From Publishers Weekly
Veteran thriller maestro Lustbader (Black Heart, etc.) seizes the reins of Robert Ludlum's bestselling Jason Bourne series, proving that even Ludlum's death can't stop the ex-CIA operative. David Webb, a mild-mannered Georgetown professor, harbors his old Bourne identity deep within his psyche—except in moments of danger. A mysterious assassin, Khan, has targeted Webb. Seeking counsel from his old CIA handler, Alex Conklin, Webb arrives at Conklin's home to find him, along with Webb's psychiatrist and friend, Mo Panov, murdered. Unsurprisingly, it's a setup, and Webb is declared a rogue agent and the prime suspect. His only clue to the real killer is a pad of paper with a faint impression of the notation "NX 20." Meanwhile, in Reykjavik, preparations are underway for the upcoming summit on worldwide terrorism. Even the dimmest thriller reader will immediately intuit that Bourne, pursued by the world's leading intelligence agencies, will end up in Iceland confronting some evildoer out to wreak havoc on the international terror conference. And thus it comes to pass. Lustbader has wisely eschewed mimicking Ludlum's signature style—short punchy paragraphs with lots of exclamation points. His own prose, often cliche-ridden ("Khan felt as if his brain was about to explode. He was shaken to his very foundation"), is perfectly serviceable, effectively conveying the myriad cinematic hairsbreadth escapes, crosses, double crosses, explosions, furious fisticuffs and careening plot twists. It's a hearty serving of meat and potatoes action adventure, just the sort of fare that both Ludlum's and Lustbader's fans relish. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From AudioFile
Jason Bourne, former CIA agent, now David Webb, linguistics professor at Georgetown University, is framed for the murder of two associates and becomes an assassin's target. Forced to resume his former identity, Bourne resurrects his survival skills. Scott Brick depicts Bourne as focused and deadly--willing to risk everything in his pursuit of the murderer, who has a bio-weapon that threatens millions. Well-done British and French accents add to the narration. Espionage, betrayals, and torture culminate in a shocking encounter with a family member from Bourne's past. Eric Van Lustbader skillfully resurrects the Bourne character created by the late Robert Ludlum. G.D.W. © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine

From Booklist
Three of Robert Ludlum's novels featured the fictional character Jason Bourne. Now comes a Bourne novel not by Ludlum but by Van Lustbader, the author of 20 novels that had nothing to do with Bourne. The publisher assures readers that the individuals who control Ludlum's estate have given their permission to create this new novel. Here and now, Bourne, described as "an international assassin of deadly repute," has retired from the CIA and is a professor of linguistics at Georgetown University. He has been framed for the murder of two associates and becomes the target of an assassin. The novel begins in Chechnya and continues in such diverse places as Nairobi, Crete, Washington, D.C., and Budapest. The many-paged narrative provides ample room for lots of action, including a body found in a refrigerator, "shared joy" between lovers, fistfights, gun battles, torture, and deceit. The Bourne Legacy reads much like Ludlum, which, of course, is exactly the point. George Cohen
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Book Description
Timed to coincide with the feature film release of The Bourne Supremacy, starring Matt Damon, comes a new novel in the bestselling tradition of Robert Ludlum’s beloved Bourne series

In Robert Ludlum’s ground-breaking career, no other character so captured the world’s imagination as Jason Bourne. He appeared in three of Robert Ludlum’s own #1 bestselling novels, his bestselling works to this day. Now, with the major motion picture adaptation of Ludlum’s The Bourne Supremacy, the Ludlum estate has finally acceded to the demands of readers around the world, turning to bestselling writer Eric Van Lustbader to create a brand new Jason Bourne novel, The Bourne Legacy.

Jason Bourne, international assassin of deadly repute, was an identity assumed by covert agent David Webb. Retired from the CIA and now a professor at Georgetown University, Webb’s life is finally his own—until he becomes the target of an assassin and is framed for the murder of his two closest associates. Fighting for his life against unseen assailants, the Bourne identity asserts itself, leaving Jason Bourne in control. Barely a half-step ahead of his nemesis and the CIA, who believes he has gone rogue, Bourne finds himself a pawn in a larger, far deadlier game.


About the Author
Eric Van Lustbader, author of twenty international bestsellers, including the thrillers The Ninja and Black Heart, lives in New York.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Jason Bourne is known and feared in the deadly world of covert-ops as one of the most highly skilled assassins for hire. Bourne, however, was merely an identity assumed by CIA agent David Webb, a personality implanted by the CIA to facilitate a dangerous operation, but one that threatened to subsume David Webb entirely. Years after the events of The Bourne Identity, Webb is no longer an active CIA agent and is now a professor of Eastern Studies at Georgetown University, living a quiet life, far from the dangers of his previous life. Until one day he finds himself the target of an assassin nearly as skilled as himself and is framed for the brutal murder of his two closest associates and friends. As he fights for his life against unseen assailants, as well as the full resources of the CIA, who believe he has gone dangerously rogue, the Bourne identity asserts itself, leaving Jason Bourne in control. Now Bourne must use all his skills to stay alive as he battles against a determined assassin, the combined skills of the world's intelligence networks, and a shadowy figure in the background, skillfully manipulating events and people, in a far deadlier and more dangerous game than any of them realize.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

Brick seems completely comfortable sitting in the narrator's seat of Lustbader's (Black Heart, etc.) substantial espionage thriller, which brings Robert Ludlum's Jason Bourne back for a fourth outing. Bourne's peaceful life as a family man and teacher of Eastern studies at Georgetown University is brutally interrupted by a sudden sniper attack and the double murder of his two best friends. Framed for the killings, Bourne is forced back into the violent world he had hoped never to revisit. What follows is a roller coaster ride of intrigue and betrayal that will take Bourne halfway around the world in an effort to clear his name. Along the way, he uncovers a deadly plot against an upcoming summit on terrorism. Brick handles the large cast and international settings with ease, keeping his foreign accents on the light side. Even when the writing strays toward the melodramatic, Brick maintains his straightforward reading style. While some transitions happen so quickly that listeners may be confused as to where they are and who is speaking, Brick knows how to keep the action moving and the characters grounded and real. Simultaneous release with the St. Martin's hardcover (Forecasts, June 7). (June) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

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