The Bourne Identity

The novel opens with two news articles. The first, a New York Times story dated July 11, 1975, describes an international terrorist known as “Carlos,” whose real name is Ilich Ramirez Sanchez. He is linked to the deaths of two French agents and a Lebanese informant.

The second, dated July 7, 1975, by the Associated Press, states that on June 27, Sanchez killed three officials who came to his door in Paris, France, for questioning. A search of this apartment revealed a “death list” of the people he has killed, many of whom are “prominent” figures. Sanchez is said to have ties to terrorist organizations around the world, including in Japan; West Germany; and Quebec, Canada.

In the Mediterranean Sea, an unnamed man flees onto the deck of a boat. He is shot several times and then falls into the ocean. As he struggles to remain conscious, he sees the boat exploding in the distance.

Nearby, a fishing vessel owned by two brothers recovers from the storm. They spot the man floating in the ocean, pull him aboard, and take him ashore to a doctor on Ile Port Noir, France.

Over the next several weeks, Dr. Geoffrey Washburn helps his patient heal from his severe head injuries.