Robert Ludlum's (TM) The Bourne Objective    by Eric Van Lustbader Order:  USA  Can Grand Central, 2010 (2010) Hardcover Read an Excerpt     Reviewed by Hilary Williamson Eric Van Lustbader continues Robert Ludlum's explosive Bourne saga in Robert Ludlum's (TM) The Bourne Objective (following The Bourne Betrayal, The Bourne Sanction and The Bourne Deception). Though these stories can stand alone, they are better read in order as there is character and plot continuation through the episodes. U.S. Secretary of Defense Bud Halliday continues to be a major leagues bad guy this time, though Leonid Danilovich Arkadin (Bourne's dark twin) remains the true villain of the piece. He and Bourne hunt each other, while various organizations try to take each of them out. Touches of mysticism permeate the story to tantalise readers. In particular, Balinese holy man Suparwiti feeds Bourne more clues about his destiny - and his coming death. And everyone seeks a Columbian drug lord's missing laptop - what could possibly make it such a prize? Soraya Moore returns from Egypt to find herself fired by her new CI boss, Errol Danziger. She's offered a position by Peter Marks, who himself made a deal with the devil when he recently joined a revitalized Treadstone (under Frederick Willard). They want Soraya to seduce Arkadin. Moira Trevor is also at loose ends after her new company, Heartland Risk Management, was compromised in The Bourne Deception. She is hired by Moroccan Jalal Essai and tasked with the retrieval of the mysterious laptop. Their missions lead both Soraya and Moira to perilous encounters with Arkadin in Mexico. Jason's investigation of a relationship between his two dead lovers (Holly and Tracy), Noah Perliss (who killed Holly), and Diego Herrera (son of gun trafficker Don Fernando Herrera) leads him to Tracy's sister Chrissie and a powerful, power-seeking society. Severus Domna fly well below the radar worldwide and manipulate a fight to the death between Bourne and Arkadin in Tineghir, Morocco - but it doesn't go as the puppetmasters planned. The Bourne Objective continues to deliver the explosive action, shocking violence, and breathtaking betrayals that fans have come to expect from this exciting series. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Mystery books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews