Dan Brown’s New Book and Neurotech

TDT | Manama

Email: mail@newsofbahrain.com

What is Noetic Science? Neurotechnology? Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCI)?

We may not get full answers to these questions. But, in Dan Brown’s latest book, ‘Secret of Secrets,’ there is enough information to pique our interest.

Released simultaneously in 16 languages, in September 2025, it started at the No. 1 position on the New York Times Best Sellers list and stayed there for over 17 consecutive weeks.

Such is the popularity of Dan Brown that his novels now number an astounding 250 million copies in print, in 56 languages.

And such was the growing anticipation of his readers, for this new book – as he hadn’t written one for eight years — that it sold at astonishing speed. It was pre-ordered three months in advance, and flew off the bookstore shelves.

I had not pre-ordered it, and was upset that none of the bookshops in Bahrain had had it during September. My daughter sent a copy from India, through a friend.

“The hallmarks of Dan’s books -- codes, art, history, religion, and cutting-edge science – are on full display alongside a propulsive plot,” said Nihar Malaviya, CEO of publisher Penguin Random House (PRH) Global, at its launch. And, now that I’ve read it, I fully agree with him.

But, “there’s nothing in Brown’s new novel to rival the century-spanning Eurocentric conspiracy in The Da Vinci Code,” says Laura Miller’s review in the online magazine, Slate. And I agree with her, too.

Yes. I was a tad disappointed, like perhaps many other fans, because it did not live up to our expectations. In a way, he must be blamed. His tight plots with sudden twists used to keep us on tenterhooks. And we cannot expect anything less.

So, why am I not giving five stars? Simple. It feels less like a Robert Langdon thriller and more like a TED Talk in disguise. There’s less mystery, less Langdon, and a lot more science, technology, and brainy conversations. At times, it reads more like a “Web of Science” article than a fast-paced fiction novel.

We know that Dan Brown’s grip on new-age tech is just as good as it’s on art and culture, and history and literature. In this book, he shows us that the blending of human consciousness and future-tech is imminent.

(The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Daily Tribune)