What should I write about again?: Peps' Reading List: Origin by J.A. Konrath

I'm thinking I subconsciously wanted to take a break because I still have to catch up on writing about the earlier installments of Michelle Sagara's book series and I might end up forgetting important details the further I read. Or maybe I was in the mood for horror and Origin's cover was trying its hardest to be creepy, though I can't really say if I'm convinced on that part. Or maybe I was just so tired, I did something random and just went along with it.

Deep underground in New Mexico is a facility that houses a research that has spanned over a century. Project Samhain revolves around the study of an ancient creature that could only be described as a demon in its appearance. The US government has employed a general to run the program, a genetic expert to determine its race, a rabbi and a priest to determine if the creature is biblical in nature, a veterinarian to help determine its needs, and a doctor to maintain the health of the very small staff that are part of the project. For most of the project's lifespan, the research has been conducted on a subject that was in a coma. But Bub has woken up, and is speaking in a language they can't understand. And so Andy Dennison finds himself recruited in what could only be the scariest translation job he has ever encountered.

Origin features a core mystery that's intriguing and a motley crew of characters so dysfunctional that you know they're in trouble when the proverbial shit finally hits the fan. Each of the human characters have their personal demons, and once you find out that they are there to either escape their past, prison time or debt, it's not surprising that they won't be working well together if they have to face a creature that could very well be Satan himself. The air in Project Samhain's facility reeks of human failings and desperation, and the growing attraction between Andy and the initially stoic veterinarian Sun Jones isn't enough to eclipse that. And the more you read about Bub, the feeling of impending doom for these humans become more of a certainty.

While ambitious in its premise, Origin is moderate in providing entertainment for readers. At least, for those who want to be scared by what they are reading. It was easy enough to read (given that I finished in four days), but not because it was a page-turner but more so because it was light in its content. The characters have a penchant for giving lectures on their theories about Bub, which I suppose was meant to highlight their expertise and give readers insight about how science or religion would view him, but instead seemed to disrupt the narrative flow, which is also hindered by the novel being told from the perspective of every Project Samhain participant, both experts and subject alike.

Origin isn't a bad book. It's a decent read, especially when the narrative turns to action and Bub can be entertaining as the scheming creature that he is. It's just not going to be your first choice when you are in the mood for horror fiction that can actually make you feel dread or make you think long after you have turned the final page.