Regalo de Reyes de la tía Pepa. 1986

304

Well written, fat moving thriller. There was too much explanation of the various events in the book that were not necessary to the plot but almost seemed like the author had to "up" his word count. ( )

Married now to Marie St. Jacques, David Webb is being drawn in to another maelstrom covert government project. This one devised by Ambassador without portfolio, Raymond Haviland and National Security Council member, John (Jack) Reilly. The two of them entice diplomat, Edward McAllister to assist and swear him to utmost secrecy. The Jason Bourne myth has been revised by an evil and ambitious Chinese minister of state, Sheng Ghou Yang who intends to take over Hong Kong and who has used an assassin posing as Bourne to take out those highly placed who do or might oppose him.
Haviland and Reilly proposes: "An imposter is posing as the myth, but if the original myth takes out the imposter, he's in the position to reach Sheng." They device a diabolical plan which McAllister, against his better nature, puts into effect using the apparent bloody abduction of Marie to trigger David's alter-ego.
Marie tries to inform David during a call allowed by the abductors with a coded response: "my favorite tree". David in his alter-ego self does not attempt to decode but later, after Marie manages to escape with the help of Catherine Staples of the Canadian consulate, McAllister does, putting the G-men hot on her trail.
Jason, meanwhile, though warned explicitly not to, extends his chase from Hong Kong to Macao then to Mainland China. He has joined with Philippe d'Anjou, Medusa agent Echo. D'Anjou has "created" the neo-Bourne by transferring his Medusa skills and attitudes, but, d'Anjou was not able to control him and now the assassin is free-lancing. While dAnjou and Bourne are hot on the trail of the assassin, Marie has faced her own terrors. Again she has been sexually assaulted. This time David can not come to her aid. She fights her assailants valiantly and when nearly overcome is rescued by residents ashamed by the criminality of the local youths.
This brings us to the half-way mark of the novel. The reader can anticipate another half of thrilling action by both David and Marie, an outrageous scene in Tian An Men Square, wild changes in plot and a surprising denouement.

Ludlum is such an awesome story teller! ( )