plot twists to keep me intrigued and just enough humor to lighten the gore. It’s also the right length--long enough to build suspense but short enough so the silliness doesn't become exasperating. I suspect that if you enjoy books by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child (especially their solo efforts) you'll probably enjoy "Origin."

Luke Daniels does his usual fine job of narration, right up to the book's memorable last line, which he delivers perfectly.

83 people found this helpful

what a trip

There were so many points at which this book could have gone horribly, crashingly wrong. To my amazement, it never did, and I enjoyed the hell out of it. Literature for the ages, this is not. But it's ontologically whacked, it's crazy fun, it's bite-your-nails exciting! And Luke Daniels does a fine job with the narration. Definitely recommended to take the edge off the the pain of the current political primaries.

65 people found this helpful

A Pleasant Surprise!

I purchased this Audible Book on a whim. I was checking out, and noticed the title, and scanned the summary, and since it was fairly short, and inexpensive, I added it to my cart. I sure am glad that I did so.
The storyline is imaginative, although it stretches the imagination a wee bit, but what I really found enjoyable was the characters, all of them.
I would recommend this quick listen to anyone who has a tendency to enjoy rather quirky, out of the ordinary Audible Books.
I don't really want to give anything else away, or it wouldn't be a suprise!

39 people found this helpful

Hellboy's alternate reality

Where does Origin rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Been a fan of J.A. Konrath for a while and this is now one of my favorites.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Bub. There are only a few characters in the book and while Andy and Sun are good protagonists, I really enjoyed Bub. I didn't root for him but thoroughly enjoyed him.

What about Luke Daniels’s performance did you like?

I liked how he did different voices for each character but really enjoyed his Bub performance.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense didn't find Hellboy this time.

Any additional comments?

Use the credit. It's worth it.

13 people found this helpful

Exciting...creepy...gory...I loved it!

Who was your favorite character and why?

All the characters were equally great...however Bub had some of the best lines.

Have you listened to any of Luke Daniels’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Yes, and he is one of my favorite narrators. In fact, the main reason I tried this book is because of him. I had never heard of the author.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Yes, but not in a nice way. When the baby attacked I thought the woman got what she deserved. She was totally bonkers.

Any additional comments?

This book was so extra creepy and gory. Not for the faint of heart. That said, sometimes I just need to listen to something like this and it fit the bill exactly.

20 people found this helpful

Awesome!

Where does Origin rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Its up there. The story was creepy and twisted all the way through. Just how I like them.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Origin?

Picturing "Bub" speaking for the first time would give me the chills.

What does Luke Daniels bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Did a really good job with different characters. I was never confused about who was speaking.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Hang on to your shorts... and bring an extra pair!

Any additional comments?

This story was fast paced and kept me listening all throughout. Looking into the different characters' past was quick and insightful without taking you away from the story. Author and narrator had me freaked on what was coming next. Putting myself in the same situation as the main character I could see the same reactions. I would highly recommend. I didn't know what to expect and was delivered a gem.

22 people found this helpful

Huge disappointment

Has Origin turned you off from other books in this genre?

No. The problem isn't the genre, and really, the book had great potential, except for two things; one, this is NOT, by any stretch of the imagination, a technothriller - if that's what you're after, try Daniel Suarez' Daemon. The second issue, I'll explain later.

What about Luke Daniels’s performance did you like?

Luke Daniels did a fantastic job with all of the voices, particularly with Bub.

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Frustration. The second part of the reason I think this book is a failure is that the pacing is really messed up, and the characters are a bunch of selfish morons.

The protagonist is a linguist who speaks 30 languages, but the day he shows up, before he does a single thing, suddenly the reason he's been called there evaporates. There is literally no reason for the protagonist to be a skilled linguist. He could have been a cook or an architect and the story would have been pretty much the same.

The way the characters are developed is pretty good, and the prose is also pretty good, but the whole book has the feeling of being hugely abridged; we spend the first half of the book learning who these people are and why they do what they do, and then they start dying gruesome, quick deaths. This only works if you are George RR Martin, and even then, it feels like a waste of my time.

Pretty much every single character there does something incredibly, irretrievably idiotic, tantamount to hearing a scream from the basement and going downstairs armed with a hairbrush.

Any additional comments?

Luke Daniels is a really great narrator; I look forward to picking up other books read by him!

16 people found this helpful

flawless

fast action. exciting. well researched. accurate tech. believable. consistent plot. thought provoking. great character development but not overdone. nothing to skip over in this book.

10 people found this helpful

Religious bombasity disguised as science fiction

I hated this book for so many reasons, not the least of which is that the title is misleading—it's a morality play, not a technothriller.

I got so tired of all the drivel about who's religion is correct, together with all the characters' guilt, remorse, and desiring repentance. That same theme is played out over and over with every single character—far too improbably to represent any real collection of people.

Before the end of the first chapter it became obvious—the book is just a blatant excuse for J. A. Konrath to burden us with his narrow-minded views on religion, Jesus, God, the Devil, God—and Jesus. Sound good to you? Okay—lap it up. For my part, I skipped most of the book to find out if any possible ending could justify all the tedious religiosity that drips from every chapter. And the answer is—NO!

Some folks who reviewed this book seem to be impressed that it was gory, or creepy. For me, it was far less gory or creepy than just about any realistic history of WWI. I can only assume that the people who liked this book are mired in the same kind of religious conundrum that compelled Konrath write the book in the first place.

Oh—Luke Daniels is a terrific narrator.

4 people found this helpful

a fun ride

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

twists and turns leaves you wanting more information on what is going on right from the start.

What did you like best about this story?

When you think you know, but you don't know.. that makes a good book. Konrath continues to deliver for me.

What does Luke Daniels bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

passion and flair.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

This book kept me in my car during breaks and lunches! Could not get enough

17 people found this helpful