What do you think?
Rate this book
The Bourne Supremacy. Part 1 of 2
Continues the suspenseful story of Jason Bourne's counterintelligence activities begun in The Bourne Identity. 2 cassettes.
Audio Cassette
First published January 1, 1986
7 people are currently reading
247 people want to read
About the author
Robert Ludlum
635 books5,357 followersRobert Ludlum was a titan of the suspense genre, whose name became synonymous with the modern international spy thriller. Before amassing a staggering readership estimated between 300 and 500 million copies, Ludlum forged a career in the theater as a Marine veteran turned actor and producer. This theatrical background proved foundational to his literary success; he often credited his sense of pacing and "what-happens-next" urgency to his years on stage. Writing from his home in New Jersey, he crafted 27 novels characterized by "lone wolf" protagonists battling shadowy global conspiracies, corrupt corporations, and clandestine military organizations.
Ludlum is most famous as the creator of Jason Bourne, the amnesiac assassin who first appeared in The Bourne Identity (1980). While the blockbuster film adaptations starring Matt Damon brought the character to a new generation, Ludlum's original trilogy delved deeper into the Cold War paranoia and intricate psychological trauma of the protagonist. His work often drew inspiration from contemporary conspiracy theories, such as rumors surrounding the Trilateral Commission, and he frequently explored the idea of terrorism as a tool for authoritarian manipulation. Even after his death in 2001, his literary estate has continued to expand his universe through video games and posthumous collaborations, cementing his legacy as a master of the "ticking clock" narrative.
Ludlum is most famous as the creator of Jason Bourne, the amnesiac assassin who first appeared in The Bourne Identity (1980). While the blockbuster film adaptations starring Matt Damon brought the character to a new generation, Ludlum's original trilogy delved deeper into the Cold War paranoia and intricate psychological trauma of the protagonist. His work often drew inspiration from contemporary conspiracy theories, such as rumors surrounding the Trilateral Commission, and he frequently explored the idea of terrorism as a tool for authoritarian manipulation. Even after his death in 2001, his literary estate has continued to expand his universe through video games and posthumous collaborations, cementing his legacy as a master of the "ticking clock" narrative.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
April 17, 2024
David Webb aka Jason Bourne aka Delta is college prof/international spy/deadly killer all inhabiting the same bulletproof body. The idyll of Webb is broken when duplicitous American diplomats have Webb's resourceful wife Marie kidnapped in order to lure the Delta out of Webb/Bourne and get him to pursue a fake fake Jason Bourne who can only stopped by the real fake Jason Bourne before he upsets Chinese politics and catapults us into a world war. And the real fake Jason Bourne is sort of a schizophrenic serial killer.
Or maybe something else is happening. Every character in this book lies constantly so the actual agenda of anyone is (dare I say?) (excuse me) inscrutable. (Groan.) Sorry, Chinese joke.
Let's see. China. Great Wall, long history, Huns, probably not Samurai, our allies during WWII, turned Communist, three different languages (4?), British colony, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Peking, Nixon played a card, one-child policy, sort of changed their mind about Communism, good at gymnastics, produce most of the junk sold at Walmart, millions moved to Southern California, orange chicken, sweet and sour pork, shiatsu massage. That China. Do you understand any of that? Me either.
And I have about as much chance understanding a foot massage reflexology chart as I have in following the story in this book. Whatever is happening, it is all very urgent because the word "suddenly" occurs on almost every page. Plus the word "Oriental" occurs often enough that this book will probably soon be banned from school libraries. No great loss.
Or maybe something else is happening. Every character in this book lies constantly so the actual agenda of anyone is (dare I say?) (excuse me) inscrutable. (Groan.) Sorry, Chinese joke.
Let's see. China. Great Wall, long history, Huns, probably not Samurai, our allies during WWII, turned Communist, three different languages (4?), British colony, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Peking, Nixon played a card, one-child policy, sort of changed their mind about Communism, good at gymnastics, produce most of the junk sold at Walmart, millions moved to Southern California, orange chicken, sweet and sour pork, shiatsu massage. That China. Do you understand any of that? Me either.
And I have about as much chance understanding a foot massage reflexology chart as I have in following the story in this book. Whatever is happening, it is all very urgent because the word "suddenly" occurs on almost every page. Plus the word "Oriental" occurs often enough that this book will probably soon be banned from school libraries. No great loss.
October 22, 2017
Just finished reading this for the umpteenth time. Every few years, I pick it up for sentimental value. It was one of the books I read in high school that clearly remember thinking--I wish I was this writer--and maybe one day. Of course, a million years later my agent told me to give up the dream on this genre..
This book has it all. The plot. The pacing. The characters. Narrative descriptions that aren't overly done, short sentences that keep the suspense quotient high. I can't write much that most readers don't already know, but I will say this: any prospective author looking to write in this genre should start here. It's a how-to tutorial in itself, and the second book picks up the pace even more...Ludlum really was a master.
This book has it all. The plot. The pacing. The characters. Narrative descriptions that aren't overly done, short sentences that keep the suspense quotient high. I can't write much that most readers don't already know, but I will say this: any prospective author looking to write in this genre should start here. It's a how-to tutorial in itself, and the second book picks up the pace even more...Ludlum really was a master.
September 14, 2012
After the thrilling conclusion at Treadstone Seventy One and the near miss with Carlos, this story picks up with David Webb back at a teaching position up in Maine with his wife, the ever resourceful and very smart Marie.
Little does Webb know that forces in the United States Government, led by Ambassador Havilland and Edward McAlister are planning a devious plot to stop a plot that would shake up the entire Far East, and it involves bringing back the "original" Jason Bourne to stop an assassin carrying out kills under the name Bourne for a Chinese madman intent on restoring an old ruling power back to China.
These men will stop at nothing, including kidnapping Marie to force Webb back to Hong Kong and China to not only find Marie but with the misinformation also bring them the "new Bourne" alive. Along the way Bourne receives much needed assistance from his old friend, Alexander Conklin who had been the one to declare Bourne "beyond salvage" originally and has felt guilty ever since.
Ludlum books to me are always mesmerizing and the resourcefulness and deep down character of Bourne makes it a fascinating read. "Delta" at one point was and is the best there was from the top secret Medusa missions. The psychological torture they inflict on Bourne and his ability to still focus and overcome any obstacle make for pulse pounding reading. Anyone who has not read a good old Ludlum book, any book, should do themselves a favor and sit down with one.
Little does Webb know that forces in the United States Government, led by Ambassador Havilland and Edward McAlister are planning a devious plot to stop a plot that would shake up the entire Far East, and it involves bringing back the "original" Jason Bourne to stop an assassin carrying out kills under the name Bourne for a Chinese madman intent on restoring an old ruling power back to China.
These men will stop at nothing, including kidnapping Marie to force Webb back to Hong Kong and China to not only find Marie but with the misinformation also bring them the "new Bourne" alive. Along the way Bourne receives much needed assistance from his old friend, Alexander Conklin who had been the one to declare Bourne "beyond salvage" originally and has felt guilty ever since.
Ludlum books to me are always mesmerizing and the resourcefulness and deep down character of Bourne makes it a fascinating read. "Delta" at one point was and is the best there was from the top secret Medusa missions. The psychological torture they inflict on Bourne and his ability to still focus and overcome any obstacle make for pulse pounding reading. Anyone who has not read a good old Ludlum book, any book, should do themselves a favor and sit down with one.
April 14, 2010
When I started this one, I hoped I wouldn't wish that Ludlum stopped after Bourne #1. I almost wish that he had because the first book was the best. The second didn't really pick up until 3/4 of the way through when Jason meets his double and learns that he "can't think geometrically"; of course the book could have ended two or three times before it did...
December 30, 2009
started 12/16/09
August 5, 2016
Gripping but nothing like the film. Based in Hong Kong at the time just before it was handed back to China
August 21, 2012
the story is engaging and very different from the film......but i like anyway =)
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews