Robert Ludlum's (TM) The Bourne Betrayal [Kindle Edition]

Eric Van Lustbader (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In Lustbader's workmanlike second novel to continue the saga of Robert Ludlum's amnesiac assassin and spy (after 2004's The Bourne Legacy), Jason Bourne joins the war on terror. Troubled by visions of a woman dying in his arms, Bourne seeks psychiatric help, unaware that the doctor is an imposter who has tampered with the rogue agent's already messy and incomplete memories. That mental sabotage is part of a diabolical plan by Islamic terrorists to strike at Washington, D.C., led by Karim, a human chameleon who has fooled the CIA—and Bourne—into believing that he's actually deputy CIA director Martin Lindros. Aided by an attractive fellow agent who manages to overcome her distrust of Bourne, he races the clock to uncover the traitor within the intelligence community. Lustbader is less successful than Ludlum in dramatizing Bourne's inner torment—a feature that distinguished the character from many similar thriller heroes. (June)
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Product Description

Already devastated by loss, Bourne is shattered by a report that his last friend in the world, Martin Lindros has gone missing. A CI deputy director, Lindros was in Ethiopia tracking suspicious shipments of yellowcake uranium and atomic bomb weaponry. His last lifeline to humanity, Bourne will not let Lindros go. Despite his hatred for CI, Bourne sets out to rescue his friend and finish the job: dismantling a terrorist network determined to build nuclear armaments by cutting off their source of money. But Bourne doesn't realize that these men, Islamic supremacists, are leaders of an incredibly dangerous, technologically savvy group with ties from Africa, across the Middle East, and into Eastern Europe and Russia. They have predicted Bourne's every move, and are counting on his unwitting help in their plans to destroy America.

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Product Details

• Format: Kindle Edition
• File Size: 847 KB
• Print Length: 764 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0446580376
• Publisher: Grand Central Publishing (June 5, 2007)
• Sold by: Hachette Book Group
• Language: English
• ASIN: B000QRIGRQ
• Text-to-Speech: Not enabled
• Average Customer Review: 2.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (112 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #15,289 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

More About the Author

Eric Van Lustbader is the author of more than twenty-five best-selling novels, including The Ninja, a New York Times bestseller for 24 weeks, in which he introduced Nicholas Linnear, one of modern fictions most beloved and enduring heroes. His New York Times bestselling novel, "The Testament," was published in September, 2006 and in paperback in August, 2007.
His novels have been translated into over twenty languages; his books are best-sellers worldwide and are so popular whole sections of bookstores from Bangkok to Dublin are devoted to them. The Ninja was sold to 20th Century-Fox. It is now in pre-production.
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. He is a second-level Reiki master.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

89 of 94 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Oh Dear, oh dear., August 16, 2007

By 

M. K. Lock (Santa Cruz, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Robert Ludlum's The Bourne Betrayal (Hardcover)

I'm a big Bourne fan and have read all the books. This one, I am sorry to report, is dreadful.
You expect to have to suspend reality a bit when reading books in this genre, but I felt my intelligence was really being insulted this time. Things occur all through the book that go beyond stretching reality to ignoring it altogether. Furthermore, I feel a book has really failed when it's long on description and short on atmosphere. This one dives into long detailed descriptions almost seeming like 'padding' but fails to involve the reader emotionally at all. It feels like it was a writing assignment rather than an inspired book. What a shame to end the Bourne series on a low note.

47 of 49 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Drivel, August 6, 2007

By 

Old Diver - See all my reviews

This review is from: Robert Ludlum's The Bourne Betrayal (Hardcover)

Just as I was beginning to think a book with Ludlum's name on it would be a winner, along comes this piece of mindless, technically inept drivel. Ludlum's "estate" had better take a closer look at what is being written in his name. Indeed, Robert must be spinning in his grave over the trite plot(?), ridiculous situations, and technical errors. Most disappointing!

51 of 56 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Bourne Frees a Memory But Freezes When Action Is Needed: A Step Down from The Bourne Legacy, July 9, 2007

By 

Donald Mitchell "Jesus Loves You!" (Thanks for Providing My Reviews over 109,000 Helpful Votes Globally) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 100 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Robert Ludlum's The Bourne Betrayal (Hardcover)

The Bourne Betrayal is a bloated book with one significant plot development surprise in it. Be careful you don't find a spoiler with that surprise described in it or you will find this book to be very boring from beginning to end as the results you expect occur.

Under Deputy Director Martin Lindros, Central Intelligence has been reforming itself to become more effective in combating terrorists. But not everyone is happy about that progress, including the terrorists. Based on a lead that suggests a risk of nuclear terror, Lindros returns to the field. Meanwhile everyone else wants to play politics to advance their own self interests. Jason Bourne is naturally concerned because Lindros is his only friendly ally.

Meanwhile, Bourne is struggling with recurring images of a young woman dying in his arms that he associates with the death of his wife. What's worse than amnesia?: being tortured by the thought that he may bear enormous guilt for the deaths of others. How can he clear his mind? The methods he tries have unexpected consequences.

Soon, Bourne is brought into the search for the terrorist threat . . . but he's curiously ineffective at what he does. He stumbles as he travels a road into lots of hostile territory to stop the threat. Naturally, each stop on the road is filled with violent confrontations that often wound Bourne.

If you are a Lustbader fan, you'll find this book hews closer to the Lustbader type of action thriller than to the Ludlum style. I suspect that after The Bourne Betrayal there will be so little of the Ludlum story line left that it will be like starting up a new thriller series.

The book's biggest weaknesses come in two areas: The technology employed is science fiction rather than being plausible and the characters are merely names that have an emotion or two attached to them.

The book's biggest strength comes in its realistic portrayal of how underground facilities might be stormed and subdued by small hostile forces. Whenever the book moves underground, the story brightens a bit.

For my taste the book could have been 200 pages shorter and it would have been more appealing. The extra length didn't do much to add either suspense or excitement to the story.

Unless you feel compelled to know everything possible about Jason Bourne, you could skip this book. Its impact on the character can be captured in a few short sentences in the next book in the series.

If you haven't read The Bourne Legacy, you'll probably like this book even less than I did.

If you decide to read this book, consider how appearances can be deceiving and how you can look past such false appearances to get at the inner truth.