Dan Brown's Robert Langdon series got a new entry this year: The Secret of Secrets is now available at bookstores everywhere. As fans of these books dive in for yet another mystery that only a Professor of Religious Symbology and Iconology can solve, newcomers may be looking for where to actually start.
If you're looking to read these books for the first time, you'll be happy to know that there's no reason you can't just jump right into the new one right away. While all of the stories are centered around the central protagonist Robert Langdon, the actual plot of each book doesn't rely on any sort of narrative chronology. So for example, if you wanted to start with The Da Vinci Code before reading Angels & Demons, you aren't going to ruin any of the story by jumping ahead in the publishing order of the series. The same goes for The Secret of Secrets, which is just as self-contained as the rest of the novels.
Robert Langdon Books in Order
The first book in Dan Brown's Robert Langdon series is Angels & Demons, which was published back in 2000. This may be confusing for those who have only seen the movies, as the Angels & Demons film was released in theaters three years after The Da Vinci Code.
Which book should you read first?
There is no univserally agreed upon best book in the series, but my suggestion would be to start with either The Da Vinci Code or Angels & Demons. They are some of my favorite Dan Brown books of all time and will get you a great first look at Robert Langdon's character. I also thought they were better on-screen adpatations than Inferno.
The Future of Robert Langdon
If you haven't been keeping track, Robert Langdon has now been played by two actors across three movies and a TV series. With the exception of 2017's Origin, every one of Dan Brown's Robert Langdon books has been adapted for the screen. The Secret of Secrets will also be getting an adaptation; Netflix recently announced it's being turned into a series. So while there hasn't been any sort of announcement about a seventh book just yet, the next TV adaptation of the titular Harvard Professor is already in the works.
We don't know much about the upcoming Netflix series yet, but according to a press release from Netflix it will be led by showrunner Carlton Cuse, who is known for his work on shows like Lost, Bates Motel, and The Strain. A new actor has yet to be cast for Robert Langdon, but it's safe to say that it won't be Tom Hanks again.
Jacob Kienlen is a Senior SEO Strategist and Writer for IGN. Born and raised in Portland, Oregon, he has considered the Northwest his home for his entire life. With a bachelor's degree in communication and over eight years of professional writing experience, his expertise is spread across a variety of different topics – from TV series to indie games and popular book series.
