The Bourne Identity - Robert Ludlum

Robert Ludlum was a thriller writer with an enormous skill and breadth of knowledge. I have read many of his books, but only recently, having watched the films, did I decide to read the Bourne trilogy. The first of these is also the shortest, entitled The Bourne Identity. It is important to note that only the briefest plot outline has any kind of relevance to the film. A man is fished out of the Mediterranean is full of bullet holes and has complete amnesia. Only a small chip imbedded in his body with the serial number of a Swiss bank account and the name Jason Bourne gives him and his rescuer, a doctor who is also a recovering alcoholic, a clue as to who he ...  Read the complete review

After finishing The Bourne Supremacy last week I decided that it was probably best to go back and start at the beginning of the series. So I bought myself a copy of The Bourne Identity and sat down on Tuesday night and started reading. Almost a week later and I’ve just out the book onto my shelf having finished it. I’m a big fan of the films and that in part was the reason I was drawn to the books. I noticed during Supremacy that the story of the books to the films was quite different and Identity is similar to the film, but still massively different. When a fishing trawler pull a man from the Mediterranean sea to find it riddled with bullets the crew need to ...  Read the complete review

"The Bourne Identity" by Robert Ludlum was a book that my dad had recommended to me a few years ago but I never got round to reading it. It wasn't until I saw the movie that I remembered him saying about the book so I dug it out and was very impressed. The story begins with a body floating in the Ocean off the coast of Marseille. A trawler boat rescues the man but does not hold much hope for his life as he has been shot a couple of times and is showing the effects of 12 hours in the freezing water. They make it to the coast and the man is left with the local doctor. When he regains consciousness he is suffering from amnesia to the extent that he ...  Read the complete review

As a big fan of both the films starring Matt Damon,I thought I'd pick up the three novels in the series when I saw them in a book club together-wish I hadn't bothered now,stick with the film I say..... From the beginning,the book grips you with a mystery-a young man is found near-drowned in the ocean,his body as riddled with bullets as his mind is with holes.With no knowledge of who he is or where he has come from,the fishermen who rescued him drop him off at a local port;home to an alcoholic,washed up doctor who,over the next six months,treats him and aids this mysterious stranger in his recovery. Upon discovering a strip of projection film ...  Read the complete review

I have literally just reviewed the film of the same name, but I couldnt do that without reviewing the book. As an avid reader I read the book first before seeing the film as I have always enjoyed reading anything by Robert Ludlum and this book was no exception. The Bourne Identity is a terrific read, the charachter of Jason Bourne is fantastic and the story is incredibly believable. I promise that you will pick this book up and struggle to put it down again, as proved by the fact that one night it got to 3AM before I even realised the time. If you have seen the film and are expecting this to read like it was taken from the script you will be sadly ...  Read the complete review