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Gabriel Allon #1
ล้างหนี้เลือด
เมื่อ "เกเบรียล อัลลอน" สูญเสียลูกชาย และภรรยาของเขาบาดเจ็บสาหัสจากเหตุระเบิดรถยนต์ เขาลาออกจากการเป็นสายลับ จนเมื่อเกิดเหตุสังหารเอกอัครราชทูตอิสราเอลในกรุงปารีส โดยผู้ที่ก่อเหตุคือ "ทาริก อัล-ฮูรานี" ซึ่งเป็นคนเดียวกับที่เล่นงานภรรยาและลูกชายของเขา เกเบรียลจึงหวนกลับมาปฏิบัติการอีกครั้งเพื่อชำระบัญชีเลือด และนี่คือปฏิบัติการอันเป็นจุดเริ่มต้นทุกอย่าง!
384 pages, Paperback
First published December 19, 2000
9126 people are currently reading
72016 people want to read
About the author
Daniel Silva
185 books9,474 followersDaniel Silva was born in Michigan in 1960 and raised in California where he received his BA from Fresno State. Silva began his writing career as a journalist for United Press International (UPI), traveling in the Middle East and covering the Iran-Iraq war, terrorism and political conflicts. From UPI he moved to CNN, where he eventually became executive producer of its Washington-based public policy programming. In 1994 he began work on his first novel, The Unlikely Spy, a surprise best seller that won critical acclaim. He turned to writing full time in 1997 and all of his books have been New York Times/national best sellers, translated into 25 languages and published across Europe and the world. He lives in Washington, D.C.
Series:
* Michael Osbourne
* Gabriel Allon
Series:
* Michael Osbourne
* Gabriel Allon
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,315 reviews
October 25, 2011
I read the 'Rembrandt Affair' a year ago and really enjoyed Gabriel Allon, the Israeli spy and assassin who just can't quit his job. I expect spies to have a lot of personal baggage - why else would they gravitate to a profession that requires isolation, deception, moral ambiguity and high ideals (whether it's for a country, a religious belief, or personal gain). He had a rich background and I slipped very easily into the story, enjoying every moment. And then I found out it was the eleventh in the series. It's a mark of a great series when a book stands on its own, acknolwedging that a lot of water is under the bridge but you neither feel left out or beat over the head with recaps from prior books (the Sookie Stackhouse novels are for people who enjoy that kind of pain).
I felt compelled to go to the beginning, The Kill Artist, which is the first book in the series and where we first meet Gabriel Allon. And lo and behold, even then you understand that he's already had his share of life, and death. Silva kicks off the series with a fully-formed Allon, a spy who has already lived the enviable James Bond-style life, had a family and great success, but who has lost it all.
For anyone who loves heavy doses of exotic locations and political intrigue mixed (sparingly) with pinches of real world leaders, this series is superb. Silva is extraordinarily knowledgable about world affairs and shares insightful commentary (through his characters), due to his journalism background (including CNN) and his stint as a correspondent in the Middle East during the Iran-Iraq war. I will admit that I didn't know of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict origins and (if it's accurately told) now I have a much better understanding - there are truly two sides to that conflict.
I'm looking forward to reading books 2-9 and now number 12. I have many, many good hours of reading ahead of me.
I felt compelled to go to the beginning, The Kill Artist, which is the first book in the series and where we first meet Gabriel Allon. And lo and behold, even then you understand that he's already had his share of life, and death. Silva kicks off the series with a fully-formed Allon, a spy who has already lived the enviable James Bond-style life, had a family and great success, but who has lost it all.
For anyone who loves heavy doses of exotic locations and political intrigue mixed (sparingly) with pinches of real world leaders, this series is superb. Silva is extraordinarily knowledgable about world affairs and shares insightful commentary (through his characters), due to his journalism background (including CNN) and his stint as a correspondent in the Middle East during the Iran-Iraq war. I will admit that I didn't know of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict origins and (if it's accurately told) now I have a much better understanding - there are truly two sides to that conflict.
I'm looking forward to reading books 2-9 and now number 12. I have many, many good hours of reading ahead of me.
February 9, 2017
MUST READ autor i serijal... Svaki put se knjiga sa žaljenjem zatvara posle poslednje pročitane strane i nestrpljivo čeka juli sledeće godine da izađe novi nastavak... U Srbiji je prevodi sjajna Žermen Filipović dobar poznavalac Izraela... :)
October 23, 2016
I've read more than half of the 14 in this series and decided to go to the beginning and get caught up in all. This first shows an insecure and hesitant Gabriel before his maturation into a confident, and self-assured hero of Isreal and that's the Gabriel I prefer. 5 of 10 stars
November 21, 2012
Eh. Kind of an ordinary spy thriller, one I might have appreciated more had I read it 15-20 years ago when I was less jaded.
Like many of this genre, you have a good (and troubled) guy who works for Israeli intelligence working with his stunningly beautiful and capable heroine with whom he has a complicated (of course) relationship. And of course, you have the bad guys who are always one step ahead of the good guys, but then the good guys catch up, but then the bad guys catch on, etc., etc.
This book was surprisingly hard to get into for a book of its genre. The first section jumped rapidly between characters and settings, and you never really felt like you were getting to know anyone or like anything resembling a story had started. Once the story did start to move, I was a little put off by some of the cliches. I will say, though, that the book tried to take an evenhanded look at the situation in the Middle East and express the victimization claims on both sides. Although there were clear good guys and bad guys among the book's characters, the book did a good job of complicating that distinction when it came to history and politics.
So in that sense the book was perhaps a cut above, but overall, nothing special as far as I was concerned. People do seem to like this series, though, so I'm open to the possibility that the books improve over subsequent volumes.
Like many of this genre, you have a good (and troubled) guy who works for Israeli intelligence working with his stunningly beautiful and capable heroine with whom he has a complicated (of course) relationship. And of course, you have the bad guys who are always one step ahead of the good guys, but then the good guys catch up, but then the bad guys catch on, etc., etc.
This book was surprisingly hard to get into for a book of its genre. The first section jumped rapidly between characters and settings, and you never really felt like you were getting to know anyone or like anything resembling a story had started. Once the story did start to move, I was a little put off by some of the cliches. I will say, though, that the book tried to take an evenhanded look at the situation in the Middle East and express the victimization claims on both sides. Although there were clear good guys and bad guys among the book's characters, the book did a good job of complicating that distinction when it came to history and politics.
So in that sense the book was perhaps a cut above, but overall, nothing special as far as I was concerned. People do seem to like this series, though, so I'm open to the possibility that the books improve over subsequent volumes.
August 24, 2016
3.5*
Exactly what I needed. An entertaining and gripping spy novel whose main character is an Israeli secret agent convinced to come back from retirement. The ending made me give the book an extra star. I will be reading more of Gabriel Allon's adventures.
Exactly what I needed. An entertaining and gripping spy novel whose main character is an Israeli secret agent convinced to come back from retirement. The ending made me give the book an extra star. I will be reading more of Gabriel Allon's adventures.
November 5, 2011
I think what may have killed this book for me was I read this just after reading John Le Carre's The Spy Who Came in from the Cold--and after having recently read Alan Furst and Eric Ambler while working through a recommendation list that included Silva among this number. I got spoiled and after reading the best in the espionage genre this struck me as nothing more than a generic pulp thriller with all the writing skill, complexity of characterization and plotting of a blow'm up rat-tat-tat of a popcorn chomping action adventure flick.
It doesn't help that in the first hundred or so pages Silva rotates the points of views so quickly. I didn't get invested enough in any character early on to really get hooked. This is supposedly the first in a series of novels about Gabriel Allon, an Israeli agent fighting terrorists. We're introduced to him only as "the restorer" and then as "the stranger" and it's quite a while before he's linked to Gabriel Allon who seems less a starring player as just one in an ensemble cast. His opponent "Tariq" is the usual cut-out cardboard Muslim terrorist--as quick to execute a lover or someone on his own side as the enemy and without remorse. The style is decent enough, but nothing in the novel raised this to anything memorable among the many "dicklit" thrillers that spend some time in the bestseller list.
It doesn't help that in the first hundred or so pages Silva rotates the points of views so quickly. I didn't get invested enough in any character early on to really get hooked. This is supposedly the first in a series of novels about Gabriel Allon, an Israeli agent fighting terrorists. We're introduced to him only as "the restorer" and then as "the stranger" and it's quite a while before he's linked to Gabriel Allon who seems less a starring player as just one in an ensemble cast. His opponent "Tariq" is the usual cut-out cardboard Muslim terrorist--as quick to execute a lover or someone on his own side as the enemy and without remorse. The style is decent enough, but nothing in the novel raised this to anything memorable among the many "dicklit" thrillers that spend some time in the bestseller list.
September 20, 2013
Felt like things had been done before. Nothing grabbed me.
The story was ok but several minor things bothered me, so I’ll list them below.
When I finished this I thought huh, the hero didn’t do anything heroic and he did not solve the bad guy problem. The good action was done by another. Ok, but that kind of let me down - not much hero development here.
Throughout the book the good guys were not doing smart things which made it less fun to root for them. In a few scenes the bad guys came out ahead due to luck. For example: the bad guy dresses as a waiter to get into a meeting of dignitaries. The front door guard let him in even though his name was not on the list - because the bad guy said they told me they needed extra staff. A guard let him into a private room because the bad guy said one of the top aids told me to bring this food. When the bad guy was in the kitchen, the boss of the waiters gave him work to do. The boss should have known who his employees were. He paid them. The boss did not even ask where he came from. This was too easy - using luck.
I was disappointed the following was not shown. A woman was being trained as an agent. She was told to figure out who was following her. She reported three people and was wrong. Next time she reported three people and was right. I wanted to see what she saw and why she concluded what she did.
Because a woman loved Gabriel she did amazing things for him. I wanted to see him reciprocate some kind of feeling for her, but he showed no feelings. That was a let down. It made him less sympathetic.
Something unexpected was revealed at the end. It was quickly told. It was a neat surprise. The details behind that could have been a good story. Not required but I wanted to know more.
I did not care for the narrator George Guidall. He made Gabriel the hero sound like a clerk or librarian. It didn’t fit the sexy macho agent. And he made the bad guy sound wimpy. Other parts were ok, but overall his voice was not as good for me as other narrators.
DATA:
Narrative mode: 3rd person. Unabridged audiobook length: 11 hrs and 34 mins. Swearing language: strong but rarely used. Sexual language: moderate. Number of sex scenes: 9 briefly and vaguely described, not much detail. Setting: around 2000 various places including England, Europe, Mid East, Canada, and U.S. Book copyright: 2000. Genre: spy suspense thriller.
The story was ok but several minor things bothered me, so I’ll list them below.
When I finished this I thought huh, the hero didn’t do anything heroic and he did not solve the bad guy problem. The good action was done by another. Ok, but that kind of let me down - not much hero development here.
Throughout the book the good guys were not doing smart things which made it less fun to root for them. In a few scenes the bad guys came out ahead due to luck. For example: the bad guy dresses as a waiter to get into a meeting of dignitaries. The front door guard let him in even though his name was not on the list - because the bad guy said they told me they needed extra staff. A guard let him into a private room because the bad guy said one of the top aids told me to bring this food. When the bad guy was in the kitchen, the boss of the waiters gave him work to do. The boss should have known who his employees were. He paid them. The boss did not even ask where he came from. This was too easy - using luck.
I was disappointed the following was not shown. A woman was being trained as an agent. She was told to figure out who was following her. She reported three people and was wrong. Next time she reported three people and was right. I wanted to see what she saw and why she concluded what she did.
Because a woman loved Gabriel she did amazing things for him. I wanted to see him reciprocate some kind of feeling for her, but he showed no feelings. That was a let down. It made him less sympathetic.
Something unexpected was revealed at the end. It was quickly told. It was a neat surprise. The details behind that could have been a good story. Not required but I wanted to know more.
I did not care for the narrator George Guidall. He made Gabriel the hero sound like a clerk or librarian. It didn’t fit the sexy macho agent. And he made the bad guy sound wimpy. Other parts were ok, but overall his voice was not as good for me as other narrators.
DATA:
Narrative mode: 3rd person. Unabridged audiobook length: 11 hrs and 34 mins. Swearing language: strong but rarely used. Sexual language: moderate. Number of sex scenes: 9 briefly and vaguely described, not much detail. Setting: around 2000 various places including England, Europe, Mid East, Canada, and U.S. Book copyright: 2000. Genre: spy suspense thriller.
May 11, 2019
The Kill Artist is an enjoyable book that uses an interesting premise to set up the rest of the series.
I was fascinated by the main character and that is one of the reasons I picked this book up. Gabriel Allon is somehow both an Israeli assassin as well as a world renowned art restorer and the book deftly manages to combine his two talents at the same time. The book has good tradecraft and I really liked the ending.
I was fascinated by the main character and that is one of the reasons I picked this book up. Gabriel Allon is somehow both an Israeli assassin as well as a world renowned art restorer and the book deftly manages to combine his two talents at the same time. The book has good tradecraft and I really liked the ending.
February 17, 2024
I am not a spy story fan, but I liked this book, which shows the history of conflict between Israel and Palestine.
May 7, 2025
This was my first Daniel Silva book. II am a fan of Homeland (on Showtime) and this has that vibe. I like the characterization, which is adept, apt and engaging. Gabriel Allon is a good protaginist, and I like being able to see espionage and terrorism through the eyes of an Israeli operative. The villain is also well developed and rounded. I was able to understand how Tariq became who he is without actually ever sympathizing with him- empathizing maybe, sympathizing never.
Jacqueline is a good, strong female character who adds a well developed view of Gabriel and Israeli intelligence operations. If the rest of the series is as good as this boo, I am in it for the long haul.
Scenes are taut and the suspense is nicely built to engage without overdoing. I would give this book a 4.5 rating if it allowed me.
Jacqueline is a good, strong female character who adds a well developed view of Gabriel and Israeli intelligence operations. If the rest of the series is as good as this boo, I am in it for the long haul.
Scenes are taut and the suspense is nicely built to engage without overdoing. I would give this book a 4.5 rating if it allowed me.
July 25, 2015
I enjoyed this book so much I now intend to read the rest of the series. Not really sure how I came across this author but I am so glad I did. The story is exciting, fast paced and informative. The characters are well developed and you can easily picture them in your mind which makes the read easier and more enjoyable. The subject matter is not entirely my genre and not an obvious choice for me but I quickly got into it and read it over two days.
February 10, 2017
"Se estivermos a vigiar um alvo a partir de um café, não devemos fazer coisas que nos façam parecer estar a vigiar um alvo a partir do café, tais como ficarmos sentados sozinhos durante horas, a fingir estarmos a ler um jornal."
Daniel Silva introduziu-me, da forma mais extraordinária, o mundo da espionagem. Pela primeira vez, este tema afigurou-se aos meus olhos, surpreendentemente sedutor, envolvente e enigmático. Cada vez que tive de interromper a leitura, para responder às minhas necessidades mais básicas como comer e dormir, enfim, questões de sobrevivência, senti-me como se nunca deixasse de fazer parte deste mundo imponente, repleto de vida. Durante a leitura fui mais que uma simples espectadora, sentindo verdadeiramente os medos e desejos do Gabriel Allon.
Tudo começa em Paris. A cidade da Luz e do Amor é o palco da tragédia que põe em marcha o conjunto de eventos marcantes e vibrantes que caracterizam o enredo sem igual do "O Artista da Morte". Dois carros colidem. O trânsito pára. Um limusina é bloqueada. Um assassino cumpre, mais uma vez, o seu trabalho.
"Quanto mais longe estamos do nosso último desastre, mais perto estamos do próximo."
De França aos Estados Unidos da América, de Inglaterra à Palestina e até mesmo Portugal, nunca antes nenhum autor me tinha levado numa viagem tão longa e maravilhosamente perturbante.
Gabriel Allon tem um olhar intenso. Com 50 anos é um homem atraente, habilidoso, meticuloso, misterioso, gentil e piedoso. Este restaurador de arte judeu, que em tempos foi um agente secreto israelita, vê-se novamente de volta ao mundo de espionagem. O nosso protagonista faz parte de dois mundos que, apesar de tão diferentes, não podiam ser mais iguais. O espião domina a arte de matar e a arte de restaurar, destacando-se como um dos melhores do mundo. As suas acções são movidas por acontecimentos obscuros, pela dor da tragédia e o desejo de vingança. Atormentado por um passado distante, o espião é caracterizado por uma personalidade distinta. Interpreta diversos papéis durante as suas missões e, independentemente do contexto em que esteja inserido, representa cada personagem com a maior naturalidade. É um actor magistral, cujo palco é o mundo real. Os seus papéis nunca são demasiado pequenos, por muito escassas que sejam as falas ou o tempo que dedica à personificação. Gabriel Allon é sempre o protagonista.
"A vingança é boa. A vingança é saudável. A vingança é purificadora."
Tariq é um palestiniano revoltado, com uma mente distorcida e um desejo de derramar sangue pelos que perdeu demasiado grande para ser ignorado. Este líder terrorista tem uma inteligência superior ao normal, afinal de contas domina a técnica da espionagem. Um adversário à altura de Gabriel Allon que não é um novo conhecimento, mas sim um inimigo há muito adquirido.
Ari Shamram é, na opinião de todos com quem trava conhecimento, um homem careca, bastante feio, cujo casaco com um rasgão no peito direito suscita sempre alguma curiosidade. Este guerreiro da velha escola é chamado da reforma para se tornar no chefe do Departamento - da agência secreta israelita - de forma a restaurar a sua reputação manchada por missões falhadas. O seu método de trabalho baseia-se no seu eterno hábito de nunca deixar a mão esquerda saber o que a direita está a fazer. Shamram é o homem que nos apresenta o nosso herói, o qual só é capaz de fazer o seu trabalho com o auxilio de editoras, empresas de transporte, galerias de arte, farmácias e outros tantos negócios legais, que actuam e são conhecidos a nível mundial.
Quando o Daniel Silva já tinha o controlo dos meus pensamentos e emoções, eis que me é apresentada Sarah, conhecida no mundo da moda como Jacqueline Delacroix. A agente de 33 anos é uma presença imprescindível para o enredo. Esta mulher bela e independente é uma poderosa presença feminina na vida de Gabriel Allon.
Para além do astuto Shamram, do perverso Tariq, da lindíssima Sarah e do talentoso Gabriel Allon, Daniel Silva apresenta-nos muitas outras personagens que, apesar de não serem principais, representam um papel igualmente importante. O autor não deixa nenhuma delas para segundo plano. Muito pelo contrário, apresenta-nos cada uma delas com descrições pertinentes e detalhes sedutores. Desde uma drogada que trabalha num bordel a um rapaz de 12 anos chamado Peel, o leitor tem acesso à alma humana. As personagens são reais e as suas histórias de vida não podiam ser mais verdadeiras.
"Trabalho de espionagem é paciência. Trabalho de espionagem é tédio."
O autor e antigo jornalista narra-nos uma história isenta de momentos enfadonhos, aliando, de uma forma perspicaz e estimulante, a ficção a factos históricos.
A guerra secreta entre os serviços de espionagem israelitas e as guerrilhas palestinianas são introduzidos majestosamente: a luta dos judeus contra os terroristas que os querem ver mortos não podia ser retratada de uma forma mais convidativa e provocante. Com seriedade ou humor, detalhadamente ou superficialmente, de uma forma breve ou alongada, Daniel Silva tem o dom da escrita. O seu ritmo está em sintonia perfeita tanto com o leitor, como com o enredo.
Nesta grandiosa luta entre os povos israelita e palestiniano, em que todos os meios justificam a salvação e defesa dos povos o desfecho é surpreendente. Gabriel Allon é um homem preso entre duas realidades, que ainda não encontrou a paz interior no seu mundo de várias camadas.
"O trabalho de um espião nunca está feito." Que venha o próximo livro.
Daniel Silva introduziu-me, da forma mais extraordinária, o mundo da espionagem. Pela primeira vez, este tema afigurou-se aos meus olhos, surpreendentemente sedutor, envolvente e enigmático. Cada vez que tive de interromper a leitura, para responder às minhas necessidades mais básicas como comer e dormir, enfim, questões de sobrevivência, senti-me como se nunca deixasse de fazer parte deste mundo imponente, repleto de vida. Durante a leitura fui mais que uma simples espectadora, sentindo verdadeiramente os medos e desejos do Gabriel Allon.
Tudo começa em Paris. A cidade da Luz e do Amor é o palco da tragédia que põe em marcha o conjunto de eventos marcantes e vibrantes que caracterizam o enredo sem igual do "O Artista da Morte". Dois carros colidem. O trânsito pára. Um limusina é bloqueada. Um assassino cumpre, mais uma vez, o seu trabalho.
"Quanto mais longe estamos do nosso último desastre, mais perto estamos do próximo."
De França aos Estados Unidos da América, de Inglaterra à Palestina e até mesmo Portugal, nunca antes nenhum autor me tinha levado numa viagem tão longa e maravilhosamente perturbante.
Gabriel Allon tem um olhar intenso. Com 50 anos é um homem atraente, habilidoso, meticuloso, misterioso, gentil e piedoso. Este restaurador de arte judeu, que em tempos foi um agente secreto israelita, vê-se novamente de volta ao mundo de espionagem. O nosso protagonista faz parte de dois mundos que, apesar de tão diferentes, não podiam ser mais iguais. O espião domina a arte de matar e a arte de restaurar, destacando-se como um dos melhores do mundo. As suas acções são movidas por acontecimentos obscuros, pela dor da tragédia e o desejo de vingança. Atormentado por um passado distante, o espião é caracterizado por uma personalidade distinta. Interpreta diversos papéis durante as suas missões e, independentemente do contexto em que esteja inserido, representa cada personagem com a maior naturalidade. É um actor magistral, cujo palco é o mundo real. Os seus papéis nunca são demasiado pequenos, por muito escassas que sejam as falas ou o tempo que dedica à personificação. Gabriel Allon é sempre o protagonista.
"A vingança é boa. A vingança é saudável. A vingança é purificadora."
Tariq é um palestiniano revoltado, com uma mente distorcida e um desejo de derramar sangue pelos que perdeu demasiado grande para ser ignorado. Este líder terrorista tem uma inteligência superior ao normal, afinal de contas domina a técnica da espionagem. Um adversário à altura de Gabriel Allon que não é um novo conhecimento, mas sim um inimigo há muito adquirido.
Ari Shamram é, na opinião de todos com quem trava conhecimento, um homem careca, bastante feio, cujo casaco com um rasgão no peito direito suscita sempre alguma curiosidade. Este guerreiro da velha escola é chamado da reforma para se tornar no chefe do Departamento - da agência secreta israelita - de forma a restaurar a sua reputação manchada por missões falhadas. O seu método de trabalho baseia-se no seu eterno hábito de nunca deixar a mão esquerda saber o que a direita está a fazer. Shamram é o homem que nos apresenta o nosso herói, o qual só é capaz de fazer o seu trabalho com o auxilio de editoras, empresas de transporte, galerias de arte, farmácias e outros tantos negócios legais, que actuam e são conhecidos a nível mundial.
Quando o Daniel Silva já tinha o controlo dos meus pensamentos e emoções, eis que me é apresentada Sarah, conhecida no mundo da moda como Jacqueline Delacroix. A agente de 33 anos é uma presença imprescindível para o enredo. Esta mulher bela e independente é uma poderosa presença feminina na vida de Gabriel Allon.
Para além do astuto Shamram, do perverso Tariq, da lindíssima Sarah e do talentoso Gabriel Allon, Daniel Silva apresenta-nos muitas outras personagens que, apesar de não serem principais, representam um papel igualmente importante. O autor não deixa nenhuma delas para segundo plano. Muito pelo contrário, apresenta-nos cada uma delas com descrições pertinentes e detalhes sedutores. Desde uma drogada que trabalha num bordel a um rapaz de 12 anos chamado Peel, o leitor tem acesso à alma humana. As personagens são reais e as suas histórias de vida não podiam ser mais verdadeiras.
"Trabalho de espionagem é paciência. Trabalho de espionagem é tédio."
O autor e antigo jornalista narra-nos uma história isenta de momentos enfadonhos, aliando, de uma forma perspicaz e estimulante, a ficção a factos históricos.
A guerra secreta entre os serviços de espionagem israelitas e as guerrilhas palestinianas são introduzidos majestosamente: a luta dos judeus contra os terroristas que os querem ver mortos não podia ser retratada de uma forma mais convidativa e provocante. Com seriedade ou humor, detalhadamente ou superficialmente, de uma forma breve ou alongada, Daniel Silva tem o dom da escrita. O seu ritmo está em sintonia perfeita tanto com o leitor, como com o enredo.
Nesta grandiosa luta entre os povos israelita e palestiniano, em que todos os meios justificam a salvação e defesa dos povos o desfecho é surpreendente. Gabriel Allon é um homem preso entre duas realidades, que ainda não encontrou a paz interior no seu mundo de várias camadas.
"O trabalho de um espião nunca está feito." Que venha o próximo livro.
August 16, 2017
“The Kill Artist” is the first book out of 17 (as of today) that follows the exploits of Israeli agent Gabriel Allon. I had previously read the 16th book in the series, “The Black Widow”, and enjoyed it very much. So much so that I went back to the beginning of the series. I am glad that I did not begin at the beginning.
This novel is okay, not great. Unlike my previous experience while reading a book of Mr. Silva’s I found I could easily put it down. That is not to say that I did not enjoy reading it, I did. Just that the experience was nothing spectacular.
Mr. Silva is adept at not being needlessly one sided in this novel. There are clear good and bad guys, but he does give voice to the grievances that the Palestinian terrorists make. This was an interesting choice, as it does force the reader to realize that although one side may be a bit more moral than the other, there are still legitimate grievances on both sides of the issue.
“The Kill Artist” suffered from some “too cute” plot devices and some too easily wrapped up plot points, and from a ridiculous scene with Yasir Arafat and the main bad guy in the text, a terrorist named Tariq.
But overall it is an okay novel. I will read the second book in the series in the hopes that the texts get better each time.
This novel is okay, not great. Unlike my previous experience while reading a book of Mr. Silva’s I found I could easily put it down. That is not to say that I did not enjoy reading it, I did. Just that the experience was nothing spectacular.
Mr. Silva is adept at not being needlessly one sided in this novel. There are clear good and bad guys, but he does give voice to the grievances that the Palestinian terrorists make. This was an interesting choice, as it does force the reader to realize that although one side may be a bit more moral than the other, there are still legitimate grievances on both sides of the issue.
“The Kill Artist” suffered from some “too cute” plot devices and some too easily wrapped up plot points, and from a ridiculous scene with Yasir Arafat and the main bad guy in the text, a terrorist named Tariq.
But overall it is an okay novel. I will read the second book in the series in the hopes that the texts get better each time.
July 13, 2018
Number 1 in the Gabriel Allon series.
I really enjoyed this book. A good spy thriller in the mould of Robert Ludlum. Books such as The Osterman Weekend and others.
Gabriel Allon, a once Israeli agent come spy has retired from that occupation and now lives as an art restorer in a quiet village in Cornwall England.
The last thing on his mind is a return to his former life. His, one time boss, gets in touch and tells him that the man who was responsible for the death of his wife and child is out of hiding and planning a massive attack on the Israeli / Palestine piece accord. An opportunity to get the man who is responsible for killing his family and at the same time help the piece accord to survive, it’s just too tempting for Gabriel to pass up.
This is a whirlwind adventure that will take you all over Europe and the Middle East before ending up in the USA.
There are a lot of dead end roads here. So many in fact you will be hard pressed to guess just who are the hunters and who are the hunted. It will keep you on your toes.
Whilst the Palestinians are portrayed as the terrorists the reasons why they have taken up the gun is well explored. There are no angels here.
An enjoyable read. Fast paced with a tight plot.
I give it a 4 star recommendation.
I really enjoyed this book. A good spy thriller in the mould of Robert Ludlum. Books such as The Osterman Weekend and others.
Gabriel Allon, a once Israeli agent come spy has retired from that occupation and now lives as an art restorer in a quiet village in Cornwall England.
The last thing on his mind is a return to his former life. His, one time boss, gets in touch and tells him that the man who was responsible for the death of his wife and child is out of hiding and planning a massive attack on the Israeli / Palestine piece accord. An opportunity to get the man who is responsible for killing his family and at the same time help the piece accord to survive, it’s just too tempting for Gabriel to pass up.
This is a whirlwind adventure that will take you all over Europe and the Middle East before ending up in the USA.
There are a lot of dead end roads here. So many in fact you will be hard pressed to guess just who are the hunters and who are the hunted. It will keep you on your toes.
Whilst the Palestinians are portrayed as the terrorists the reasons why they have taken up the gun is well explored. There are no angels here.
An enjoyable read. Fast paced with a tight plot.
I give it a 4 star recommendation.
August 30, 2012
I’m always surprised when a premise of a book sounds so good – a perfect swish, and then the book itself is like a big old airball. Meet Gabriel Allon: super spy, art restorerer, tortured soul, handsome, ruthless, boring.
Daniel Silva’s book sounds great! A spy who restores masterpieces, who is out for revenge for his murdered family but doesn’t really like to kill people. He’s recruited from retirement by a ruthless Israeli agent who wants to stop an equally ruthless Palestinian terrorist. Ruthless is the key word here – everyone is ruthless. It’s like a drinking game. The characters are flat, and there isn’t anyone you can really feel emotionally invested in. And I’ve said this before, but give me a villain I want to defeat soundly. The terrorists and agents in this story just depressed me. I didn’t get the sense anyone was better off, or anything was much accomplished here – all the work and killing people just adds fuel to the fire of this conflict. I can’t get behind that. And knowing Gabriel is just going to get pulled out of retirement again to fight some more of the same old baddies was just anti-climactic.
This book was a page turner, for sure. But Gabriel Allon has no style. Dear Agent Allon, please see some James Bond movies and get back to me.
Daniel Silva’s book sounds great! A spy who restores masterpieces, who is out for revenge for his murdered family but doesn’t really like to kill people. He’s recruited from retirement by a ruthless Israeli agent who wants to stop an equally ruthless Palestinian terrorist. Ruthless is the key word here – everyone is ruthless. It’s like a drinking game. The characters are flat, and there isn’t anyone you can really feel emotionally invested in. And I’ve said this before, but give me a villain I want to defeat soundly. The terrorists and agents in this story just depressed me. I didn’t get the sense anyone was better off, or anything was much accomplished here – all the work and killing people just adds fuel to the fire of this conflict. I can’t get behind that. And knowing Gabriel is just going to get pulled out of retirement again to fight some more of the same old baddies was just anti-climactic.
This book was a page turner, for sure. But Gabriel Allon has no style. Dear Agent Allon, please see some James Bond movies and get back to me.
July 6, 2025
“The Kill Artist” is the first novel in the popular Daniel Silva series to feature his Israeli spy/art restorer extraordinaire, Gabriel Allon. In this novel, readers are given a glimpse at the tragic backstory of Allon---his son was killed in a car bomb explosion meant for him, while his wife survived only to live in a vegetative coma-like state---and introduced to Allon’s arch-nemesis, a Palestinian terrorist named Tariq.
Among the other important characters are:
***Jacqueline Delacroix, a beautiful French supermodel who is also an Israeli spy. She uses her seductive charms and feminine wiles to help lure suspected or known terrorists into compromising positions for intel-gathering. During her last mission with Gabriel, the two became more intimate than their cover-identities required. Shortly after, Tariq’s car-bomb killed Allon’s son and left his wife a vegetable. She is conflicted: while she has tremendous guilt about what happened during the last mission, she can’t help but still be in love with Allon.
***Julian Isherwood, a British art dealer who has no illusions about the fact that he is getting older and the business is not as lucrative as it once was when he was younger. Allon is his most sought-after restorer, but he also knows that Allon’s other life as a spy may drag him away from his studio work and thus ruin Isherwood.
***Ari Shamron, a Mossad spymaster, recruited and trained Allon, his best agent. Allon is also his most troubled agent, for reasons that go beyond the fateful day involving Allon’s wife and son. Shamron and Allon are as different as night and day: Allon loathes violence, while Shamron revels in it; Allon does not believe that everything that the Israeli government has done is for the best, while Shamron can not believe otherwise; Allon believes that revenge leads to spiritual death, while Shamron believes that revenge is a biblical necessity. Strangely, though, they make a superior team.
The plot: When the Israeli ambassador to France is killed during a terrorist attack, Shamron clearly sees the calling card of the terrorist known as Tariq. He coaxes Allon back into the field with the promise of closure. Then, Shamron recruits Jacqueline to work with Allon. Sparks fly. Some of them are romantic ones.
There is, as is to be expected from Silva, suspense and action galore in “The Kill Artist”, but along with all of that is an even stronger thread of human drama. Silva creates believable, likable characters, and even his villains are sympathetic to an extent. They may do monstrous things, but they never come across as completely monstrous. They are simply broken people with irrational feelings of hatred and revenge.
Among the other important characters are:
***Jacqueline Delacroix, a beautiful French supermodel who is also an Israeli spy. She uses her seductive charms and feminine wiles to help lure suspected or known terrorists into compromising positions for intel-gathering. During her last mission with Gabriel, the two became more intimate than their cover-identities required. Shortly after, Tariq’s car-bomb killed Allon’s son and left his wife a vegetable. She is conflicted: while she has tremendous guilt about what happened during the last mission, she can’t help but still be in love with Allon.
***Julian Isherwood, a British art dealer who has no illusions about the fact that he is getting older and the business is not as lucrative as it once was when he was younger. Allon is his most sought-after restorer, but he also knows that Allon’s other life as a spy may drag him away from his studio work and thus ruin Isherwood.
***Ari Shamron, a Mossad spymaster, recruited and trained Allon, his best agent. Allon is also his most troubled agent, for reasons that go beyond the fateful day involving Allon’s wife and son. Shamron and Allon are as different as night and day: Allon loathes violence, while Shamron revels in it; Allon does not believe that everything that the Israeli government has done is for the best, while Shamron can not believe otherwise; Allon believes that revenge leads to spiritual death, while Shamron believes that revenge is a biblical necessity. Strangely, though, they make a superior team.
The plot: When the Israeli ambassador to France is killed during a terrorist attack, Shamron clearly sees the calling card of the terrorist known as Tariq. He coaxes Allon back into the field with the promise of closure. Then, Shamron recruits Jacqueline to work with Allon. Sparks fly. Some of them are romantic ones.
There is, as is to be expected from Silva, suspense and action galore in “The Kill Artist”, but along with all of that is an even stronger thread of human drama. Silva creates believable, likable characters, and even his villains are sympathetic to an extent. They may do monstrous things, but they never come across as completely monstrous. They are simply broken people with irrational feelings of hatred and revenge.
March 7, 2019
He had the strange sensation of walking through the rooms of his childhood – everything was familiar but slightly different, a bit smaller than he remembered, a bit shabbier perhaps. As always he was struck by the similarities between the craft of restoration and the craft of killing…
As always with a Gabriel Allon thriller, I am struck by author Daniel Silva's penmanship, a style that is more European than American, the slickness of the plot, with a twist in the tail. It is easy to engage with the characters, even those less endearing, due to a strong sense of justice. The Kill Artist, the 1st in the series, introduces former Mossad operative turned art restorer Allon, still grieving for his son killed and wife maimed by a car bomb planted by Tariq in Vienna years earlier as a reprisal. Then there’s shifty Israeli spymaster Ari Shamron, ambitious katsa Uzi Navot, and the endearingly hopeless London art dealer, Julian Isherwood.
A car bombing in Paris, killing the Israel Ambassador and his wife, bears Tariq’s “hallmarks” of detailed planning, execution and escape. Not everyone in the PLO agrees with Yasir Arafat brokering a peace deal with the Israelis, and Shamron is pessimistic that the peace deal will hold when so many elements on both sides wants it to fail. With politics in Israel taking an ugly turn, Shamron flies to England to coax Gabriel out of retirement to seek revenge on Tariq. He is to set up his own organisation in London, separate from Israeli intelligence, and blindsiding both MI5 and Langley, which is closely monitoring the peace deal. Somewhat reluctantly, he recruits French Jew and model, Jacqueline, whom he worked with before, as a “honeypot” to infiltrate Tariq’s organisation.
This is a stylish spy thriller with the ‘cold' war of the twentieth century superseded by the ‘secret’ war in the middle-east and its international support network. There are harrowing descriptions of atrocities committed against Palestinians held in refugee camps of Beirut - which Israel chose to ignore - and a killer haunted by the deaths he committed in the service of his country.
Verdict: Very readable, though I preferred some of the later works in the series.
As always with a Gabriel Allon thriller, I am struck by author Daniel Silva's penmanship, a style that is more European than American, the slickness of the plot, with a twist in the tail. It is easy to engage with the characters, even those less endearing, due to a strong sense of justice. The Kill Artist, the 1st in the series, introduces former Mossad operative turned art restorer Allon, still grieving for his son killed and wife maimed by a car bomb planted by Tariq in Vienna years earlier as a reprisal. Then there’s shifty Israeli spymaster Ari Shamron, ambitious katsa Uzi Navot, and the endearingly hopeless London art dealer, Julian Isherwood.
A car bombing in Paris, killing the Israel Ambassador and his wife, bears Tariq’s “hallmarks” of detailed planning, execution and escape. Not everyone in the PLO agrees with Yasir Arafat brokering a peace deal with the Israelis, and Shamron is pessimistic that the peace deal will hold when so many elements on both sides wants it to fail. With politics in Israel taking an ugly turn, Shamron flies to England to coax Gabriel out of retirement to seek revenge on Tariq. He is to set up his own organisation in London, separate from Israeli intelligence, and blindsiding both MI5 and Langley, which is closely monitoring the peace deal. Somewhat reluctantly, he recruits French Jew and model, Jacqueline, whom he worked with before, as a “honeypot” to infiltrate Tariq’s organisation.
This is a stylish spy thriller with the ‘cold' war of the twentieth century superseded by the ‘secret’ war in the middle-east and its international support network. There are harrowing descriptions of atrocities committed against Palestinians held in refugee camps of Beirut - which Israel chose to ignore - and a killer haunted by the deaths he committed in the service of his country.
Verdict: Very readable, though I preferred some of the later works in the series.
September 10, 2016
“This is a bad book. A very bad book.” He opined, talking off his owl-like steel glasses with his short, stubby fingers. He pinched the bridge of his nose where the nose pieces had left deep red indentations. The very same nose that had been broken by a piece of Egyptian shrapnel during the six-day war.
“I’m going to write a review and post it on the Good Reads site!” he declared, pounding the keyboard with suppressed fury. “I need to warn people about this book!” he growled, through his jaw broken by a stone hurled by a Palestinian terrorist during the intifada. “Readers need to know!”
“But what did you expect?” asked his lovely companion. “It’s a spy novel. It’s the kind of book that you read at the beach. Or on an airplane. It’s not supposed to be great literature.” she cooed.
“Yes, but there’s a difference between a well-written trashy novel and a poorly written trashy novel.” he snarled, short stubby fingers stabbing the keyboard like a Scud missile streaking through the sky to rain destruction on the kibbutz. “A well-written trashy novel holds your attention. The prose and description do not get in the way of telling the story. This book is full of purple prose and unnecessary descriptive phrases that just jump out at you like an Israeli paratrooper leaping from a plane. It’s too irritating to continue.” he sneered, slamming the book down on the table like a IED exploding on a lonely road during the night. “I’m going to write this review, then take the book back. It’s just not worth my time.” he exclaimed, continuing to attack the keyboard like a mensch possessed. “There are plenty more books in the library. I will move on to another more readable. Perhaps something by Dan Brown.”
His lovely companion rolled her eyes. “Yes, you do that dear.” she murmure
“I’m going to write a review and post it on the Good Reads site!” he declared, pounding the keyboard with suppressed fury. “I need to warn people about this book!” he growled, through his jaw broken by a stone hurled by a Palestinian terrorist during the intifada. “Readers need to know!”
“But what did you expect?” asked his lovely companion. “It’s a spy novel. It’s the kind of book that you read at the beach. Or on an airplane. It’s not supposed to be great literature.” she cooed.
“Yes, but there’s a difference between a well-written trashy novel and a poorly written trashy novel.” he snarled, short stubby fingers stabbing the keyboard like a Scud missile streaking through the sky to rain destruction on the kibbutz. “A well-written trashy novel holds your attention. The prose and description do not get in the way of telling the story. This book is full of purple prose and unnecessary descriptive phrases that just jump out at you like an Israeli paratrooper leaping from a plane. It’s too irritating to continue.” he sneered, slamming the book down on the table like a IED exploding on a lonely road during the night. “I’m going to write this review, then take the book back. It’s just not worth my time.” he exclaimed, continuing to attack the keyboard like a mensch possessed. “There are plenty more books in the library. I will move on to another more readable. Perhaps something by Dan Brown.”
His lovely companion rolled her eyes. “Yes, you do that dear.” she murmure
October 27, 2016
যারা স্পাই থৃলার পছন্দ করেন বা এককালে মাসুদ রানার ভক্ত ছিলেন গ্যাব্রিয়েল আলোন সিরিজ তাদের জন্য অবশ্যপাঠ্য।
মাস্টার মাইন্ড আরি শ্যামরোন পুরাই লা-জওয়াব।
গ্যাব্রিয়েলের প্রেমে হাবুডুবু না খেয়ে উপায় নাই আপনি যতই সাঁতার জানা লোক হোন না কেন। :)
মাস্টার মাইন্ড আরি শ্যামরোন পুরাই লা-জওয়াব।
গ্যাব্রিয়েলের প্রেমে হাবুডুবু না খেয়ে উপায় নাই আপনি যতই সাঁতার জানা লোক হোন না কেন। :)
March 30, 2018
I’ve heard good things about this series, and I was not disappointed. Very enjoyable. Lots of action and twists. I’m glad I starts this series.
January 17, 2024
Action packed start to the GA series will look into more in the series.
May 20, 2015
An Average Read Until the End
This marks the first book I have read by Daniel Silva. The Kill Artist, the first in the Gabriel Allon Series was first published in 2000 and it is starting to feel its age. The story resolves around Israeli and Palestinian conflict. There is a cast of a "villain" and an "anti-hero" and retaliation is the word of the day. The plot feels tired. Granted, had I read it first in 2000, I may have not felt this way.
As in many books that are the first in a series, the story starts of slowly as we are introduced to the characters. Despite my issues with a tired plotline, the characters are interesting. Our "hero" is a former Israeli intelligence officer who has retired and is working as a reclusive, world class art restorer. He finds himself (surprise, surprise) drawn back into action for the protection of Israel. He is an interesting and nuanced character.
His sidekick / love interest/ former love interest / partner is an aging (ok. she is 33 but she says that she is old for her job) world class fashion model. She has also worked an Israeli agent using her "assets" to get information or put foreign diplomats in compromising positions.
I was rather bored of the book by the halfway point. I only continued to read because the author has been highly recommended by multiple sources. The action picks up halfway through and zips on to a high finish leading a final 3.5 star rating. I plan on reading the next in the series.
This marks the first book I have read by Daniel Silva. The Kill Artist, the first in the Gabriel Allon Series was first published in 2000 and it is starting to feel its age. The story resolves around Israeli and Palestinian conflict. There is a cast of a "villain" and an "anti-hero" and retaliation is the word of the day. The plot feels tired. Granted, had I read it first in 2000, I may have not felt this way.
As in many books that are the first in a series, the story starts of slowly as we are introduced to the characters. Despite my issues with a tired plotline, the characters are interesting. Our "hero" is a former Israeli intelligence officer who has retired and is working as a reclusive, world class art restorer. He finds himself (surprise, surprise) drawn back into action for the protection of Israel. He is an interesting and nuanced character.
His sidekick / love interest/ former love interest / partner is an aging (ok. she is 33 but she says that she is old for her job) world class fashion model. She has also worked an Israeli agent using her "assets" to get information or put foreign diplomats in compromising positions.
I was rather bored of the book by the halfway point. I only continued to read because the author has been highly recommended by multiple sources. The action picks up halfway through and zips on to a high finish leading a final 3.5 star rating. I plan on reading the next in the series.
September 16, 2010
3.0 stars. A good, solid international thriller centering on Israeli operative/art restorer Gabriel Allon attempting to track down a Palestinian terrorist. This is the first of the Gabriel Allon books and I thought he was an interesting character and will certainly read the next book in the series.
July 28, 2022
Book on CD narrated by George Guidall
3***
From the book jacket: Former Israeli intelligence operative Gabriel Allon is being called back into action and teamed with an agent as beautiful as she is deadly. Their target: a cunning Palestinian terrorist who played a dark part in Gabriel’s past.
My reactions
This is the first in a series starring Gabriel Allon, whose cover is that of an art restoration specialist. He’s paired with Jacqueline Delacroix, an international fashion model whose been groomed for just such assignments.
The action is fast and furious and sometimes confusing, as is to be expected in an espionage thriller. There are more twists and turns than a casual reader can keep track of. And a basic knowledge of of Israeli / Palestinian relationships and politics is necessary.
I’ll admit to losing interest in some of the more political scenes, but the basic intrigue and heart-stopping thriller scenes were very good. Silva definitely knows how to keep the reader turning pages, with virtually every chapter ending in a cliffhanger.
This is a long-running series, with over twenty books by now. But I doubt I’ll pick up another. Just not my cup of tea.
George Guidall does a reasonable job of performing the audio. He’s very good with different accents and does all the men very well, but his naturally deep and gravelly voice is not well-suited to voicing the women.
3***
From the book jacket: Former Israeli intelligence operative Gabriel Allon is being called back into action and teamed with an agent as beautiful as she is deadly. Their target: a cunning Palestinian terrorist who played a dark part in Gabriel’s past.
My reactions
This is the first in a series starring Gabriel Allon, whose cover is that of an art restoration specialist. He’s paired with Jacqueline Delacroix, an international fashion model whose been groomed for just such assignments.
The action is fast and furious and sometimes confusing, as is to be expected in an espionage thriller. There are more twists and turns than a casual reader can keep track of. And a basic knowledge of of Israeli / Palestinian relationships and politics is necessary.
I’ll admit to losing interest in some of the more political scenes, but the basic intrigue and heart-stopping thriller scenes were very good. Silva definitely knows how to keep the reader turning pages, with virtually every chapter ending in a cliffhanger.
This is a long-running series, with over twenty books by now. But I doubt I’ll pick up another. Just not my cup of tea.
George Guidall does a reasonable job of performing the audio. He’s very good with different accents and does all the men very well, but his naturally deep and gravelly voice is not well-suited to voicing the women.
February 18, 2021
Having read Daniel Silva's The Order ( #20 in the Gabriel Allon spy thriller series) I was duly impressed enough to come here, to the beginning of the series.
In The Kill Artist we meet Gabriel Allon, renowned art restorer and Israeli spy/assassin who is pulled out of retirement to track down the dangerous Palestian agent known as Tariq. It is a nicely paced thriller as a thriller should be, I was fully engaged, it was well researched and well written for the most part. It had a nice twist at the end I never saw coming and a satisfying ending. Silva likes to weave fact with fiction, so here we have actual historical events referred to such as the 1948 massacre at Deir Yassin in Palestine and the appearance in the novel of Yasser Arafat. A few scenes with him seemed unlikely and I may have actually winced a little at the meeting between him and the baddie Tariq. But I think Silva has done a good job in this genre with a pretty cool protagonist in Gabriel Allon and I'm going to continue the series.
In The Kill Artist we meet Gabriel Allon, renowned art restorer and Israeli spy/assassin who is pulled out of retirement to track down the dangerous Palestian agent known as Tariq. It is a nicely paced thriller as a thriller should be, I was fully engaged, it was well researched and well written for the most part. It had a nice twist at the end I never saw coming and a satisfying ending. Silva likes to weave fact with fiction, so here we have actual historical events referred to such as the 1948 massacre at Deir Yassin in Palestine and the appearance in the novel of Yasser Arafat. A few scenes with him seemed unlikely and I may have actually winced a little at the meeting between him and the baddie Tariq. But I think Silva has done a good job in this genre with a pretty cool protagonist in Gabriel Allon and I'm going to continue the series.
January 5, 2009
The methodology of the art restoration expert is the same as that of the professional assassin: “study the target, become like him, do the job, slip away without a trace.” Just as retired Israeli agent Gabriel Allon must study the artist Vecellio in order to resurrect and restore The Adoration of the Shepherd, to make the painting just like the original so he must study again the work of his old nemesis Tariq, agent of the PLO wing that is angry and upset with Arafat’s peace initiatives. Tariq is also responsible for the death of Gabriel's wife and child, so Ari Shamron tries to induce Gabriel out of retirement to track down and kill Tariq after Tariq’s organization has assassinated the Israeli ambassador in Paris. In these days after the end of the Cold War, writers of spy thrillers have been left with few international conflicts and adversaries with which to ground their novels. Silva has become one of the more successful, and this one is a real pageturner. Tariq learns from an inside source that Gabriel is after him, so it becomes a cat-andmouse game to see who can find and eliminate the other first.
August 13, 2017
Eh. Not my thing. The twist at the end was somewhat diverting, but, otherwise...
June 3, 2025
Before I wrote up anything about this book I checked some of the GR reviews. I laughed out loud when I read this is in Judith E’s review: “It held our attention through the Pennsylvania and Ohio turnpikes.”
It was a road book for us as well, and we listened to it between Richmond and Buffalo, with part of our route on the Pennsylvania Turnpike! What a coincidence.
I wish I could be more excited about it, but it wasn’t more than OK for me. I’m not really the best judge when it comes to this genre (political thrillers?) since I only listen to them on road trips. This seemed to lack some of the driving energy (oh dear, I didn’t intend that road-trip pun) that is typically present in these books. Maybe that’s not a fair assessment. It’s more that we expect the main character to be someone with explosive skills that keep us rooting for him, and in this case Gabriel Allon (who appears in 20+ more books) seems pretty ineffectual. The other characters are much more compelling.
In all fairness, Silva did an effective job of pointing out the historical issues underlying the conflicts between Israel and the surrounding Arab states, the Palestinians in particular. It’s a tough issue to wrap your head around from a distance, certainly. One day we are appalled because Netanyahu seems determined on a policy of genocide, and the next we are reeling from multiple attacks on Israelis or Israeli sympathizers in the US. Although this book is now 25 years old, Silva shines a clear light on these issues, helping us realize that they haven’t changed significantly in the intervening years.
I read somewhere that the later books in the series are better, and we might try another one when we hit the road again. But this one was no more than “meh”.
It was a road book for us as well, and we listened to it between Richmond and Buffalo, with part of our route on the Pennsylvania Turnpike! What a coincidence.
I wish I could be more excited about it, but it wasn’t more than OK for me. I’m not really the best judge when it comes to this genre (political thrillers?) since I only listen to them on road trips. This seemed to lack some of the driving energy (oh dear, I didn’t intend that road-trip pun) that is typically present in these books. Maybe that’s not a fair assessment. It’s more that we expect the main character to be someone with explosive skills that keep us rooting for him, and in this case Gabriel Allon (who appears in 20+ more books) seems pretty ineffectual. The other characters are much more compelling.
In all fairness, Silva did an effective job of pointing out the historical issues underlying the conflicts between Israel and the surrounding Arab states, the Palestinians in particular. It’s a tough issue to wrap your head around from a distance, certainly. One day we are appalled because Netanyahu seems determined on a policy of genocide, and the next we are reeling from multiple attacks on Israelis or Israeli sympathizers in the US. Although this book is now 25 years old, Silva shines a clear light on these issues, helping us realize that they haven’t changed significantly in the intervening years.
I read somewhere that the later books in the series are better, and we might try another one when we hit the road again. But this one was no more than “meh”.
April 19, 2014
After completing The Kill Artist I felt lifeless, and drained. Which is quite unusual for me. Another uncanny thing about this book is that it established a blistering 5/5 average rating right from the start. In this book it is 90% clear who we are supposed to side with. More unusual aspects of this unusual book is that the seemingly condemned character doesn't die. Also the hero doesn't perform much in the vicinity of heroics. I felt sad after reading The Kill Artist. I should not. The book wasn't geared for that. It's a freaking thriller. But below the exciting surface, there's the stirrings of unhappiness, sad endings, forsaken dreams, and moral meanderings.
September 2, 2017
3,5 stars It was a nice read, good start of a series, but there's room for improvement.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,315 reviews