Jason Bourne

Jason Bourne is Robert Ludlum's amnesiac spy protagonist, continued in later Bourne novels by Eric Van Lustbader and Brian Freeman.
Character · Espionage Thriller · Action Thriller

Jason Bourne is Robert Ludlum’s spy-thriller protagonist. The Bourne Identity opens with him recovered from the Mediterranean with amnesia and a set of clues to a dangerous past. The original Ludlum novels identify him with the David Webb name and place his missing identity at the center of the story.

Ludlum wrote the first three Bourne novels. Eric Van Lustbader and Brian Freeman later continued the book series, while the screen adaptations developed a separate version of the character. Start with The Bourne Identity and use the Bourne reading order for the full sequence.

Reading Order

See the complete Bourne reading order for all books in the series.

Appears in Series

  • The Bourne Series - Complete list of all 19 Jason Bourne books in order by Robert Ludlum, Eric Van Lustbader, and Brian Freeman. Full reading order from The Bourne Identity onwards.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Jason Bourne?

Jason Bourne is a former CIA assassin suffering from amnesia who must piece together his identity while being hunted by the agency that created him. His real name is David Webb.

What order should I read the Bourne books?

Read in publication order starting with The Bourne Identity (1980). Robert Ludlum wrote the original trilogy; the series was continued by Eric Van Lustbader and now Brian Freeman.

Are the Bourne movies based on the books?

The films use the amnesia premise but substantially change the novels’ plots, characters, and tone.

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