The Bourne Profusion

I'm currently reading (well, listening to) the Bourne stories... and they are very different to the movies. The first book (Identity) is about Bourne's fight with a chap named Carlos and minorly about the organisation Treadstone. It's like Carlos Carlos Treadstone Carlos Carlos Treadstone Carlos Carlos Treadstone. The movie is just Treadstone Treadstone Treadstone. As are the next movies. Spoiler: Treadstone stops existing at the end of the first book!

And the Bourne Legacy is about Bourne and his son, not some other chap stepping into the role! Although Legacy onwards is when Eric Van Lustbader takes over writing duties, and it shows. The first three books are about Jason Bourne identity conflicting with David Webb's real personality, and a lot is made of his wife Marie, and the third ends quite well, especially with David going on about how he's 50 now and getting too old for this sh*t.

But when Eric takes over, Marie quicks gets thrust into the background, along with other main characters, and the books become a lot more action oriented spy political thrillers... not that they weren't but a lot of characterisation is dumped in favour of getting on with it.

I might go back and review the movies again... although I'm tempted to just finish the books and move onto something else...

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