The Bourne Identity

Rating:
Summary: BOUR-ING!
Review: I decided to pick up this book based on the favorable reviews and the upcoming movie. Sadly, this book was nothing but an EXTREMELY boring disappointment.

It has its moments, but Ludlum can't sustain the intensity. One chapter may be compelling enough to reel you in, but then it allows your mind to wander in a cascade of lackluster chapters. Not only is Ludlum a very poor writer, but he's also not a particularly good story teller. Through the mind of Jason Bourne, he routinely states the obvious and continues to restate the obvious through extremely tedious dialogue. Although I'm sure it's a great sleep aid for insomniacs, it took all of my will power just to finish The Bouring Identity to the bitter end.

Rating:
Summary: It was GREAT!!!!!!
Review: I thought that this was a really great book. I don't usually read these kind of books but I thought this was good.There was action and romance, it was exciting. It had a good climax and story line too. Trust me it's worth your time to read this book.

Rating:
Summary: The Bourne Identity
Review: The Bourne Identity is an awesome book! It is an action-packed spy thriller. There are so many twists and turns you must read it more than once. It's a great book for any action fan-lots of killing and betrayl! This is a must read. At first I was intimidated by the thickness because I am not much of a reader. This book got my attention from the very beginning. I couldn't put it down. I recommend this to any reader wanting an adventurous thrill.

The book is about an amnesiac trying to find his identity and avoiding assassins around every corner. He falls in love with a woman who helps him try to find his true identity.....Jason Bourne....or is it? The end is incredible!

Robert Ludlum made me feel like I was right in the middle of the action. His great descriptions of characters and settings are fantastic. He is a real genius and a true spy writer.

Rating:
Summary: Read the book first....then see the movie.
Review: I read the original printing of this Robert Ludlum novel on a flight from London to Dallas and could not put it down. I was exhausted when I got back for lack of sleep, but thrilled with the non-stop action that Ludlum provides.

After visiting many of the same locations that were written about in the novel, it was easy to picture the scenes in my mind. But the real value of the book is the character development of Jason Bourne with the multiple twists and turns of the plot. A real page turner for even me...an avid non-fiction reader.

Bourne finds himself on a beach with amnesia...and must take the clues one by one to find out his true identity...and why assasins are chasing him.

I highly recommend this book for those that like intrigue and a good spy thriller. The Bourne Supremacy is the sequel book...which is actually better than the Bourne Identity!

Rating:
Summary: The book has it all...A Spy-Thriller Classic
Review: ...one of the best books I've ever read

Suspense. Intricate, but believable plot. Good character development. Excellent.

Overview: CIA Operative with amnesia tryings to discover who he is.

Opinion:
It is difficult to keep a plot based on amnesia from getting too much like bad TV, but Ludlum pulls it off.

The twists and turns when this very solid storyline made this book difficult to put down. Further development of Carlos's character would have been nice, but you can't have everything.

...a Classic.

Rating:
Summary: Highly Entertaining Spy Thriller
Review: Soon to be in a multiplex cinema near you starring Matt Damon, Ludlum's super spy thriller is perfect pulp for the "Alias" or "24" lover in your family.
Jason Bourne washes up on a beach with no recollection of who is is or how he got there. Nursed back to health by a drunken doctor bits of his past slowly begin to come back to him, and with it the danger of his true identity. An identity that many would kill him for.
Detailed and intricate the plot is fast paced and action packed. The only down side to it, is it's near cliff hanger ending that pretty much expects you'll have the next chapter of the trilogy ready to go.

Rating:
Summary: Natural Bourne Killer
Review: He has 4 millions of dollars. He is a professional killer. He's been hunted by another professional killer. And he hasn't the slighest clue of whom he is. This is Jason Bourne -- or not.

Robert Ludlum's " The Bourne Identity" is already a classic thriller. This is the first instalment of the Bourne's serie and as many other series, you have to read all the books to really reach the end of the story. I mean, this novel has an ending, but it is very open, and many mysteries remain unsolved so far.

Of course the most developed character here is the man named Jason Bourne. It is interesting to see how he discoveries his potential identity little by little -- and brings up many other questions about himself. And as it should be, he is very afraid to find out who he is, because he may not be a good person. The other important character is Marie St. Jacques who is not as well written as Bourne. Sometimes she lacks in credibility, but it doesn't jeopardize the reading.

Some people may complain this novel is very dated: the actions happen in the mid 70's and geopolitics has an important role through the action. But it seems to me that only by that time such story would happen. Nowadays, the world is so different and tecnology much more developed that would make Bourne think and act in different ways.

I think the film version of this novel --starring Matt Damon and Franka Potente --that is about to be realesed is quite different from the material source, adding characters, events and maybe updating the story. We have to wait to see it. Anyway, I highly recomend this page-turner for those who wants to read some action and mystery.

Rating:
Summary: Vintage Ludlum
Review: Arguably one of Ludlum's 3 best. I'm looking forward to the movie, though I wonder. . .with Illyich Ramirez Sanchez a.k.a. Carlos The Jackal rotting in a French prison, how will they modify the story to fit the current era, that is supposing of course that the story will be told in the present.

Rating:
Summary: Easily 5 Stars
Review: This was a really great book. The characters all became very well developed and the plot is great. This book is not as well known as it should be since it was written in 1980. That will soon change when the movie comes out in May.

The Bourne Idenity is about a man who washed up on shore with no memory and who has amazing fighting skills. He found his name was Jason Bourne. Killers are chasing him for reasons he doesn't remember. He falls in love with a woman named Marie who is determined to help him get his memory back. But will Jason Bourne want to find out who he was? What if he was somebody he didn't want to be?

This book is great and is followed up by two other great books, The Bourne Supremacy and the Bourne Ultimatum. Ludlum's writing really shines in this book and it is his best writing. I would recomend you read this book today and gear up for the movie coming in May.

Rating:
Summary: Ludlum Never Loses It
Review: I read Robert Ludlum's book, The Bourne Identity, and lost a lot of sleep over late night read-a-thon's. I can't believe how RL grabs the reader from the first page and has the reader hanging on by their fingernails at the end of every chapter. I was so impressed by this book, when I discovered there were two sequels to the Bourne Identity, I immediately purchased them. They were not dissapointing either--two more weeks of sleepless nights trying to reach the thrilling climax at the end of each book! If you love high speed espionage with chases, the beautiful female love interest, and the antagonist disquised as an evil devil that 'good' has to overcome, then I highly encourage you to run to the closest bookstore or library and get your own copy!