Robert Ludlum's The Bourne Shadow

Jason Bourne, Book 19

By: Brian Freeman

Narrated by: Scott Brick

Jason Bourne must face the violence and betrayal of his forgotten past in this latest gripping entry in Robert Ludlum’s #1 New York Times bestselling series.

Like most spies, Jason Bourne lives in the shadows. But for Bourne, whose entire memory was stripped away by a bullet, those shadows hide dangerous secrets.

When a desperate stranger in Zurich asks for his help, she calls him by the name David Webb, which is the identity he left behind years ago to become Jason Bourne. This woman tells him an incredible story–that her sister disappeared with David’s help after the deaths of four terrorists in the mountains. Now men from this same extremist group are trying to hunt her down.

Bourne remembers none of it, but when the Swiss bistro erupts in violence, he finds himself on the run, chasing the ghosts of his very first Treadstone mission. Operating on pure instinct, Bourne plunges into a maelstrom unlike any he’s ever experienced, hoping to rescue a woman he once loved. He soon discovers that no one in this world of shadows can be trusted–and everything he’s been told about his past is a lie.

©2024 Brian Freeman (P)2024 Penguin Audio

Unending twist and turns

Thoroughly enjoyed the book… Just when I thought I had it figured out… I realized I had missed something.. great lesson… And as always, I love Scott Brick

Wow!!

This book was absolutely amazing. Was sad when it ended. Definitely the best yet. Can’t wait to see where it goes from here.

I really liked the twists and turns.

Loved it. I’m a Bourne fan for life!!! Great action as well as a peek into the mind of a broken assassin.

Wow!

Wow is all I can say! Terrific story and characters that weave you down a path. Highly recommend!

Good read with suspense and twists & turns that were riveting

The narrator was over dramatic. Bourne’s character was somewhat of a caricature, he was portrayed like a “dog with a bone” who couldn’t let go of finding the person he sought and gave in to sexual circumstances quite readily. He did not seem like a man who was complex as a top notch spy would be

Loved it!

Another great story in the Jason Bourne series! I listen to every single Brian Freeman book as soon as it's released. I was glad I forgot to pre order this one as it was a great surprise when I was searching for his next new release! The only sad thing is, I finished it in one day! Now I wait for his new stand alone,

Check out this book I guarantee you won’t be disappointed from start to finish

This book is written and narrated at such a high-level you can’t help but think you’re watching a first rate spy thriller

Increasingly difficult listening experience

I listened to all of the Brian Freeman books in the Bourne series up through this one and halfway through "The Bourne Vendetta."

The storylines and plot twists are okay--even better than okay. However, I have become increasingly annoyed with the gratuitous explicit wild sex with almost every female that Bourne bumps into. I'm not a prude but I don't find that the slimy details of the sex act advance the story unless someone is going to use the event to put a knife into his or her partner and advance the mission.

Also, everybody in the narrative now knows that Bourne has a "don't hurt her" weakness for any woman he's ever known, most of them in the carnal sense, and even for those he hasn't known. He can't kill them when they need killing to advance the mission (even if they deserve it ten times over for betraying him). He also sacrifices the mission every single time if someone gets hold of one of his many women and threatens her. He then has to play along until he can figure something out--if he ever can--usually it's random chance that saves her. A real operative would maybe put some effort toward saving the damsel in distress but would not walk away from his duty or give the bad guy the advantage. A real operative would shoot first and try to save the women later instead of putting down his gun and trusting that he won't get shot. However, that weakness is the main plot device in these later books. Maybe women readers are charmed by the chivalry but it isn't professional. Secondary recurring plot devices (all overused) are the wild explicit sexual events, Bourne's momentary mental paralysis when life recalls a lost memory, and Bourne's susceptibility to being frequently hoodwinked.

Finally, and this is not unique to the Bourne series. But allowing oneself to be so easily disarmed so that the author can indulge himself by running up the word count in Batman and Robin style hand to hand "biff and pow" combat gets boring after while. As is, also, running past a downed opponent who has left a loaded automatic weapon on the ground without snatching it up, grabbing the extra mags, and upgrading armament. Yeah, maybe it adds to the suspense to continue to face automatic weapons with only a mostly empty pistol. But, it's not very bright to pass up superior weaponry and additional ammo.

oh come on

seriously? bourne would not have known that the bad guys are following him everywhere and killing or kidnapping everyone he talks to? really? even scott brick could not fix this.

Awful

Lame story and awful narration. Predictable and nothing new. Way too much time — the whole book — was history of Bourne