Today we’re starting the next book in The Bestseller Code 100 challenge, The Bourne Betrayal by Eric Van Lustbader, for Book Beginnings on Fridays.
Book Beginnings is a fun meme hosted by Rose City Reader blog. To participate, share the first sentence or so of a novel you are reading and your thoughts about it. When you are finished, add your URL to the Book Beginnings page linked above. Hope to see you there!
The Bourne Betrayal* by Eric Van Lustbader
(*Amazon Affiliate link)
This novel is part of a series that features Jason Bourne, a spy/assassin who has lost his memory. Throughout Bourne fights to stay alive while he figures out his real identity and pieces together his past.
Robert Ludlum wrote the first three books in the series. After he passed away, Eric Van Lustbader took over.
The Bourne Betrayal is the fifth in the series. In it Jason Bourne’s friend, a CIA deputy director, has been kidnapped. When Bourne heads to Africa to look for his friend, he finds out he might be a pawn in a plot to destroy America.
(Also made into a popular movie series featuring actor Matt Damon.)
First Sentence of Prologue:
The Chinook came beating up into a blood-red sky. It shuddered in the perilous cross-currents, banking through the thin air. A web of clouds, backlit by the failing sun, streamed by like smoke from a flaming aircraft.
First Sentence of Chapter One:
“When did this particular flashback begin, Mr. Bourne?” Dr. Sunderland asked.
Discussion:
I like the first sentence of chapter one better than the prologue, but in this case it’s important to read the prologue because it reveals what happened to Bourne’s friend.
Although this is the fifth book, we’re reading it out of order because it was picked by the computer algorithm in The Bestseller Code as one of the 100 best. Hopefully the novel works as a stand alone.
Have you watched any of the movies? I liked the movies. Now I envision Matt Damon as Jason Bourne, though.
What do you think? Do you like the Jason Bourne series?
Hi Roberta (and Karen!)
I love the Bourne Series, but yes, now Matt Damon is Jason. That will never go away . Not such a bad thing, eh? 🙂
Have a wonderful weekend, full of books!
Luv Sass x (BTW I played too!)
Glad you enjoy the Bourne series. No, I don’t mind that Matt Damon is Jason Bourne in my head. He does an awesome job.
I’ve read the books and seen the movies…loved them. Can’t resist a good spy story.
sherry @ fundinmental Friday Memes
Spy stories are some of my favorites, too. I’m looking forward to reading this one.
I hope this 5th in a series works for you. I really like to start at the beginning when I read a series. I am featuring A Murder for the Books by Victoria Gilbert. Happy reading!
I haven’t read the books or seen the movies, but now I’m definitely intrigued. Thanks for sharing, and for visiting my blog.
Gosh I am embarrassed to say that I thought these were only movies. I enjoy the Bourne movies so I bet I will like the books even more. I will check out Fictfact to get the order.
Like Laurel, I haven’t read the books or seen the movies. I do, however, find the snippets you’ve shared intriguing and they immediately drew me in.
I haven’t read the books, but I really liked the movies. Hope you enjoy! Have a great weekend! 🙂
Now I’m beginning to wonder how the books and movies compare.
In your opinion how does the writing compare between the two authors? I haven’t read the originals but I have certainly heard of them. My Friday Quotes for The 57 Bus
I’m interested in that question, too. I think it is always difficult to continue with another author’s vision.