Thank you Aria & Aries | Head of Zeus -- an Aries Book for the ARC!

There’s just something about a Bourne book that makes my heart so happy. The nostalgia, the knowing you’re going to be in for a fun adventure, etc. I was so happy to be back in this universe and it felt like every other time I’ve devoured a Bourne book- I was on the edge of my seat with all the suspense, the side romance, the action packed story. I loved it all!

Brian Freeman delivers another action-packed Bourne thriller, with Jason on a mission to recover a dangerous AI program. The plot is full of twists, tension, and familiar faces, ending with a shocking twist that sets up the next adventure. A must-read for Bourne fans!

On 01/31/25 15:38, "Bourn, Darren M" <Darren.Bourn@nshealth.ca> wrote:

I was fortunate enough to be granted the opportunity to read an ARC of "The Bourne Vendetta" by the author (Brian Freeman), his publisher (Penguin Group Putnam) and the fine folks at NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for . Beyond humbled
When we first met Jason Bourne in 1980, there was no indication that we'd still be reading....and enjoying.....this series 45 years later. Book #21 is THE BOURNE VENDETTA written by Brian Freeman under the Ludlum brand. Freeman has done an excellent job of maintaining the story line, one man against a huge corporation, while keeping the character up to date and the actions and consequences thrilling.
Years ago when the original author was penning the novels in this series, I avidly read the first three Bourne books and rapidly became a "Ludlum-phile" (I had read all of his books when I was in high school and university) and after he had passed in the early part of the 2000's (2001, to be exact) I thought that this was the end of the Bourne series (Not realizing that Eric Van Lustbader had inherited the series in 2004 and carried the series until 2017). Brian Freeman was approached by the Ludlum estate to carry on the series with his first Jason Bourne book in 2020 (The Bourne Evolution). Bourne Vendetta is his sixth work in the Bourne Universe. Freeman has reawakened my love for the character,Jason Bourne, and now that adds all of the Lustbader books, his previous Jason Bourne novels,and even the Joshua Hood Treadstone books to my TBR list (and for this, I wish to express my gratitude).

The throughline in the Bourne series is that someone is always out to get him. Maybe they want him dead. Maybe they want him in bed. And, once, he took a bullet to the head, which is the whole premise. The “nowhere man” remembers nothing of his past identity, and he works for a shadowy agency called Treadstone, the new head of which is a woman named Shadow.

The hunt for a trove of secret information forces Bourne to decide who lives – and who dies – in this latest installment in the #1 New York Times bestselling series.

Jason Bourne enters a deadly race to find a laptop.

A hacked database known as the Files has upended the intelligence community. Careers are being destroyed. Dirty deals are showing up on the front page. Assassinations are spreading from Europe to the U.S.

The new head of Treadstone sends Jason Bourne on a mission to find out who has the Files and get them back – or destroy them. But Bourne isn’t alone in this race. The Chinese want the Files. So do the Russians. And the only woman who may be able to help him is a treacherous spy known as Johanna – Bourne’s former lover – who sees the Files as the key to her own vendetta against Treadstone.

The elusive prize everyone seeks is a hacked database commonly referred to as the Files. The Files are filled with secret dirt about powerful people, every blackmailer’s fondest dream. Whoever controls this data could either destroy the deep state or protect it indefinitely. Everybody wants the information: the “FBI, CIA, NSA, DOJ. Plus most of our enemies overseas.” One such enemy is Cody, a Russian thug operating in Estonia. The files are on a laptop, and it doesn’t seem to occur to anybody that there could be copies in other places, but that doesn’t get in the way of a good story. Shadow wants the laptop, but so does the rogue ex-Treadstone agent Johanna. Two things the women have in common: They hate each other, and they have both enjoyed bedtime with Jason. Sex between Bourne and Johanna was “like two scorpions trying to mate.” That’s quite good, apparently, if you can get the visual out of your mind. And if you’re thinking that Jason doesn’t have enough women in his life, the Canadian journalist Abbey Laurent returns. Series fans will remember that she left him in The Bourne Sacrifice (2022) because he was too dangerous to be around. Now, she’s writing a book about a fatal fire, and she’s drawn back into his life. All three women are strong characters, but there’s also an Estonian damsel in distress named Tati, who is Cody’s prisoner. “‘Jason,’ she murmured aloud, her voice cracking, her soul praying. ‘Where are you?’” Her faith in him is complete, and completely warranted. Cody knows that Bourne has “a weakness for women in trouble.” The action starts early with the explosion of a limousine and a vivid description of what happens to its occupants, and from there the pace doesn’t flag.
Classic Jason Bourne, loaded with action, sex, and excitement.

Bourne has a rule for friends and enemies alike: Trust no one. That rule may be the only thing keeping him alive, because the hunt for the Files soon takes Bourne inside a twisted labyrinth of murder and betrayal, where everyone has a hidden agenda.

Including Bourne .

With regards to my self-detirmined five star scale, i would give Brian Freeman's "The Bourne Vendetta" a solid four stars and believe that it is bound to be a favourite of action and adventure afficiandos. Thank you for reawakening my interest in the Jason Bourne franchise.

As with all my literary ramblings, these are just my five cents worth.

Certainly entertaining and action-packed in many ways, long story short, this fell extremely short for me.
Shadow needs Bourne’s help.
We have a story that spans across continents, which is one the best tropes of this genre, and in that sense, this book does its best with locations: London, US, Estonia to name a few.
The themes and timely topics were interesting, but I wished for a more intricate, fresh plot based on causality, and more fresh characterisation.
I suppose this will be still well-liked by the fans of the series, the author and the spy sub-genre, however it does not stand out in the series.

This might just be the best spy thriller I've read in ages. It was Bourne at it's absolute best, putting tense action and mysteries with his inability to escape falling in love with the wrong women. I skipped a few of the recent books and it didn't even matter, the story fills you in perfectly if this is your 1st or 20th entry.

Another action packed Jason Bourne thriller. Working with Treadstone Bourne is tasked with retrieving “the file.” But what is it and who has it? The Chinese and an old girlfriend a former member of Treadstone are all in search of the file.Bourne’s skills are put to repeated use as he encounters hazards repeatedly. Suspenseful plot.

I must say it was exciting reading and thankfully the author did excellent job writing this book.
I personally enjoyed the plot of two women rivals in the business who are equally fond of Jason's attention. I believe that's how novelist Brian Freeman showed his undeniable knowledge on the book theme and the intelligence community.

Although I've seen all the movies (hasn't everyone?), I've never read a Jason Bourne novel, not even Ludlum's classic originals. Now I have, and all I can say is that I'm extremely underwhelmed. Maybe I'll stick to the Matt Damon movies from now on.

There are no characterizations here worthy of the term, and the settings are completely lifeless. The narrative is propelled by constant activity rather than events that build reader involvement, and the dialogue is frankly on an elementary school level. This book reads less like an actual novel than it does an extended treatment for a movie.

Which, come to think of it, is probably what it really is.

When we first met Jason Bourne in 1980, there was no indication that we'd still be reading....and enjoying.....this series 45 years later. Book #21 is THE BOURNE VENDETTA written by Brian Freeman under the Ludlum brand. Freeman has done an excellent job of maintaining the story line, one man against a huge corporation, while keeping the character up to date and the actions and consequences thrilling.

The Vendatta finds Jason working against the clock as he searches for information that would lead him to "the files", documents that endanger the lives and livelihoods of thousands. As the supporting characters divide equally between good and bad, Jason will have the most problems when his past pulls him too close to the one woman he thought he'd never see again. How he manages to keep his cool while knwing Threadstone is close behind him has always been a great piece of the Bourne character. 5 easy stars from this satisfied reader.

Jason Bourne #20
Brian Freeman continues to carry the Bourne Universe forward with style adding in perfect non stop action from beginning to end making this a series a will continue to recommend.

Brian Freeman delivers another gripping thriller in the Bourne series, reuniting readers with all the beloved Treadstone agents. This fast-paced, high-stakes novel thrusts Jason Bourne into a mission to recover an AI data-mining program capable of blackmailing or eliminating powerful figures—from heads of state to criminals. As with previous Bourne novels, the line between fiction and reality feels dangerously thin, leaving me reflecting on the potential consequences of such technology long after I finished reading.

The plot is filled with intrigue, expertly woven with a cast of well-rounded characters, including the women from Bourne’s past. Freeman masterfully keeps the tension building, making this installment a worthy addition to the series. And just when you think the story is wrapping up, the final unexpected twist leaves readers on the edge of their seats, setting the stage perfectly for the next chapter in Bourne’s journey. I can’t wait to see what comes next!

A real page turner that I stayed up late reading. Jason is back, with a vengeance. Good story and characters well drawn. Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for giving me a copy of the book.