THE BOURNE IDENTITY

This production epitomizes the best and worst of audiobooks. Take Robert Ludlum's bestselling spy novel, hire storyteller Darren McGavin to read it, delete mammoth chunks of the book to allow it to fit on two cassettes, and then add unnecessary music, and you have this production of THE BOURNE IDENTITY. Darren McGavin knows how to tell a story, and he does his best with what's left of the book, but the abridgment leaves so much out that it's difficult to understand the twists of the plot. For those who want a quick listen, this recording will do. For fans of Ludlum or McGavin, it's like ordering a sandwich and being served only the bread. D.J.S. (c) AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine [Published: OCT/ NOV 02]