Inferno (Dan Brown novel)

Inferno (Dan Brown novel)
Name	Inferno
Author	Dan Brown
Country	United States
Language	English
Series	Robert Langdon
Genre	Mystery, Thriller, Conspiracy fiction
Publisher	Doubleday
Pub date	May 14, 2013
Media type	Print (Hardcover, Paperback), Audiobook, E-book
Pages	480
Isbn	978-0-385-53785-8
Preceded by	The Lost Symbol
Followed by	Origin

Inferno (Dan Brown novel). *Inferno* is a 2013 mystery-thriller novel by American author Dan Brown and the fourth installment in his popular Robert Langdon series. The narrative follows the fictional Harvard University symbologist as he is drawn into a perilous quest inspired by Dante Alighieri's epic poem, *The Divine Comedy*, specifically its first part, the *Inferno*. Set primarily in Florence, Venice, and Istanbul, the plot revolves around a global threat stemming from transhumanist ideas related to overpopulation.

Plot summary

While suffering from amnesia in a Florence hospital, Robert Langdon is assisted by doctor Sienna Brooks after an assassination attempt. He discovers a mysterious object related to Dante Alighieri and a modified version of Sandro Botticelli's "Map of Hell". Pursued by a shadowy organization and agents from the World Health Organization, including Christoph Brüder, Langdon and Brooks follow a trail of clues hidden in locations like the Palazzo Vecchio, the Boboli Gardens, and the Baptistery of St. John. The trail leads them to Venice's St. Mark's Basilica and the sunken Basilica of Santa Maria Assunta, and finally to Istanbul's Hagia Sophia and the submerged Basilica Cistern. They learn the late geneticist and transhumanist Bertrand Zobrist, a devotee of Dante, has created a vector virus intended to genetically engineer sterility in one-third of humanity to solve overpopulation.

Characters

The protagonist is Harvard University professor Robert Langdon. His primary ally is Sienna Brooks, a former child prodigy and physician. The primary antagonist is the deceased Bertrand Zobrist, a billionaire geneticist influenced by the works of Thomas Malthus and Dante Alighieri. Key supporting characters include Elizabeth Sinskey, the director of the World Health Organization; Christoph Brüder, the head of the WHO's crisis response team; and Vayentha, an operative for the clandestine Consortium. The mysterious provost of the Consortium and the scholar Ignazio Busoni also play significant roles.

Themes and analysis

The novel explores themes of overpopulation, transhumanism, and the ethical dilemmas of human genetic engineering, drawing parallels to the philosophical arguments of Thomas Malthus. It uses Dante Alighieri's *Inferno* as a structural and symbolic framework, with settings like the Baptistery of St. John and Hagia Sophia serving as modern-day circles of hell. The narrative questions whether drastic, Malthusian measures could ever be justified to ensure species survival, contrasting the art and humanism of the Renaissance with a potential dystopian future. The plot also heavily features themes of memory, identity, and betrayal.

Publication history

*Inferno* was published on May 14, 2013, by Doubleday in the United States and Transworld Publishers in the United Kingdom. The first printing consisted of four million copies, one of the largest initial print runs in Random House history. The book was simultaneously released in hardcover, E-book, and Audiobook formats, narrated by actor Paul Michael. It was translated into numerous languages and topped bestseller lists worldwide, including *The New York Times* Fiction Best Sellers list.

Reception

Critical reception was mixed. Publications like *The Guardian* and *The Independent* criticized the novel's prose and formulaic structure, while acknowledging its compelling pace. It received praise for its intricate plotting and educational integration of art history and Dante Alighieri's work from outlets like *The Washington Post*. The book was a massive commercial success, selling over 200,000 copies in its first week in the UK and Canada alone. It sparked discussions in media about the real-world issues of population growth and bioethics.

Adaptations

A film adaptation was released in 2016 by Columbia Pictures and Imagine Entertainment, directed by Ron Howard and starring Tom Hanks as Robert Langdon, Felicity Jones as Sienna Brooks, and Irrfan Khan as Harry Sims. The screenplay was written by David Koepp. While the film retained the core plot and key locations like Florence and Istanbul, it made significant alterations to the story's ending and several character arcs. The soundtrack was composed by Hans Zimmer.

Category:American novels adapted into films Category:2013 American novels