Book #50 - Origin

What would you do if you found out the US government had Satan in an underground facility in the south west desert. That’s the premise of Origin, where a scientist, a linguist, is recruited by the President of the US on an urgent mission. To figure out how to communicate.

When he arrives, he literally finds a devil, a creature that is larger than humans, with horns, contained in a facility way underground. The beast is fed sheep that it seemingly kills and then brings back to life, and a small staff of scientists are working to understand more.

It’s a fantastic story. One that really makes you wonder as a priest and rabbi, various scientists, all try to wrestle with the dilemma of this possibly really being a devil. With powers that seem to be able to create or heal life, I found myself wondering what I would do.

Of course things go wrong, as each scientist is damaged (how else can they live alone for years under the desert) and they make decisions to further their own aims of leaving the facility. They’re manipulated by the demon creature, and you might predict what happens.

But it’s still a fun read, and it’s wide open to a sequel.