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Jason Bourne #9
Robert Ludlum's (TM) the Bourne Dominion
Jason Bourne is searching for an elusive cadre of terrorists planning to destroy America's most strategic natural resources-and needs the help of his longtime friend, General Boris Karpov. Karpov, the newly appointed head of Russia's most feared spy agency, FSB-2, is one of the most determined, honorable, and justice-hungry men that Bourne knows. But Karpov has made a deal with the devil. In order to remain the head of FSB-2, he must hunt down and kill Bourne.
Now, these two trusted friends are on a deadly collision course. From the Colombian highlands to Munich, Cadiz, and Damascus, the clock is counting down to a disaster that will cripple America's economic and military future. Only Bourne and Karpov have a chance to avert the catastrophe-but if they destroy each other first, that chance will be gone forever.
THE BOURNE DOMINION
Jason Bourne is one of the most compelling and best loved characters created by internationally bestselling novelist Robert Ludlum. The hero of eight novels, including "The Bourne Identity" and "The Bourne Supremacy," Bourne has also been featured in three blockbuster movies starring Matt Damon. Now, "New York Times" bestselling author Eric Van Lustbader presents a new story about the rogue secret agent who has lost his memory.
Now, these two trusted friends are on a deadly collision course. From the Colombian highlands to Munich, Cadiz, and Damascus, the clock is counting down to a disaster that will cripple America's economic and military future. Only Bourne and Karpov have a chance to avert the catastrophe-but if they destroy each other first, that chance will be gone forever.
THE BOURNE DOMINION
Jason Bourne is one of the most compelling and best loved characters created by internationally bestselling novelist Robert Ludlum. The hero of eight novels, including "The Bourne Identity" and "The Bourne Supremacy," Bourne has also been featured in three blockbuster movies starring Matt Damon. Now, "New York Times" bestselling author Eric Van Lustbader presents a new story about the rogue secret agent who has lost his memory.
ebook
First published July 19, 2011
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About the author
Eric Van Lustbader
165 books1,222 followersEric Van Lustbader was born and raised in Greenwich Village. He is the author of more than twenty-five best-selling novels, including The Ninja, in which he introduced Nicholas Linnear, one of modern fiction's most beloved and enduring heroes. The Ninja was sold to 20th CenturyFox, to be made into a major motion picture. His novels have been translated into over twenty languages.
Mr. Lustbader is a graduate of Columbia College, with a degree in Sociology. Before turning to writing full time, he enjoyed highly successful careers in the New York City public school system, where he holds licenses in both elementary and early childhood education, and in the music business, where he worked for Elektra Records and CBS Records, among other companies.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/ericva...
Mr. Lustbader is a graduate of Columbia College, with a degree in Sociology. Before turning to writing full time, he enjoyed highly successful careers in the New York City public school system, where he holds licenses in both elementary and early childhood education, and in the music business, where he worked for Elektra Records and CBS Records, among other companies.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/ericva...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 264 reviews
February 8, 2013
Lustbader continues to aid in the destruction of the Bourne series with another installment of drivel and helps to further alienate what Ludlum set down as his legacy. I remain baffled how Ludlum’s estate could permit these novels to keep churning out with the great author of espionage’s name affixed to the title. This book pushes things further and further away from the Jason Bourne we’ve come to love. Bourne walks around without mention of his family, without ties to anyone in his past. Even his slaughtered family in Asia is long forgotten. Lustbader tries to forge a new Bourne, a James Bond-like character (who also holds the British spy’s DNA for never aging and always fighting, well into his 70s), with no past and superhuman strength and romantic endurance. I am having a hard time remembering the great Bourne from books 1-3 (and even Lustbader’s first kick at the can, book 4) and am left with this new character that seems to have no connection to his traditional roots.
Call me old fashioned if you like, but I do expect that an author who picks things up after the death of the original to do so with the building blocks laid out ahead of time. While the struggle within CI and other groups has been an interesting sub-plot, I find that some of these adventures spit in the eye of the original intent of Ludlum. If you see some of my earlier reviews, you will see some of the great mentions of pre-Internet espionage and how the book, though somewhat dense, focuses on our main character and his mission, one that is highly interesting and worth reading. Now it is a shallow adventure, filled with sex and fighting. Alas, Lustbader has created a Matt Damon ‘Bourne’ that lives on the silver screen.
These books keep falling and my interest descends with it. Thank God there is an end in sight, one more book, and I will be pleasantly euthanized from this substandard work!
Call me old fashioned if you like, but I do expect that an author who picks things up after the death of the original to do so with the building blocks laid out ahead of time. While the struggle within CI and other groups has been an interesting sub-plot, I find that some of these adventures spit in the eye of the original intent of Ludlum. If you see some of my earlier reviews, you will see some of the great mentions of pre-Internet espionage and how the book, though somewhat dense, focuses on our main character and his mission, one that is highly interesting and worth reading. Now it is a shallow adventure, filled with sex and fighting. Alas, Lustbader has created a Matt Damon ‘Bourne’ that lives on the silver screen.
These books keep falling and my interest descends with it. Thank God there is an end in sight, one more book, and I will be pleasantly euthanized from this substandard work!
November 8, 2012
This book was a below average descent into money making. After the initial Bourne books proved successful, as often happens, the writing is turned over to a second author to just crank out books with the same characters. What results is something like this. From the start, it became hard just to read and enjoy the book. In the end it proved marginally enjoyable, but I have a problem with the overeager setups of many poor modern writers. They exercise no patience in their writing, and with little talent and ability to develop characters and a plot, try to do so in the first pages and chapter of a book. What results is a lot of excessive drivel and unasked for details plugged into every opportunity, turning the beginning of those books into almost a chore. One other issue with the writing style is it is overly superflous. Many wanna be authors have heard many adjectives are good for writing. They know now how to use them, so they use all of them, as much as possible. What results in this book is a lot of vague excessive language that rather than add to the enjoyment distract the reader and make the book harder to read as it destroys its flow. Adjectives are nice, to a point this book far exceedes. A textbook must be exact, a novel must evoke emotion. Further, the book is plagued by a few fatal flaws. For one, it has WAY to many characters and bit players. This is confusing, and the story jumps around too much. Once again an over eager author has put in too much of a good thing, and near the end the height of the story becomes lost as you wonder why you should care about all of it. Second, to add to the confusion there are far too many pet/nick/alternate names for these secondary(or primary, who can tell) characters to further confuse the reader. You have to re read sections, and half way through the book it flips over to a scene with a character who was mentioned in chapter 1, who you STILL have no idea who they are. I found myself wondering if this person was a new character, or one of any number of other possibilities at multiple points. Overall, its enjoyable because of action, but surely, there are far better action books out there.
April 3, 2020
I'm a Jason Bourne fan but sadly this isn't a Ludlum. Still...I enjoyed it! Slightly confusing with so many characters that it took me the entire book to work out who was who but Bourne was his usual artful self throughout!
December 10, 2021
I'm going to do what I'm going to do.
ONE HELLUVA RIDE! I feel like I've finished a long journey from Colombia to Paris to Washington, DC to the Middle East. There is so much attention-to-detail in this book, not to mention weapons, dishes, drinks. WOW!
"Love thy neighbor" comes to mind when describing the characters. No one is who they pretend to be.
I finished reading this book in El Salvador, and then passed it on to a cousin.
September 10, 2015
The Review Can Also Be Found Here: http://thefictionalhangout.blogspot.c...
"Bourne's enemies are gathering force. Severus Domna, a secret and ancient cabal, has called forth its members from around the globe, with one objective: to vanquish the last person capable of destroying their bid to de-stabilize the world economy - Jason Bourne."
The Jason Bourne novels are something that I’ve been meaning to get to for a long time now. The Bourne Dominion may be the ninth book in the series, but it was the only one that the store on the Ferry back from France had, and none of the other books that were on offer really grabbed my attention. So I picked it up (Along with a Star Wars tie-in, Christie Golden’s Ascension, but more on that later), and devoured it quickly on the overnight journey home, and despite having only read the first novel (which I really enjoyed) and seen the films (which are probably my favourite set of spy movies, aside from The Bourne Legacy of course, which I wasn’t too keen on), it was accessible, fast paced and entertaining, even if it wasn’t the strongest written book in the world, and was perfect for a good, light slice of holiday reading and a way to return to one of my favourite fictional characters, even if for Bourne, a long time has passed since the conclusion of the novels that the film trilogies were adapted from.
The Bourne Dominion is Eric Van Lustbader’s sixth entry into the Bourne series and he delivers a fast paced, high adrenaline read. The book pits Bourne against a mysterious secret cabal known as Severus Domna, who only have to kill one person if they want to wreak havoc to the world’s economy, essentially destroying it. However, the bad news for them is that the one person happens to be Bourne, who, as fans of the series will know, is pretty hard to take down. However, Severus Domna have come up with a plan, to turn one of Bourne’s most trusted friends, Boris Karpov, who will be promoted to the top of the FSB-2, Russia’s most powerful spy agency, but only if he can kill Bourne first.
So naturally, he’s pitted against the odds as we embark on a global thrillride that features as many as three different continents visited in this novel alone. The stakes are naturally incredibly high and the espionage and intruige is pulled off well, pitted against a fascinating web of conspiracy that keeps unfolding as the plot develops. If you’re looking for a complicated and unpredictable thriller that isn’t afraid to pull twists and turns, then this novel is your best bet, even if it’s likely that veteran fans of the Bourne series will have probably long since passed their judgement on this book. Something that I was annoyed at however was the fact that even in the ninth book, Bourne’s loss of memory still haunts him, and prevents him from remembering key information which can be frustrating at times. However, that I found, was only one minor niggle, and although the writing may not quite match Ludlum’s original quality, it is still a decent efford from Lustbader who has had plenty of practice with the popular thriller character.
The book may take a while to get going, throwing in too many characters too early, but if you can put that aside, The Bourne Dominion will be worth the effort as the payoff in the third act is a lot stronger than what come before. There’s some good character development and the story moves at a quick pace, and there’s enough there to keep you coming back for the follow up, The Bourne Imperative, which is high on my to-read list and I’ll be checking out when I get the chance, as well as going back to read the older novels that I haven't yet read. With everything taken into account, it comes with a cautious recommendation for thriller fans.
VERDICT: 7/10
The Jason Bourne Series In Order: The Bourne Identity by Robert Ludlum, The Bourne Supremacy by Robert Ludlum, The Bourne Ultimatum by Robert Ludlum, The Bourne Legacy by Eric Van Lustbader, The Bourne Betrayal by Eric Van Lustbader, The Bourne Sanction by Eric Van Lustbader, The Bourne Deception by Eric Van Lustbader, The Bourne Objective by Eric Van Lustbader, The Bourne Dominion by Eric Van Lustbader, The Bourne Imperative by Eric Van Lustbader, The Bourne Retribution by Eric Van Lustbader, The Bourne Ascendancy by Erick Van Lustbader
"Bourne's enemies are gathering force. Severus Domna, a secret and ancient cabal, has called forth its members from around the globe, with one objective: to vanquish the last person capable of destroying their bid to de-stabilize the world economy - Jason Bourne."
The Jason Bourne novels are something that I’ve been meaning to get to for a long time now. The Bourne Dominion may be the ninth book in the series, but it was the only one that the store on the Ferry back from France had, and none of the other books that were on offer really grabbed my attention. So I picked it up (Along with a Star Wars tie-in, Christie Golden’s Ascension, but more on that later), and devoured it quickly on the overnight journey home, and despite having only read the first novel (which I really enjoyed) and seen the films (which are probably my favourite set of spy movies, aside from The Bourne Legacy of course, which I wasn’t too keen on), it was accessible, fast paced and entertaining, even if it wasn’t the strongest written book in the world, and was perfect for a good, light slice of holiday reading and a way to return to one of my favourite fictional characters, even if for Bourne, a long time has passed since the conclusion of the novels that the film trilogies were adapted from.
The Bourne Dominion is Eric Van Lustbader’s sixth entry into the Bourne series and he delivers a fast paced, high adrenaline read. The book pits Bourne against a mysterious secret cabal known as Severus Domna, who only have to kill one person if they want to wreak havoc to the world’s economy, essentially destroying it. However, the bad news for them is that the one person happens to be Bourne, who, as fans of the series will know, is pretty hard to take down. However, Severus Domna have come up with a plan, to turn one of Bourne’s most trusted friends, Boris Karpov, who will be promoted to the top of the FSB-2, Russia’s most powerful spy agency, but only if he can kill Bourne first.
So naturally, he’s pitted against the odds as we embark on a global thrillride that features as many as three different continents visited in this novel alone. The stakes are naturally incredibly high and the espionage and intruige is pulled off well, pitted against a fascinating web of conspiracy that keeps unfolding as the plot develops. If you’re looking for a complicated and unpredictable thriller that isn’t afraid to pull twists and turns, then this novel is your best bet, even if it’s likely that veteran fans of the Bourne series will have probably long since passed their judgement on this book. Something that I was annoyed at however was the fact that even in the ninth book, Bourne’s loss of memory still haunts him, and prevents him from remembering key information which can be frustrating at times. However, that I found, was only one minor niggle, and although the writing may not quite match Ludlum’s original quality, it is still a decent efford from Lustbader who has had plenty of practice with the popular thriller character.
The book may take a while to get going, throwing in too many characters too early, but if you can put that aside, The Bourne Dominion will be worth the effort as the payoff in the third act is a lot stronger than what come before. There’s some good character development and the story moves at a quick pace, and there’s enough there to keep you coming back for the follow up, The Bourne Imperative, which is high on my to-read list and I’ll be checking out when I get the chance, as well as going back to read the older novels that I haven't yet read. With everything taken into account, it comes with a cautious recommendation for thriller fans.
VERDICT: 7/10
The Jason Bourne Series In Order: The Bourne Identity by Robert Ludlum, The Bourne Supremacy by Robert Ludlum, The Bourne Ultimatum by Robert Ludlum, The Bourne Legacy by Eric Van Lustbader, The Bourne Betrayal by Eric Van Lustbader, The Bourne Sanction by Eric Van Lustbader, The Bourne Deception by Eric Van Lustbader, The Bourne Objective by Eric Van Lustbader, The Bourne Dominion by Eric Van Lustbader, The Bourne Imperative by Eric Van Lustbader, The Bourne Retribution by Eric Van Lustbader, The Bourne Ascendancy by Erick Van Lustbader
February 5, 2022
I am struggling to find anything positive about Van Lustbader’s ninth installment of his “Jason Bourne” stories. The issues present in the last five books (the lackluster characters; the boring tropes; the lack of understanding of WHO this Bourne is) are back in full force. What makes this story so infuriating is that there is little of value. The story is serpentine with absolutely zero payoff. The players we know are void of any meaningful character development. New arrivals in this story follow stenciled paths of expected actions or make so little impact that the reader wishes they weren’t there at all.
Honestly, I’m not certain if I can take much more of this. I will read entry 10, but I am about as tired of this series as I am sure the 78-year old Bourne (that’s how old he is, right?) is tired of these horrid characters and adventures.
Honestly, I’m not certain if I can take much more of this. I will read entry 10, but I am about as tired of this series as I am sure the 78-year old Bourne (that’s how old he is, right?) is tired of these horrid characters and adventures.
July 21, 2017
The action is back after taking a book off. This takes it back to the way it should be spies, killing, lies, underhanded operations, and Jason Bourne killing people. Glad to see some plots were left up in the air hopefully they get picked up in the next novel.
September 16, 2011
I am a huge Ludlum fan. I have not read any of Van Lustbader's versions before now. All I can say is that he is no Ludlum. With a Ludlum novel - you are gripped from the first sentence. It took about 100 pages before I was really into the story. It's got all the typical spy stuff in it but I never felt the same passion for the story that I usually feel for Ludlum. Having said all of that, by and large, it's a good story, moves fairly smoothly, good character development etc. I just missed the Ludlum touch!
May 16, 2016
Unfortunately the first two-thirds of the book were choppy. The characters bounced around. The last third was much smoother, almost as if it had been written by another person. This book left many loose ends. The characters were not all accounted for at the end of the book and two sub-plots were left up-in-the-air. I have continued to read these as I am fond of the Jason Bourne persona but this method of script writing has grown tiresome.
Hopefully there will come a time when I can read one of these without hearing "And Cut!" in the back of my mind.
Hopefully there will come a time when I can read one of these without hearing "And Cut!" in the back of my mind.
May 4, 2022
DNF really should have peeked at previous reviews but I am such a spoiler phobe (in all things, ball games, movies, etc) that I did not, and paid the price for 2 days of mullahs, meaningless govt. people acting important, inane plots, and the worst GD background track (there to enhance the fight scene experience I suppose) Sorry Jason, we're done, don't hate me or puncture my larynx with that screwdriver you found laying around. Court Gentry, aka the Gray Man has taken your spot so you can retire to Tahiti, drink mai tais and keep the place safe for democracy!
July 20, 2011
While Eric will never reach the heights of Robert Ludlum, he keeps improving in every book he writes. This master piece has tension throughout(has Bourne finally met his match with his best friend tasked to kill him) and ample twists and tales throughout-in its own right the book is a master piece. And the new characters introduced in the book can easily allow this series to continue in perpetuity. No Harry Potter like early termination here.
July 1, 2019
Jason Bourne is tasked with unraveling a mystery, but the problem now is not so much his amnesia, but everyone keeping secrets from him as they manipulate him into helping them.
January 2, 2024
"The Bourne Dominion" is the 9th book in the Jason Bourne series. After the masterpiece trilogy was created by Mr. Robert Ludlum in from "The Bourne Identity" followed by "The Bourne Supremacy" and "The Bourne Ultimatum", the series was continued by Mr. Eric Van Lustbader. This happens to be the sixth Jason Bourne book written by Mr. Lustbader.
Thanks to Mr. Lustbader, Jason Bourne has completely devolved from a tortured amnesiac assassin to stock action hero which is outright disappointing. The Bourne Dominion is yet another cookie-cutter instalment in the series in the hands Eric Van Lustbader. I am sure Mr. Ludlum would never have let Bourne get so far away from the Bourne that he had envisioned. In Bourne Dominion, he is further degraded to a mere co-star with all his enemies. Trust me, all his current enemies, put together, is nothing like the original nemesis, Carlos.
This book follows the typical style of Mr. Lustbader’s “moving chess pieces across the globe” which is supposed to converge into the climax of the story. If you had read “Angel Eyes” by Mr. Lustbader, you will know what I mean when I say “typical”. Even the climax is pretty Hollywood B-Grade action movie types and definitely not up to the mark for a legendary character like Jason Bourne. As usual, way too much time is spent on descriptions that mean nothing to the overall setup of the book. You can also expect the trademark clichés. The entire series and movement of events are overwhelming and confusing. There are just too many things going on with way too many players playing way too many open angles which never come together. The action sequences and the inevitable betrayals are way too predictable as well. The prose continues to be clumsy.
In the hands of Mr. Ludlum, Jason Bourne was superb in every way. His thinking, his combat abilities, his investigative techniques, his journey was full of intrigue. Unfortunately, in this rendition in Mr. Lustbader’s hands, Jason Bourne seems way too stupid for his reputation at times and then suddenly develops superhuman powers. The most interesting thing about Jason Bourne is his vulnerability and therefore his survival skills. This aspect is completely missing in the Jason Bourne as depicted by Mr. Lustbader in “The Bourne Dominion”.
"The Bourne Dominion" tries a little more ‘world-wide master plan’-like scenario. The machinations of pan-global, hyper-secret and ages-old criminal organisations aren’t where this book or the whole of the Bourne series needs to be. The Bourne story work best concentrating in on simple problems, simple communications and on Bourne merely trying to do the right thing. Getting mixed up with and listening to tales of the childhood of shady, mega-rich, cigar-smoking ‘Mr Fixits’ isn’t where this things work best. This book continues the usual "Trust no one, suspect everyone. Everyone is suspicious, everyone could be less or more than what they seem. There are no chance encounters, no one is who they say they are, no one means or does, what they say. Red herrings are always red herrings in disguise. The central sections scenes are wannabe fast and furious, they’re a regular machine-gun burst of "doesn't make sense" action and the book drudges along. I have no idea why Mr. Lustbader jumps around between places to make the story thread more than it's required. It feels like one of those music video where they constantly cut from angle to angle, without letting your eye and brain take in all the elements properly.
Overall, another very average read meant only for the hardcore Jason Bourne fans to trudge through it.
Thanks to Mr. Lustbader, Jason Bourne has completely devolved from a tortured amnesiac assassin to stock action hero which is outright disappointing. The Bourne Dominion is yet another cookie-cutter instalment in the series in the hands Eric Van Lustbader. I am sure Mr. Ludlum would never have let Bourne get so far away from the Bourne that he had envisioned. In Bourne Dominion, he is further degraded to a mere co-star with all his enemies. Trust me, all his current enemies, put together, is nothing like the original nemesis, Carlos.
This book follows the typical style of Mr. Lustbader’s “moving chess pieces across the globe” which is supposed to converge into the climax of the story. If you had read “Angel Eyes” by Mr. Lustbader, you will know what I mean when I say “typical”. Even the climax is pretty Hollywood B-Grade action movie types and definitely not up to the mark for a legendary character like Jason Bourne. As usual, way too much time is spent on descriptions that mean nothing to the overall setup of the book. You can also expect the trademark clichés. The entire series and movement of events are overwhelming and confusing. There are just too many things going on with way too many players playing way too many open angles which never come together. The action sequences and the inevitable betrayals are way too predictable as well. The prose continues to be clumsy.
In the hands of Mr. Ludlum, Jason Bourne was superb in every way. His thinking, his combat abilities, his investigative techniques, his journey was full of intrigue. Unfortunately, in this rendition in Mr. Lustbader’s hands, Jason Bourne seems way too stupid for his reputation at times and then suddenly develops superhuman powers. The most interesting thing about Jason Bourne is his vulnerability and therefore his survival skills. This aspect is completely missing in the Jason Bourne as depicted by Mr. Lustbader in “The Bourne Dominion”.
"The Bourne Dominion" tries a little more ‘world-wide master plan’-like scenario. The machinations of pan-global, hyper-secret and ages-old criminal organisations aren’t where this book or the whole of the Bourne series needs to be. The Bourne story work best concentrating in on simple problems, simple communications and on Bourne merely trying to do the right thing. Getting mixed up with and listening to tales of the childhood of shady, mega-rich, cigar-smoking ‘Mr Fixits’ isn’t where this things work best. This book continues the usual "Trust no one, suspect everyone. Everyone is suspicious, everyone could be less or more than what they seem. There are no chance encounters, no one is who they say they are, no one means or does, what they say. Red herrings are always red herrings in disguise. The central sections scenes are wannabe fast and furious, they’re a regular machine-gun burst of "doesn't make sense" action and the book drudges along. I have no idea why Mr. Lustbader jumps around between places to make the story thread more than it's required. It feels like one of those music video where they constantly cut from angle to angle, without letting your eye and brain take in all the elements properly.
Overall, another very average read meant only for the hardcore Jason Bourne fans to trudge through it.
August 31, 2025
#Binge Reviewing my previous Reads #Spy Thriller
Eric Van Lustbader’s The Bourne Dominion marks a point in the extended saga where the series begins to seriously grapple with the cost of its own longevity.
By the time we reach this volume, Bourne is no longer just a man caught between shadow governments, double agents, and fractured memories—he is practically an institution, the linchpin of a sprawling web of betrayals and shifting allegiances.
Lustbader sets the stakes higher than ever, pitching Bourne into a deadly confrontation with his old nemesis, Leonid Arkadin, while framing their conflict against nothing less than a conspiracy that could tip the balance of world order. The stakes here feel not just personal but apocalyptic.
What makes Dominion stand out is the interplay between Bourne and Arkadin. Ludlum’s Bourne often felt like a fugitive philosopher, questioning himself at every turn, whereas Lustbader reimagines him as an older, colder warrior whose shadow is long and whose enemies are legion. Arkadin, in contrast, is the perfect foil: as brutal as Bourne is introspective, as reckless as Bourne is calculating. Their cat-and-mouse dance fuels the narrative with a tautness reminiscent of classic Le Carré—except here it’s laced with Lustbader’s more cinematic flair.
The plotting, as always, is labyrinthine. Lustbader thrives on multiple moving parts—subplots of intelligence agencies, rogue operatives, and betrayals that double back on themselves. At times, the sheer density can feel like sprinting through a hall of mirrors. Yet, this is exactly what makes The Bourne Dominion compelling: you are never entirely sure whose side anyone is on, including Bourne’s own. Compared to other modern spy thrillers—Daniel Silva’s Gabriel Allon novels, for instance—Lustbader’s world is more violent, less restrained, and steeped in moral ambiguity. Where Silva lingers on art, history, and the subtlety of espionage, Lustbader detonates the narrative with high-octane chases, assassinations, and betrayals.
That said, one of the fascinating elements in Dominion is how it confronts the question of legacy. Bourne is older now; his survival is not guaranteed, and the text seems almost haunted by the possibility of his obsolescence. In this, Lustbader anticipates what later spy franchises like Mission: Impossible wrestle with: how does an ageing hero persist in a world that keeps birthing younger, hungrier killers? Bourne remains dangerous, but also vulnerable, and Dominion leans into that fragility without stripping him of his mythos.
Compared to Ludlum’s original trilogy, this installment feels darker, more ruthless, and far more global in scope. If Ludlum’s Bourne was about one man discovering who he was, Lustbader’s Bourne is about what that man has become—and what kind of world has been shaped by his very existence. Reading Dominion after back-to-back binging through the series, you can feel the franchise maturing, even if occasionally weighed down by its own complexity. But that’s part of the appeal: Bourne is never simple, never straightforward, and always in the thick of danger that feels both immediate and existential.
In the end, The Bourne Dominion is less about a single mission than about Bourne himself as the embodiment of perpetual conflict—an eternal spy who can never quite leave the battlefield behind.
It is a novel that doubles down on the intensity, the paranoia, and the fatalism that have come to define Lustbader’s vision of the character. For readers who crave spy fiction where trust is a luxury and survival is never assured, this book delivers in spades.
Eric Van Lustbader’s The Bourne Dominion marks a point in the extended saga where the series begins to seriously grapple with the cost of its own longevity.
By the time we reach this volume, Bourne is no longer just a man caught between shadow governments, double agents, and fractured memories—he is practically an institution, the linchpin of a sprawling web of betrayals and shifting allegiances.
Lustbader sets the stakes higher than ever, pitching Bourne into a deadly confrontation with his old nemesis, Leonid Arkadin, while framing their conflict against nothing less than a conspiracy that could tip the balance of world order. The stakes here feel not just personal but apocalyptic.
What makes Dominion stand out is the interplay between Bourne and Arkadin. Ludlum’s Bourne often felt like a fugitive philosopher, questioning himself at every turn, whereas Lustbader reimagines him as an older, colder warrior whose shadow is long and whose enemies are legion. Arkadin, in contrast, is the perfect foil: as brutal as Bourne is introspective, as reckless as Bourne is calculating. Their cat-and-mouse dance fuels the narrative with a tautness reminiscent of classic Le Carré—except here it’s laced with Lustbader’s more cinematic flair.
The plotting, as always, is labyrinthine. Lustbader thrives on multiple moving parts—subplots of intelligence agencies, rogue operatives, and betrayals that double back on themselves. At times, the sheer density can feel like sprinting through a hall of mirrors. Yet, this is exactly what makes The Bourne Dominion compelling: you are never entirely sure whose side anyone is on, including Bourne’s own. Compared to other modern spy thrillers—Daniel Silva’s Gabriel Allon novels, for instance—Lustbader’s world is more violent, less restrained, and steeped in moral ambiguity. Where Silva lingers on art, history, and the subtlety of espionage, Lustbader detonates the narrative with high-octane chases, assassinations, and betrayals.
That said, one of the fascinating elements in Dominion is how it confronts the question of legacy. Bourne is older now; his survival is not guaranteed, and the text seems almost haunted by the possibility of his obsolescence. In this, Lustbader anticipates what later spy franchises like Mission: Impossible wrestle with: how does an ageing hero persist in a world that keeps birthing younger, hungrier killers? Bourne remains dangerous, but also vulnerable, and Dominion leans into that fragility without stripping him of his mythos.
Compared to Ludlum’s original trilogy, this installment feels darker, more ruthless, and far more global in scope. If Ludlum’s Bourne was about one man discovering who he was, Lustbader’s Bourne is about what that man has become—and what kind of world has been shaped by his very existence. Reading Dominion after back-to-back binging through the series, you can feel the franchise maturing, even if occasionally weighed down by its own complexity. But that’s part of the appeal: Bourne is never simple, never straightforward, and always in the thick of danger that feels both immediate and existential.
In the end, The Bourne Dominion is less about a single mission than about Bourne himself as the embodiment of perpetual conflict—an eternal spy who can never quite leave the battlefield behind.
It is a novel that doubles down on the intensity, the paranoia, and the fatalism that have come to define Lustbader’s vision of the character. For readers who crave spy fiction where trust is a luxury and survival is never assured, this book delivers in spades.
June 20, 2024
This book was published in 2011, I read it in June 2024 (202406). It is a further book in the Jason Bourne series, however actually written by Eric Van Lustbader. Besides our protagonist, there are two other players. The Russian Boris Karpov who is a well-known friend to Bourne however in this case, he has been ordered to kill Bourne or be killed by a Russian competitor, Cherkesov. The major antagonist is Benjamin El-Arian of the Domna which Bourne had destroyed a decade or so ago. The Domna is planning a financial challenge that will destroy USA defense plans for the next generation. Besides their own plans, Domna has hired Cherkesov to turn Karpov against Bourne and US security agents. US agents are also trying to prevent Domna from executing their plans but are supporting Bourne from the shadows.
I found this plot difficult to follow early on as there were always new players popping up trying to divert all the other players from succeeding. This spin of dead, wounded or out of the game can be hard to follow. My cynic self calls this Lustbader’s alternate to a coherent plot.
After a series of opening moves to set the stage, the book falls into a long series of Bourne following dead ends (murders) and false starts as he begins to unravel a clear view of what the Domna is actually trying to do and how to shut them down. His family is not mentioned other than the recognition that they are in peril if identified. These moves result in a host of offensive and defensive action scenarios using a variety of weapons including guns, fire, explosions, poisons, etc., resulting in many deaths and injuries on all sides.
As all this is going on, there is stage setting by convenience. Domna always seems to know who and where their opponents are and never stop. There were so many actions, in so many locations, killing so many people that I was finding the whole thing tedious in its repetition. Having said this, the action was fast, furious and creative.
There is no lack of action in this book. This shows Lustbader as an excellent creator of exciting prose. The action goes on for several pages at a time. Action aficionado fans will thrive on this thrilling action novel. Three Stars.
I found this plot difficult to follow early on as there were always new players popping up trying to divert all the other players from succeeding. This spin of dead, wounded or out of the game can be hard to follow. My cynic self calls this Lustbader’s alternate to a coherent plot.
After a series of opening moves to set the stage, the book falls into a long series of Bourne following dead ends (murders) and false starts as he begins to unravel a clear view of what the Domna is actually trying to do and how to shut them down. His family is not mentioned other than the recognition that they are in peril if identified. These moves result in a host of offensive and defensive action scenarios using a variety of weapons including guns, fire, explosions, poisons, etc., resulting in many deaths and injuries on all sides.
As all this is going on, there is stage setting by convenience. Domna always seems to know who and where their opponents are and never stop. There were so many actions, in so many locations, killing so many people that I was finding the whole thing tedious in its repetition. Having said this, the action was fast, furious and creative.
There is no lack of action in this book. This shows Lustbader as an excellent creator of exciting prose. The action goes on for several pages at a time. Action aficionado fans will thrive on this thrilling action novel. Three Stars.
March 14, 2018
One of the most discombobulated books I have ever read, and at 75 I have read hundreds if not thousands. The plot: as with most Bourne books is a bit difficult to understand and believe, but the plot of The Bourne Dominion is horrendous. You will be asked to believe that half the nations in the world have organizations that not only know Bourne but are out to kill him (and anyone around him). You will be dispersed to just about every corner of the world with nefarious agents and agencies that are somehow involved in the destruction of the world, but primarily in the elimination of Jason. Even the names of the bad guys add to the plot's convoluted and confusing premise. How is it that most of the villain's names start with the letter "E"? After a while you don't know which "E" is which.
After reading only half of the book (that's all I was able to take), I was convinced that publishers should put poor Jason to sleep. Van Lustbader did not do the Bourne name any favors. He is a brilliant writer, but with this book, and its myriad of twists, turns, convolutions, curlicues, warps, and zigzags; he has convinced me that he's no Robert Ludlum.
I don't think that even Matt Damon could play this particular Bourne character in any length of a film or even in a series of films that could be even slightly believable.
Overall a convoluted waster of good paper.
After reading only half of the book (that's all I was able to take), I was convinced that publishers should put poor Jason to sleep. Van Lustbader did not do the Bourne name any favors. He is a brilliant writer, but with this book, and its myriad of twists, turns, convolutions, curlicues, warps, and zigzags; he has convinced me that he's no Robert Ludlum.
I don't think that even Matt Damon could play this particular Bourne character in any length of a film or even in a series of films that could be even slightly believable.
Overall a convoluted waster of good paper.
January 31, 2024
The best thing I can say about this book is that it was borrowed from the library. If it wasn't the only read I had on a trip, I would have put it down.
The writing style of this book is atrocious. There's no continuity. Instead, this long (400+ pages) book is written as a set of 1 1/2 - 2 page mini-chapters within each chapter. There's plenty of action but the pace of the novel makes you wonder how or when Bourne recovers from his injuries, why no one says anything about the bruises he must have, etc. If Bourne needs a skill, tada, it's there, whether flying vehicles or speaking obscure dialects. The constant jumping from character to character and location to location just made me lose interest in following any of them. Yes, I've met many of the characters before, but in Van Lustbader's world, everyone is expendable...but no worries, there's plenty of new characters and intrigue created to take their place. Ludlum wrote in a simpler style, his books were self-contained. With Van Lustbader, there's no ending or feeling of completeness. It's a chapter in a story, but not enough to hold you and have you read the next (or the previous, sometimes, it doesn't seem like it'll make a difference).
I don't recommend the book. If you're one of those people who need to read everything by a particular author or series, borrow it from the libray, don't waste your money on this book.
The writing style of this book is atrocious. There's no continuity. Instead, this long (400+ pages) book is written as a set of 1 1/2 - 2 page mini-chapters within each chapter. There's plenty of action but the pace of the novel makes you wonder how or when Bourne recovers from his injuries, why no one says anything about the bruises he must have, etc. If Bourne needs a skill, tada, it's there, whether flying vehicles or speaking obscure dialects. The constant jumping from character to character and location to location just made me lose interest in following any of them. Yes, I've met many of the characters before, but in Van Lustbader's world, everyone is expendable...but no worries, there's plenty of new characters and intrigue created to take their place. Ludlum wrote in a simpler style, his books were self-contained. With Van Lustbader, there's no ending or feeling of completeness. It's a chapter in a story, but not enough to hold you and have you read the next (or the previous, sometimes, it doesn't seem like it'll make a difference).
I don't recommend the book. If you're one of those people who need to read everything by a particular author or series, borrow it from the libray, don't waste your money on this book.
July 13, 2024
"Jason Bourne is searching for an elusive cadre of terrorists planning to destroy America's most strategic natural resources -- and needs the help of his longtime friend, Boris Karpov. Karpov, the newly appointed head of Russia's most feared spy agency, FSB-2, is one of the most determined, honorable, and justice-hungry men that Bourne knows. But Karpov has made a deal with the devil. In order to remain the head of FSB--2, he must hunt down and kill Bourne. Now, these two trusted friends are on a deadly collision course. From the Colombian highlands to Munich, Cadiz, and Damascus, the clock is counting down to a disaster that will cripple America's economic and military future. Only Bourne and Karpov have a chance to avert the catastrophe - but if they destroy each other first, that chance will be gone forever." While I have read a couple of books featuring Jason Bourne, I was assured that the series could be read in any order, I found myself unable to understand the relationship between the various characters. However, the book was very plot-driven and fast-paced. I did enjoy this story but feel I would have to read the series in order to get the full experience.
October 19, 2022
It was OK. I will add it to my Robert Ludlum shelves. I just found random stuff coming out of nowhere a little bit annoying. Not to mention the author taking every opportunity to make this a 'man' book - over-the-top gross descriptions, or scariness where none was necessary or warranted. Ridiculous, I forget exactly what he said, but for instance describing the trees, while running away from (or to) something desperate, as not merely skeletal, which would have set the tone and been perfect, but then going on about fingers of the dead reaching out for mercy or whatever (my words) - simply not required. I also didn't think it ended all that well - who was Maggie - and why didn't she come back for Hendricks? Or are we saving that for another book?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 17, 2021
Non-stop action thrill ride. Many intricate and intersecting plot lines. Van Lustbader leaves you hanging at the end of one thread only to jump to the next story. The plots can be confusing as the characters assume multiple identities. The author takes you on a world-wide tour to Washington, Columbia, Germany and Damascus.
The writing could be better though. Such non sequiturs as “How could I love you when we have known each other a matter of days? How could I love you when all I’ve done is lie to you? How is it that the Earth is the third planet from the sun?” is not about to win any awards.
The writing could be better though. Such non sequiturs as “How could I love you when we have known each other a matter of days? How could I love you when all I’ve done is lie to you? How is it that the Earth is the third planet from the sun?” is not about to win any awards.
March 27, 2018
To me it looks like Van Lustbader gets better into Jason Bourne's world and life with every book he writes. In iteslef this was a good book, nice to read, full of action.
I think it is a shame though, that the Bourne character is quite flat and shows no real development. Not in dealing with hor healing from his loss of memory, nor in forming relationships with other people. I hope that will be the case in a futere book (this one had an open ending, again, so I strongly suspect that there will be a follow up.
I think it is a shame though, that the Bourne character is quite flat and shows no real development. Not in dealing with hor healing from his loss of memory, nor in forming relationships with other people. I hope that will be the case in a futere book (this one had an open ending, again, so I strongly suspect that there will be a follow up.
January 15, 2021
I'm really torn over this book. It was an enjoyable read but at some point because of the way the characters kept switching rapidly I was floating for some of the bits. To be fair, I read the 9th book in the series instead of starting from the 1st. But besides that, the book honestly felt like it was written for production of the movie. I wasn't connected to the characters and didn't feel like the writer gave me anything concrete about Bourne to like him.
It was a fair effort but I don't think ill be picking up any book from this series anytime soon.
It was a fair effort but I don't think ill be picking up any book from this series anytime soon.
January 15, 2023
Yet again, I'm not supposed to like this next book in the Lustbader-Bourne series. The secret cabal angle is back. Women are yet again half deadly and half pining for their man. This one even uses a Salander-ish plot with the deadly Swedish twin sisters.
And yet again, the presentation and narrative convince me otherwise. I still like the multiple events in a chapter, many of which rhyme with each other. The twist is fairly exciting. And per usual, the action and mind games are par for the course. I can't not like this.
And yet again, the presentation and narrative convince me otherwise. I still like the multiple events in a chapter, many of which rhyme with each other. The twist is fairly exciting. And per usual, the action and mind games are par for the course. I can't not like this.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 10, 2018
Van Lustader ruined this series. He has taken a great character and removed so much of what made him interesting. Bourne is now just a one dimensional character that gets put in circumstances for no reason. Why would a guy who lost his family once before abandon them and then act like his kids don’t even exist. The stories are confusing. I’ve tried and tried to like these books but just can’t do it anymore
September 2, 2018
Started reading this awful book at a friend's house. I guess this is a zombie Bourne, since Ludlum has passed on. Starts with a Borune assassination of an unknown woman in a ladies room, moves on to mayhem on a beach in Thailand (5 killed?), then a few grisly killings in a Russian prison...Who knows the eventual body count, I won't because I put it back on the shelf.
I'm done with Ludlum-Lustbader.
I'm done with Ludlum-Lustbader.
October 14, 2020
Like the previous book this had a huge cast of characters, many with similar sounding names. The story starts with Jason catching a fleeting glimpse at his former life and trying to make sense of this fragment of memory.
At least four different groups are worlds apart and slowly converge towards the end of the book. Revenge, hatred, love, trust, betrayal and vindication all affect the characters in this story in different ways.
At least four different groups are worlds apart and slowly converge towards the end of the book. Revenge, hatred, love, trust, betrayal and vindication all affect the characters in this story in different ways.
January 23, 2023
Lustbader isn't Ludlum. He does a good job of continuing the character of Jason Bourne, but the plot line and story pales by comparison. Several times through the book, he introduces deus ex machina plot elements that come out of nowhere and aren't well-integrated into the story. Too many underdeveloped disparate characters with randomly related roles in the story. Bourne stays Bourne, but the world around him isn't very well developed.
July 5, 2022
Quite a few loose ends here, hopefully they will be tied up in the next installment. Turns out there are multiple organizations seeking world domination. Not quite as confusing as the last installment, but still quite a few characters and twists and turns. Jason is finding out more about his past and who his real friends are.
January 22, 2025
It was good, an enjoyable read. it describes itself as plot-driven, and the plot seems pretty clear from the beginning. Some found it confusing but if you can follow it, it makes sense and doesn’t change much. What interested me was the play between characters, I found myself attached and wanting to read more!
September 13, 2025
While I liked the characters and felt the level of detail was decent, I couldn't help but feel like I was reading the book version of a first-person shooter video game where everyone you meet is suspect and the only way to get through to the end is by killing everyone in sight before they kill you or someone you know. I have higher expectations of a plot than that.
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