The Bourne Legacy
Encyclopedia
The Bourne Legacy is a 2004
spy fiction
thriller written by Eric Van Lustbader
. It is the fourth novel in the Jason Bourne series created by Robert Ludlum
and the first to be written by Lustbader. He has also written five more novels in the series, The Bourne Betrayal, The Bourne Sanction
, The Bourne Deception
, The Bourne Objective
, and The Bourne Dominion
.
With the climactic events of The Bourne Ultimatum
behind him, Jason Bourne is able to once again become David Webb, now professor of linguistics at Georgetown University
. However, this serenity does not last for long and, when a silenced gunshot narrowly misses Webb's head, the Bourne Persona reawakens in him yet again.
Bourne's first objective is to get to his long time friend and handler at the CIA, Alex Conklin.
However, unbeknownst (as yet) to Bourne, a Hungarian
by the name of Stepan Spalko has now drawn Jason into a web—one which he cannot escape as easily as his professorial façade.
Finding Alex dead along with Doctor Morris Panov, Bourne realizes the trap as soon as he hears the police arriving. With his car outside and his fingerprints in the house, he immediately understands that he has been framed.
So, with only Conklin's cell phone and a torn page from a notebook to go on, Jason Bourne sets off to find out who's trying to kill him and who killed his friends.
After warning Marie and his kids, Jamie and Alyssa, to proceed immediately towards their safe house, he slips through the CIA cordon and makes his way to an independent agent who was talking to Alex Conklin when he was killed. Having received travel plans to Hungary and a mission to meet Janos Vadas, Conklin's contact in Hungary, he proceeds to unravel the truth behind why Alex and Morris Panov were killed.
Meanwhile, a group of Chechen
terrorists
have been fighting a losing battle against Russia
n invaders when a man named Stephan Spalko appears to solve their problems. Spalko, we later discover, had Conklin and Panov killed and kidnapped a Doctor by the name of Felix Schiffer. Schiffer is an expert in bacteriological particulate behavior.
Spalko intends to release a bacteriological weapon during peace negotiations between many World Leaders to be held at the Oskjuhlid Hotel in Reykjavík
, Iceland
, using the terrorists he is cultivating as a diversion.
The book charts Bourne's course from the United States
, to France
and then to Budapest
in Hungary
where he learns the final thing he needs to do—to stop Spalko's attack in Iceland
.
This, of course, all has to be done in the face of a CIA sanction for him to be immediately terminated, as he is believed responsible for the deaths of Conklin and Panov.
There is also the matter of Spalko's hired assassin, Khan, who is preternaturally able to track Bourne where everyone else cannot. Khan is revealed In the Bourne Legacy; he is Joshua, David's son from his first marriage, who believes erroneously that he was left for dead by his father in Vietnam. Bourne, however, refuses to believe that Khan is Joshua, convinced that Joshua was killed decades ago, and continually tries to avoid him and the truth.
Though Khan is at first working for Spalko, he eventually realizes that he has been used as a pawn in Spalko's personal game. After revealing later on to Bourne that Annaka Vadas, the daughter of Janos Vadas, is a traitor, he begins to feel that Bourne is not the hateful father that he had imagined.
Unfortunately, Bourne is still unable to believe Khan is Joshua—until he hacks into the CIA database and discovers that Joshua's body had never been found. In a fit of rage, he attacks Khan, first believing that it is a conspiracy to hurt him, but is later captured by Spalko.
After rescuing Bourne from Spalko, Khan makes an uneasy peace with his father. While on the plane to Iceland
, however, Khan reveals a piece of information that finally convinces Bourne that Khan is his son. When Bourne subsequently reveals that he lost his memory while undercover as Cain, Khan begins to rethink his views regarding his father.
After completing the operation and stopping Spalko, Khan—Joshua—makes up with his father and realizes that his hatred was always a reflection of his personal struggles and that, in truth, he truly loved Bourne. He requests Bourne, however, not to reveal his identity to Marie, in whose life he feels he has no place.
, who co-wrote the screenplay for the Bourne Ultimatum film, was to write the screenplay for a fourth film, as always tacitly related to the novels by Robert Ludlum
. Matt Damon
was also attached to the project from the start, and Julia Stiles
as well as Joan Allen
have been asked to join the project. Paul Greengrass
was slated to return as director; however, on November 30, 2009, he said he wasn't interested in directing, and Matt Damon has since said that he won't make the film without Greengrass.
On June 9, 2010, it was announced that Tony Gilroy
will be writing and directing The Bourne Legacy and it will have a 2012 release date. On October 11, 2010, it was reported that the Bourne character will not be in The Bourne Legacy.. The film will not take place in a new canon; it will not be a reboot or prequel in any way, but more likely a "sidequel" or full spin-off with a new character in the mold of Bourne dealing with the ramifications of the Treadstone conspiracy. Also, Gilroy has stated that he is not ruling out a future return by Damon or Greengrass. On October 29, Universal set the release date for The Bourne Legacy at August 3, 2012.
2004 in literature
The year 2004 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:* Canada Reads selects Guy Vanderhaeghe's The Last Crossing to be read across the nation....
spy fiction
Spy fiction
Spy fiction, literature concerning the forms of espionage, was a sub-genre derived from the novel during the nineteenth century, which then evolved into a discrete genre before the First World War , when governments established modern intelligence agencies in the early twentieth century...
thriller written by Eric Van Lustbader
Eric Van Lustbader
Eric Van Lustbader is a writer of thriller and fantasy novels.He is a graduate of New York's Stuyvesant High School and Columbia College, with a degree in Sociology, and is a second-level Reiki master.-The Pearl Saga:...
. It is the fourth novel in the Jason Bourne series created by Robert Ludlum
Robert Ludlum
Robert Ludlum was an American author of 23 thriller novels. The number of his books in print is estimated between 290–500 million copies. They have been published in 33 languages and 40 countries. Ludlum also published books under the pseudonyms Jonathan Ryder and Michael Shepherd.-Life and...
and the first to be written by Lustbader. He has also written five more novels in the series, The Bourne Betrayal, The Bourne Sanction
The Bourne Sanction
The Bourne Sanction is the title for the novel by Eric Van Lustbader and the sixth novel in the Jason Bourne series created by Robert Ludlum. It was released on July 29, 2008...
, The Bourne Deception
The Bourne Deception
The Bourne Deception is the title for the novel by Eric Van Lustbader and the seventh novel in the Jason Bourne series created by Robert Ludlum. It was released on June 9, 2009. It is Lustbader's fourth Bourne novel, following The Bourne Sanction that was published in 2008.-Plot introduction:The...
, The Bourne Objective
The Bourne Objective
The Bourne Objective is the eighth novel in the Bourne series and fifth by Eric Van Lustbader. The book was released on June 1, 2010, as a sequel to The Bourne Deception...
, and The Bourne Dominion
The Bourne Dominion
The Bourne Dominion is the ninth novel in the Bourne series and sixth by Eric Van Lustbader. The book was released on June 19, 2011, as a sequel to The Bourne Objective....
.
Plot summary
- For a more detailed background of the main character, see Jason BourneJason BourneJason Charles Bourne is a fictional character and the main protagonist in the novels of Robert Ludlum and subsequent film adaptations. He first appeared in the novel The Bourne Identity...
.
With the climactic events of The Bourne Ultimatum
The Bourne Ultimatum
The Bourne Ultimatum is the third Jason Bourne novel written by Robert Ludlum and a sequel to The Bourne Supremacy . First published in 1990, it was the last Bourne novel to be written by Ludlum himself. Eric Van Lustbader wrote a sequel titled The Bourne Legacy fourteen years later.A film titled...
behind him, Jason Bourne is able to once again become David Webb, now professor of linguistics at Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
. However, this serenity does not last for long and, when a silenced gunshot narrowly misses Webb's head, the Bourne Persona reawakens in him yet again.
Bourne's first objective is to get to his long time friend and handler at the CIA, Alex Conklin.
However, unbeknownst (as yet) to Bourne, a Hungarian
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
by the name of Stepan Spalko has now drawn Jason into a web—one which he cannot escape as easily as his professorial façade.
Finding Alex dead along with Doctor Morris Panov, Bourne realizes the trap as soon as he hears the police arriving. With his car outside and his fingerprints in the house, he immediately understands that he has been framed.
So, with only Conklin's cell phone and a torn page from a notebook to go on, Jason Bourne sets off to find out who's trying to kill him and who killed his friends.
After warning Marie and his kids, Jamie and Alyssa, to proceed immediately towards their safe house, he slips through the CIA cordon and makes his way to an independent agent who was talking to Alex Conklin when he was killed. Having received travel plans to Hungary and a mission to meet Janos Vadas, Conklin's contact in Hungary, he proceeds to unravel the truth behind why Alex and Morris Panov were killed.
Meanwhile, a group of Chechen
Chechen people
Chechens constitute the largest native ethnic group originating in the North Caucasus region. They refer to themselves as Noxçi . Also known as Sadiks , Gargareans, Malkhs...
terrorists
Terrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
have been fighting a losing battle against Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n invaders when a man named Stephan Spalko appears to solve their problems. Spalko, we later discover, had Conklin and Panov killed and kidnapped a Doctor by the name of Felix Schiffer. Schiffer is an expert in bacteriological particulate behavior.
Spalko intends to release a bacteriological weapon during peace negotiations between many World Leaders to be held at the Oskjuhlid Hotel in Reykjavík
Reykjavík
Reykjavík is the capital and largest city in Iceland.Its latitude at 64°08' N makes it the world's northernmost capital of a sovereign state. It is located in southwestern Iceland, on the southern shore of Faxaflói Bay...
, Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
, using the terrorists he is cultivating as a diversion.
The book charts Bourne's course from the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and then to Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
in Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
where he learns the final thing he needs to do—to stop Spalko's attack in Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
.
This, of course, all has to be done in the face of a CIA sanction for him to be immediately terminated, as he is believed responsible for the deaths of Conklin and Panov.
There is also the matter of Spalko's hired assassin, Khan, who is preternaturally able to track Bourne where everyone else cannot. Khan is revealed In the Bourne Legacy; he is Joshua, David's son from his first marriage, who believes erroneously that he was left for dead by his father in Vietnam. Bourne, however, refuses to believe that Khan is Joshua, convinced that Joshua was killed decades ago, and continually tries to avoid him and the truth.
Though Khan is at first working for Spalko, he eventually realizes that he has been used as a pawn in Spalko's personal game. After revealing later on to Bourne that Annaka Vadas, the daughter of Janos Vadas, is a traitor, he begins to feel that Bourne is not the hateful father that he had imagined.
Unfortunately, Bourne is still unable to believe Khan is Joshua—until he hacks into the CIA database and discovers that Joshua's body had never been found. In a fit of rage, he attacks Khan, first believing that it is a conspiracy to hurt him, but is later captured by Spalko.
After rescuing Bourne from Spalko, Khan makes an uneasy peace with his father. While on the plane to Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
, however, Khan reveals a piece of information that finally convinces Bourne that Khan is his son. When Bourne subsequently reveals that he lost his memory while undercover as Cain, Khan begins to rethink his views regarding his father.
After completing the operation and stopping Spalko, Khan—Joshua—makes up with his father and realizes that his hatred was always a reflection of his personal struggles and that, in truth, he truly loved Bourne. He requests Bourne, however, not to reveal his identity to Marie, in whose life he feels he has no place.
Film adaptation
George NolfiGeorge Nolfi
George Nolfi is an American screenwriter. He directed the 2011 film The Adjustment Bureau, which he also wrote .- Life and career :...
, who co-wrote the screenplay for the Bourne Ultimatum film, was to write the screenplay for a fourth film, as always tacitly related to the novels by Robert Ludlum
Robert Ludlum
Robert Ludlum was an American author of 23 thriller novels. The number of his books in print is estimated between 290–500 million copies. They have been published in 33 languages and 40 countries. Ludlum also published books under the pseudonyms Jonathan Ryder and Michael Shepherd.-Life and...
. Matt Damon
Matt Damon
Matthew Paige "Matt" Damon is an American actor, screenwriter, and philanthropist whose career was launched following the success of the film Good Will Hunting , from a screenplay he co-wrote with friend Ben Affleck...
was also attached to the project from the start, and Julia Stiles
Julia Stiles
Julia O'Hara Stiles is an American actress.After beginning her career in small parts in a New York City theatre troupe, she has moved on to leading roles in plays by writers as diverse as William Shakespeare and David Mamet...
as well as Joan Allen
Joan Allen
Joan Allen is an American actress. She worked in theatre, television and film during her early career, and achieved recognition for her Broadway debut in Burn This, winning a Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play in 1989.She has received three Academy Award nominations;...
have been asked to join the project. Paul Greengrass
Paul Greengrass
Paul Greengrass is an English film director, screenwriter and former journalist. He specialises in dramatisations of real-life events and is known for his signature use of hand-held cameras.-Life and career:...
was slated to return as director; however, on November 30, 2009, he said he wasn't interested in directing, and Matt Damon has since said that he won't make the film without Greengrass.
On June 9, 2010, it was announced that Tony Gilroy
Tony Gilroy
Anthony Joseph "Tony" Gilroy is an American screenwriter and filmmaker. He wrote the screenplays for the Bourne series starring Matt Damon, among other successful films. He has been nominated for Academy Awards for his direction and script for Michael Clayton, starring George Clooney...
will be writing and directing The Bourne Legacy and it will have a 2012 release date. On October 11, 2010, it was reported that the Bourne character will not be in The Bourne Legacy.. The film will not take place in a new canon; it will not be a reboot or prequel in any way, but more likely a "sidequel" or full spin-off with a new character in the mold of Bourne dealing with the ramifications of the Treadstone conspiracy. Also, Gilroy has stated that he is not ruling out a future return by Damon or Greengrass. On October 29, Universal set the release date for The Bourne Legacy at August 3, 2012.