This is a reread, primarily because the sequel, The Bourne Supremacy has been given the movie treatment. I liked the movie adaptation of The Bourne Identity which did a remarkably good job without simplifying the story too much. I do confess to being a little bit concerned about the sequel, since the movie version removed what could be described as the central tension in the book and didn’t exactly leave any of the loose ends that Ludlum used in his sequels.
With that said, the basic plot line of The Bourne Identity is simple enough. A man is pulled from the Mediterranean with no memory, several bullet holes in his body, and a microfilm implant with the number of a Swiss bank account. Lacking any other clues, he goes back to the bank to try to rediscover his identity, only to find that his account contains about 5 million dollars (in various European currencies)… and as soon as he tries to access it, people start trying to kill him.
From that moment on, Bourne races to stay one step ahead of his enemies while trying to discover who and what he was, and in the process discovers skills and talents that lead him ever closer to the conclusion that he was an international assassin. What he is remains to be seen.
The execution of the plot is complex and fast-paced. The reader races to keep up with what Bourne discovers about himself and about those hunting him. There is never any opportunity to pause and take stock of the situation; something is always happening to drive events forward. The result is a solidly entertaining action-adventure with enough hints of greater depth to satisfy the discerning or speculative reader.
