Robert Ludlum's (TM) the Bourne Sanction

With panache Jeremy Davidson depicts Jason Bourne--aka David Webb, linguistics professor--as Bourne rejoins Central Intelligence to search for an extreme Muslim sect suspected of murder. Davidson effectively conveys Bourne's frustration with teaching after his high-risk experiences as a CI agent. The understatement with which Davidson portrays Bourne's return to life-and-death adventures befits the character. Soon Bourne is up to his neck in trying to stop a lethal plot against the Empire State Building and evading a black-ops assassin who is charged with eliminating him. As the tension builds, Davidson effectively depicts a variety of characters and delivers believable German and Eastern European accents. The high action is further enhanced by sound effects and musical transitions. Ludlum fans will not be disappointed. G.D.W. (c) AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine

August 25, 2008
Globe-trotting secret agent Jason Bourne returns in the third installment under the helm of Lustbader, who struggles to captivate as convincingly and effectively as Ludlum did in the original novels. Amid a cheesy prologue that features corny background music to set the mood, Jeremy Davidson speeds through the opening paragraphs at breakneck speed. Perhaps in an attempt to increase tension from the start, Davidson comes off sounding incredibly forced and somewhat uncomfortable. As the story progresses, he slows down but lacks any real authenticity. His characters are flat and uninspired, his performance monotonous and bland. A Grand Central hardcover.