The Bourne Supremacy: Jason Bourne Book #2

I only finished this book because I started it. There are instances where the writing doesn't make logical sense and what he describes in one sentence contradicts what he said in a previous one. I know it's fiction, but this was a waste of money.

This was a riviting novel, certainly as good and as captivating as the first novel. It has suspense, action and a lot of mystery to it. It was hard to put it down, because you kept wanting to know what was happening next.

This was a riviting novel, certainly as good and as captivating as the first novel. It has suspense, action and a lot of mystery to it. It was hard to put it down, because you kept wanting to know what was happening next.

The movies and the books have very loose similarities, which is what I liked at first in that I wasn't reading something I had already seen and know the outcome. Here is one of the rare times where you will hear someone say the movies are BETTER than the books. In this one Jason Bourne is duped by the government into risking his life for them, finds out they duped him and essentially out if the goodness of his heart continues working for th and for free. This book was the end of the road for this series for me.

ty,,book in great condition, love Robert Ludlum
all pages there, great book
i look for condition, fair price, 1st printing/edition
purchased from the store.com
tyvm Lauri

i don't know what u mean by "title of review" or "tags"

Mr. Ludlum's writing is riveting; his novels I could not lay down. I have read both the Bourne Identity and the Bourne Supremacy; I plan to read the Bourne Ultimatum in a few days. My wife, Pat, bought the book for me, her husband, Mark. She can give you critiques for the books listed in the columns below this column, but she is at work right now; hence, resubmit this correspondence tonight. Mark Zeitlin

I read the first Jason Bourne book, it was pretty awful. So I read the second one, hoping that it would live up to the movie standards. I was wrong. I am finding that Ludlum writes like a girl (which is not an insult, since I am one) in that his characters go into hysterics easily: shouting and lunging and grabbing and lots of italics. The storyline was so boring I kept seeing how much more I had to read to get to ANY good part. Didn't happen. This book might be wonderful for those readers that like tales of economic passion (I don't) and convoluted plots. I had to constantly back-page to see who was talking and about what.
It takes place around the time just prior to Hong Kong being returned to China. So? Yeah, my sentiments, exactly. If you like the movies, don't waste your time on this mess.

No novel has to be this complicated. There are too many characters, too many silly situations, too many unnecessary digressions from the silly plot. If you can finish this book ( I did not ) you deserve a medal.

I ordered The Bourne Supremacy back in January 2016. I started reading it a couple of weeks ago. The book is good, however, I reached page 440 to find that the next 48 printed pages are from an entirely different book, Dime Store Magic by Kelly Armstrong. So my book doesn't pick up again until 489. It's too late for me to return it. :(

The second book in the original trilogy of Jason Bourne deviates a lot from the first one. Once solved the dilemma about the identity of the protagonist, Ludlum offers new scenarios, threats, and challenges to our secret super-agent.
For the reader, finding the old characters mixes up with the need to remain attentive while reading, in order to understand the tangled plot. Ludlum takes us to China in the 80s and tells us about the socio-political mechanisms of that period, of which he shows a deep understanding. Maybe we don’t catch them all, but we gain an overall picture that fascinates and worries, and that no doubt makes the happiness of any spy story fan (like me!).
In addition, there’s the timeless charm of Webb/Bourne, the damaged hero, on the brink of madness (a word that Ludlum uses very often!), crazy and fragile, not infallible, who can be cold, but also love with depth. Next to him the character of Marie (my favourite after Bourne), as well as those of Alex and Mo, are equally central in the story and engaging. And they are especially essential to call the protagonist back to the reality, so that he can put aside the Bourne that is in him and go back to being David Webb.
The only negative aspect is the presence of some passages that are a little slow and some unnecessary repetition of what happened in the first book.
A trivia about Ludlum’s writing: there isn’t any kind of foul language in his books, he prefers to use euphemisms and metaphors, and yet, strangely, there are a lot of profanities. All the characters, from first to last, at least once invoke God, or Jesus Christ (or variants), but don’t say a single f-word!

Rita Carla Francesca Monticelli, author of Kindred Intentions

Title: The Bourne Supremacy by Robert Ludlum

Pages: 646

Time spent on the "to read" shelf: 4-5 years.

Days spent reading it: Umm, I first started reading this book 4-5 years ago (was it really that long ago?!?). Then a combination of boredom and school work kicked in, and I put it down. I later picked it up again and read to about the 200 page mark. Was mildly interested, but ended up quitting again. This time I picked it up and skimmed the first 200 pages (that I had already read, twice) and knew I had to power through this time or I would never be able to read it again--I was tired of the opening scene. 3 days was all it took me to finish it this time through.

Why I read it: I read this book to get through the Bourne trilogy. I really liked the Bourne Identity. A few others tell me the third book in the trilogy (The Bourne Ultimatum) is well worth it. So that's the goal.

Brief review: To start with, this book is absolutely nothing like the movie. Where the differences in the Bourne Identity were huge, at least the basic plot and characters were the same. That is not the case with the Bourne Supremacy. So if you liked the movie, I'm glad to hear it. The book is an entirely different experience.

I enjoy an intrigue novel occasionally. This book just bothered me. For starters, it is freaking slow. The reason I had to read the first few hundred pages multiple times is because I got bored over and over again. It does get better in the last 200 pages, but so much of this book was unnecessarily complicated (in my opinion). The reader never has a clear picture of what the heck is happening. I had no idea what was going on during most of the book. There are all of these subtle conversations, and I'm not that subtle. Just tell me what's going on, and get on with the story. The truth is, I cannot even give you a brief synopsis of the plot because it is so convoluted. So some key words that you can put all together and make your own book with: assassins, black ops, China, economics, identity theft, the Canadian Embassy, Charlie-Delta-Cain-Carlos-Jason Bourne. There you go, clear as if you had read it yourself.

Other elements annoyed me about this book as well. The pacing, the confusing as heck plot, the random government officials (their conversations are the worst!), the schizophrenic main character, it all contributed to a book that I would not slug through again. I would definitely skip this experience if I could. But since I'm such a stubborn person, I knew that if I did not finish the book this time through, I would never pick it up again. And I don't like to quit much. So I finished it. It wasn't pretty, but it got done.

So my recommendation, if you are looking for a good spy novel, skip this one. Some enthusiasts will of course read this book no matter what. Heck, I did. But really, it was not worth the trouble. But I do feel great having actually completed it! That was probably the best part of the day. I am hoping the Bourne Ultimatum was worth slugging through this book first.

Favorite quote: "This thing is filled with lousy ducks!" screamed the commando, staring around at the banks of wooden cages on all sides, the odor overpowering, sickening. A particular fowl, in its infinite wisdom, chose the moment to squirt a stream of excrement into the assassin's face.

Stars: 2 out of 5.

Final Word: Slooooooooooooooooooow.

A likable character, Jason Bourne/David Webb again dominates this second part of the Bourne series. I believe the main strength of this book is the well developed main character. A character is usually likable if he demonstrates excellence in the particular field he is involved in, and if he considered morally good. Now, a professional killer usually wouldn't be considered morally good, but Jason Bourne shows mercy and pity to those he encounters. In many cases, killing the enemy or witness would be easier for Bourne's cause, but he always opts for mercy if it is possible. Bourne is also likable and fun to read about because of his amazing expertise as a killer. I am always interested in reading about people (fiction or non-fiction) who are excellent at what they do.

Robert Ludlum is clearly a master of the suspense genre, and this book is no exception. I usually only read fiction right before sleep, and usually it doesn't take long for me to get sleepy and stop reading. This book however, gave me several long nights before sleep overtook me. Helping the suspense is the foreign setting in the Far East. The oriental setting plays a large part in the story, and the mystery of China and the oriental mind add to the tension and excitement of the book. On a side note, I found it interesting that Yao Ming found his way into the book.

Though I appreciated and enjoyed the main character, the suspense and the setting, I believe the plot in this book is weak. The first book in the trilogy had a great plot, the end concluding the story nicely. This book, Bourne Supremacy, started nicely but never really developed into a great story. The end was anti-climactic, and was much more predictable and unoriginal than the first story.

David Webb (aka Jason Bourne) is leading a sedate and bucolic life as a university professor of Far Eastern studies in Maine. He has restructured his shattered life as a result of amnesia through the patient nurturing of his wife, Marie and government shrink Morris Panov. His peaceful existence is destroyed by a series of events in Hong Kong. An assassin posing as a cleric has murdered 5 people in a nightclub leaving behind a calling card identifying himself as Jason Bourne. One of the victims was an important official of the Peoples Republic of China.
Webb is soon visited by Undersecretary of State, Edward McAllister and Ambassador Raymond Havilland, both masters of U.S. covert operations. They reveal that an unknown assassin posing as Jason Bourne is being used by Chinese Minister of State Sheng Chou Yang to create havoc with the China Accords, which will turn over control of Hong Kong to the Peoples Repubic.
Sheng is a son of a corrupt and powerful taipan (godfather) of Nationalist China who fled to Taiwan after Mao took over. He schemes to create enough mayhem to compel the Peoples Republic to forcibly take over Hong Kong causing worldwide chaos. McAllister and Havilland beg Webb to reprise his role of Jason Bourne to capture the bogus assassin and lead them to Sheng.
After Webb refuses this mission, his hand is forced by the kidnapping of his wife Marie by the U.S. government (CIA). Bartering his wife's freedom with the completion of this latest deadly mission, Webb sets off for the Far East. Shuttling between Hong Kong, Macao and the Peoples Republic, Webb now Jason Bourne using all his covert operative skills sets out the solve this complicated conundrum.
Ludlum is this Bourne Identity sequel weaves a less tightly structured novel which seems to be moving in too many different directions at the same time. Although sometimes disjointed Ludlum does his best to tie his plot together to make The Bourne Supremacy a worthwhile read.

This is the second in Robert Ludlum's Bourne trilogy. The first two hundred pages are truly riveting as Bourne is brought back into action by the kidnapping of his wife. Bourne is reunited with Conklin, who had tried to kill him in the first book, and heads to Hong Kong, where his wife is being held and several political murders have occurred. The killer is an imposter of Jason Bourne who leaves notes and clues implicating the real Jason Bourne.
In the second part of the book, things get so complicated that one needs to get out a scorecard. The action is non-stop, with each chapter ending on a note of true suspense. Some of the sub-plots appear to go nowhere, and when you get to the last chapter, you discover that they really dont go anywhere, other than to add some color to the transformation of Webb back into the Medusan Bourne. A minor character from the first book reappears and becomes Jason Bourne's true compatriot and ally.
Ultimately, it becomes clear that the kidnapping was a contrived plot to get Bourne to take on a series of assignments he would have refused. Unfortunately, the Jackal never really shows himself in China and we all must wait another ten years for Ludlum's third installment, where the Jackal returns for his final showndown with Bourne. The political intrigue surrounding the anti-Bourne murders are very good, unusual for Ludlum, and a rich 20th century Chinese history lesson. Old rivalries between the KMT and the Communists, including a Chinese version of the Manchurian candidate, nearly lead to a world war over the future of the Hong Kong colony.

The Bourne Supremacy is a thrilling novel full of political insecurity, betrayal and a plot that keeps you on the edge of whatever surface you're sitting on when you read it.

David Webb is a professor at a small university in Maine. He's a man with a past he wants to forget. Despite a calm appearance Webb is man constantly haunted by memories of his participation in a government program called Treadstone 72 where he was Jason Bourne one of the deadliest and most efficient assassins on earth. However one day Webb is visited by a government official who says that several important people were murdered during a secret meeting in Kowloon, the new island branch of Hong Kong the British colony. The killer left the signature of Jason Bourne at the sight of the massacre, someone trying to continue the legend of the famous assassin. The government official says that Bourne is in great danger and that he will have a team of guards posted around the university. After a short time the guards disappear along with Webb's wife, so David sets off for the Hong Kong in search of his wife and gets wrapped up into a plot, the failure of which would result in war throughout the Far East.

Don't be discouraged by the mediocre movie the book is completely different!

The Bourne Supremacy is a thrilling novel full of political insecurity, betrayal and a plot that keeps you on the edge of whatever surface you're sitting on when you read it.

David Webb is a professor at a small university in Maine. He's a man with a past he wants to forget. Despite a calm appearance Webb is man constantly haunted by memories of his participation in a government program called Treadstone 72 where he was Jason Bourne one of the deadliest and most efficient assassins on earth. However one day Webb is visited by a government official who says that several important people were murdered during a secret meeting in Kowloon, the new island branch of Hong Kong the British colony. The killer left the signature of Jason Bourne at the sight of the massacre, someone trying to continue the legend of the famous assassin. The government official says that Bourne is in great danger and that he will have a team of guards posted around the university. After a short time the guards disappear along with Webb's wife, so David sets off for the Hong Kong in search of his wife and gets wrapped up into a plot, the failure of which would result in war throughout the Far East.

Don't be discouraged by the mediocre movie the book is completely different!

I'll probably not bother with Lundlum again. The first book was ok, almost good. This one just goes on and on, endless talk about issue of duty and responsibility that I, as the reader, could have cared less about. And some scenes, like the rescue of Marie in Tuen Mun, are silly. I've lived in Tuen Mun, my wife's family lives there now, and simply put, it is ridiculous. This is a boring book, perfect for me, who has been ill, as a night time book, it put me to sleep for a couple weeks. Now back to John le Carre, he can write.

Jason Bourne (AKA David Webb) is back, but not of own accord. Assassinations are taking place across the globe and the killer's name is Jason Bourne, but the REAL Jason Bourne is now an associate professor in Maine. Against his will, he's thrown back into his former life in order to track down the imposter, but things, of course, are not as they seem.

This is typical Ludlum. Big time plot, many action packed scenes, and vocabulary that is mostly only for those with at least a college education. While not as good as THE BOURNE IDENTITY, this one certainly holds its own.

One complaint I've seen about this book is how hard it was to follow, and I just did not see that at all. I found 'SUPREMACY' to very well organized and easy to follow. From the middle of the book on, there are three and four storylines in progress at the same time, yet all the action one storyline is kept independant from any of the others. Each chapter concentrates on one storyline only, and by the end of the book they are all interwoven together to form a great conclusion.

One complaint that I had is that some of the dialogue just seemed off. It seemed fake and, at times, forced. Another problem is the incessant internal dialogue from Bourne. Everyone talks to themselves now and then but it truly became tiresome as the book wore on. Anyone who talked to themselves that much, in the form of TWO different personalities, would be locked down in a padded institution and not running black ops missions for the federal government...at their request no less.

All in all, the pros outweigh the cons and this is a great job by Robert Ludlum. As the second of three books in Ludlum's 'Bourne' series, it shines a great light on who Jason Bourne was, David Webb is, and where his life with Marie is headed. Very enjoyable and certainly recommended.

"The Bourne Supremacy" continues the Bourne saga roughly eight years (I believe) following the prior installment, resuming the crafty encounters and wild surprises. An understanding of economics and the Far East will assist with comprehending the magnitude of the strategy involving Jason Bourne.

Many times people unquestionably believe any statements by an ally, which is unacceptable given the history between the individuals and branches of government earlier in the series. Regardless the novel progresses quickly following two major plots packed with action and suspense.

Expressions comparable to "believe is the term" and "think is the phrase" and labeling Bourne as a chameleon are overused by countless characters. Marie St. Jacques yells in panic too often, not as composed as before. The conversation between characters nearing a page in length could use more or occasionally any action to convey emotion and interaction. Frequently expressions or speech are shared in a cold or icy manner. Several diverse characters solve problems using parallel logical processes, an unlikely event.

As with about every film-based novel, I would suggest at least not watching the movie prior to reading the book if not forgoing the movies (transpiring near or after the turn of the millennium) thereby leaving the series entirely to the imagination.

I recommend this series to any fan of the action spy genre.

Thank you.

CAUTION: SPOILERS AHEAD.

I loved "The Bourne Identity", so I thought I'd read the second book in the trilogy. The first half of the book was almost boring. There was just enough occasional action to keep me reading, but I probably read too fast to keep track of each minor plot complication and ended up getting confused. Part of the problem, I think, was that each main character has at least two names, and David Webb has at least several. Each name may have a different nuance, and to me, that requires more careful reading than I did in the first half of the book.

At about page 400, wow! Lots of action! I couldn't put the book down! I was completely absorbed! Then it died down, and died down...until it seemed like the book was going to end, but I still had twenty pages to read.

I was a little disappointed with how quick the end was over. It seemed like a super quick "oh by the way we killed the really bad guy too" deal. Like the book was about to end, and Ludlum suddenly realized "wait, I have the most totally evil person in the universe here and he's not dead yet" so they kill him, the end. It seemed completely separate from the rest of the book.

That's the way the story flowed for me. Definitely a keeper, but I didn't enjoy the entire book as much as Bourne Identity. I look forward to reading The Bourne Ultimatum.

I rejoiced when I first heard that Ludlum had taken on the daunting task of writing a sequel to one of his all-time best novels--but I was wary of whether or not it'd be as good. I rolled the dice and I came out a winner.
SOMEONE is doing a number of murders in the Far East...calling himself Jason Bourne. It sends chills up the spines of many people...especially those who know it ISN'T Jason Bourne because HE never existed... SOMEONE is trying to accomplish something, but WHAT it is, well that of course is where all the fun of this novel is--in finding out just exactly WHAT and more importantly: WHO.
From the very heart of China, to Hong Kong this is a drag race to the finish line using a rocket to propel it along at an amazing pace. Ludlum IS the master of suspense and intrigue, and in 'The Bourne Supremacy' he is at the top of his form--again. As much as I enjoyed 'Identity' and felt it couldn't be topped, I have to say 'Supremacy' was even BETTER. As far as the last volume in the series goes, ('The Bourne Ultimatum') sad to say, but that one was my least favorite, and yet even IT was still a great book.
Fans of Ludlum cannot be considered REAL fans unless you have read ALL of his 'Bourne' books, and this is one to savor. When it first came out in 1986 I bought it immediately and wrapped myself in it's incredible plot. I decided not long ago that I'd see if it stood the test of time and picked it up again. I am happy to say it is every bit as good the 2nd time around, and don't worry, it really DOES stand the test of time. Ludlum really IS the BEST THERE IS when it comes to spy/thrillers, and 'The Bourne Supremacy', Ludlum really IS SUPREME.

Jason Bourne is back, this time his life and recovery process from his memory loss in THE BOURNE IDENTITY is disrupted when the Chinese vice-premier is assassinated in Kowloon, and Bourne is indicted for his murder. Then his wife Marie is kidnapped and taken against her will to Hong Kong. Bourne travels out there, seeking help from Britain's MI6 and assorted Asian and American agents, and discovers a Triad plot to destabilise the Far East! In the process, he takes down several bad guys with his martial arts skills and the best in firearms from a Hong Kong dealer(a bit like Marler in a Colin Forbes book actually - he knows where to buy guns secretly!), and then Marie escapes of her own accord! Can they reunite? The trail eads Bourne to Beijing and more lethal encounters with baddie Sheng's henchmen, and the final climax detonates in Hong Kong, literally! This 700 page superthriller is one I could not put down, it is just as well-paced and action packed as the first BOURNE book. Now to read THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM!

As promised in my review of The Bourne Identity, I reserved the higher rating of 5 for this book. (I'm currently halfway through the third installment of the Bourne series by Robert Ludlum -- The Bourne Supremacy.) There are several reasons why I liked this story better than the first. The first is that it is set in places in Southeast Asia like Hong Kong, Macao and China. Since I grew up in the Philippines and have visited these places during summer and Christmas time for roughly 18 years, it feels familiar. This sequel recaps what happens in the first novel in a very seemless, unobtrusive manner (a good thing). He reminds the user about why Bourne does the things he does and feels the way he feels. There's definitely more action and ass-whuppin' in this novel. He kills without compunction (when he has to) and his methods are, as noticed by his clone, that of a technician's. There's less of the mental anguish he felt in the first book as an amnesiac; therefore, less random ramblings in his mind. There are actually two stories happening in parallel. That of Bourne trying to reach his wife, and that of his wife trying to reach her husband.
The only gripe I do have about the dialogue and the asian characters in the story is their flowery use of words and seemingly religious devotion to Christianity. I can tell you for a fact that although Christianity has its influences and followers in Asia, we do not bring in gods, spirits, and Christ into every sentence we utter. It's a symptom of the author mistranslating common colloquial sayings or metaphors. He also seems to think asians use "Aiyaa!" a lot. Grandmothers or old wenches in a marketplace might use this word when spreading gossip or haggling over prices, but typically not men -- military or civilian.
I'm going to try something new in my reviews. I'm going to introduce my own criteria for ranking a book (recurring factors I seem to comment on over and over again) on a scale from 0-5, and hopefully the average will correspond to a more accurate rating for the book. I'll call it the FLAP system:
* Flagpole factor (F) - In keeping with the bromide that sex, crime and violence sells, this covers the first aspect. Were there any erotic scenes?
* Use of Language (L) - How's the dialogue? Is it affected? Does it reflect the vernacular of the setting? Is it preachy?
* Action (A) - How are the action scenes described? Are they as lame as Clive Cussler's? What are the weapons used? How gory were the kills?
* Plot (P) - How predictable is the story? Is it a page turner?
F:1 (there was a rape scene)
L:4 (use of local speech)
A:5 (describes tools of the trade, lots of kills)
P:4.5 (keeps you guessing)

I just finished Bourne Supremacy, having read Identity a few months earlier. Identity was excellent; a rare book that rises above the genre, while Supremacy was too forced; not written out of inspiration, but a sequel written due to lack of inspiration, maybe.

The whole premise (gov't officials coming up with a complex scheme to coerce Bourne into tracking down another assassin because that assassin is their only link to some Chinese fanatic) is far fetched - both the actions of the government and the supposed lack of other options.

While the "big picture" is silly, the chapter-to-chapter actions taken by Bourne and some of the other characters are more interesting (some are still silly) and keep you reading.

About 1/2 to 2/3 of the way through, you can predict the scene where Marie shows up to let Bourne know she's ok and he doesn't have to destroy everyone, but you wouldn't predict it being so utterly ridiculous (i.e. a woman and a crippled old man jumping into the middle of a war zone between two assassins and a bunch of marines, complete with explosives, and somehow defusing the situation without getting themselves shot).

Despite all the anger Bourne should feel for having been manipulated so badly in two consecutive novels, he decides to help the government out by going after the bad guy even when he doesn't have to ... he's compelled to get revenge for another former medusan and because he can't shake the images of Sheng's evil deeds ... they're so caricaturish, who would ?

OK. To put it simply, Bourne Identity was an engaging novel for people who like to read. Bourne Supremacy is a script for an action movie. It's almost as if Ludlum went on autopilot or handed the task of writing it over to an intern. You wouldn't guess it was by the same author. It's an ok read, but nothing more. I have no interest in reading Bourne Ultimatum.