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The Bourne Identity (Bourne, Bk 1)
The Bourne Identity - Bourne, Bk 1
Author: Robert Ludlum
He is a man with an unknown past and an uncertain future. A man dragged from the sea riddled with bullets, his face altered by plastic surgery-a man bearing the dubious identity of Jason Bourne. — Now he is running for his life, the target of professional assassins, at the center of a maddening, deadly puzzle. Who is Jason Bourne? To answer that ...  more »
ISBN-13: 9780553143003
ISBN-10: 055314300X
Publication Date: 9/1966
Pages: 535
Rating:
  • Currently 3.7/5 Stars.
 53

3.7 stars, based on 53 ratings
Publisher: Bantam Doubleday Dell
Book Type: Paperback
Other Versions: Hardcover, Audio Cassette
Members Wishing: 0
Reviews: Member | Amazon | Write a Review

Top Member Book Reviews

scrapbooklady avatar reviewed The Bourne Identity (Bourne, Bk 1) on + 472 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 15
I read "The Bourne Identity" after seeing the film and I enjoyed both though the book was better. In modernizing the time of the story for the film, new technologies come into play making Bourne's flight through Europe almost impossible because he could be tracked via cell phone signals, satellite imagery, email and the Internet. In the book there are none of these modern devices, allowing Bourne and his female companion more time to plan and act. I also prefer Maria in the book because she actually has useful skills. In the film she is just there as a convenient ride away from the initial confrontation and later hangs onto Bourne out of Stockholm syndrome. It was refreshing to see her have useful skills and a more robust personality than she does in the film.
watch4birds avatar reviewed The Bourne Identity (Bourne, Bk 1) on + 13 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
Dare I say it? This is one of the very cases in which I preferred the movie to the book. I picked up the novel after having seen the film starring Matt Damon, thinking to find a similar plot (though, of course, we all know movie plots always are changed). However, the book is extremely different. Honestly, I found Jason Bourne to be more of a "thinker" than a "doer" in the novel. Which, therefore, made it a far more boring read for me. Again, this is simply my opinion. It was still a decent book and I don't necessarily discourage one from reading it - just a warning that it is quite, quite different from the movie and I found it difficult to be fully absorbed by the novel.
reviewed The Bourne Identity (Bourne, Bk 1) on + 19 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
Robert Ludlum's best book ever, IMHO!!

Much better than the movie(a pale imitation).
reviewed The Bourne Identity (Bourne, Bk 1) on + 15 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
Unlike the movie, Ludlum engages Robert Bourne in an unbelievable series of events that draw him all across Europe. It's one of those reads that until you finish the novel you don't realize just how bizarre the trip is because you are so caught up in the events. This is one book you won't put down once you start reading it.
reviewed The Bourne Identity (Bourne, Bk 1) on + 7 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Reads more like a movie than the movie was like a movie.
Read All 73 Book Reviews of "The Bourne Identity Bourne Bk 1"

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reviewed The Bourne Identity (Bourne, Bk 1) on
I can't understand what all the fuss was about with this book. It was all hype. I thought the story and the writing were boring, and I had to force myself to finish it.
reviewed The Bourne Identity (Bourne, Bk 1) on + 1217 more book reviews
Mass market paperback, not an audiobook.
reviewed The Bourne Identity (Bourne, Bk 1) on + 6 more book reviews
I couldn't read it. The print on this edition is impossibly small.
reviewed The Bourne Identity (Bourne, Bk 1) on + 22 more book reviews
A fast paced thriller - much better than the movie (and very different from the movie). I recommend it.
reviewed The Bourne Identity (Bourne, Bk 1) on + 34 more book reviews
Great beginning but the rest of the plot never seemd to match it. Hate to say it but I enjoyed the film more.
btyboop avatar reviewed The Bourne Identity (Bourne, Bk 1) on + 16 more book reviews
The beginning and worth it! Jason Bourne is lethal,
reviewed The Bourne Identity (Bourne, Bk 1) on + 23 more book reviews
wonderful
daboots71 avatar reviewed The Bourne Identity (Bourne, Bk 1) on + 4 more book reviews
Typically, I prefer the book over the movie. In this case, I liked the movie better. Although the book is good, I ofter found myself a bit lost, especially when returning to the book after an extended absence (more than 24 hours).
ashleyelkins avatar reviewed The Bourne Identity (Bourne, Bk 1) on + 3 more book reviews
I was extremely pleased with The Bourne Identity. I have wanted to read this book for years and finally decided to do so after picking up a few of the sequels, not written by Robert Ludlum, during a closing sale at a bookstore. The story is very fast paced and keeps the reader on the edge of his/her seat; I had a difficult time putting this book down. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good thriller.
RomansGirl avatar reviewed The Bourne Identity (Bourne, Bk 1) on + 11 more book reviews
I hate that I saw the movie before reading this book. I loved the movie (Matt Damon, how could I not?). But I LOVE this book. However, I kept getting confused at first while reading because my head was stuck in the movie. The movie is, at best, a loose representation. If you've seen the movie, try to forget about it while reading this book.

This isn't a one day read, but you definately won't want to put it down. It took me some time to get through it but I was really proud of myself for getting through it. I have read part of The Bourne Supremacy but with 4 kids I haven't been able to devote proper attention to it. I'm waiting for summer to hit so I can read it pool side.

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Bourne  1

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