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Jason Bourne #6
The Bourne Sanction
Jason Bourne needs to regain his life as David Webb so he accepts an invitation from his beloved mentor, Dominic Specter, to join the linguistics department at Georgetown. It's a relief to leave the Bourne identity behind, but Jason soon finds himself in a life-or-death confrontation where every move might be his last.
Specter tells him that a former student and son of his old friend was killed by Muslim extremists known as the Eastern Brotherhood. Their leader is a man named Semian Icoupov, and he must be stopped because his next terrorist target is believed to be right here in America.
While Jason is busy pursuing Icoupov in Russia, he's become a target himself. Inside CI, a battle is brewing for control over the agency. In order to show the incompetence of its current director, two Pentagon operatives plan to accomplish what CI never could--hunt Bourne down and destroy him.
484 pages, Hardcover
First published July 29, 2008
618 people are currently reading
7557 people want to read
About the author
Eric Van Lustbader
155 books1,218 followersEric Van Lustbader was born and raised in Greenwich Village. He is the author of more than twenty-five best-selling novels, including The Ninja, in which he introduced Nicholas Linnear, one of modern fiction's most beloved and enduring heroes. The Ninja was sold to 20th CenturyFox, to be made into a major motion picture. His novels have been translated into over twenty languages.
Mr. Lustbader is a graduate of Columbia College, with a degree in Sociology. Before turning to writing full time, he enjoyed highly successful careers in the New York City public school system, where he holds licenses in both elementary and early childhood education, and in the music business, where he worked for Elektra Records and CBS Records, among other companies.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/ericva...
Mr. Lustbader is a graduate of Columbia College, with a degree in Sociology. Before turning to writing full time, he enjoyed highly successful careers in the New York City public school system, where he holds licenses in both elementary and early childhood education, and in the music business, where he worked for Elektra Records and CBS Records, among other companies.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/ericva...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 328 reviews
May 1, 2023
Jason Bourne wants to be more David Webb but accepts a job in which Webb would be a liability.
The ministry of Defense is eyeballing the CI for their own purpose so the new DCI has a fight on her hands. The key seems to be arresting Bourne a move that would show that the NSA could do what other intelligence services could not do.
There is a possibility of another terrorist attack on American soil and it has to be stopped, Jason Bourne to the rescue and on his tail another unstoppable and mysterious Assassin with a traumatic past.
While I could get the story wrapped around my brain it felt a little bit of a mess. This is not one of the better installments, but it is readable and the actionscenes are well put together. Good beach reading, too bad there were no beaches near me when I read the novel.
The ministry of Defense is eyeballing the CI for their own purpose so the new DCI has a fight on her hands. The key seems to be arresting Bourne a move that would show that the NSA could do what other intelligence services could not do.
There is a possibility of another terrorist attack on American soil and it has to be stopped, Jason Bourne to the rescue and on his tail another unstoppable and mysterious Assassin with a traumatic past.
While I could get the story wrapped around my brain it felt a little bit of a mess. This is not one of the better installments, but it is readable and the actionscenes are well put together. Good beach reading, too bad there were no beaches near me when I read the novel.
November 4, 2015
Originally, back in the dim and distant past that we now call 2008, this was my first introduction to Jason Bourne. An airport purchase having seen the three movies I was immediately confused by this book which appeared to bear no relation to those movies at all beyond the name of the main character and the fact that he'd apparently suffered from total memory loss at some previous point. At the time I didn't realise that the movies had pretty much kept only those two things (and the book titles) – no wonder I was thrown. Having since gone back and read the original three Ludlum novels and the two other Lustbader follow-on novels, coming back to this book again six years later makes a whole heap more sense than I remember before. Obviously, this has a become a series that requires you to have read the character's past to get the most out of the next book.
Suddenly I knew who Soroya Moore, Tyrone and Moira were this time and the story made sense at last. There were still a few annoyances – Lustbader is changing the character of Ludlum's Bourne with each book, each time becoming a little more reactive, even though he should know more of himself than any book before, it seems to suit Lustbader to have Bourne react to a formula plot rather than drive the plot himself. Maybe Bourne's just getting lazy now he isn't fighting so hard to find out who he is. His son of the previous novels has just vanished, and instead the super-villain Arkadin is on the rise and Bourne's enemy (for the next few novels at least).
Specter just appears in this novel with no real previous connection to Bourne, and yet with Lindros and Bourne's wife gone, he is just as suddenly Bourne's most trusted mentor (the formulaic replacement of Lindros and Conklin). Specter is a truly stupid name for a mentor that we're supposed to trust, it just screams of intrigue and untrustworthiness ().
Over all I enjoyed the second reading more than the first. Still not enough to push the rating up to that elusive fourth star, but it's either a stronger three than before, or I just overrated it last time. I'm still completely confused as to why the fight with Arkadin suddenly ends up in a secret room full of mannequins though? But I suppose that a mere second reading of this book could never clear up all of the confusions. I doubt even Lustbader understands why we had to fall into a room of mannequins for the story to progress.
Suddenly I knew who Soroya Moore, Tyrone and Moira were this time and the story made sense at last. There were still a few annoyances – Lustbader is changing the character of Ludlum's Bourne with each book, each time becoming a little more reactive, even though he should know more of himself than any book before, it seems to suit Lustbader to have Bourne react to a formula plot rather than drive the plot himself. Maybe Bourne's just getting lazy now he isn't fighting so hard to find out who he is. His son of the previous novels has just vanished, and instead the super-villain Arkadin is on the rise and Bourne's enemy (for the next few novels at least).
Specter just appears in this novel with no real previous connection to Bourne, and yet with Lindros and Bourne's wife gone, he is just as suddenly Bourne's most trusted mentor (the formulaic replacement of Lindros and Conklin). Specter is a truly stupid name for a mentor that we're supposed to trust, it just screams of intrigue and untrustworthiness ().
Over all I enjoyed the second reading more than the first. Still not enough to push the rating up to that elusive fourth star, but it's either a stronger three than before, or I just overrated it last time. I'm still completely confused as to why the fight with Arkadin suddenly ends up in a secret room full of mannequins though? But I suppose that a mere second reading of this book could never clear up all of the confusions. I doubt even Lustbader understands why we had to fall into a room of mannequins for the story to progress.
January 28, 2013
We are now so far away from the original Bourne series, I can hardly recognise the main character, his underlings, or even the connection that Bourne/Webb has with the man who opened Ludlum’s series years ago. Even taking the Bourne part out of it, this story fell far short of what I expected or even wanted to read, and it pains me that I have to see this drivel associated with what Ludlum built up over time. Where is the mentally calculating man? Where is the passion for justice and the king of espionage that Ludlum presented to us? Lustbader has taken this illustrious character and series and tossed it into the refuse bin, in hopes of making money off the name, and the Hollywood version of the fames spy.
I feel the books are just racing further and further away from the great books that laid the foundation for this series. While I found some of the earlier books more complex than I am used to reading, the challenge was worth it. Perhaps, had I no context, I could put up with these books, but since I know where this all came from and worry about where it is headed, I cannot sit back and pretend all is copasetic. While I like a good action movie and did find those Damon films to be full of action, I am not impressed with Lustbader’s attempt to ride piggyback on them to lure fans to the Bourne series. I cannot see many people who love the movies diving into the series from the beginning and being as enthralled. I guess I suppose Lustbader wants people to read ‘his interpretation’ and hope they toss out Ludlum’s previous attempts.
Those who have followed the reviews previously will know I am reading the entire series (what did I get myself into?). I am by no means impressed and worry they will get worse.
I feel the books are just racing further and further away from the great books that laid the foundation for this series. While I found some of the earlier books more complex than I am used to reading, the challenge was worth it. Perhaps, had I no context, I could put up with these books, but since I know where this all came from and worry about where it is headed, I cannot sit back and pretend all is copasetic. While I like a good action movie and did find those Damon films to be full of action, I am not impressed with Lustbader’s attempt to ride piggyback on them to lure fans to the Bourne series. I cannot see many people who love the movies diving into the series from the beginning and being as enthralled. I guess I suppose Lustbader wants people to read ‘his interpretation’ and hope they toss out Ludlum’s previous attempts.
Those who have followed the reviews previously will know I am reading the entire series (what did I get myself into?). I am by no means impressed and worry they will get worse.
January 16, 2016
THE REVIEW CAN ALSO BE FOUND HERE!
Reading series out of order is always an interesting experience particularly when it’s the Jason Bourne novels as I can dip in and out whenever I want and usually understand what’s going on, and that was once more the case with The Bourne Sanction, the second Jason Bourne novel that I’ve read that wasn’t written by series creator Robert Ludlum, instead by Eric Van Lustbader, who has taken over and written every Bourne title since 2003’s The Bourne Legacy, the last of the titles currently loosely adapted into movie format, and as a result, we have seen 12 Bourne books with the latest entitled The Bourne Ascendancy, which was released in 2014. I have read both The Bourne Identity and The Bourne Dominion, so I’m pleased to say that for the most part, The Bourne Sanction is a satisfying read, even if it can’t quite live up to the quality of the original Jason Bourne novels, however at the same time it suffers from plenty of problems.
Despite jumping in at book six there are a few disadvantages and I’m missing out on a few plot points that I would have been familiar with had I read the series, but for the large part it’s fun. The characters included are ones introduced in previous volumes that readers will be familiar with, Deron, a forger, Tyron, an enforcer, and the two female protagonists, Soraya Moore and Moira, who make interesting additions and it was fun reading about them for the first time. There’s also newcomer, a DCI Veronica Hart, who makes an interesting addition to the book as she tries to stop NSA from taking over the CI. However at the same time, The Bourne Sanction sees a growing list of people who want Bourne off the map for good, considering him a liability and dangerous. It’s no surprise then that a possible rival is lurking in the shadows then, the sinister Leonid Arkadin. Both Leonid and Bourne find themselves involved with the sinister and legendary Black Legion, a group of Muslims who once fought with Germany in World War 2 but now have another target in mind, America’s economy.
The Black Legion make for a sinister group of antagonists but The Bourne SanctionThe Bourne Sanction will be reading it in the actual order of the series and coupled with the films will care about the character by now, but due to his limited role in this novel, it never really works as well as it should and we never really get the feel that Bourne is in any danger at all. There’s a lack of suspense which is where I’m partly at fault for coming to the series late, but also, The Bourne Sanction doesn’t really surprise readers as much as a thriller like this should. The plot itself is incredibly convoluted as well, and as a result, never really has the impact that it needs to be memorable, rather than just another “Jason Bourne” novel.
The action is mostly fun though, and the book still moves along at quick pace. Bourne himself doesn’t get as much to do here but even though he risks becoming just another standard super-spy in this novel, and he is to some extent, there are glimpses of the character that fans love here and there. The Bourne Sanction could have used a greater antagonist though if it were to be truly memorable, as the main villain doesn’t stand out at all and is quickly forgettable. It’s probably the weakest Jason Bourne novel that I’ve read yet which is a real shame, but it’s not without its merits.
VERDICT: 6.5/10
Reading series out of order is always an interesting experience particularly when it’s the Jason Bourne novels as I can dip in and out whenever I want and usually understand what’s going on, and that was once more the case with The Bourne Sanction, the second Jason Bourne novel that I’ve read that wasn’t written by series creator Robert Ludlum, instead by Eric Van Lustbader, who has taken over and written every Bourne title since 2003’s The Bourne Legacy, the last of the titles currently loosely adapted into movie format, and as a result, we have seen 12 Bourne books with the latest entitled The Bourne Ascendancy, which was released in 2014. I have read both The Bourne Identity and The Bourne Dominion, so I’m pleased to say that for the most part, The Bourne Sanction is a satisfying read, even if it can’t quite live up to the quality of the original Jason Bourne novels, however at the same time it suffers from plenty of problems.
Despite jumping in at book six there are a few disadvantages and I’m missing out on a few plot points that I would have been familiar with had I read the series, but for the large part it’s fun. The characters included are ones introduced in previous volumes that readers will be familiar with, Deron, a forger, Tyron, an enforcer, and the two female protagonists, Soraya Moore and Moira, who make interesting additions and it was fun reading about them for the first time. There’s also newcomer, a DCI Veronica Hart, who makes an interesting addition to the book as she tries to stop NSA from taking over the CI. However at the same time, The Bourne Sanction sees a growing list of people who want Bourne off the map for good, considering him a liability and dangerous. It’s no surprise then that a possible rival is lurking in the shadows then, the sinister Leonid Arkadin. Both Leonid and Bourne find themselves involved with the sinister and legendary Black Legion, a group of Muslims who once fought with Germany in World War 2 but now have another target in mind, America’s economy.
The Black Legion make for a sinister group of antagonists but The Bourne SanctionThe Bourne Sanction will be reading it in the actual order of the series and coupled with the films will care about the character by now, but due to his limited role in this novel, it never really works as well as it should and we never really get the feel that Bourne is in any danger at all. There’s a lack of suspense which is where I’m partly at fault for coming to the series late, but also, The Bourne Sanction doesn’t really surprise readers as much as a thriller like this should. The plot itself is incredibly convoluted as well, and as a result, never really has the impact that it needs to be memorable, rather than just another “Jason Bourne” novel.
The action is mostly fun though, and the book still moves along at quick pace. Bourne himself doesn’t get as much to do here but even though he risks becoming just another standard super-spy in this novel, and he is to some extent, there are glimpses of the character that fans love here and there. The Bourne Sanction could have used a greater antagonist though if it were to be truly memorable, as the main villain doesn’t stand out at all and is quickly forgettable. It’s probably the weakest Jason Bourne novel that I’ve read yet which is a real shame, but it’s not without its merits.
VERDICT: 6.5/10
March 16, 2012
If this had been the first book in the series, I would have quit halfway through and never picked up another.
What a bummer! I can't believe I read the whole thing ... but I just kept hoping for improvement, and I kept thinking something important might happen that I'd need to know if I chose to read the next in the series.
But I'm probably done with the series. There are so many great books in the world to read, I'm not sure I want to invest anymore time with Van Lustbader.
The previous books in this series were all fantastic, but Van Lustbader has killed off most of the previous characters except for Bourne, and it feels like the author is taking the series a different direction than Robert Ludlum would have.
The plot of this book was a mess, and I can't think of anything about it that I loved ... except the part when it was over and I'd read the last word.
Sorry Jason Bourne ... as much as I love you ... I'm breaking up with you. Please don't call me ever again.
What a bummer! I can't believe I read the whole thing ... but I just kept hoping for improvement, and I kept thinking something important might happen that I'd need to know if I chose to read the next in the series.
But I'm probably done with the series. There are so many great books in the world to read, I'm not sure I want to invest anymore time with Van Lustbader.
The previous books in this series were all fantastic, but Van Lustbader has killed off most of the previous characters except for Bourne, and it feels like the author is taking the series a different direction than Robert Ludlum would have.
The plot of this book was a mess, and I can't think of anything about it that I loved ... except the part when it was over and I'd read the last word.
Sorry Jason Bourne ... as much as I love you ... I'm breaking up with you. Please don't call me ever again.
November 4, 2015
It's complicated, unnecessarily so to be honest. But, for an airport purchase (and my first Bourne book) a good read on a long flight. Maybe because I was jumping into the series at #6 rather than working my way through I was a little more lost than I should have been, but I soon caught up and enjoyed the ride.
April 25, 2009
I like Lustbader, I like Bourne, what can go wrong, worth a few hours of fun.
March 10, 2020
I recently read the previous EVL Bourne book (The Bourne Betrayal) and it was a badly written and badly plotted piece of utter nonsense. Awful, awful, awful.
I decided to never, ever buy an EVL book again. BUT, in my stupidity I had already bought the next book in the series, this one, The Bourne Sanction. So I decided to give it fifty pages and if it was as bad as the previous I wasn’t going to bother. In fact this is shorter (which helps) at about 470 pages and a little bit better. Instead of being awful, it is an over complex and average thriller.
David Webb (Bourne) is teaching language and is drawn in to helping his mentor there into tracking some information that could stop a terror attack on the US. The bad guys are an organisation that evolved from the Nazis into a Muslim leadership. But this is a book packed with differing agendas and double crosses, and everyone seems to be after Bourne, including a guy who is as dangerous as Bourne himself.
Back in the US all sorts of political backstabbing is going on in Counter Terrorism as different agendas come into play. Many of the characters featured in the previous book appear here, and to be honest, are the more interesting things in it.
But overly complicated, subject to the author’s weak plotting and the very last EVL book I will ever read. Life is too short to see characters you like delivered in very average thrillers.
I decided to never, ever buy an EVL book again. BUT, in my stupidity I had already bought the next book in the series, this one, The Bourne Sanction. So I decided to give it fifty pages and if it was as bad as the previous I wasn’t going to bother. In fact this is shorter (which helps) at about 470 pages and a little bit better. Instead of being awful, it is an over complex and average thriller.
David Webb (Bourne) is teaching language and is drawn in to helping his mentor there into tracking some information that could stop a terror attack on the US. The bad guys are an organisation that evolved from the Nazis into a Muslim leadership. But this is a book packed with differing agendas and double crosses, and everyone seems to be after Bourne, including a guy who is as dangerous as Bourne himself.
Back in the US all sorts of political backstabbing is going on in Counter Terrorism as different agendas come into play. Many of the characters featured in the previous book appear here, and to be honest, are the more interesting things in it.
But overly complicated, subject to the author’s weak plotting and the very last EVL book I will ever read. Life is too short to see characters you like delivered in very average thrillers.
November 7, 2011
Since this is the sixth novel starring Bourne (the Van Lustbader version), this Jason Bourne story focuses more on the growing list of supporting characters who've helped him in the past -- Deron (the forger), Tyrone (the street enforcer), Soraya Moore (CI / Typhon contact), Moira (the potential love interest) -- and the growing stable of politicos in the Beltway who want to put down Bourne for good.
There's plenty of political intrigue, as the new DCI Veronica Hart tries to keep the NSA from taking over CI. The real focus of the story is introducing a future rival for Bourne, Leonid Arkadin. Both Bourne and Arkadin's paths inevitably will cross due to the emergence of a threat from the Black Legion: an almost mythical cadre of well-funded Muslim fundamentalists who had once fought with Germany against the Red Army in WWII. Their new target: a crippling blow to the American economy. As a target, this is more timely in 2011
I actually "read" the book as an audio eBook, which made it more entertaining that it might have been if I had just read it.
I don't compare Van Lustbader to Ludlum because there is no comparison. Ludlum was a master. Van Lustbader tells an entertaining tale -- and the Arkadin character is well-developed -- but as with the previous post-Ludlum novels Bourne often appears as a supporting character who needs to wait for the plot to reach him. With the growing list of Merrie Men/Women in Bourne's band of outlaws, it's a wonder that someone (NSA? Anti-Bourne CI faction? Renegade KGB/FSBs with an axe to grind?) hasn't tried to turn one of them to the dark side and betray him.
Which brings me to Soraya Moore. I won't get into the details of the plot, but it surprised me that someone who's at her level (and, supposedly, intelligence) isn't all that great at coming up with foolproof plans against the bad guys. One scheme in particular came off as amateurish. That, or her foes have lead for brains.
If you enjoy audio eBooks, you'll like the audio novel. The world of Alex Conklin is in the past and new players are trying to align themselves accordingly. Arkadin will factor in Bourne's fate in the future and it's worth the read just to get into his background. I'd recommend reading to see the fallout of Bourne Betrayal's events.
There's plenty of political intrigue, as the new DCI Veronica Hart tries to keep the NSA from taking over CI. The real focus of the story is introducing a future rival for Bourne, Leonid Arkadin. Both Bourne and Arkadin's paths inevitably will cross due to the emergence of a threat from the Black Legion: an almost mythical cadre of well-funded Muslim fundamentalists who had once fought with Germany against the Red Army in WWII. Their new target: a crippling blow to the American economy. As a target, this is more timely in 2011
I actually "read" the book as an audio eBook, which made it more entertaining that it might have been if I had just read it.
I don't compare Van Lustbader to Ludlum because there is no comparison. Ludlum was a master. Van Lustbader tells an entertaining tale -- and the Arkadin character is well-developed -- but as with the previous post-Ludlum novels Bourne often appears as a supporting character who needs to wait for the plot to reach him. With the growing list of Merrie Men/Women in Bourne's band of outlaws, it's a wonder that someone (NSA? Anti-Bourne CI faction? Renegade KGB/FSBs with an axe to grind?) hasn't tried to turn one of them to the dark side and betray him.
Which brings me to Soraya Moore. I won't get into the details of the plot, but it surprised me that someone who's at her level (and, supposedly, intelligence) isn't all that great at coming up with foolproof plans against the bad guys. One scheme in particular came off as amateurish. That, or her foes have lead for brains.
If you enjoy audio eBooks, you'll like the audio novel. The world of Alex Conklin is in the past and new players are trying to align themselves accordingly. Arkadin will factor in Bourne's fate in the future and it's worth the read just to get into his background. I'd recommend reading to see the fallout of Bourne Betrayal's events.
Read
February 13, 2009I use these books from audible.com to work out with, to ride motorcycles late at night with and to walk with. I do not expect huge revelations or top literature. But this thing got so convoluted and complicated and ridiculous---one day they were in mortal hand to hand combat in Russia, garroted and injured and bleeding--crashing cars and shoot em up--the next day they are in Langley, one guy in Russia is related to some guy in Washington and another guy is a Russian cop but is in with the drug guys but really isn't and one girl is a slut but isn't and one guy is a super killer who is in constant flashback because he killed his mother because she let rats eat his foot and and I know that the main deal is a plot on an American building, but the twists and turns are not interesting, they are nonsense-- one groups is in Istanbul, one is in langley one is in Germany, one is running a "pipe;ine" of some blueprints that can't be digitalized-- stabbing and shooting and murder and just a free for all of gobbledeegook. The book was nonsense. I read it because it cost me like $30 on audible.
February 22, 2009
I have been reading Eric Van Lustbaser's Ninja books featuring Nicholas Linnear for years and have enjoyed them. Although they have a bit of oriental 'woo - woo,' they are fun reads.
I have also been reading Ludlum's books for 20 years and enjoying them immensly. The plots are convoluted, but why else would you read a 'spy novel'
Lustbader's continuation of the Bourne series [after Ludlum died:] and its subsequent movie fame has made Ludlums works more accessible to everybody.
The Bourne Santion is a good read with a convoluted plot, some suprises and, of course, a lit bit of oriental 'woo woo' as well. Good read,
I have also been reading Ludlum's books for 20 years and enjoying them immensly. The plots are convoluted, but why else would you read a 'spy novel'
Lustbader's continuation of the Bourne series [after Ludlum died:] and its subsequent movie fame has made Ludlums works more accessible to everybody.
The Bourne Santion is a good read with a convoluted plot, some suprises and, of course, a lit bit of oriental 'woo woo' as well. Good read,
January 9, 2009
It was a good no brainer read that wasn't as good as Robert Ludlum's writing but still good. I learned that you still don't mess with Jason Bourne and when you need something impossible done seek out "the man".
February 6, 2013
Half of this novel is fantastic! 1/4 of it is unnecessarily graphic and violent with maiming and torture. Still, hard not to like this story overall. 8 of 10 stars.
May 16, 2021
What a disorganized mess of a story. So many threads, so little organization, so much violence. Not my type of books.
August 12, 2022
Not like other, earlier Bourne books. Not my cup of tea. Too many inconsistencies.
May 23, 2013
Reviewed by Nikki Pringle for Reader Views (8/08)
When we catch up with Jason Bourne this time around, we find our hero doing his best to put the past behind him and move forward by living his life as his astute linguistic scholar alter-ego, David Webb. Memories of his beloved Marie and of his time spent in Project Treadstone under the direction of Alex Conklin still lurk beneath the surface. Bourne is not sure how much longer her can keep up the façade of a college professor when within him is the heart and mind of a trained assassin.
First, Moira Trevor requests his assistance with a security evaluation of an LNG terminal being built and readied for its first delivery of natural gas. Any threat to the depot would spell disaster for the United States economy and for the lives of the thousands of people living in Long Beach, California. While Bourne understands her apprehension and the need to review security measures before the first delivery arrives, he is determined to focus his attention on the new life he is trying to build for himself at the university.
Shortly after, his mentor at the university, Dominic Spector, comes to Bourne with a tale of treachery, international intrigue, and a terrorist threat from an organization long thought to be dead. The Black Legion was bred during the rule of the Third Reich during World War II and unbeknownst to most, it is still in existence and more powerful than ever, working as an unseen force in the dark underbelly of Europe. Spector requests Bourne’s assistance with finding out the location that the Black Legion is planning to attack.
With an interagency war between the National Security Agency and Central Intelligence raging at home, and a mob war happening abroad, Bourne is pulled in a multitude of directions and must use all of his training to fight unknown predators at every turn. “The Bourne Sanction” is full of the pulse-pounding action that readers of the Bourne series have come to expect. Determining who is working for whom and in what capacity will test Bourne’s allegiances and the truths he hold sacred. He is in for the fight of his life when the tables are turned and the hunter becomes the hunted. Eric Van Lustbader takes readers on a thrill ride with enough twists and turns to leave them dizzy, breathless, and longing for more.
When we catch up with Jason Bourne this time around, we find our hero doing his best to put the past behind him and move forward by living his life as his astute linguistic scholar alter-ego, David Webb. Memories of his beloved Marie and of his time spent in Project Treadstone under the direction of Alex Conklin still lurk beneath the surface. Bourne is not sure how much longer her can keep up the façade of a college professor when within him is the heart and mind of a trained assassin.
First, Moira Trevor requests his assistance with a security evaluation of an LNG terminal being built and readied for its first delivery of natural gas. Any threat to the depot would spell disaster for the United States economy and for the lives of the thousands of people living in Long Beach, California. While Bourne understands her apprehension and the need to review security measures before the first delivery arrives, he is determined to focus his attention on the new life he is trying to build for himself at the university.
Shortly after, his mentor at the university, Dominic Spector, comes to Bourne with a tale of treachery, international intrigue, and a terrorist threat from an organization long thought to be dead. The Black Legion was bred during the rule of the Third Reich during World War II and unbeknownst to most, it is still in existence and more powerful than ever, working as an unseen force in the dark underbelly of Europe. Spector requests Bourne’s assistance with finding out the location that the Black Legion is planning to attack.
With an interagency war between the National Security Agency and Central Intelligence raging at home, and a mob war happening abroad, Bourne is pulled in a multitude of directions and must use all of his training to fight unknown predators at every turn. “The Bourne Sanction” is full of the pulse-pounding action that readers of the Bourne series have come to expect. Determining who is working for whom and in what capacity will test Bourne’s allegiances and the truths he hold sacred. He is in for the fight of his life when the tables are turned and the hunter becomes the hunted. Eric Van Lustbader takes readers on a thrill ride with enough twists and turns to leave them dizzy, breathless, and longing for more.
February 15, 2011
I'll start by saying that while this novel is the best (so far) of the three Bourne books by Eric Van Lustbader, none of the new novels compare to Robert Ludlum's original trilogy.
The nice thing about this piece was the "candle burning at both ends" feeling I got as I followed both Jason Bourne and his "new" arch nemesis, Leonid Arkadin, to their inevitable showdown. The two men leave a bloody trail of bodies and bullets in their wake, and then, through an ingenius little twist, are forced to help each other out. I won't tell you how they resolve their differences in the end, but I am sure we'll see the two at each others throats in Van Lustbader's next Bourne novel.
The problem I had with this book was the stale side story between two of America's intelligence gathering forces. NSA and CI act like two petulant children. The novel is far fetched to begin with (all Bourne reads are), but the idea that these two "associations" are willing to cripple the other to curry favour with the indifferent president is mindless and boring.
Mr. Van Lustbader, stick to the reason we buy these books: Jason Bourne.
The nice thing about this piece was the "candle burning at both ends" feeling I got as I followed both Jason Bourne and his "new" arch nemesis, Leonid Arkadin, to their inevitable showdown. The two men leave a bloody trail of bodies and bullets in their wake, and then, through an ingenius little twist, are forced to help each other out. I won't tell you how they resolve their differences in the end, but I am sure we'll see the two at each others throats in Van Lustbader's next Bourne novel.
The problem I had with this book was the stale side story between two of America's intelligence gathering forces. NSA and CI act like two petulant children. The novel is far fetched to begin with (all Bourne reads are), but the idea that these two "associations" are willing to cripple the other to curry favour with the indifferent president is mindless and boring.
Mr. Van Lustbader, stick to the reason we buy these books: Jason Bourne.
January 21, 2012
- Maybe I would have liked it better if I had read the previous books in the series first
- The whole "everyone I love dies so it's hard for me to open my heart to anyone" is a bit cliche and definitely could have been handled in a subtler manner.
- I liked the way Arkadin's storyline was handled with bits and pieces being revealed slowly throughout the book
-The bad guys are Nazis turned Islam terrorists? Are you kidding me?
- What exactly the terrorist plot was still confuses me - a boat with gas on it was going to be blown up?
- Not poorly written, but nothing exceptional
- It drove me a little nuts that every new character, when being introduced, was promptly described physically in detail and the same thing for new locations. It felt a little amateurish.
- The whole "everyone I love dies so it's hard for me to open my heart to anyone" is a bit cliche and definitely could have been handled in a subtler manner.
- I liked the way Arkadin's storyline was handled with bits and pieces being revealed slowly throughout the book
-The bad guys are Nazis turned Islam terrorists? Are you kidding me?
- What exactly the terrorist plot was still confuses me - a boat with gas on it was going to be blown up?
- Not poorly written, but nothing exceptional
- It drove me a little nuts that every new character, when being introduced, was promptly described physically in detail and the same thing for new locations. It felt a little amateurish.
August 4, 2010
Got this on audio book from the library. Think I read the first in the series years ago, and I've seen the movies, but haven't read the recent ones. And, apparently, I won't be bothering. I was going to give it a CD and a half before I quit, but I got barely 3/4 of the way through the first disc. It started out with all sorts of action and violence and even some torture (not my cup o' tea, but I can put up with some for a good story), but once we got to good ol' Jason and friends the bad writing started to show through. All sorts of telling (vs showing) and nothing showing up in the plot that made me think it would be worth wading through. Non-starter.
July 29, 2009
I was a little disappointed. I'm a big Bourne fan, but maybe it was really Ludlum and not Van Lustbader. The plot was sort of hard to follow in spots, the characters were pretty shallow with one or two exceptions, and the action sequences weren't as compelling as I remember from earlier books. I'll read the next one though...
* Couldn't finish
** I had nothing else to do
*** Passed the time, would be **** for genre / author fans
**** Everyone could enjoy this book
***** Everyone should read this book, I'll read it again
* Couldn't finish
** I had nothing else to do
*** Passed the time, would be **** for genre / author fans
**** Everyone could enjoy this book
***** Everyone should read this book, I'll read it again
September 12, 2012
Why have some people given 5 stars to this book? Finding a rational answer to that would be more thrilling than the plot in the book! However,it must be said that the plot would not be too bad IF it was well written AND edited. A shotgun becomes a rifle the next time it appears a couple of pages later! I have never read Van Lusterbader but, expected him to be a better writer from his reputation. This book is readable (and, in patches, even a bit exciting) but most of the time you are looking for the next mistake or the bit of unreality.
August 1, 2009
Jason Bourne is once again drawn back in the shady world of international intrigue, dirty Washington politics, and ultimately, Treadstone. His new friends (Soraya, Tyrone, and Devon) help in Washington while Jason deals with his fiercest ever assassin, Arkadin.
June 23, 2017
Possibly the worst book I have ever read. At one point Soraya Moore is drinking Ceylon tea but when the cup is knocked from her hand espresso coffee is spilled across the carpet. Sloppy writing/editing.
December 19, 2016
It was a decent story, but it was fairly predictable in parts. It almost felt like a novelized version of a movie, rather than a novel in and of itself.
January 12, 2018
I have had enough. These books are so redundant I can't take any more.
August 31, 2025
#Binge Reviewing my previous Reads #Spy Thriller
By the time I reached The Bourne Sanction, the seventh installment in the Bourne saga (and Eric Van Lustbader’s third swing at Ludlum’s creation), I was well past the point of wondering whether Bourne could still surprise me.
The sheer act of binging twenty-five Bourne novels in one long, tea-fuelled ride teaches you that Jason Bourne is not just a man; he’s a renewable narrative resource. The book opens with Bourne trying, for once, to embrace something resembling peace, immersing himself in academia under his David Webb identity.
But of course, the world never lets Bourne be Webb for long, and soon he’s being pulled into a tangle of terrorism, covert operations, and the kind of high-stakes espionage that feels like a chess match played with live grenades.
What struck me about The Bourne Sanction was Lustbader’s attempt to inject a darker, more existential edge into Bourne’s struggles. Unlike The Bourne Legacy, which leaned on action sequences to prove its point, this novel takes the time to remind us that Bourne’s greatest battle is with himself—between Webb the scholar and Bourne the killer. That tension hums beneath every decision he makes, adding a psychological weight to the chase scenes and fight sequences. Lustbader keeps the international scope sprawling, jetting us from New York to Europe, with shadowy enemies and secret networks that play less like straightforward Cold War relics and more like a post-9/11 puzzle.
Comparatively, if Ludlum’s original trilogy (Identity, Supremacy, Ultimatum) were Shakespearean in their grandeur—operatic, paranoid, and dripping with Cold War dread—then Lustbader’s contributions are more like sleek, modern blockbusters.
The Bourne Sanction in particular feels closer to a polished Mission: Impossible film, brimming with stunts and globe-hopping but layered with moral ambiguities that make Bourne’s character deeper than Ethan Hunt’s perpetual daredevilry. Where Bond swaggers with martinis and gadgets, Bourne bleeds and hesitates, and in this book, that hesitation often cuts sharper than his violence.
I appreciated how Lustbader fleshes out the supporting cast here, something that earlier Bourne novels sometimes left underdeveloped. Allies and enemies alike have more shades of grey, which makes betrayals sting harder and alliances feel fragile. It reminded me a bit of John le Carré, though Lustbader never slows down enough to sink into le Carré’s brooding density. Instead, Sanction moves with the relentless pace that makes it perfect for a binge.
Of course, it’s not without its familiar tropes—double-crosses, conspiracies within conspiracies, and Bourne surviving situations that defy any rational odds. But at this point, those tropes are part of the comfort food appeal of the series.
Reading The Bourne Sanction right after The Bourne Betrayal felt like diving from one cliffhanger straight into the next, the continuity so tight that the line between books started to blur. Yet Lustbader still managed to deliver a fresh enough twist to keep me hooked.
In the wider landscape of spy thrillers, The Bourne Sanction holds its ground well. Compared to Bond’s more stylised antics or Jack Ryan’s patriotic earnestness, Bourne’s tortured humanity gives him a unique staying power. This book reinforces why, decades after Ludlum first penned him, Jason Bourne still feels relevant: he’s not a superhero in a tuxedo, nor a bureaucrat saving democracy with policy memos, but a broken man trying to reconcile violence with identity. That contradiction keeps the pages turning as much as the explosions do.
Reading it as part of my binge, The Bourne Sanction felt like the point where Lustbader truly came into his own with Bourne—no longer just extending Ludlum’s legacy, but actively reshaping it for a new era. It might not reach the feverish paranoia of Ludlum’s originals, but it carves out its own place in the franchise with a mix of adrenaline and introspection.
By the last page, I wasn’t just ready for the next book—I was bracing myself, because Bourne’s story never really ends; it just resets with new enemies and deeper shadows.
By the time I reached The Bourne Sanction, the seventh installment in the Bourne saga (and Eric Van Lustbader’s third swing at Ludlum’s creation), I was well past the point of wondering whether Bourne could still surprise me.
The sheer act of binging twenty-five Bourne novels in one long, tea-fuelled ride teaches you that Jason Bourne is not just a man; he’s a renewable narrative resource. The book opens with Bourne trying, for once, to embrace something resembling peace, immersing himself in academia under his David Webb identity.
But of course, the world never lets Bourne be Webb for long, and soon he’s being pulled into a tangle of terrorism, covert operations, and the kind of high-stakes espionage that feels like a chess match played with live grenades.
What struck me about The Bourne Sanction was Lustbader’s attempt to inject a darker, more existential edge into Bourne’s struggles. Unlike The Bourne Legacy, which leaned on action sequences to prove its point, this novel takes the time to remind us that Bourne’s greatest battle is with himself—between Webb the scholar and Bourne the killer. That tension hums beneath every decision he makes, adding a psychological weight to the chase scenes and fight sequences. Lustbader keeps the international scope sprawling, jetting us from New York to Europe, with shadowy enemies and secret networks that play less like straightforward Cold War relics and more like a post-9/11 puzzle.
Comparatively, if Ludlum’s original trilogy (Identity, Supremacy, Ultimatum) were Shakespearean in their grandeur—operatic, paranoid, and dripping with Cold War dread—then Lustbader’s contributions are more like sleek, modern blockbusters.
The Bourne Sanction in particular feels closer to a polished Mission: Impossible film, brimming with stunts and globe-hopping but layered with moral ambiguities that make Bourne’s character deeper than Ethan Hunt’s perpetual daredevilry. Where Bond swaggers with martinis and gadgets, Bourne bleeds and hesitates, and in this book, that hesitation often cuts sharper than his violence.
I appreciated how Lustbader fleshes out the supporting cast here, something that earlier Bourne novels sometimes left underdeveloped. Allies and enemies alike have more shades of grey, which makes betrayals sting harder and alliances feel fragile. It reminded me a bit of John le Carré, though Lustbader never slows down enough to sink into le Carré’s brooding density. Instead, Sanction moves with the relentless pace that makes it perfect for a binge.
Of course, it’s not without its familiar tropes—double-crosses, conspiracies within conspiracies, and Bourne surviving situations that defy any rational odds. But at this point, those tropes are part of the comfort food appeal of the series.
Reading The Bourne Sanction right after The Bourne Betrayal felt like diving from one cliffhanger straight into the next, the continuity so tight that the line between books started to blur. Yet Lustbader still managed to deliver a fresh enough twist to keep me hooked.
In the wider landscape of spy thrillers, The Bourne Sanction holds its ground well. Compared to Bond’s more stylised antics or Jack Ryan’s patriotic earnestness, Bourne’s tortured humanity gives him a unique staying power. This book reinforces why, decades after Ludlum first penned him, Jason Bourne still feels relevant: he’s not a superhero in a tuxedo, nor a bureaucrat saving democracy with policy memos, but a broken man trying to reconcile violence with identity. That contradiction keeps the pages turning as much as the explosions do.
Reading it as part of my binge, The Bourne Sanction felt like the point where Lustbader truly came into his own with Bourne—no longer just extending Ludlum’s legacy, but actively reshaping it for a new era. It might not reach the feverish paranoia of Ludlum’s originals, but it carves out its own place in the franchise with a mix of adrenaline and introspection.
By the last page, I wasn’t just ready for the next book—I was bracing myself, because Bourne’s story never really ends; it just resets with new enemies and deeper shadows.
February 20, 2020
After reading this next installment of the Bourne saga, I'm considering if it is even worth continuing. There were several things about this book that make me cringe and wonder why I even finished. Basic plotline is, Jason Bourne/David Webb is hired by Professor Specter to hunt down a terrorist group that murdered a friend of his. He also operates a secret intelligence service outside of CI and NSA.
The loss of star number one goes to Jason's attitude as a father. This book is the second installment after his wife Marie's death. His two children are now living with her parents. Several times throughout the book, Bourne makes several "excuses" as to why he won't raise his kids. Excuses like for their own protection is understandable but because they wouldn't want him around? They wouldn't care if he was in their lives or not? Even his excuse to keep them safe doesn't make sense. You are Jason Bourne, the man who has escaped enemies and the government how many times? And disappeared? He can do all of these things, yet he can't take his family and disappear? Secondly, he doesn't want to put his kids in harm's way because he lost both of his wives and a set of kids. Yet he has sex with a woman he barely knows and what happens later? She gets caught in a crossfire later on. That does not pass as putting someone in danger? You're living a double standard which to me is very unlike Bourne.
The loss of star two goes to predictability due to repetitive scenes. Several scenes were extremely predictable and the fact that Bourne fell into these traps really make you think if he's really a threat. The most repetitive scene, and by far the most disappointing scene, is the climax. Bourne is fighting a Russian assassin named Arkadin on a natural gas shipment in the Pacific Ocean. To make the scene dramatic, of course Bourne is losing the fight and he's about to be flipped over the boat into the ocean. And I swear the language was almost identical to the climax of "The Bourne Legacy" when he tracked the terrorist to a boat and then too losing the fight. He expressed the fact that he obtain his amnesia because of being thrown off a boat. But the cold waters would kill him. He would not survive this time and babble babble. Same exact climax and that annoyed me because Lustbader, you are a writer. Are you that narrow-minded that you can't think of anything original? If I had known the text was going to be same and I'd be reading the same story over, I wouldn't have read this book. That's why I'm considering ending my venture into the saga. In my personal opinion, I believe his story should've ended at "The Bourne Legacy". Four books, four adventures. Let the man have his peace and raise his family. Give a character with continuous hardships finally get his happy ending. I think that's all I ask for.
The loss of star number one goes to Jason's attitude as a father. This book is the second installment after his wife Marie's death. His two children are now living with her parents. Several times throughout the book, Bourne makes several "excuses" as to why he won't raise his kids. Excuses like for their own protection is understandable but because they wouldn't want him around? They wouldn't care if he was in their lives or not? Even his excuse to keep them safe doesn't make sense. You are Jason Bourne, the man who has escaped enemies and the government how many times? And disappeared? He can do all of these things, yet he can't take his family and disappear? Secondly, he doesn't want to put his kids in harm's way because he lost both of his wives and a set of kids. Yet he has sex with a woman he barely knows and what happens later? She gets caught in a crossfire later on. That does not pass as putting someone in danger? You're living a double standard which to me is very unlike Bourne.
The loss of star two goes to predictability due to repetitive scenes. Several scenes were extremely predictable and the fact that Bourne fell into these traps really make you think if he's really a threat. The most repetitive scene, and by far the most disappointing scene, is the climax. Bourne is fighting a Russian assassin named Arkadin on a natural gas shipment in the Pacific Ocean. To make the scene dramatic, of course Bourne is losing the fight and he's about to be flipped over the boat into the ocean. And I swear the language was almost identical to the climax of "The Bourne Legacy" when he tracked the terrorist to a boat and then too losing the fight. He expressed the fact that he obtain his amnesia because of being thrown off a boat. But the cold waters would kill him. He would not survive this time and babble babble. Same exact climax and that annoyed me because Lustbader, you are a writer. Are you that narrow-minded that you can't think of anything original? If I had known the text was going to be same and I'd be reading the same story over, I wouldn't have read this book. That's why I'm considering ending my venture into the saga. In my personal opinion, I believe his story should've ended at "The Bourne Legacy". Four books, four adventures. Let the man have his peace and raise his family. Give a character with continuous hardships finally get his happy ending. I think that's all I ask for.
December 4, 2011
I bought this book about 7 months ago, from a local Borders bookstore [they were still in business back then]. And it took me just that long to read it. I would pick it up, read several chapters, and toss it aside out of frustration. Like most reviewers have stated, the plot in this book is overly drawn out. Bourne is depicted as this rather laconic super spy, who is wallowing in self-pity due to his lost beloved wife. And there is another woman, who is literally ready to make love to him on a whim's notice; yet he keeps acting like he's scared to love again. There are also several unnecessary verbal interactions that discuss the conflict between Jason's dual identity - he is Jason Borne and his is also Professor David Webb, yet he can't seem to make up his mind on who he wants to be. There's really nothing more repulsive than a hero who doesn't want to be a hero, and yet he just won't walk away from the city/ the setting that forces him to act like a hero.
Additionally, Bourne keeps getting into these near-lethal scenarios that really ought to get him killed. And the main villain, a guy named Arkadin, who is supposed to be Bourne's equal, keeps getting the easy way out in all of his clashes. There is one scene in which Arkadin is chasing a "crime boss" that he's battered, and the pursuit bleeds out into the street in broad daylight. No one sees this killer and no one sees the fleeing wounded victim. Then a bodyguard in a luxury sedan shows up and picks up the crime boss, and this bodyguard is holding a sub-machine gun. Yet, after seeing that Arkadin almost killed his boss, the bodyguard leaves the killer and moves away, helping his boss into the car and then the cars speeds off........ Aaaalllrrright, that is just not realistic. Bodyguards with guns DON'T spare killers who beat up / threaten to kill their bosses.
Don't get me wrong; Van Lustbader is a good writer, but he appears to be trying too hard in this one. It's almost like he's struggling to achieve a sophisticated zenith of mystery and suspense. But that effort leads to what can be viewed as a poorly constructed pyramid of cards, which comes crashing down long before the end of the sloppily created story - and that's putting it lightly.
The multiple action scenes are perfectly done, crafted in a way that will keep you on the edge of your seat. But after you get through the first quarter of the book, you will be disappointed, because it just reads as something far too unrealistic.
As in many of his other early "ninja books", Van Lustbader is fond of initiating weird lengthy flashbacks without warning. Hence, often you won't even know you're reading a flashback until halfway through the 3-page recitation - some of them are even written like multi-page dreams that take off without any notice. Plus, in this Bourne book, there are a ton of flashbacks that seem to be rather unnecessary. And if you subtract all of them from this 600-page-thriller, the story actually flows better. There appear to be far too many twists, connecting the so-called good Professor Specter to the evil Black Legion, former soldiers of Hitler. And the amount of double-crossing in this long book will annoy you, making you feel insulted. Per the writers own design, it seems as if the main villain and the "secret villain using Buorne" could have resolved the sole issue in the book over a single afternoon meeting with coffee and cakes. Instead the villains scheme, sponsor killers, sponsor Bourne, fight, fight, meet & talk, reflect on old times, tell lies, then they leave, fight, fight, fight and kill each other, after killing a host of other people in the book. Yes, it was just that annoying.
Later, Bourne and the main evil killer Arkadin find themselves aboard a giant oil & natural gas ship [an LNG carrier vessel of some sort] and there is a bomb on the ship. This bomb needs to be found and disarmed before the ship reaches the harbor, lest it blow up a major port-side gas line and devastate the city. And rather than kill Bourne, the villain corners him and suggests that they join forces and find the bomb. Now remember, these are two men who have been at each other's throats, hunting one another directly and even indirectly through many looping leads throughout the entire book; and now, they are diligently WORKING TOGETHER to find a bomb. They succeed and find the bomb, disarm it.... and then they keep fighting.... WTF?????
If Arkadin really wanted to kill Bourne, then he should not have spared him and worked with him to find the bomb. After all, with the numerous unnecessary flashbacks that forced the book into a sluggish pace, it was clear that Arkadin did not care about living, and neither did he care about dying. All he wanted to do at one point was find Bourne and duel to the death. And when he finally gets the chance, he turns into a some sort of cooperative coward.
At the very end, a revelation is given that states Arkadin was a product of the same black-ops training program that produced Bourne. And that was truly a slap in the face to the audience. If Arkadin were such a bad-ass and Bourne's ultimate equal, then someone in authority would have heard of him, and there would have been records of this lethal ghost operative - who would have executed at least one mission in the past that was so bad-ass that it was confused with the hand-work of Jason Bourne, but that is not the case. Instead Arkadin is presented throughout the book as a tough hitman-for-hire, not as an American-bred super spy who is supposed to even be close to the caliber of "old man Bourne" [Per the original stories, this guy fought in the Vietnam War and he's still kickin' like an agile adrenaline pumped 25-year-old MMA fighter]. Additionally, none of the numerous pointless flashbacks ever eluded to the special training of Arkadin, Bourne's Equal. And neither had any one in the FBI, the "CI" or those few remaining officials in the USA knowledgeable of the classic Operation Blackbriar Program ever heard of Arkadin, even by another alias.
In retrospect, I felt that this was the sort of drawn-out tale that could be tagged as the ultimate last adventure of Jason Bourne. But if that were the case, then it would have still been viewed as an excessively overdone tale, which really could have been done a whole lot better and in far less pages.
Additionally, Bourne keeps getting into these near-lethal scenarios that really ought to get him killed. And the main villain, a guy named Arkadin, who is supposed to be Bourne's equal, keeps getting the easy way out in all of his clashes. There is one scene in which Arkadin is chasing a "crime boss" that he's battered, and the pursuit bleeds out into the street in broad daylight. No one sees this killer and no one sees the fleeing wounded victim. Then a bodyguard in a luxury sedan shows up and picks up the crime boss, and this bodyguard is holding a sub-machine gun. Yet, after seeing that Arkadin almost killed his boss, the bodyguard leaves the killer and moves away, helping his boss into the car and then the cars speeds off........ Aaaalllrrright, that is just not realistic. Bodyguards with guns DON'T spare killers who beat up / threaten to kill their bosses.
Don't get me wrong; Van Lustbader is a good writer, but he appears to be trying too hard in this one. It's almost like he's struggling to achieve a sophisticated zenith of mystery and suspense. But that effort leads to what can be viewed as a poorly constructed pyramid of cards, which comes crashing down long before the end of the sloppily created story - and that's putting it lightly.
The multiple action scenes are perfectly done, crafted in a way that will keep you on the edge of your seat. But after you get through the first quarter of the book, you will be disappointed, because it just reads as something far too unrealistic.
As in many of his other early "ninja books", Van Lustbader is fond of initiating weird lengthy flashbacks without warning. Hence, often you won't even know you're reading a flashback until halfway through the 3-page recitation - some of them are even written like multi-page dreams that take off without any notice. Plus, in this Bourne book, there are a ton of flashbacks that seem to be rather unnecessary. And if you subtract all of them from this 600-page-thriller, the story actually flows better. There appear to be far too many twists, connecting the so-called good Professor Specter to the evil Black Legion, former soldiers of Hitler. And the amount of double-crossing in this long book will annoy you, making you feel insulted. Per the writers own design, it seems as if the main villain and the "secret villain using Buorne" could have resolved the sole issue in the book over a single afternoon meeting with coffee and cakes. Instead the villains scheme, sponsor killers, sponsor Bourne, fight, fight, meet & talk, reflect on old times, tell lies, then they leave, fight, fight, fight and kill each other, after killing a host of other people in the book. Yes, it was just that annoying.
Later, Bourne and the main evil killer Arkadin find themselves aboard a giant oil & natural gas ship [an LNG carrier vessel of some sort] and there is a bomb on the ship. This bomb needs to be found and disarmed before the ship reaches the harbor, lest it blow up a major port-side gas line and devastate the city. And rather than kill Bourne, the villain corners him and suggests that they join forces and find the bomb. Now remember, these are two men who have been at each other's throats, hunting one another directly and even indirectly through many looping leads throughout the entire book; and now, they are diligently WORKING TOGETHER to find a bomb. They succeed and find the bomb, disarm it.... and then they keep fighting.... WTF?????
If Arkadin really wanted to kill Bourne, then he should not have spared him and worked with him to find the bomb. After all, with the numerous unnecessary flashbacks that forced the book into a sluggish pace, it was clear that Arkadin did not care about living, and neither did he care about dying. All he wanted to do at one point was find Bourne and duel to the death. And when he finally gets the chance, he turns into a some sort of cooperative coward.
At the very end, a revelation is given that states Arkadin was a product of the same black-ops training program that produced Bourne. And that was truly a slap in the face to the audience. If Arkadin were such a bad-ass and Bourne's ultimate equal, then someone in authority would have heard of him, and there would have been records of this lethal ghost operative - who would have executed at least one mission in the past that was so bad-ass that it was confused with the hand-work of Jason Bourne, but that is not the case. Instead Arkadin is presented throughout the book as a tough hitman-for-hire, not as an American-bred super spy who is supposed to even be close to the caliber of "old man Bourne" [Per the original stories, this guy fought in the Vietnam War and he's still kickin' like an agile adrenaline pumped 25-year-old MMA fighter]. Additionally, none of the numerous pointless flashbacks ever eluded to the special training of Arkadin, Bourne's Equal. And neither had any one in the FBI, the "CI" or those few remaining officials in the USA knowledgeable of the classic Operation Blackbriar Program ever heard of Arkadin, even by another alias.
In retrospect, I felt that this was the sort of drawn-out tale that could be tagged as the ultimate last adventure of Jason Bourne. But if that were the case, then it would have still been viewed as an excessively overdone tale, which really could have been done a whole lot better and in far less pages.
July 26, 2022
I know the plot isn't that original. Sanction is basically a reskinned Legacy, with Bourne facing against a mirror (Legacy was more, um, familiar).
But I am fascinated with the story that Sanction provided, a story told in pairs. I don't recall Lustbader focusing on so many pairs, I loved how a lot of the arcs paralleled each other because of the pairings. Heavy use of romantic pairings, too, and Sanction almost became like Identity in terms of how melodramatic it became (remember romantic Bourne? No one beats romantic Bourne - but the main baddie sure did try). Callbacks to established institutions are here too, and the B-plot within the Company was good too. And of course the necessary thrills are here; it's unfortunate that Legacy the movie needed to have an original plot given how cinematic Legacy, Betrayal and Sanction have been so far.
Call this one an "irrational five" then. Or maybe "not fixing what ain't broken."
But I am fascinated with the story that Sanction provided, a story told in pairs. I don't recall Lustbader focusing on so many pairs, I loved how a lot of the arcs paralleled each other because of the pairings. Heavy use of romantic pairings, too, and Sanction almost became like Identity in terms of how melodramatic it became (remember romantic Bourne? No one beats romantic Bourne - but the main baddie sure did try). Callbacks to established institutions are here too, and the B-plot within the Company was good too. And of course the necessary thrills are here; it's unfortunate that Legacy the movie needed to have an original plot given how cinematic Legacy, Betrayal and Sanction have been so far.
Call this one an "irrational five" then. Or maybe "not fixing what ain't broken."
May 5, 2019
Mildly entertaining beach read at best, but the far-fetched plot and convoluted twists and turns sometimes can be a bit annoying. Also, I feel like the split narrative where just when you were getting comfortable with one thread, then Lustbader splits off into another narrative, takes away from the momentum at times. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Also, the tragic hero Bourne is just not particularly interesting in this novel nor does he have to do anything remarkably clever or anticipate events in an interesting way. I feel like the Jack Reacher novels (I've read 4 so far) offer a superior level of entertainment with a flawed hero character similar to Bourne in ability but who is able to use his brain more and figure out things better which makes those novels generally more interesting.
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