The Bourne Betrayal: a Jason Bourne novel by Eric Van Lustbader

The Bourne story has run its course*** August 22, 2007

I started this novel the day after viewing the latest Bourne movie, The Bourne Ultimatum. The movie was a fast-paced riveting action thriller. I cannot say the same for this latest novel starring Jason Bourne. The right elements are present: intrigue, Bourne's memory flashbacks, terrorists etc. But there is a world of difference between The Bourne Ultimatum and The Bourne Betrayal. Jason's friend,deputy CIA director Martin Lindros, is missing in the mountains of Ethiopia. He was there investigating the possibility that terrorists had acquired a nuclear bomb. But it was a set-up anmd he is abducted. Terroist leader Karim has facial reconstruction surgery and with one of Lindros' eyes implanted comes back to CIA HQ masquerading as the real Lindros. Meanwhile Jason is tracking the real Lindros. In the end the trrorists have virtually taken over the CIA and are poised to detonate their nuclear weapon. But Jason Bourne, with the help of some Saudi Special Forces, locates the missing real Lindros and the bomb. The plot is thwarted.

Lustbader is a good writer in his own right, having authored several good thrillers of his own about 20 years ago. This novel is not up to the quality of his own stand-alone novels. It appears that the Jason Bourne story has run its course.

Allah's Scorpion: a novel by David Hagberg

Nuclear destruction of Washington averted**** June 22, 2007

Former CIA Director Kirk McGarvey is back in this fast-paced thriller. al-Qaeda launches an attack on Camp Echo at Guantanomo Bay to snatch four Iranian naval officers because bin Laden needs a naval crew for his latest plot. Cut next to Venezuela where former British Royal Navy submarine captain named Rupert Graham impersonates a Russian captain and takes command of an oil tanker. He proceeds in an attempt to block the Panama Canal but is thwarted by Kirk McGarvey who has been brought back in an attempt to foil al-Qaeda.

But this is only the first shoe. bin Laden has arranged to get a nuclear submarine from Libya and nuclear missiles from Russian black market. MCGarvey and his sidekick Gloria Ebenez go to Pakistan to track down bin Laden. They don't succeed but back in the States McGarvey figures out that the target is Washington. Any more details would spoil your read. Enjoy!