Ed Hahn (USA: MT) (2009/03/05): I believe I read all Ludlum's books including the three Jason Bourne novels, undoubtedly the most popular character he created.After Ludlum died, somebody, maybe his publisher, maybe his heirs decided they didn't want to see a good thing die with him. So they came up with the idea of having Eric Van Lustbader, who hadn't written a best seller in years continue the series. Wrong!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I liked Lustbader's books particularly the Nicholas Linnear series but to paraphrase Lloyd Bentson, "He's no Robert Ludlum". I finished this book because I wanted to see how it all came out but I think I would have been better served if I had read the Prologue and the first two or three chapters then immediately read the last two or three chapters but like Jason Bourne, I'm a bit of a masochist. The story has it's moments and for us thriller readers it does move along fairly well. Unfortunately the characters are cardboard stereotypes and the situations belong in an old fashioned comic book, they are so unbelievable. One thing I know for sure. I have no intention of reading the other two Lustbader pale imitations of the real thing.
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