Robert Ludlum's The Bourne Sanction

By: Eric Van Lustbader

Narrated by: Jeremy Davidson

Length: 16 hrs and 6 mins

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)

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.

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.

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.

Worthless junk

The author successfully crossed that magic line between being naive and idiot, read it if your IQ is less them 50

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.

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

A disapointment

A waist of time. I used to admire the Bourne books, but this one is not matching their standards. Also, the audio special effects are idiotic.