The Bourne Ultimatum

To those who grew up through the 1980s and 1990s such as myself, there was a triumvirate of individuals that stood out as the most established and accomplished of writers in the realm of political thrillers. These individuals were Tom Clancy, Frederick Forsyth, and Robert Ludlum.
Plotline
Robert Ludlum's Bourne Ultimatum starts off with a bang; with an attack that makes it clear to Jason Bourne that the past is catching up with him. Thirteen years ago, there was a conflict between Bourne and Carlos, an expert assassin that is also known as the Jackal. That conflict ended with Bourne triumphant, and Carlos almost losing his life. Now, Carlos is back for revenge, and targeting those who are closest to Bourne.
In order to counteract Carlos, Bourne has to craft a bold plan by using Medusa, a secret organization from his past, to lure Carlos into a final showdown and end the strife forever. In between, the plot is kept moving through plot points such as an attempted assassination on Bourne’s family; an uncovering of a new, corrupted and sinister scheme within the government; as well as confrontations in Paris and Moscow.

Opinion
Ludlum had previous experience in the theatrical industry that only sometimes shows in the plot. The rivalry between Bourne and Carlos is potentially gripping, but tends to drag later on due to repeated close but failed attempts on Bourne’s part to track down Carlos.
Where Ludlum succeeded is in the scope of the story. The aforementioned corruption in the government reaches heights that are daring, and the story’s events span the whole globe from America, to France, and on to Russia.
The details of the conspiracies and the technicalities of the conflict are of such a painstaking nature, that it will either send the reader into fits of rapture or into frustration. For myself, the deluge of details and immense number of characters causes the story to be confusing at times. This is further aggravated by Mr. Ludlum’s somewhat excessive favoritism of pronouns. 
Overall, though, the plot is serviceable. There are major problems in the dialogue though, including a somewhat stilted and artificial quality. The artificiality of the dialogue affects the characters, and due to the shortcoming, many come across as one-dimensional or stereotypical. This is a serious drawback as it reduces the empathy the reader feels towards them.

Evaluation
The Bourne Ultimatum is an acceptable political thriller. All the ingredients that I understand to be trademarks in a Ludlum work are present and accounted for. The plot is at times suspenseful, there is a strong sense of drama throughout in the conflict of forces, and the details that Mr. Ludlum placed in the composition of the work are meticulous.