Robert Ludlum, Three Great Novels: "The Bourne Identity", "The Bourne Supremacy", "The Bourne Ultimatum" Review

Overall Rating

A racey Trilogy, at points you can't put them down. Exciting and a storey line pacing around all over the world. A spy thriller that becomes one man's battle against this nemisis bad guy.

His is a set of stories, they are not literary novels as such and they fit perfectly into their genre.

I haven't finished the final book but am more than half way through it. The First book Bourne Identity sets the scene of a government man under deep cover trying to track down a notorious European Assassin, known as Carlos or the Jackal. Unforeseen is the tragic early event of Bourne losing his memory. Ludlum is excellent in playing out the scenario; our hero has to piece together his understanding of who he is, what he is and why he is being chased after. He meets his little helper who turns out to be more than a little helper, Marie. The event of getting her to help him to was one in which he coerced her. She falls for him and gets him to piece together his understanding of who he is and what he can do. She's a very intelligent woman. Something the film misses out and her role is important to Bourne's sanity. Together they tackle each day's trials and tribulations, enough to have you sitting on the edge of your seat. Reverting back to the film, I'd say this book has been best adapted, except the film completely misses the main story line of one killer chasing another and sets a different scenario.
Bourne Supremacy sees our hero come out of a short retirement, by the devious American and British governments. This is set in the orient. Bourne has to take on a copy cat that had taken his name and is set to destabilise the whole orient. Cause chaos and perhaps even world devastation. The American government kidnapped Marie, but being a resourceful woman she escapes them. Luck for her she did, it seems they have more leaks in their Hong Kong operation than a siv. Again the story in part plays on Marie's understanding of events. How she is also forced to go on the run and piece things together. The film well it completely loses the thread and is nothing like the book unless you count the title. Shame because there is so much in each of these books they could have easily made a 3 series television package, one which would have been worth watching.
Lastly Bourne Ultimatum has Carlos return. His sole objective is to get rid of Bourne; it has now become very personal. Bourne is in his early 50s at this point and is unsure he can bring it altogether again. But he has to, for now he has a family, and Carlos will kill them if he can. As I said I haven't finished this read, but I'd say it was the best of the 3 to date and I know the film will be absolutely nothing like it. A good read. Lots of action, violence and a running story line which makes you think you were on the back of Carl Lewis. A can't put down read.