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Bourne Identity
Bourne Identity
Author: Robert Ludlum
Jason Bourne. — He has no past. And he may have no future. His memory is blank. He only knows that he was flushed out of the Mediterranean Sea, his body riddled with bullets. — There are a few clues. A frame of microfilm surgically implanted beneath the flesh of his hip. Evidence that plastic surgery has altered his face. Strange things that he sa...  more »
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ISBN-13: 9780553242966
ISBN-10: 0553242962
Publication Date: 4/1982
Pages: 535
Rating:
  • Currently 3.9/5 Stars.
 15

3.9 stars, based on 15 ratings
Publisher: Bantam Books
Book Type: Mass Market Paperback
Other Versions: Hardcover, Audio Cassette
Reviews: Member | Amazon | Write a Review

Top Member Book Reviews

scrapbooklady avatar reviewed Bourne Identity 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 Bourne Identity 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 Bourne Identity on + 19 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
Robert Ludlum's best book ever, IMHO!!

Much better than the movie(a pale imitation).
reviewed Bourne Identity 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 Bourne Identity 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 "Bourne Identity"

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reviewed Bourne Identity 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 Bourne Identity on + 1217 more book reviews
Mass market paperback, not an audiobook.
reviewed Bourne Identity on + 6 more book reviews
I couldn't read it. The print on this edition is impossibly small.
reviewed Bourne Identity on + 22 more book reviews
A fast paced thriller - much better than the movie (and very different from the movie). I recommend it.
reviewed Bourne Identity 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 Bourne Identity on + 16 more book reviews
The beginning and worth it! Jason Bourne is lethal,
reviewed Bourne Identity on + 23 more book reviews
wonderful
daboots71 avatar reviewed Bourne Identity 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 Bourne Identity 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 Bourne Identity 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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