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Description
The world's two deadliest spies in the ultimate showdown. At a small-town carnival two men, each mysteriously summoned by telegram, witness a bizarre killing. The telegrams are signed Jason Bourne. Only they know Bourne's true identity and understand the telegram is really a message from Bourne's mortal enemy, Carlos, known also as the Jackal, the world's deadliest and most elusive terrorist. And furthermore, they know that the Jackal wants: a final confrontation with Bourne. Now David Webb, professor of Oriental studies, husband, and father, must do what he hoped he would never have to do again -- assume the terrible identity of Jason Bourne. His plan is simple: to infiltrate the politically and economically Medusan group and use himself as bait to lure the cunning Jackal into a deadly trap -- a trap from which only one of them will escape. From the Paperback edition.… (more)
User reviews
I hated how minor people helping had to be killed off to save the precious hero, but I guess it is the nature of the this thriller genre.
I liked it, but the formula is getting a bit too predictable for me. I do not have Ludlum on my priority reading list anymore.… (more)
Robert Ludlum's Bourne Ultimatum follows David Webb, formerly Jason Bourne, and his family as they are chased and attacked by Carlos The Jackal, a long time enemy of Bourne's. It describes the measures one man will go through to protect the people he loves most while also unearthing deep and terrible secrets from his past.
While this summary portrays an amazing novel full of action, love, and deceit, this being the reason I began reading it, Mr. Ludlums follow through fell far short of my expectations. My main problem with this book was how it became gradually more complicated to follow with new characters being introduced without a proper description of how they fit into the story, new settings further throwing the reader of, from Boston to Europe to a tropical island in the Caribbean. The use of past topics and missions of Bourne's complicating the plot line even more by bringing up the Jackal's and Bourne's past together partially but leaving large chunks of the story out leaving the reader feeling like he or she is missing a substantial part of the story. This however was not my only disgruntlement with The Bourne Ultimatum the use of description being severely lacking throughout the book.
Robert Ludlum ineptly describes most parts of this story by giving it a one dimensional perspective and frequently using childish and quite frankly pathetic excuses for adjectives and adverbs, such as saying bad instead of abominable or atrocious. He also tries using onomatopoeia, very poorly in my opinion, to mask his misuse of adjectives and adverbs. Ludlum himself being a US marine, I would expect a greater use of description especially in an action filled thriller, such as this was meant to be, since he has fought in times of war and has first hand experience with high powered weaponry, therefore I rate The Bourne Ultimatum a 1 out of 5 stars.… (more)
I'd still recommend it and I look forward to reading others in the series.… (more)
My wife had them laying around and I was in a spy mode for a while, gobbling up some of the spy books we've collected. It's odd that Matt Damon can portray a cold killer better than a writer, but I found the books' Jason Bourne to be overwrought and melodramatic. This third book I found the most tedious of the lot.
On the positive side, the advice on a bloody nose that Bourne's psychologist friend received from the trucker outside Virginia (?) somewhere is 100% spot on!! I can't remember which book it's in; probably the second one.… (more)