Robert Ludlum's (TM) The Bourne Retribution (Jason Bourne series Book 11)

Fast delivery, great value for the $$$

If had the talent it took to write novels, I would resist the urge to age the characters. If book 2 follows book 1 four years later because I was out on my mega yacht, island hopping and surfing with a gaggle of chicks for a few years, I would not push my clock onto my character and age him 4 years. Not saying EL has done that, but the issue of age does come up even though the series appears to be a perfectly acceptable follow on that spans a relatively short time period. All tough guy novels these days seem to require two annoying pc fashion statements: the main character needs to show some significant weakness at times and they must sprinkle in an absurd "girl power" message. This is sooo tiresome and why I and most dudes I know will never read a book again written by a woman - knowingly anyway.......except a cook book (barbeque)....or something like Forum (is that still around?)...or if I wanted to read about how to cut my own hair - which I don't - but those would be the exceptions.This book is a page turner, but did not keep me up half the night, which is good because unlike a lot of you people, I'm very busy in real life. The plot is interesting enough and I was not bothered by any obvious holes or inconsistencies like super Russian assassins who can't die - yak - is that story line done yet? I would like Bourne to be as tough as the early books- seems to be starting to get soft. For those of you who know how TC turned his Jack Ryan character into a pathetic thumb sucking cry baby who eventually could not do anything without "asking for help" - usually from a woman - you know how ugly that can get.

bourne always makes sure the bad guys get theirs.

Ludlum is turning over in his grave....Bourne is unrecognizable...Van Lustbader should give any profit to charity out of shame for writing such tripe that even the WORST would be "It was a dark and stormy night." writer could have done better! After reading this book you come away with several negative impressions (besides the nausea of having been conned out of good money for the book). First, the book toggles back and forth between Bourne and "the rest of the world". "Events" happen in one of these modes and to create suspense, the author switches to the other mode to create an event and then switches back to resolve the first event then switch back to resolve the other. This happens so regularly that one imagines Van Lustbader writing two stories then shuffling them together like a deck of cards. The events themselves are unimaginatively CONTRIVED with descriptions as if they were directions to actors for a (bad) movie script. Secondly, and MOST EGREGIOUSLY, Van Lustbader writes characters who go from venomously DRIVEN to cute and cuddly with the turn of a page. Their behavior begins with one "mode of being" and Bourne is their "magic talisman" to convert them. Thirdly, just in case he's lost the reader as to the motivations of the characters, at around the 3/4 mark of the book, he has 3 of them engage in a conversation describing "how did this mess start?" At that point I knew that the answer was "Someone told Van Lustbader he was a writer" One expects to "suspend disbelief" but for THIS particular book, only a lobotomy would suffice. Finally, Van Lustbader gives us a Deus ex machina ending that instead of creating joy (as intended by the author) produces another groan at his amateurish attempt at manipulating the reader. If, like me, you want a "Bourne fix"...this book will not do it.In my original review, I forgot to mention the author's GRATUITOUS use of Mexican and Chinese cultural references that are just "dropped" into the work as if, to pad the number of pages, Van Lustbader figured that plagiarizing a Fodor's Guide would help him convince his readers that he knew what he was talking about.

Once again Van Lustbader has done the seemingly impossible job of filling Robert Ludlum's shoes with the next installment in the Jason Bourne saga. EVL understands the torture that Bourne feels with the empty memories he is cursed with. Combine that with the sense of loss of everyone he cares about, and he is the tragic, troubled man Ludlum created so long ago. EVL is also brave enough to drift away from Ludlum's need for his characters to find a stable base in a romantic interest, Bourne is just too troubled a man to live happily ever after. His need for retribution is the driving force for this story and for his story in general. Bourne is the one focused arrow in an otherwise duplicitous world where he can trust no one and everyone has a hidden agenda. The story moves at a breakneck pace as Bourne tries to find his way while mourning the loss of Rebeka; ranging from Mexico to Israel to China attempting to stay ahead of all the plots and enemies wanting his death. It is comforting to know Bourne is in good hands with EVL, this is a great way to spend a snowed in weekend.

I have been reading Robert Ludlum for over 20 years, and have enjoyed 95% of those books. I especially enjoy the Jason Bourne series.In later years, Mr. Ludlum has had other writers contribute to many of his books, such as Mr. Lustbader. I also have enjoyed these books including the Covert One series.However, in the case of Jason Bourne, the books lately have been somewhat lacking in action. Maybe this is as it should be, as in the beginning, there was so much more action, one would think it impossible for any human being to accomplish what Mr Bourne did in the original three novels.Regarding The Bourne Retribution, I greatly enjoyed this one, mainly because of the ending. Jason really needed an ending that would fulfill him. It also leads the way for a new book to follow this one.Thank You...Ken Peschell Canton, Ga.

This one returns to the heart-throbbing action that was present in the beginning of the series. The plot is pretty good, the action is great, and the ending has a good twist.

First of all, I have to say that I have read and enjoyed all of Robert Ludlum's books, often more than once. Of them all, The Bourne Identity has to be (in my opinion) one of the best books ever written. Because I like his books so much, when the "started but only partially written, so finished off by carefully selected co-authors" books started to appear after Robert Ludlum's death, I pounced on them, expecting and hoping for more excellent entertainment.The first two or three were OK - not just the continuing Bourne series, but also the Covert One series. You could still see the influence of the late master in the plots and storylines.But that has to be where the compliments stop, especially for Mr Van Lustbader. He has taken what was a good story that maybe had a little bit more mileage left in it, and completely and utterly destroyed it. The basic premise for Jason Bourne's existence has been at best ignored, and at worst completely re-written (and not in a good way); the characters that Robert Ludlum created are dispensed with, often with no hint of a reference to them; new characters are arbitrarily made up to fit passages of the books, then just as arbitrarily removed; the plots are so insanely convoluted as to be completely unbelievable, never mind virtually incomprehensible; the timelines and references to the original "Bourne Identity" make no sense; and in a seemingly desperate attempt to "keep the action moving", Van Lustbader's Jason Bourne finds himself in an almost perpetual cycle of increasingly perilous situations, each one resulting in the most unlikely of near death experiences followed by a miraculous escape.This presumably is mostly driven by a desire to keep the titles coming for future Jason Bourne movies (don't get me started on how bad I think they are), and if I had never read any of Robert Ludlum's work prior to these, maybe I would enjoy them and the films as a bit of escapist nonsense, but I didn't, so the recommendation has to be this - read "The Bourne Identity". If you enjoy that, then read the next two in the series, you know, the ones actually written by Robert Ludlum, and then stop, because if you don't then, like me, you'll just keep buying the next one in the hope that Eric Van Lustbader learns how to write a coherent, compelling and enjoyable novel, and really, he doesn't.

Another tale of using Bourne unwittingly, well written, following on well in the series, but maybe I'm just getting too old for this, so should Jason Bourne, he was older than I was when the series started so brilliantly by Robert Ludlum.It was good for someone to continue the series, but now I'm getting bored, but it still deserves the 4 stars for being well written and in keeping with the characters, although without wishing to spoil anyone"s read, the resurrection at the end of a previous character is a bit hard to swallow.Maybe time for Jason Bourne to retire?

Good value

The Bourne books by Eric van Lustbader keep getting better and surpass the original books, which were first class. Highly recommend this book for edge of the seat excitement. Definitely five star

As usual the Bourne books are a compelling read with fast moving story lines as the seemingly immortal Jason Bourne continues to surpass everyone. While I have read them all and enjoy I still feel slightly annoyed by the fact that he never ages despite getting quite old in the original books. Still I suppose the publisher had seen a good thing and kept churning them out