Editorial Content for Robert Ludlum's The Bourne Revenge
Contributors
Reviewer (text)
With his latest entry in the Jason Bourne saga, Brian Freeman allows readers to easily slip back into the narrative that he has now carried for eight novels since he took over the original creation from the late Robert Ludlum.
To say that Freeman has taken this series to new heights would be a huge understatement. Quite frankly, he has made it his own, and THE BOURNE REVENGE provides us with everything we possibly could want from a Bourne novel. In Freeman’s hands, the saga has no beginning or end. It merely moves from book to book as we eagerly wait to dive into the next adventure.
Bourne’s memory issues have been clearly outlined in prior installments, and bouts of amnesia still haunt him. He continues to meet with his therapist, Mo Panov, in an effort to open up his sealed-off memories.
"THE BOURNE REVENGE adds yet another layer to the complex character of Jason Bourne... This is one of the best Bourne novels I have ever read as it kept me guessing at every dynamic turn."
Eight years ago, Bourne was relaxing at a fancy Miami resort where he was approached by a bikini-clad beauty. While speaking with her, he noticed an Asian man who looked like an assassin he once knew as Fang. The young lady was suddenly called away and taken by a group of unknown Asians to a location where she was murdered. Bourne followed this trail to Wisconsin but has no recollection of traveling there, nor does he remember what he did or saw.
In the present day, Bourne’s overseer and occasional lover, Shadow, has made him privy to the Files, a hacked AI database that she stole from the Chinese. Bai Ze, a mysterious American spy who runs Chinese espionage operations in the US, wants it back at any cost. It is Bourne's job to uncover Bai Ze's true identity and prevent him from seizing control of the Files. As memory-addled as he may be, Bourne knows full well not to trust anyone, including Shadow, and to go on his instincts that have kept him alive so far.
While searching for the elusive spy, Bourne is approached by journalist Laney Reese, who, coincidentally, has the same affliction as he does. She only remembers being in a car accident eight years ago, while her life preceding it has been erased. He immediately finds kinship with Laney and shares what he can about his mission while also seeking to protect her.
All roads lead to one of the richest men in the world, Alvin Bakk, who tells Bourne that they are on the same team. He indicates that Bai Ze has infiltrated his companies and is seeking to use industrial espionage to help China thwart the work he is doing --- which I will not reveal here because it is wild and special. Bakk shares with Bourne his association with DARPA, which has long been involved in memory experiments and might be behind the lost events that Bourne is seeking to remember.
There is much more to tell, but I don’t want to spoil anything. THE BOURNE REVENGE adds yet another layer to the complex character of Jason Bourne and once again leaves the door wide open for him to take on his next challenge. This is one of the best Bourne novels I have ever read as it kept me guessing at every dynamic turn.
Teaser
Shadow --- the head of Treadstone --- has found evidence of massive Chinese espionage activity in the U.S. The spy running the operations is a shadowy American known only by the codename Bai Ze. No one knows who he is, but when Shadow consults the Files --- the hacked AI database she stole from the Chinese --- she discovers that Jason Bourne encountered Bai Ze during an operation eight years earlier. The trouble is, Bourne doesn’t remember him. As Bourne hunts for the elusive spy, he meets a reporter named Laney Reese, who shares his strange affliction: eight years ago, Laney lost her entire memory, too. Bourne is convinced that whatever happened to both of them is at the heart of the Chinese espionage operation. With Laney at his side, Bourne follows a zigzagging trail of clues to a quirky billionaire and his ex-wife, both of whom may have ties to Bai Ze.
Promo
Shadow --- the head of Treadstone --- has found evidence of massive Chinese espionage activity in the U.S. The spy running the operations is a shadowy American known only by the codename Bai Ze. No one knows who he is, but when Shadow consults the Files --- the hacked AI database she stole from the Chinese --- she discovers that Jason Bourne encountered Bai Ze during an operation eight years earlier. The trouble is, Bourne doesn’t remember him. As Bourne hunts for the elusive spy, he meets a reporter named Laney Reese, who shares his strange affliction: eight years ago, Laney lost her entire memory, too. Bourne is convinced that whatever happened to both of them is at the heart of the Chinese espionage operation. With Laney at his side, Bourne follows a zigzagging trail of clues to a quirky billionaire and his ex-wife, both of whom may have ties to Bai Ze.
About the Book
The identity of a deadly Chinese spy lies hidden in Jason Bourne’s lost memory in this latest entry in the #1 New York Times bestselling series.
Shadow --- the head of Treadstone --- has found evidence of massive Chinese espionage activity in the U.S. The spy running the operations is a shadowy American known only by the codename Bai Ze. No one knows who he is, but when Shadow consults the Files --- the hacked AI database she stole from the Chinese --- she discovers that Jason Bourne encountered Bai Ze during an operation eight years earlier.
The trouble is, Bourne doesn’t remember him.
As Bourne hunts for the elusive spy, he meets a reporter named Laney Reese who shares his strange affliction: eight years ago, Laney lost her entire memory, too. For Bourne, that can’t be a coincidence. He’s convinced that whatever happened to both of them is at the heart of the Chinese espionage operation.
With Laney at his side, Bourne follows a zigzagging trail of clues to a quirky billionaire and his ex-wife, both of whom may have ties to Bai Ze. As he gets closer to his shadowy adversary, Bourne begins to suspect that he’s walking into a trap. But it’s a trap with an almost irresistible bait --- the chance to recover his forgotten memories.
Now Bourne must decide how far he’ll go to get his life back.
Audiobook available, read by Scott Brick
