The Bourne Identity: Jason Bourne Series, Book 1

I've read The Bourne Identity many times. It's a great thriller - full of excitement, well-paced and well-constructed. It's a little old-fashioned nowadays, I guess, but I was really excited when I saw it was available from Audible and bought it straightaway.

What a disappointment!!! The reader, Scott Brick, who is billed as an outstanding performer, gave an over-the-top histrionic performance which completely ruined this talking book for me!

"And he LOOKED over the BOAT'S RAILING and he SAW ...". Enough of that - you get the picture. Every noun and every verb was declaimed in a tone of almost complete hysteria.

I was driving the car down a country lane while I listened to the start of the book and I had to pull off the road after about 20 minutes and stop the performance. I just couldn't stand any more!

I'll never listen to The Bourne Identity now, sadly -- what a total waste of an excellent book. And why on earth did the reader feel the need to do this?? I'll be watching out for books read by Scott Brick in future -- to make sure I avoid them ...

My interest in the BOURNE stories was created by viewing the movies. I have only hear this one book so far. I could not gain the interest in it that I have had in other Audible books. I will try again with another BOURNE story and try again.

Obtain a new reader. Don't watch the movie first.

The story is involved, this is the way it is meant to be but needs a person with the ability of the author to make the story real in your mind. I didn't find this with this reader.

The movie spoilt this plus the reader. I will leave it for a while till the movies forgotten then try another one.

Huh? What did he say?
Unfortunately Mr Scott Bri has the tendency to use a soft voice with some parts so if you are listening in a noisy environment, like in a moving vehicle, you tend to lose the las par of some wo. (And possibly some sentences too?)

The book is exceptional. The story much better than the story in the movie but I see it as a bonus (similar stories in the same vein).
I thoroughly enjoyed the story and look forward to the next in the series (Supremacy) BUT I am going to opt for the abridged version narrated by Jeff Harding, even though it is 20 hours shorter. From the sample it sounds acceptable.

The performance of the narrator is mostly top notch but I hate it when people do not finish their words or sentences. If a word is worth saying then say it, dont sa i.