This is one of those can't put it down books. From the very first page the reader is taken on a journey from the Middle Eastern war through the Carribean and the USA.
Robert Ludlum keeps a fever pitched pace as Bajarat weaves her magic dealing out love and death with a cold, calculating terrorist mind, all the while staying just out of reach of commander Hawthorn.
If you like action, romance, intrigue and a little blood doesn't put you off then I recommend this book as it has a double dose of all the above.

being a fan of tom clancy and federick forsyth, i had 2 try a ludlum thriller.after reading the osterman weekend, i was hooked so i tried the scorpio illusion. im still only half way through it but i cant put it down and it is intriguing as hell!!
its basically about a terrorist of amzing intellect, trying to asssassinate the US President to get revenge for her husbands murder...there is good action, romance, thrills and intrigue and i cant w8 for the climax...go out and grab it!!!!!!!!!!

Most of this book is Ludlum at his best. It is action packed with two capable heroes. There is very little of the character development, which Ludlum does poorly, to get in the way of the action. The plot is a your basic B-grade spy movie plot of the international cadre trying to manipulate the world. Fortunately that doesn't detract too much from the story telling. The ending is a real letdown and is an action movie cliche. The KGB partner is killed while saving the American hero, but with his dying breath urges the hero to leave him and go get the bad guys. The American hero then puts an end to the story by machine gunning down all the bad guys. It is an easy, no-brainer conclusion.

This man can write! And his imagination is a force to be reckoned with! It is true that the ending is a little cliche, but this book is well worth it! I haven't read The Matarese Countdown, but this book makes me want to. This is a classic Ludlum page turner, even though it is a little predictable at times. Ludlum draws his readers in and then takes them on quite a ride. Read it, if only to say you have read all of Ludlum's.

Although this was written some time back, this classic RobertLudlum thriller kept my attention from beginning til end and wasextremely hard to put down - even missing my station on the London Underground whilst working and commuting down there! The story concerns a CIA agent, Brandon Scofield whose wife was murdered by the KGB some years back. He must join forces with the KGB agent who killed his wife to defeat a resurgence of the Matarese Corsican Brotherhood who are infiltrating governments around the world in a covert takeover bid. Along the way there's plenty of action and surprise twists. Ludlum is a superb writer who obviously researches his locations - having been to Amsterdam and Moscow I could relate to these parts well. Fast-paced and hard to fault!

This book could have really been great!
Great storyline.
For the most part, well-developed characters.
But, the writing is NOT vintage Ludlum.
I do not have any insight into the history of this particular writing. However, I do know that the author of this story (or at least the final chapters) must have written steamy romance novels in a past life.

The protagonist, Paul Janson, is all man for 2/3's of this story. Then, without warning, he becomes a melodramatic sap. For instance, in a closing chapter, he rants and shouts at the remaining members of a secret US power-sect [a group that includes the President of the US] like a forsaken lover in a sappy love-novel.

There are hints of a slowly-weakening character change throughout the story. As I venture further into the plot I hope I'm proven wrong in my assessments .
Instead, I end up disappointed.

What of our Protagonist? Not only is Paul Janson weak; he's a raving, feminized fool. He stares down the bad guy in what should be a mind-shattering climactic explosion of student vs. mentor. Instead, Janson blanks out and goes shopping for yesterday's memories. It sunk to the point where I started to reach for a tissue to hand to the dear boy.
Sorry, but I don't like my spy-heroes sounding like refugees from a pulp love novel.

As stated earlier, Great story with nice plotting. Lukewarm character development of Paul Janson. This guy goes from ruthless protector of the USA to a whiny fool towards the latter stage of the story.
I couldn't wait to finish it.

**Want vintage Ludlum (with help from Gayle Linds)? Read 'The Paris Option'. Now, that's great writing in the Ludlum style!

While it's probably not a surprise that Ludlum didn't write this book (at least not in its entirety), The Janson Directive is a fast-paced international thriller that -- in typical Ludlum fashion --will keep you turning the pages until the wee hours of the morning. It's very fast-paced and loaded with action and suspense. Further, based on writing style and characterization, "this" Ludlum often surpasses the "real" Ludlum. The Janson Directive is a big book (547 pages) and lots of fun to read (although I think it might have been even better if it been 50-100 pages shorter,which kept me from giving it a 5-star rating). Hopefully, there will be more books by "this" Ludlum. I think you'll find that once you start The Janson Directive you'll agree that your in for an exciting reading experience that will allow you to escape far from reality. Enjoy!

Suspense - Action - Intricate Plotting - Wonderful Intrigue - All the things which Robert Ludlum provided the reader in his most successful books are contained in THE JANSON DIRECTIVE. This is an action adventure thriller to rival the Jason Bourne trilogy, and fans will hope that a sequel for Paul Janson was also conceptualized before Ludlum's death.

Paul Janson, a retired field operative from the covert agency Consular Ops is clandestinely recruited to attempt an exfiltration of Peter Novak, a billionaire and Nobel Peace Prize winner who has been kidnapped by nationalist rebels on the island kingdom of Anura and is to be executed in three days time. After being informed of the details of the mission by Marta Lang (head of Novak's philanthropy - the Liberty Foundation), when Lang thanked him for providing she and her associates with hope Janson remained silent but concluded that "perhaps false hope was better than none at all". And indeed, on the verge of apparent success a terrible tragedy occurs as Part One ends. For reasons totally unknown to Janson or the reader, a "beyond salvage" is then issued by Janson's former agency and he is targeted for death.

The remaining eighty percent of the book involves unraveling the intertwined mysteries of the life of Peter Novak, the Vietnam wartime experiences of Paul Janson, the role of the secret ops of the U.S. government, the disappearance of Marta Lang, and the continuing role of the masterful Anuran rebel leader, the Caliph, who has also a fateful link with Janson's past.

The intricate nature of the conspiracy as it unfolds rivals the best books of this nature that I have read, and the characters are well drawn, especialy Jessica Kincaid, the young sharpshooter of unbelievable ability (literally, her achievements were a bit too good) who is on the team chosen to pursue Janson, but also several of the bit characters as well including the Russian Grigori Berman. I was especially intrigued by Peter Novak, who Ludlum clearly seemed to model on George Soros in many details. However, Novak chooses to achieve his goals through an activist "directed democracy" rather than Soros' methodology of simply promoting "Open Society". Nevertheless, the existence of Soros as a real life model for the accumulation of such vast wealth makes Novak's character more believeable.

As most of Ludlum's books, this displays deep cynicism regarding the actions of our government, and great understanding of the arrogance of power. I found Janson's contempt for "the best and the brighest" and his analysis of their faults truly refreshing. Several things argue against this being written (rather than plotted) by Ludlum. Most noticably, the contemporary idiom relative to his other books, as well as the more graphic and detailed violence. I was repulsed by a few of the descriptions of torture, as was undoubtedly the intent given their context. However, the fact Ludlum stepped out of character to write THE ROAD TO GANDOLFO and THE ROAD TO OMAHA keep me from reaching a firm conclusion regarding the extent of his role in the preparation of this manuscript. But is is good enough so that the publisher should have informed its readers concerning whatever collaboration occurred in its preparation and provided appropriate credit, as this would not have detracted from its appeal.

This is the third and final book in the Bourne series. The first book (Identity) is fairly good. The second book (Supremacy) isn't very good and doesn't add anything to the series. This third book could be fully enjoyed without reading the second book.

This third book isn't as good as the first one. But, it is worth reading if you want to follow through on the conclusion from the first book. The biggest problem with this series is that the emotional musings of the hero about his identity and the love and worry about his wife get pretty tedious in the first book, are beat to death in the second book and are just painful to read by the third book. Maybe this third book could be better enjoyed by skipping the first two books (althought there are major parts of the first book that are better than anything in the third book).

I have never read 3 books in a row, that are as thick as these books are, and give them all three 5 stars, but Robert Ludlum deserves them all.

In this third of the Bourne Trilogy, there is the ultimate showdown between two spies. Both of these spies are given telegrams to go to a carnival in a small town. Each of them witness a terrible murder.

One of the men given a telegram in David Webb, a professor in the northeast USA. He is a husband and a father, and must now do what he wishes he'd never have to do again: become Jason Bourne, a known terrorist and assassin.

The other is Carlos, known as the Jackal, who is an international assassin himself.

To make sure the real baddie is trapped and brought to justice, the real goodie must make himself available to a group called the Medusans.

I do not understand one reviewer's 3 stars for this book, when it deserves all 5, but I guess that's what makes the world go around. I personally think each of the Bourne trilogy got better, and I only wish the second and third were also made into movies like the first one was.

This is the third and last book of Robert Ludlum's Jason Bourne series, and he ends the trilogy on a high. While the "Bourne Supremacy" was clearly off the pace of the series' first book, this last one has it all. After going off on an Asian advneture/nightmare in Book 2, the third installment now brings Jason Bourne/David Webb to the ultimate showdown with his nemesis Carlos the Jackal. But don't fool yourself that this is a straightforward kind of deal: Medusa is raising its ugly head again as well, this dark chapter in Bourne's past having taken on a new manifestation in an even more dangerous form. Of course Bourne/Webb does not go hunting alone, his courageous wife as well as Mo Panov and Alex Conklin add their usual character color to this well conceived page turner. Once again the character of David Webb/Jason Bourne as the tormented split identity is exquisitely drawn and is not run thin by the breackneck pace of the globe-spanning action.
A must-read and very gratifying end to one of the best spy/suspense trilogies there is!

The beginning of The Bourne Supremacy by Robert Ludlum starts off as an action-packed murder mystery in Southeast Asia. David Webb now has to rise again to defeat the assassin impersonating him. As I look back at the first book, The Bourne Identity, I feel that the sequel did not meet my expectations. For one, I think Ludlum wrote the Bourne Supremacy in order to write the last book, The Bourne Ultimatum, which already seems to be better than the last. For Carlos, the original threat to Bourne, wants Jason's head. However, I would still recommend this book because of Ludlum's action-packed writing style.

This is the second book of Robert Ludlum's Jason Bourne trilogy, and it tears David Webb out of his new-found peaceful life with his wife in a quiet little town in Maine. Again the government needs his help as Jason Bourne or Delta, the man from Medusa and Threadstone 71. Knowing that he will not volunteer his help after all that CIA and State Department have done to him, a story is rigged and his wife is kidnapped. Webb snaps and in the desired effect is on his way to Asia to track a Bourne-impostor who is killing highly-placed officials in Kowloon and Hong Kong. Things run off the wire when Bourne's wife escapes her custody and finds help at the Canadian consulate from an old friend.
While the whole story is as action-packed and twisted as the first installment of the Bourne trilogy, it is a little bit harder to get into at the beginning and seems overall a bit more constured. Ludlum is a master of complicated scenarios and he moves about his many locations and characters with ease and skill. He storylines are well-drawn and compelling, but in direct comparison the book is no match to its pre-decessor.

I rejoiced when I first heard that Ludlum had taken on the daunting task of writing a sequel to one of his all-time best novels--but I was wary of whether or not it'd be as good. I rolled the dice and I came out a winner.

SOMEONE is doing a number of murders in the Far East...calling himself Jason Bourne. It sends chills up the spines of many people...especially those who know it ISN'T Jason Bourne because HE never existed... SOMEONE is trying to accomplish something, but WHAT it is, well that of course is where all the fun of this novel is--in finding out just exactly WHAT and more importantly: WHO.

From the very heart of China, to Hong Kong this is a drag race to the finish line using a rocket to propel it along at an amazing pace. Ludlum IS the master of suspense and intrigue, and in 'The Bourne Supremacy' he is at the top of his form--again. As much as I enjoyed 'Identity' and felt it couldn't be topped, I have to say 'Supremacy' was even BETTER. As far as the last volume in the series goes, ('The Bourne Ultimatum') sad to say, but that one was my least favorite, and yet even IT was still a great book.

Fans of Ludlum cannot be considered REAL fans unless you have read ALL of his 'Bourne' books, and this is one to savor. When it first came out in 1986 I bought it immediately and wrapped myself in it's incredible plot. I decided not long ago that I'd see if it stood the test of time and picked it up again. I am happy to say it is every bit as good the 2nd time around, and don't worry, it really DOES stand the test of time. Ludlum really IS the BEST THERE IS when it comes to spy/thrillers, and 'The Bourne Supremacy', Ludlum really IS SUPREME.

This book was a very pleasant surprise. It's not the usual Robert Ludlum but instead a light entertaining read. The characters are funny but lean towards unrealistic. It is very difficult to believe that the characters can maintain the same forceful personalities throughout the entire book throughout all circumstances. It ended nicely without a rushed feeling and also avoiding seeming like all the ends got tied up in the last chapter. A very readable book even though it lacked the fast pace and did not have the level of suspense of other Ludlum books.

This book is one of my favorite depression relievers and a laugh riot from start to finish. For all Ludlum fans, if you are hooked on his customary fare of high voltage suspense and international shenanigans, with events moving at blinding speed, then this book may not be for you. The Road to Gandolfo was written by him before his thrillers became a class of their own and is as different from them as apples from oranges. Yes, there are international goings-on and plenty of war-gaming, strategy and tactics in pursuit of an incredible objective - the kidnapping of the Pope himself!. Yet this is no espionage thriller; rather this book is a terrific parody of the genre. From the fast paced beginning to the charming almost pastoral close, Ludlum spares nobody: the Army, the bureaucrats, the Mafia, the corporate world, lawyers, terrorists, all feel the bite of his wit. The characters too are well drawn: the autocratic Hawk, his four incredible wives, the bumbling Sam Deveraux and a wonderfully human Pope reminiscent of John XXIII all come to full life. A great fun read for the vacations or whenever you want to relax with a light read. A most enjoyable book!

If you've read Robert Ludlum's other books, you know to expect violence, intrigue, cloak and dagger, as well as excellent prose. If you pick up this book you can expect some of that, but you will be stunned when you find yourself on the floor rolling with laughter. Robert Ludlum a comedy writer? Robert Ludlum dabbling in farce? Yes, that's right the spymaster himself will lead you through a kidnapping of the Pope, a befuddled Army lawyer shamelessly taken advantage of by a shunned U.S. General and his bevy of beautiful ex-wives. An excellant read which you really won't be able to put down.

ICARUS AGENDA has all the hallmarks of a typical Robert Ludlum thriller - suspense, mystery, surprises around the corner, memorable characters and well-researched locales - also, the elephantine narrative which in this case unfortunately seems to go nowhere, particularly in the midsection. Hence a 4 star rating. However, the book's finer points are many. The story concerns Evan Kendrick, a quiet, mild-mannered Congressman who becomes an unlikely hero when over two hundred hostages are held by Islamic terrorists at the US Embassy in Muscat(spelt MASQAT in the book), Sultanate of Oman. Kendrick dares to avert the crisis by using his work experience in the Middle East and the deaths of several of his employees as a platform for vengeance against the Arab terrorists. He infiltrates an Omani prison to gather information, but when he is hailed a hero for bringing the hostage situation to an end, Israeli Mossad agents seek revenge as his intervention has prevented their rescue of a Mossad agent, Ben-Ami, who holds a secret. Someone is controlling both sets of terrorists, and who is the Mahdi? One year after the Oman affair, Kendrick's life is shattered again as the Arabs come after him, corruption in the White House and CIA is rife as his past is revealed, then his home is attacked. Events lead to a massive arms dealing ring. Can Kendrick save the day in 808 pages time! This Ludlum monster is well worth a read, but I'm surprised his editor didn't do any more cutting and editing, in my view. A lot of the political White House talkative scenes could have been cut down . . . obviously Ludlum's not renowned for the KISS(keep it simple stupid) approach! So, summing up, a great and susupenseful(in most parts) read, but if you're new to Ludlum, THE AQUITAINE PROGRESSION or MATARESE CIRCLE are the best ones to read first.

Nick Warren.

In his prime, absolutely nobody could touch Ludlum's sheer plotting brilliance when it came to the international thriller, NOBODY. 'The Icarus Agenda' is a great example of his style, and the ONLY thing that kept this book from 5-stars was that it slightly dragged in a couple areas...but remember, Ludlum at his worst is still better than most authors at their BEST.

As another reviewer mentioned, this book was more like 3 books-in-one, and I agree. First we have Evan Kendrick making a daring rescue. Next we have his being identified as the person responsible -- which is exactly what he DIDN'T want. And finally we have the real meat of the story: the ultimate action of who is REALLY responsible for the whole thing, and how Evan goes about handling the situation and solving the problem at the same time. Action on top of suspense on top of even more action. Aside from the small tedious slow writing in the middle, this book has about as much action as a novel can possibly have. If you are searching for a James Bond meets Die Hard meets True Lies type book, trust me, 'The Icarus Agenda' most definitely fills the bill. I have heard rumors for years how Ludlum was going to try and turn Evan Kendrick into a series similar to Jason Bourne, but unfortunately, he passed away, and that remains one of the greatest losses in the literary world in a very long time. He will be sorely missed.

If you like the nonstop action of James Bond's movies, then you will instantly be lured into any of Robert Ludlum's books. Ludlum inserts life into the most thrilling and twisting plots in such a compelling way that you believe they are true. All good books make you want to keep reading; however, in each of the many Ludlum novels I have read there is simply no stopping. Ludlum pulls his readers into his stories and gets them hooked in a way few authors can. The Icarus Agenda by Robert Ludlum is no exception and will leave even the most read Ludlum fan intrigued and involved. Once you start this book, you go from interested to absorbed in about two pages. The scenario involves hundreds of Americans being held hostage in an American Embassy in the Middle East. All divisions of the government are desperately trying to free the hostages; however, only one man who bid farewell to the Middle East long ago after a tragic accident can truly save them. Behind the somewhat simplistic terrorists is a group of wealthy and powerful individuals who will stop at nothing until they have complete control of the region. Ludlum takes us through a heart-pumping journey of one man's fight to save the hostages and break the mysterious group of individuals fueling the terrorism. After what must be one of the most intense struggles for freedom ever put on paper, the reader is only done with part one of the three-part book. The first part of the book could be a novel in itself and if it were, I would still be writing its praises; however after the roller-coaster ride of the first 200 pages, the reader learns that this is only the beginning. The man who rescued the hostages took neither credit nor praise for his heroic accomplishments because he did not want anyone to know what he had done. " No one's to know I've been here. I never talked to you or anyone else." (pg.11) One reason that he did not want people knowing his identity was that he did not want people thinking that he saved the hostages purely for his own well being. He did what he did because the people that were holding the hostages were the same people that had killed his friends years earlier. Out of a desire for revenge, he had performed acts of heroism unseen in the world today. He then disappeared back to his normal life, or at least he tried to. This is where Part Two takes over. The courageous hero's identity is revealed and he suddenly becomes the most hunted man in the world. He is the target of every terrorist organization because of his daring rescue actions at the embassy. The question is though can those around him and those whom he helped by freeing the hostages save him, or are the people that he helped the ones he should be truly concerned about. Compelling twists and turns leaves the reader zealously searching for answers like a mouse in a maze frantically searching for the cheese. One of the only bad things about this book is that it is well over 600 pages long. However, the length of the book is only a bad thing if you don't have a lot of time. Despite its length, the author fills the whole book with action and never makes you question its length once starting reading it. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes action filled books and once reading wants to become part of the book. The Icarus Agenda envelops the reader into the story and makes them feel like they are a part of the action.

THE HOLCROFT COVENANT - 4 STARS

I never liked much espionage, spy books at all. I used to think that all of them were boring and too complicated. This changed when I read that book. THE HOLCROFT COVENANT has a very interesting plot that the reader is able to understand without much problems. I'm not saying here that the plot is not intricated. It really is! But Robert Ludlum does it so wonderfully that the reader goes on reading without notice if it's morning or night. He's the best spy book I've ever read, I say this without hesitation. Frederick Forsyth is another good author, but Robert Ludlum is much, so much better. I became addicted to Robert's books when I read that one. Now I love this kind of book to death and would really love to have more and more books by Mr. Ludlum on the following years, God willing. If you don't like much this genre, try this book and start to enjoy it. If you're already a fan of spy books, THE HOLCROFT COVENANT is a must-read, I assure you. Long writing life to Mr. Robert Ludlum! He's just the best on his craft! Try him and you won't be dissapointed.

I've recently found that in all the Robert Ludlum books I've been reading, and in some cases re-reading after several years, that his early work is by far his best. If you're new to this author, this is a good starting point - and this plot was re-used in part for his later effort THE APOCALYPSE WATCH, also worth checking out. This riveting story which has almost come true concerns a vast fortune left in a Swiss bank account by Hitler's aides for the SONNENKINDER project, a plan to start a Fourth Reich and take over the world. Sounds familiar? One of the earlier inspirations for many more novels of this nature, including Clive Cussler's ATLANTIS FOUND in part! Noel Holcroft, one of the Sonnenkinder, must use every trick and desperate measure in the book(no pun intended) to get his hands on the fortune to prevent the Fourth Reich getting their way. Along the way, he finds that he cannot trust anybody he comes into contact with as his trail leads him to Brazil, Switzerland and England. As usual, Ludlum never fails to surprise the reader - who is really the professional assassin TINAMOU? The answer does not come until near the end, which is a surprise in itself! Overall, a very fine read!

You read stories every day in the business section about Nazi millions being discovered in a secret Swiss bank account. This takes place all over the world. This outstanding book tells about 700 million dollars being stored away in a Swiss bank account to start the Fourth Reich. This money is released by the signature of the children of Nazis who were taken out of the Nazi area aboard submarines. This is a truly spellbinding book that is hard to put down. Read this book and then watch the business section of your newspaper or the Wall Street Journal. You will know what I mean by realistic. It shows great writing by Robert Ludlum. Buy this book.