Robert Ludlum's the Bourne Deception [Hardcover]

Eric Van Lustbader (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 9, 2009

After Bourne is ambushed and nearly killed while in Indonesia, he fakes his death to take on a new identity and mission- to find out who is trying to assassinate him. In the process, Bourne begins to question who he really is and what he would become if he no longer carried the Bourne identity. Across the globe, an American passenger airliner is shot down over Egypt-apparently by an Iranian missile-leaving the world wondering if it was an accident or an act of aggression. A massive global team lead by Soraya Moore is assembled to investigate the attack before the situation escalates.
When Bourne's search for his would-be assassin intersects with Soraya's search for the group behind the airplane bombing, Bourne is thrust into a race to prevent a new world war. But it may already be too late.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Shadowy master assassin Jason Bourne spends too much time offstage in bestseller Lustbader's cliché-ridden fourth thriller in the Ludlum franchise (after The Bourne Sanction). Having pushed his latest archenemy, Russian Leonid Arkadin, off a tanker into the ocean, Bourne assumes his foe must be dead. Not long after, Arkadin ambushes Bourne, hitting him with a rifle shot that would've killed a normal man. Seriously but not mortally wounded, Bourne decides to keep his survival a secret. The duel between the pair gets submerged in a plot line about a corrupt U.S. defense secretary's efforts to use the downing of a civilian airliner in Egypt by an Iranian missile as a casus belli. The action sequences and inevitable betrayals are old hat. Clumsy prose doesn't help (œShe was dead, but he could not forget her, or what she caused in him: the tiniest fissure in the speckled granite of his soul, through which her mysterious light had begun to trickle, like the first snowmelt of spring). (June)
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Review

"Don't ever begin a Ludlum novel if you have to go to work the next day." (CHICAGO SUN TIMES )

"Lustbader is an excellent storyteller and is not afraid to keep the twists and turns coming in this sequel...This is an explosive addition to a series with an unrivaled heritage and storied pedigree." (Bookreporter.com on THE BOURNE BETRAYAL )

"Reading a Ludlum novel is like watching a James Bond film...slickly paced...all-consuming." (ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY )

"As twisted, dark and exciting as the others." (THE OKLAHOMAN on THE BOURNE SANCTION )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 423 pages
• Publisher: Grand Central Publishing; 1st edition (June 9, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0446539821
• ISBN-13: 978-0446539821
• Product Dimensions: 6.2 x 1.2 x 9.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (71 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #534,548 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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

113 of 116 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Where's Jason?, July 28, 2009

By 

E. Gormly (USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Robert Ludlum's the Bourne Deception (Hardcover)

Jason Bourne is in title only.

It is with agonizing sadness that I must tell others NOT to buy this book.
See, I LOVE the Bourne character; I love the idea of Bourne. I am the type of person who would count the days for a new Bourne (or Reacher) Novel.
I am also extremely forgiving in terms of plot, characters, reality and all the facts that get in the way.
I don't let a fact get in my way of enjoying a good yarn.

Robert Ludlum did an amazing job; Lustbader has slowly destroyed this fine series.

Where to begin? Since I am about the same quality writer as Lustbader, I will spare you my dribble and just list the issues.

1. Jason Bourne is in title only.

True.. Unbelievable as it might sound, Jason Bourne is hardly in the book and worse yet, he is not the focus of the plot, he is not tied to the plot, he is not the driving character, he is not the savior, he is not the lover, the fighter or anything in between. Jason Bourne is filler.

FILLER! Can you believe that? Lustbader can NOT be forgiven for this.

I feel like Lustbader took advantage of the license he has and wrote an overly emotional, intellectually drippy, poorly connected war for oil short story and then threw Jason in because he had a contract.

2. The story is crap. Really.

The plot holes and connections are almost unforgivable, as it is after all (supposed to be) a Bourne book, I can handle ridiculous coincidences, unrealistic converging of vague plot points, and seemingly super genius all powerful villains, but what is not forgivable is the 60% emotional filler. Not only does Lustbader feel the urge to minutely describe just about every A, B and C characters inner demons and haunting childhood (at inappropriate times mind you) , but he does so on a seemingly endless ramble. In some cases we go from one characters inner demons directly to another with not so much as a "hey, how are ya?" between characters.

I believe this was a book about Leonid Arkadin and the title should have been "Leonid Arkadin, a guy cooler than the emotionally crippled and stunted Jason Bourne"

3. The introduction of the supernatural is slap worthy.

When I started in on the supernatural bit, I wanted to look up Lustbaders next book signing and book a flight just to slap him in the face... What is Jason Bourne doing talking, discussing, believing in the supernatural? Suparwita? Really? Suparwita?

UGGH! This was STUPID. I challenge anyone to find someone who read this book to say they enjoyed this adddition.

4. The pansification of Bourne has continued...
Let's face it, in the last two novels, we have seen Jason turn into a wussie, a pansy, a putz. Emotionally Confused and dazed all the time, he can't tell a friend from foe, Monday from Tuesday or what leg to put in his pants first. Bourne has the sense of a 13 year old who's lost his mother in a supermarket. The woe is me, I feel so confused bit is tiring.

Jason Bourne is a mess, but not in a good way....

5. Bourne can't fight anymore.
This is probably the worst sin. Jason Bourne is a trainer killer, master of all hand to hand and weapons. Based on this book, you'd think he was a 14 year old mop boy at a taco Fiesta. He just can't seem to win a fight unless he gets some outside help or super luck.

What gives?

I have to end my review here because my heart just isn't in it anymore.
I will never buy a Lustbader book ever again. I think I actually hate the guy now.

This was a tragedy on all levels and trust me when I say... I am a forgiving fan.. I really am, I would normally forgive a lot for a "hero", but this book is just too much for me. I wish I could give it negative stars...

I think I'll go to my first book burning tomorrow.

51 of 53 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Sorry I Bought It, June 26, 2009

By 

William F. Cummings (Apache Junction, AZ United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Robert Ludlum's the Bourne Deception (Hardcover)

What can be worse than saying "Sorry I Bought It"? It is, "Wasted My Time Reading It". Not a good Jason Bourne Book and, in short, a lousy read. Too much jumping around with characters, too much time spent on history of some characters, very light plot, and way not true to the Jason Bourne as written by the original author. The introduction of "mystic forces" drives the plot towards SciFi writing. Doubt if I will pickup the next, and hopefully last, Bourne novel unless I can get it at a garage sale. Can not recommend this book to anyone.

46 of 48 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Bourne is dead., July 4, 2009

By 

H. Feshir - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Robert Ludlum's the Bourne Deception (Hardcover)

Very very dissapointing. I never write reviews since I don't consider myself an expert, however I felt it was my moral obligation to warn of this book.
The pace is extremely slow and boring, too many nostalgic moments and slow narrative that took away from the pace. Bourne himself was transformed into this dull character in this novel (never thought I'd see it happen). It seemed at times that the author was simply stuck and put a ton of fillers. A slow read, don't expect much. I am truly sorry for anyone who purchased this one.