If you are wondering how to read all Dan Brown books in order, you’ve come to the right page as we’ll be talking about every book he has written in his literary career and the correct reading order to follow!
Dan Brown is a phenomenally successful novelist from the United States. He is most well-known for his Robert Langdon series, including the very popular Angels & Demons and The Da Vinci Code. The last book in the Robert Langdon series came out in 2017, titled Origin. While he does have standalone novels, most of Dan Brown’s focus seems to have been in the Robert Langdon series.
The Robert Langdon series is so popular that it has been made into three movies and one television series. In the movie series (The Da Vinci Code, Angels and Demons, and Inferno), Professor Robert Langdon is played by award-winning actor Tom Hanks. In the Lost Symbol TV series, Ashley Zukerman plays Robert Langdon.
All of Dan Brown’s books turned into movies/TV series have received mixed reviews. The Lost Symbol received mixed reviews, with the movies being mostly panned. Out of all three films, The Da Vinci Code received the best reviews.
Sometimes making books into movies doesn’t always work well. This is why I’ve compiled this list of Dan Brown books so you can enjoy them in written form because the books are almost always better than their adaptations.
All Dan Brown Books in Order:
Robert Langdon Series:
Standalone Novels:
Other Books by Dan Brown:
Dan Brown Books – The Robert Langdon Series in Order:
1. Angels & Demons (2000)
Angels & Demons is the first book in the Robert Langdon series. This has even been made into a movie starring Tom Hanks and Felicity Jones, directed by Ron Howard. For now, however, we are focusing on the book.
After a physicist is found murdered in a Swiss Research Facility with a weird symbol on his chest, Robert Langdon, a symbologist from Harvard, is hired to come to check it out. This isn’t something he ever thought he’d be involved with, but he accepts it nonetheless.
What he ends up discovering is that the Illuminati, yes, that Illuminati, not only exists but plans to attack the Vatican with a time bomb. To stop this from happening, he teams up with scientist Vittoria Vetra.
Together they are going to try to figure out the mystery of the Illuminati and try to save the Vatican.
2. The Da Vinci Code (2003)
In The Da Vinci Code, the symbologist Robert Langdon is once again called to investigate a body covered in strange symbols. This time the victim is the elderly curator of the Louvre. Similar to the first case he worked on, this man has been murdered, and no one understands the symbols in which he is covered.
With the help of cryptologist Sophie Neveu, Robert tries to solve this mystery. Eventually, it leads them to discover a secret society called the Priory of Sion. Besides the murder victim being a part of it, people like Sir Issac Newton and Leonardo Da Vinci were also a part of it.
The Priory of Sion was dedicated to guarding a historical secret that could shake the religious world at its core. It’s up to Robert and Sophie to figure out what is going on.
3. The Lost Symbol (2009)
Just when Robert Langdon thinks he can have a moment to breathe, he is called to the US Capitol building. There, he discovers a strange object with five symbols on it. This object is incredibly old, older than anyone could ever imagine.
He would walk away from it, but then his mentor Peter Solomon is kidnapped. The only way he can save him is by accepting the mission of whoever left that strange object for him to find. It lets him into the strange world of the Masonic temple, which Peter Solomon was a member of.
Once again, Robert Langdon finds himself discovering historical secrets that were buried for centuries. These secrets will not only shock Robert Langdon to his very core but also the world. He has no choice but to do it. If he doesn’t, Peter will suffer the consequences.
4. Inferno (2013)
Robert Langdon just can’t catch a break. The past few years have had him discovering strange historical secrets and constantly putting his life in danger. This book sees Robert in his most dangerous situation yet!
At the start, Robert finds himself waking up in an Italian Hospital. This is concerning because he has no idea how he got there and can’t recall the past 36 hours. To add to the weirdness of the situation, there is this strange object in his possessions… an object he knows nothing about.
After discovering his life is being targeted by an assassin, he teams up with Doctor Sienna Brooks. Together they flee and have to try to figure out these codes that were left by a scientist obsessed with the end of the world.
5. Origin (2017)
In this fifth book in the series, titled Origin, Robert Langdon is attending an event hosted by Edmond Kirsch, a wealthy man in the technology business. Robert has been invited because Kirsch is a former student of his from about twenty years ago.
The event is being put on because Kirsch wants to show an astonishing breakthrough he has finally made. Robert and the other guests watch as the presentation starts. However, where Robert Langdon seems to go, chaos follows, and he finds himself trying to flee the Bilbao Museum, where the event was being hosted.
He is trying to escape with Ambra Vidal, who helped his former student set up the event. Together, they end up in Barcelona and learn that there are people who want to silence Edmond Kirsch. The last thing they want him to do is to reveal the discovery he has made.
Standalone Novels by Dan Brown:
1. Digital Fortress (1998)
Digital Fortress is Dan Brown’s first novel, which may not have been a success at the time but eventually gained many fans. This novel stars Susan Fletcher who is a cryptographer. When the NSA’s code-breaking machine can’t break a particular code, they enlist the help of Susan Fletcher to figure out what is going on.
She eventually figures out that the code is no ordinary code. It’s so dangerous that if it were released, it would destroy the United States Intelligence community as we know it. Now Susan Fletcher has to figure out exactly what she has to do while navigating betrayals, danger, and the possible destruction of her entire life and country as she knows it.
This might be Dan Brown’s first novel, but he does a great job of writing a thriller that keeps the reader on their toes until the end.
2. Deception Point (2001)
Deception Point focuses on a strange object that has been found in the Arctic Ice. NASA is the one to have discovered it, and because they did, they want to be the ones to investigate it and see if it is legit. This is where Rachel Sexton comes in. She is an intelligence analyst hired to see if this object is truly what it seems to be.
Accompanying Rachel is Michael Tolland, a scholar. The two head to the Arctic and discover all is not as it seems. All Rachel knows is that she has to warn the United States government of the danger, but before she can, she and Michael are attacked by people who want to kill them.
They have no choice but to run for their lives and try to figure out just who wants them dead. The only way they will get out of this alive is if they work together.
Other Books by Dan Brown:
1. 187 Men to Avoid (1995)
187 Men to Avoid is one of Dan Brown’s first attempts at writing. It’s in the nonfiction genre and was written not only by Dan Brown but also with the help of his wife, Blyth Newlon. This 96-page book was first published on January 1, 1995, and seems to be a book that is written half serious and half parody.
This book is written for women, and it doesn’t matter the age or stage of life they happen to be in. Any woman can take advantage of this book and learn about the type of men they should avoid. If they are already married or dating that man, they can still avoid them… once they break up or initiate a divorce.
The warning signs collection in this book will help women figure out what they should look out for. By doing this, they’ll be able to find the right man for them without going through any difficult relationships first.
2. Wild Symphony (2020)
Dan Brown is back with this latest book, and wouldn’t you know it, it’s a child’s picture book! This is very different from his other books, but it’s been so successful it was even nominated for Best Picture Book in the 2020 Goodreads Choice Awards.
In Wild Symphony, a mouse named Maestro Mouse loves music! He and his friends, which include a whale, cheetah, beetle, and even a swan, love music more than anything. There is plenty to do with this book. You can read and even solve the clues, leading to a coded message you can solve by the end of the book.
The great thing about this book is that it comes with an interactive smartphone app. It’s perfect for children and their parents, so if you happen to fall into that category, consider purchasing it!
Who is Dan Brown?
Dan Brown was born on June 22, 1964. He was born in Exeter, New Hampshire, and eventually graduated from Amherst College. Before writing for a living, Dan Brown was a composer and singer. Nothing came of it, so he worked as a teacher in the meantime. In 1996, Brown quit teaching and decided to become a full-time writer.
In 1998, his first novel Digital Fortress was published. It wasn’t until The Da Vinci Code came out that Dan Brown became known worldwide. This book reached the top of the New York Times Best Seller list and has sold over 81 million copies. Once this book became famous, people started checking out Dan Brown’s other books, causing them to get more popular.
The last book in the popular Robert Langdon series, titled Origin, was published in 2017.
FAQs:
How Many Dan Brown Books Are There?
There are a total of 9 books that have been published under Dan Brown’s name. Five of those books are in the Robert Langdon series, and two are standalone novels.
Are All Dan Brown Books Connected?
The only Dan Brown books that are connected are the ones in the Robert Langdon book series.
Do You Need to Read Dan Brown Books in Order?
You only need to read the books in the Robert Langdon series in order. Other books of his are standalone, so you can read them whenever and however you want.
Does Dan Brown Have a New Book Coming Out Soon?
There are reports that Dan Brown is working on a new book, but there’s no solid information regarding it so far.
Conclusion
And there you go, all you Dan Brown book lovers out there! Dan Brown is mainly known for his Robert Langston series, which is what bumped him into popularity in the first place. It’s so popular that there have even been multiple movies and TV series based on Robert Langston.
But as the adaptations aren’t that good and leave out several crucial elements that made the books a massive success, people generally turn to reading books. If you are one of those people who want to read the book after being disappointed with the adaptations, you need to have an idea of how to read Dan Brown books in order. So, I created this list just for that reason.
There hasn’t been a new book by the author in quite some time. We don’t know if it will be another book in the Robert Langdon series or a standalone novel. Only time will tell what Dan Brown’s next book is about!
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