The Bourne Objective - Eric Van Lustbader/Robert Ludlum

Robert Ludlum's 'THE BOURNE OBJECTIVE'

A Jason Bourne novel

ISBN - 978-1-4091-1781-0
PAGES - 437
FIRST PRINTED - 2010
BINDING - Paperback
GENRE - Espionage/Thriller

AUTHOR - Eric Van Lustbader

BEST-SELLERS - Second Skin, The Bourne Sanction

INFO - Jason Bourne was created by Robert Ludlum. The original Bourne trilogy which included The Bourne Identity, The Bourne Supremacy and the Bourne Ultimatum was written by Robert Ludlum. Eric Van Lustbader started to write on Jason Bourne after Ludlum gave him permission. Since then there have been 5 more Jason Bourne novels. Robert Ludlum passed away in 2001.

SYNOPSIS - In Jason Bourne's fragmented memory lies the image of a young woman's murder. Before she died, she entrusted him with a ring - a powerful artifact that some would kill for... Now Bourne is determined to find the ring's owner and discover its true purpose.

Bourne's trail leads him through layers of conspiracy to Russian mercenary Arkadin - a graduate of the same CIA covert training programme as him: both men have equal skills, equal cunning and equal force. But as Bourne circles closer to Arkadin, it seems their ultimate showdown is not of their own making. Someone is playing puppet master and they want to know: who is the deadlier agent?

EXCERPT - "It's not that I'm not grateful, Dad. But really, you're an idiot for coming out here in the middle of the night. What did you do? Follow me? And how did you get in here?" She followed him into the kitchen.

A callused hand came over her mouth and, at the same time, the Glock was wrenched out of her grip. A deep swirl of masculine scent. Then she saw her father lying unconscious on the floor and she began to struggle.

"Stay still," a voice whispered in her ear. "If you don't, I'll take you upstairs and blow your daughter's face off while you watch."

FL Speak - Finally a Jason Bourne book after ages and i don't know whether I should be happy or wring Eric Van Lustbader's neck. Its been so long since i last read Bourne, that i almost forgot how crap Eric turned him into.

People, the only Jason Bourne books worth reading are the original trilogy that Robert Ludlum himself wrote. After that, its all crap compared to the original. However, for a time pass read, this books will serve.

In the Bourne Objective, we find Jason being a pawn of CI, Treadstone and what not! For the love of Jason Bourne, I DO NOT understand why Lustbader keeps on writing about him and degrading his profile. Bourne was almost 40 by the time of 'The Bourne Ultimatum'. And it looks like time has stopped. And what's more crap is that Lustbader had managed to make Bourne into a deranged James Bond. A womanizer and a killer with amnesia. For the second time. And well, he's second wife was murdered too...

Jason Bourne is the ultimate agent. The best of all the goddamned agents authors have created so far. Robert Ludlum's greatest achievement. And now, after his death, Jason Bourne is completely lost.

We all remember Bourne's greatest enemy. Carlos. Now that he's dead, Jason has a new enemy. Someone who might just be better than him. And why not? He was the creation of Treadstone too. The same Treadstone that created Jason Bourne to go after Carlos. In this book, the CI and Treadstone try to play Bourne against Arkadin. And in between, throw the Middle East, the Russians and another power-hungry multinational company. The plot is ridiculous. Bourne goes hunting for a ring which unlocks a drive in a laptop which is supposed to have the secret location of the legendary King Solomon's gold. Yeah! Sounds corny.

So Bourne has the ring, Arkadin has the laptop and the multi-national cult called Severus Domna wants both. On top of that, the Russians want Arkadin, Treadstone wants to pit Jason and Arkadin and see who survives, the CI wants Jason dead because he's a liability. The first 200 odd pages bored the life out of me that I had to take a 2 day long break. And after I resumed, i wished I never took that darned break. The pace increases tenfold as the characters start to meet. Moira and Soroya, on different missions by different agencies meet with Arkadin, both unknown to each other's missions and that when the real writing starts.

As Jason and every one makes their way to Tineghir for the ultimate face-off, Bourne must keep his wits with him if he is to survive his own death. With his memories lost and treachery all around him, the only option available is to team up with the enemy to defeat the larger enemy. The only question is, who will betray whom first?

Nice end. I loved the the later half of the book. Jason Bourne still has the edge. Though I still wish Robert Ludlum wrote a few more books of him. Don't get me wrong, Jason Bourne is my all time favorite. I just feel sad that Robert didn't write more about him.

P.S| A Jason Bourne novel is a must read for espionage lovers!

My Rating - 3 stars

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