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Robert Ludlum's The Bourne Sanction  By  cover art

Robert Ludlum's The Bourne Sanction

By: Eric Van Lustbader
Narrated by: Jeremy Davidson
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Publisher's summary

Jason Bourne returns to Georgetown University and the mild world of his alter ego, David Webb, hoping for normalcy. But after so many adrenaline-soaked years of risking his life, Bourne finds himself chafing under the quiet life of a linguistics professor.

Aware of his frustrations, his academic mentor, Professor Specter, asks for help investigating the murder of a former student by a previously unknown Muslim extremist sect. The young man died carrying information about the group's terrorist activities, including an immediate plan to attack the United States. The organization, the Black Legion, and its lethal plot have also popped up on the radar of Central Intelligence, where new director Veronica Hart is struggling to assert her authority. Sensing an opportunity to take control of CI by showing Hart's incompetence, National Security Agency operatives plan to accomplish what CI never could - hunt down and kill Bourne.

In Europe, Bourne's investigation into the Black Legion turns into one of the deadliest and most tangled operations of his double life - the pursuit of the leader of a murderous terrorist group with roots in the darkest days of World War II - all while an assassin as brilliant and damaged as himself is getting closer by the minute....

©2008 Myn Pyn, LLC (P)2008 Hachette Audio

Critic reviews

"Don't ever begin a Ludlum novel if you have to go to work the next day." (Chicago Sun Times)

What listeners say about Robert Ludlum's The Bourne Sanction

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
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  • 4 Stars
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  • 3 Stars
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  • 2 Stars
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  • 1 Stars
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Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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  • 4 Stars
    122
  • 3 Stars
    34
  • 2 Stars
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Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
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  • 4 Stars
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  • 3 Stars
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  • 2 Stars
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  • 1 Stars
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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

Von what's his name isn't Ludlum

This was a disappointing book. Too many times the real Jason Borne would have seen it coming. When he gets off a plain and finds three people killed less than 100 yard from the plane and he know they were killed by his nemesis I just can see him getting back on the plane and taking a nap with his new true love and his mentor with him on the plane. The borne I know would search the plane and confront his villain.

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36 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

the bourne saction

if i were ludlum, i would be ashamed to have my name associated with this imitation, cliche ridden story line. at times like this i wish i could get my money back.

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16 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

He's no Ludlum!

On top of the disjointed storyline and too many boring, stereotypical characters, the writing is just atrocious! The metaphors rival those of an aspiring junior high writer. I've enjoyed the Bourne stories because they are based on a sensational premise but are/were so well written and well thought out that they were believable. This book requires way too much suspension of disbelief...there's actually a part where the writer can't really explain how the handy cross bows got to the right place at the right time. And the twists and turns are just absurd!! Don't waste your time or money.

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9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars

Couldn't wait till it ended

I didn't think this book would ever end. There was nothing to figure out, all the plot was revealed during conversations often with random people met totally by chance. Bourne was stupid and didn't out flank anyone in this one, just sailed along as people told him stuff. The Americans only worried about their careers fighting between agencies and didn't even know there was a terrorist attack planned. Bourne bounced around working for first one group then another, sometimes two at a time? People trying to kill him for no reason except thier own careers. One agency hires random people off the street with no training? Don't waste your money or time.

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

Awful

I've been an Audible subscriber for almost 8 years and I swear this is the worst audio book I've ever listened to.

Boring writing style, characters that are hard to care about, and a story line that's...well...a "long" stretch.

Sorry, Robert Ludlum, but this is not the kind of tripe you would have lent your name to had you still been alive.

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

Mr. Lustbader, you are not a Robert Ludlum

With over 100 audiobooks under my belt (not including many, many books on tape, this has to be the worst. It is awful, slow and tedious. I finished it (I must like pain) but deleted it from my iPod and library. The book started fine, died after 10 minutes, and ended with a climax-less close. Zzzzzzz

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars

Disappointing

I have been a huge Robert Ludlum fan for many years. I found this book to be somewhat difficult to follow. The writer spent far to much time attempting to communicate his left of center views. I read fiction to be entertained not indoctrinated.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

Wait for the movie

This was an introductory offer, 'one free download if you sign up for audible'. I still feel as though I paid too much for this, my first selection.

The author has laced the text with self indulgent digressions and social commentary that are genre inappropriate and distracting. Someone should take the thesaurus away from the editor.

On the bright side, I did realize that reading the other reviews posted on the site might have saved me from my mistake. I will always do so from now on.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

Very disappointing

This book has a very silly plot and a considerable amount of technically preposterous content.
I would say it is aimed at boys 13-14 years of age. I was only able to get through 3/4's of the book before I had to give up.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Complex but less believable than usual

Good use of the regular characters from prior Bourne stories. But pretty clumsy use of accessory characters (such as Willard, the butler) to explain details of the story.
Personally, I found the use of music and sound effects in crucial parts of the story irritating and distracting.

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1 person found this helpful