Identify with the book, not the film! (The Bourne Identity - Robert Ludlum)

Member Name: tommy7

Product:	The Bourne Identity - Robert Ludlum
Date:	06/05/05 (2077 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great concept and story

Disadvantages: Requires full concentration (if this is a disadvantage!)

"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 doesn't know who he is. All he does have is a fiche implanted in his hip which has the name and number of a Swiss bank account. Beyond that he could be anyone. The doctor continues with his recovery but begins to see that the man is a highly trained professional and he suspects that he may be an assassin. What follows is a deadly chase where the unknown man is trying to establish his identity. Everywhere he goes people seem to want to kill him but he quickly establishes that he is more than capable with dealing with things most men would find impossible. Once he discovers his identity in the bank in Switzerland he must discover who he actually is. Can he do this before the American authorities or Carlos, Europe's most lethal killer, dispose of him.

This is the first Robert Ludlum novel I have read. He is an author that can paint a very vivid picture of whatever part of the world he takes you to (and there are plenty in this story!). His writing is exceptional and there is an attention to detail that I have never experienced before. When I read I tend to have music or the radio on in the background but I couldn't do that with this novel. Anytime my attention drifted slightly throughout the story then I had to go back and re-read the previous couple of pages. There is that much information packed into every page. Because of this it is not an easy read but one that is definitely rewarding if you stick with it.

The character of Bourne is very interesting. It is a clever concept where you are discovering things at the same time he is! There is no guarantee all the details are as they appear and it is worthwhile comparing your assumptions with that of Bourne! Although he is a trained killer who has been responsible for numerous deaths but you cannot help but be on his side. Admittedly you only ever meet the post amnesia Bourne so he could be an entirely different character. Once I finished the book I found myself wanting to know more about his previous life. Unfortunately, I don't think Ludlum wrote a book on this.

There are two sequels the Bourne Supremacy and the Bourne Ultimatum which may dip more into the past. I am waiting on these two novels being delivered as I enjoyed the first one so much. There is also the Bourne Legacy which has been written by Eric van Lustbader as Robert Ludlum.

One of the real strength's of the character is that the things are does are plausible. He doesn't get involved in fights with ten other men and win. He occasionally comes off second best in some exchanges and this adds a lot of realism into a world few of the readers will have experienced.

As I mentioned at the top there is also the movie and although it is enjoyable it is a pale shadow of the book. The main parts of the story have been ripped out and it is really just an action spy film. The book offers so much more in terms of story, character development and background that the film could never touch it.

I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone who likes this genre.

Summary: A good read