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Ya'ara Stein #1
בוגד
וידוי אחרון של קשישה גרמנייה חושף סוד מצמרר: בצמרת הממשל בישראל יש בוגד. במשך שנים מסר הבוגד את הסודות החשאיים ביותר של מדינת ישראל. איש לא יודע עד כמה גבוה הוא הגיע ובאילו חוטים הוא מושך. הדבר היחיד הידוע לגביו הוא כינויו, "קוברה".
נשיא המדינה ממנה צוות חשאי שתפקידו לעלות על עקבותיו. בראש הצוות עומד ראש המוסד לשעבר, והוא מגייס למבצע עורך דין בהווה ואיש מבצעים במיל' ולוחמת קרת רוח שהסימן המזהה שלה הוא שרשרת פנינים. בעוד הם מצרפים פרט אל פרט, המפעילים של "קוברה" חשים שהאדמה בוערת ומפעילים את רשת הקורים שלהם, שהיא סבוכה ומסוכנת לכל אחד מחברי הצוות.
"בוגד" הוא מותחן ריגול ישראלי מבריק ומשובח. ביד בוטחת מנווט מחבר הרומן עלילה אמינה ורבת-מהפכים המתרחשת בישראל, רוסיה וארצות הברית. הגיבורים מפלסים את דרכם בין נאמנויות צולבות, תחכום אסטרטגי ותאוות בצע פשוטה.
יונתן דה שליט הוא שמו הבדוי של סופר שלא ניתן לחשוף את זהותו. בתום דיונים ממושכים קיבל הספר את אישור הצנזורה וועדת השרים למען היתר פרסומים
נשיא המדינה ממנה צוות חשאי שתפקידו לעלות על עקבותיו. בראש הצוות עומד ראש המוסד לשעבר, והוא מגייס למבצע עורך דין בהווה ואיש מבצעים במיל' ולוחמת קרת רוח שהסימן המזהה שלה הוא שרשרת פנינים. בעוד הם מצרפים פרט אל פרט, המפעילים של "קוברה" חשים שהאדמה בוערת ומפעילים את רשת הקורים שלהם, שהיא סבוכה ומסוכנת לכל אחד מחברי הצוות.
"בוגד" הוא מותחן ריגול ישראלי מבריק ומשובח. ביד בוטחת מנווט מחבר הרומן עלילה אמינה ורבת-מהפכים המתרחשת בישראל, רוסיה וארצות הברית. הגיבורים מפלסים את דרכם בין נאמנויות צולבות, תחכום אסטרטגי ותאוות בצע פשוטה.
יונתן דה שליט הוא שמו הבדוי של סופר שלא ניתן לחשוף את זהותו. בתום דיונים ממושכים קיבל הספר את אישור הצנזורה וועדת השרים למען היתר פרסומים
317 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 139 reviews
December 13, 2017
First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Jonathan de Shalit, Atria, and Emily Bestler Books for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.
Turning to the dark and mysterious world of Israeli espionage, Jonathan de Shalit takes readers into a realm they may not know well. When Alon Regev approached the American Embassy in Rome one afternoon in 1983, he had a plan. Seeking to speak with the gentleman in charge of intelligence matters, Alon made a proposition. He currently served in the Israeli Governmeuint and would surely rise though the ranks. For a fee, he would gladly share all that he knew, including state secrets, if only to provide stability in the Middle East. Pondering this, the American consular official accepted this and submitted his plan to use Alon for the foreseeable future. However, unbeknownst to Alon, his American friend was actually a spy for the Soviets, or more specifically the Stasi. With the Soviet bloc teetering, East German espionage will soon go the way of the dodo, but with ‘Cobra’ on board, the Soviets could surely procure much needed information within the Middle East. Fast-forward thirty years, with the Stasi dead and buried, those who worked inside the organisation are quickly fading with age and not prepared to take all their secrets to the grave. There is mention of Cobra, which reaches Israeli Intelligence, who now know that they have a mole in the upper ranks of the Government. Who that person might be remains a mystery, but the hunt is on. Working both Russian and American angles, the Israelis play a game of cat and mouse, unsure whom they can trust and whether the feather ruffling will spook Cobra into deeper hiding. With extermination the only viable outcome, the Israelis begin their mission to destroy Cobra and thereby knock the Russians off their perch, once and for all. An interesting story by de Shalit, whose past has certain helped fuel the antics. Some who enjoy espionage thrillers may enjoy this one, but it seemed to lack suspense and depth for me.
Jonathan de Shalit’s real name remains hidden in the publication of this book, for security reasons, though he has been able to weave together a believable fiction based on his actual work with the Israelis. This is apparent throughout, touching on many of the interrogation techniques and sentiments to outside intelligence services. There are a handful of characters who play an important role in this book and whose appearance on the page is useful to keeping the story moving. Readers may enjoy the early Alon, as he barters away his country’s sovereignty, though once adopting the Cobra moniker, he is all but gone from the pages of the story. The agents who seek to find Cobra and sever his proverbial (or is it?) head play some interesting parts, though I felt there was too little backstory for my liking. I want to connect with characters, not be forced to watch them work and banter without knowing their roots. The story itself had much potential, but it became too much of a hunt and peck game, rather than a covert spy continuing to feed information and the world seeing action based on it, leaving the Israelis to scramble to plug the leak. The drama was gone, the more than superficial tactics were missing, and the people involved played only their part to gentle nudge information out of willing sources, save perhaps a few Russians. I like thrillers, especially those with some spying involved, but felt this one fell flat. Perhaps de Shalit was trying too hard to pull on the reins and not show readers what tactics are actually used, but the diluted result left me questioning if I will return for more by this author.
Thank you, Mr. de Shalit, for your effort. Perhaps spying is your strength and you can use a ghost writer to spice up the action. Either that, or stop worrying about pleasing the censors so much when you write the down and dirty portions.
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
Turning to the dark and mysterious world of Israeli espionage, Jonathan de Shalit takes readers into a realm they may not know well. When Alon Regev approached the American Embassy in Rome one afternoon in 1983, he had a plan. Seeking to speak with the gentleman in charge of intelligence matters, Alon made a proposition. He currently served in the Israeli Governmeuint and would surely rise though the ranks. For a fee, he would gladly share all that he knew, including state secrets, if only to provide stability in the Middle East. Pondering this, the American consular official accepted this and submitted his plan to use Alon for the foreseeable future. However, unbeknownst to Alon, his American friend was actually a spy for the Soviets, or more specifically the Stasi. With the Soviet bloc teetering, East German espionage will soon go the way of the dodo, but with ‘Cobra’ on board, the Soviets could surely procure much needed information within the Middle East. Fast-forward thirty years, with the Stasi dead and buried, those who worked inside the organisation are quickly fading with age and not prepared to take all their secrets to the grave. There is mention of Cobra, which reaches Israeli Intelligence, who now know that they have a mole in the upper ranks of the Government. Who that person might be remains a mystery, but the hunt is on. Working both Russian and American angles, the Israelis play a game of cat and mouse, unsure whom they can trust and whether the feather ruffling will spook Cobra into deeper hiding. With extermination the only viable outcome, the Israelis begin their mission to destroy Cobra and thereby knock the Russians off their perch, once and for all. An interesting story by de Shalit, whose past has certain helped fuel the antics. Some who enjoy espionage thrillers may enjoy this one, but it seemed to lack suspense and depth for me.
Jonathan de Shalit’s real name remains hidden in the publication of this book, for security reasons, though he has been able to weave together a believable fiction based on his actual work with the Israelis. This is apparent throughout, touching on many of the interrogation techniques and sentiments to outside intelligence services. There are a handful of characters who play an important role in this book and whose appearance on the page is useful to keeping the story moving. Readers may enjoy the early Alon, as he barters away his country’s sovereignty, though once adopting the Cobra moniker, he is all but gone from the pages of the story. The agents who seek to find Cobra and sever his proverbial (or is it?) head play some interesting parts, though I felt there was too little backstory for my liking. I want to connect with characters, not be forced to watch them work and banter without knowing their roots. The story itself had much potential, but it became too much of a hunt and peck game, rather than a covert spy continuing to feed information and the world seeing action based on it, leaving the Israelis to scramble to plug the leak. The drama was gone, the more than superficial tactics were missing, and the people involved played only their part to gentle nudge information out of willing sources, save perhaps a few Russians. I like thrillers, especially those with some spying involved, but felt this one fell flat. Perhaps de Shalit was trying too hard to pull on the reins and not show readers what tactics are actually used, but the diluted result left me questioning if I will return for more by this author.
Thank you, Mr. de Shalit, for your effort. Perhaps spying is your strength and you can use a ghost writer to spice up the action. Either that, or stop worrying about pleasing the censors so much when you write the down and dirty portions.
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
April 24, 2018
In 1983 Alon Regev, a young former officer in the Israeli navy, volunteered to become a spy for the United States. However, he was not aware that the man assessing him was both a US intelligence agent and also an agent for East Germany. Alon eventually becomes an Adviser to Israel's prime minister and, supposedly, a CIA spy. We never find out what caused Alon to become a traitor, but his handlers view him as a man without principles who doesn't really care who uses the information he shares or about anyone but himself.
Many years later, Israel finally finds out that they have a mole in their government and a team of intelligence agents is assembled to track him down. Like most spy novels, Alon's story is convoluted. The team's pursuit of Alan (code named Cobra) is like a treasure hunt in which they follow clues from Israel, Russia, Germany, New Zealand, the United States and more. Former agents give up secrets due to feelings of guilt or as revenge for old grievances. Sometimes they are killed to preserve their secrets.
I'm not that fond of spy stories in general, but this one held my interest. The beginning of the book was very slow but the pace increased as the Israeli team got closer to Cobra. There is a lot of time spent on reminiscences by aging agents and I wouldn't really characterize this book as a thriller. It's more literary fiction set in an espionage setting. I liked the book but didn't love it.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
Many years later, Israel finally finds out that they have a mole in their government and a team of intelligence agents is assembled to track him down. Like most spy novels, Alon's story is convoluted. The team's pursuit of Alan (code named Cobra) is like a treasure hunt in which they follow clues from Israel, Russia, Germany, New Zealand, the United States and more. Former agents give up secrets due to feelings of guilt or as revenge for old grievances. Sometimes they are killed to preserve their secrets.
I'm not that fond of spy stories in general, but this one held my interest. The beginning of the book was very slow but the pace increased as the Israeli team got closer to Cobra. There is a lot of time spent on reminiscences by aging agents and I wouldn't really characterize this book as a thriller. It's more literary fiction set in an espionage setting. I liked the book but didn't love it.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
February 15, 2018
You can find my review on my blog by clicking here.
The odds that you’ve read about this author’s life are pretty slim. I’d probably even say impossible. Jonathan de Shalit is nothing more than the pseudonym of a former high-ranking member of the Israeli Intelligence Community. There’s something quite fascinating about an author whose books need to be vetted and approved particularly by a special Governmental Ministers’ Committee. With Traitor, Jonathan de Shalit definitely proves his experience in the field through miniscule details and delivers a decent spy thriller.
In Traitor, a young Israeli man presents himself at an American embassy in the heart of Rome to offer himself to commit treason—we could also fancifully call it spying— against his own country. Problem is that the agent to whom he unveils his ambitious plans to rise among the elites and communicate secret strategies is actually a Russian mole himself. After years of information-sharing to those who weren’t who he thought they were, a hint of a mole has been circulating among agents and a special top-secret team of veterans has been put together to discover the identity of this traitor.
For a spy thriller, Traitor has proved to be quite captivating. There was an atmospheric air of deceit that chocked me throughout the hunt for a mole that I couldn’t stop breathing in addictively. With a team composed of actors who have been through a lot and who are dragged back into action, I felt like they conveyed the very nature of their jobs with near perfection. Living in the shadows, embracing multiple identities, tracking people of interest internationally. You simply see everything that embodies a spy in this. The very essence of the job is described and integrated within the prose which is no easy feat. My own knowledge of what the job of these fellows was confirmed and I can say that it was delivered with great care.
It is however worth mentioning that for a novel with a title like this one, you sure don’t get much from the other governments’ side. Although enough to tease us on their methods and their strategies, especially the final chapter, Traitor focuses especially on the special team tasked with identifying an unknown mole. While the process that the team goes through to find the traitor was treacherous, in the sense that they had to rely heavily on gut feelings and deductions, I found myself satisfied by the authenticity of the methodology used to track down potential targets. Even if the point of view of all the traitors felt lacking in depth and complexity, Traitor still delivers a solid espionage story where both HUMINT and SIGINT is used appropriately in order to catch a traitor.
Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada for sending me an Advance Copy for review!
Yours truly,
Lashaan | Blogger and Book Reviewer
Official blog: http://bookidote.wordpress.com
The odds that you’ve read about this author’s life are pretty slim. I’d probably even say impossible. Jonathan de Shalit is nothing more than the pseudonym of a former high-ranking member of the Israeli Intelligence Community. There’s something quite fascinating about an author whose books need to be vetted and approved particularly by a special Governmental Ministers’ Committee. With Traitor, Jonathan de Shalit definitely proves his experience in the field through miniscule details and delivers a decent spy thriller.
In Traitor, a young Israeli man presents himself at an American embassy in the heart of Rome to offer himself to commit treason—we could also fancifully call it spying— against his own country. Problem is that the agent to whom he unveils his ambitious plans to rise among the elites and communicate secret strategies is actually a Russian mole himself. After years of information-sharing to those who weren’t who he thought they were, a hint of a mole has been circulating among agents and a special top-secret team of veterans has been put together to discover the identity of this traitor.
For a spy thriller, Traitor has proved to be quite captivating. There was an atmospheric air of deceit that chocked me throughout the hunt for a mole that I couldn’t stop breathing in addictively. With a team composed of actors who have been through a lot and who are dragged back into action, I felt like they conveyed the very nature of their jobs with near perfection. Living in the shadows, embracing multiple identities, tracking people of interest internationally. You simply see everything that embodies a spy in this. The very essence of the job is described and integrated within the prose which is no easy feat. My own knowledge of what the job of these fellows was confirmed and I can say that it was delivered with great care.
It is however worth mentioning that for a novel with a title like this one, you sure don’t get much from the other governments’ side. Although enough to tease us on their methods and their strategies, especially the final chapter, Traitor focuses especially on the special team tasked with identifying an unknown mole. While the process that the team goes through to find the traitor was treacherous, in the sense that they had to rely heavily on gut feelings and deductions, I found myself satisfied by the authenticity of the methodology used to track down potential targets. Even if the point of view of all the traitors felt lacking in depth and complexity, Traitor still delivers a solid espionage story where both HUMINT and SIGINT is used appropriately in order to catch a traitor.
Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada for sending me an Advance Copy for review!
Yours truly,
Lashaan | Blogger and Book Reviewer
Official blog: http://bookidote.wordpress.com
February 1, 2018
What a fascinating read! Not only is the author an enigma, but the story is so good and well written. It hooked me from the first chapter. This book will rocket to the top of the charts, in my opinion. It reads like Daniel Silva, but it has the action of a Thor novel. I loved it, and I couldn't put it down.
January 1, 2018
Another well written spy book
January 9, 2018
This was a little slow-moving for a self-proclaimed "thriller" - but no less entertaining for that pace... In fact, it felt a little like the subject investigation that forms the background of the novel - methodical, turning over every detail to find connections, until suddenly things all click and the end arrives. This is a bit of an old-school spy book, with a modern twist. The jumps back and forth in time and space which reveal the underpinnings of the characters, their motivations and interactions, and the ultimate reveal, are well managed and not at all jumpy or difficult to follow. This is a smooth, mellow, single-malt of a thriller - I quite enjoyed it, once I settled into the pacing. I will admit that I was a little put off in the beginning - it opened well, then slowed up a bit as it fell into its natural rhythms. Once I adjusted my perception of "thriller" and "spy book" accordingly, I found myself pleasantly engaged and while I remained squarely in the middle of my seat throughout (rather than teetering on the edges), I did squirm quite a bit as the plot thickened and the secrets and reveals teased themselves out in a way that was just as enjoyable as if I'd been hanging by my fingernails. I suspect this is because it was a pace and development that built slowly and carefully, allowing me to get ever-more sucked into the drama as the pages turned. It is not a typical thriller, but I found it all the more enjoyable for that.
My review copy was provided by NetGalley.
My review copy was provided by NetGalley.
February 16, 2018
4.5 - thoughtful thriller, and no, that's not an oxymoron. In the tradition of Le Carre at his best, with buildup of characters and their backstories, the complex motivations behind espionage and betrayal, then the methodical chase and the unexpected twists. Highly enjoyable. I hope he writes more.
Two other thoughts: like Le Carre and some of the other thriller writers I enjoy, de Shalit is a former spy himself. There's something about their descriptions that rings true. Despite the action and the hunt, there's something depressing and grim that underlies everything. Also, like Le Carre, the women play important roles as the memory keepers. When you really need to know something, you need to find the (usually single) woman whose devotion to the service was unquestioned, who never missed a thing and whose judgement you still trust today.
Two other thoughts: like Le Carre and some of the other thriller writers I enjoy, de Shalit is a former spy himself. There's something about their descriptions that rings true. Despite the action and the hunt, there's something depressing and grim that underlies everything. Also, like Le Carre, the women play important roles as the memory keepers. When you really need to know something, you need to find the (usually single) woman whose devotion to the service was unquestioned, who never missed a thing and whose judgement you still trust today.
April 7, 2018
You know how when you see “MacArthur Park” is the next song up and you’re expecting Richard Harris’ version and you get Donna Summers’? That’s how I felt when I read TRAITOR.
I bought it based on a recommendation I read in the Wall Street Journal that compared it to LeCarre’s novels. Except for some gratuitous mentions of LeCarre’s novels by the characters, I found nothing LeCarre-like in the entire book.
This is an extremely amateurish attempt at big time fiction. It’s disappointing and even embarrassing - especially the ridiculous shots taken by the author at the far superior Gabriel Allon series written by Dan Silva. That so much in the novel’s plot hinged on unbelievable coincidence after unbelievable coincidence was at first off-putting, then amusing.
I gave this book two stars because the author is said to be an ex-Mossad employee, so perhaps that merits some extra credit. I definitely would not recommend this novel to anyone I like.
I bought it based on a recommendation I read in the Wall Street Journal that compared it to LeCarre’s novels. Except for some gratuitous mentions of LeCarre’s novels by the characters, I found nothing LeCarre-like in the entire book.
This is an extremely amateurish attempt at big time fiction. It’s disappointing and even embarrassing - especially the ridiculous shots taken by the author at the far superior Gabriel Allon series written by Dan Silva. That so much in the novel’s plot hinged on unbelievable coincidence after unbelievable coincidence was at first off-putting, then amusing.
I gave this book two stars because the author is said to be an ex-Mossad employee, so perhaps that merits some extra credit. I definitely would not recommend this novel to anyone I like.
March 25, 2018
מותחן טוב מסוגו, ריגול מוסד, רוסים אמריקאיים ועקיצה ללה-קארה אבי הז׳אנר. כמו תמיד צריך להתגבר על כל מיני עניינים מופרכים כדי להנות. הספר כתוב מצויין ושומר על רמת עניין גבוהה עד הסוף שהיה קצת מוזר ונחפז ומרגיש כמו הכנה לספר המשך (שכבר קיים ואקרא בהמשך).
כספר טיסה/חופשה נהניתי ממנו מאוד.
כספר טיסה/חופשה נהניתי ממנו מאוד.
December 21, 2017
I do not enjoy writing 3 Star reviews (or less). So I want to say the book is well written. The story is solid. The problem is I felt misled. This is not a thriller. It is more ... literary fiction with a "spy theme." There is no action, and the climax was set at about the same pace as the rest of the book. And unfortunately the book is all TELL with little to no SHOW at all. There was no sense of urgency. There was just a lot of people telling a lot of stories about the action did happen at some other point in time.
Okay -- with that out of the way, please believe me when I tell you that Jonathan de Shalit is a great writer. The Characters are all well drawn, and the details are painted perfectly. I read the book in two sittings. This means the book was not bad, or boring. I DID enjoy the book.
The story just falls short as a thriller. I highly recommend this book if you enjoy slow, slow burn stories with rich characters, and wonderful, poetic writing. It's in there.
Phillip Tomasso
Author of Absolute Zero
and Damn the Dead
Okay -- with that out of the way, please believe me when I tell you that Jonathan de Shalit is a great writer. The Characters are all well drawn, and the details are painted perfectly. I read the book in two sittings. This means the book was not bad, or boring. I DID enjoy the book.
The story just falls short as a thriller. I highly recommend this book if you enjoy slow, slow burn stories with rich characters, and wonderful, poetic writing. It's in there.
Phillip Tomasso
Author of Absolute Zero
and Damn the Dead
June 28, 2023
Traitor by Jonathan de Shalit is a modern spy thriller with the traits of an old time one. Its slow telling of the story it has the hallmark of an old fashioned spy novel and the ending really throwed a curveball at me. I liked the characters and the way the author told the story and therefore am I glad that there is at least one more book about Ya’ara Stein in english for me to read, there is one more in this series but sadly I can't read hebrew. Maybe it will be translated? If you like a classic spy story and I do you should try this one.
June 2, 2018
There wasn't a lot of distinction between sides, between who the bad guys were meant to be and who we were meant to be rooting for. When there was, it was brief, and confusing. Maybe I'm not used to reading these sort of novels, but it was more of a procedure type book where the action was condensed, and the plot mainly consisted of dialogue between spies. Or, for the second point, their thoughts and a lengthy backstory of how they got swept up into becoming Russian patriots. There was a lot of that, too much, too much. I couldn't connect with any of the characters, there was at least a dozen, and wasn't invested in who the Traitor was.
I guess if someone enjoys slow, drawn out, and technical thrillers they would like this, but it really is not for me and I would not ever recommend this. ever.
[In addition, there was a bit of swearing, which didn't bother me that much, but the adult scenes very much did. I have no problem skipping through a few paragraphs because of it, yET, I don't think it was necessary to the story at all, just another distraction. ]
I guess if someone enjoys slow, drawn out, and technical thrillers they would like this, but it really is not for me and I would not ever recommend this. ever.
[In addition, there was a bit of swearing, which didn't bother me that much, but the adult scenes very much did. I have no problem skipping through a few paragraphs because of it, yET, I don't think it was necessary to the story at all, just another distraction. ]
December 14, 2017
I loved reading this book. So Robert Ludlum like. I really didn’t know what to expect considering It’s Jonathan’s debut book. Sometimes that’s a good thing. Just ride with it. There’s is unexpected ending which makes me conclude this not the last time reading from Jonathan. 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾 Thanks to Nat Galley and @AtriaMysteryBus for the advance copy.
February 27, 2018
Russian Novel ?
No! But more than enough characters for one. The line between intricate and tedious is bright enough but this novel crossed it. This was one of the best opening chapters I have recently read and that is part of my disappointment. I slogged through hoping for a surprise ending with a satisfying twist. Spoiler alert-it simply ends.
No! But more than enough characters for one. The line between intricate and tedious is bright enough but this novel crossed it. This was one of the best opening chapters I have recently read and that is part of my disappointment. I slogged through hoping for a surprise ending with a satisfying twist. Spoiler alert-it simply ends.
August 22, 2018
First time reader of Jonathan de Shalit. Was written very well, but just had a hard time getting into the plot of the story. If you like espionage this is a book for you. I am not saying it was bad just not my kind of book. I would recommend this book to people who like spies books this is for you.
February 7, 2018
This was an absolutely wonderful read. It is in essence an examination of an intelligence operation from the Israeli viewpoint. I have not read a spy novel this good since John Le Carre’s early work. Thanks to Goodreads for this giveaway.
January 31, 2025
לסקירה מפורטת בעברית, קישור לבלוג שלי -
https://sivi-the-avid-reader.com/בוגד...
https://sivi-the-avid-reader.com/בוגד...
February 13, 2018
As a 68 YO veteran of the Cold War's spy thriller genres, I must say that I had grown weary of the efforts in recent years. Clancy got old and died, Le Carre -- the benchmark IMO -- got old and less prolific, and I just lost interest in the series thrillers...one after another...after another...etc. Vince Flynn was an acquaintance, and what was not to like about Mitch Rapp? But the level of sophistication seemed to wane, perhaps due to languishing energy from illness. Bless him.
This book had the trappings of Le Carre. One might say that they do not make movies like The Third Man anymore...Bond and Jason Bourne are like spending time on Facebook compared with the spy noires of the early Cold War.
I will not recount the numerous synposes already posited here in other reviews. From my own standpoint, this was indeed a thriller with LOTS of action...just not the kind of action that requires literary special effects. It is all implied, inferred, and suspected action with each chapter leaving new possibilities for twists. There were indeed potential and bizarre twists at hand right to the end, so there was no point where the plot became a fait accompli. The writing -- especially from an authentic "man in the field" -- was extraordinarily good.
Spoiler alert...there are two flaws that were petty but noticeable. First, the author seems to have a fetish with characters whose names begin with "A". One should not need to put post-its on the fridge to remember who's who. Alon, Adi, Amir, Aharon, Alona, Aslan....whew.
The other flaw occurs when an obvious clue is dropped as to the destination of one of the key players being chased by the Team when his mentions that he was bound for Zurich. This is simply lost in the conversation as they spend a considerable time trying to find out where he went dozens of pages later. But the careful reader already knows and feels like scolding the spymaster for failing to note the clue.
Nonetheless, if one longs for a "throwback" style with plenty of implied cerebral action and less needless special effects, this is a gem.
This book had the trappings of Le Carre. One might say that they do not make movies like The Third Man anymore...Bond and Jason Bourne are like spending time on Facebook compared with the spy noires of the early Cold War.
I will not recount the numerous synposes already posited here in other reviews. From my own standpoint, this was indeed a thriller with LOTS of action...just not the kind of action that requires literary special effects. It is all implied, inferred, and suspected action with each chapter leaving new possibilities for twists. There were indeed potential and bizarre twists at hand right to the end, so there was no point where the plot became a fait accompli. The writing -- especially from an authentic "man in the field" -- was extraordinarily good.
Spoiler alert...there are two flaws that were petty but noticeable. First, the author seems to have a fetish with characters whose names begin with "A". One should not need to put post-its on the fridge to remember who's who. Alon, Adi, Amir, Aharon, Alona, Aslan....whew.
The other flaw occurs when an obvious clue is dropped as to the destination of one of the key players being chased by the Team when his mentions that he was bound for Zurich. This is simply lost in the conversation as they spend a considerable time trying to find out where he went dozens of pages later. But the careful reader already knows and feels like scolding the spymaster for failing to note the clue.
Nonetheless, if one longs for a "throwback" style with plenty of implied cerebral action and less needless special effects, this is a gem.
October 27, 2018
3.5 round up. An interesting spy novel where almost everyone’s names started with an A. How strange is that!?!
This would make a good movie. It’s more about strategy than a thriller. Not super fast moving or intense.
The premise is a man who is in a key position with the Israeli government decides to be a traitor and spy for the United States. However he’s actually inadvertently working for the Russians. Israel learns of his existence and tries to find him by putting together a rogue team of Israeli intelligence.
If this is your genre give it a go!
This would make a good movie. It’s more about strategy than a thriller. Not super fast moving or intense.
The premise is a man who is in a key position with the Israeli government decides to be a traitor and spy for the United States. However he’s actually inadvertently working for the Russians. Israel learns of his existence and tries to find him by putting together a rogue team of Israeli intelligence.
If this is your genre give it a go!
February 18, 2018
When a young Israeli walks into an American embassy and offers to betray his
country for money and power he has no idea that the CIA agent interviewing him
is a Russian mole. Years later he has risen in the ranks to become a trusted person
to the Israeli Prime Minister and all through out his career he has been sharing
everything with the Kremlin. Now a hint that there may be a traitor in the highest
realms of power has slipped out and a top secret team is put together to find him.
The chase leads from Tel Aviv to deep into the Russian zone finally to the U.S. where
a unique spymaster is revealed. The final showdown between the traitor and the
betrayed can only be resolved by an act that could have far reaching consequences.
I didn't care to much for this book, it seemed to be a long drawn out search for an
Israeli traitor. I gave it a 3.
country for money and power he has no idea that the CIA agent interviewing him
is a Russian mole. Years later he has risen in the ranks to become a trusted person
to the Israeli Prime Minister and all through out his career he has been sharing
everything with the Kremlin. Now a hint that there may be a traitor in the highest
realms of power has slipped out and a top secret team is put together to find him.
The chase leads from Tel Aviv to deep into the Russian zone finally to the U.S. where
a unique spymaster is revealed. The final showdown between the traitor and the
betrayed can only be resolved by an act that could have far reaching consequences.
I didn't care to much for this book, it seemed to be a long drawn out search for an
Israeli traitor. I gave it a 3.
August 26, 2018
Called a thriller in the subtitle, not so much that as a straightforward espionage novel: retired agents from the Israeli intelligence services unmask a mole at the high reaches of the Israeli government and also his "handler. " The novel takes us from Israel to various places in Europe to New England in the U.S. It was fascinating to see how the "baddies" were finally revealed. I found the premise a bit incredible--for whom the spy thought he was working versus his real boss. I'm not really "into" spy novels, but this one kept my interest all through. The ending was a really unexpected twist!
October 15, 2018
Jonathan de Shalit is the pseudonym of a former high ranking member of the Israeli Intelligence community and is being compared to Daniel Silva (or, perhaps more accurately, Silva’s fictional character, Gabriel Allon!). The book was originally published in Hebrew and had to pass a rigid vetting process, including the approval of a special Governmental Ministers’ Committee. Espionage thrillers are not really my cup-of-tea but this was an interesting and compelling audio-book with an excellent narrator.
March 30, 2022
As a fan of Daniel Silva's Gabriel Allon series I was looking forward to this series. I was not disappointed.
February 22, 2021
Boring, improbable, strained, pretentious, with some parts relatively readable.
June 8, 2019
Excellent spy geo-political thriller.
January 23, 2018
“Traitor” by Jonathan de Shalit, published by Emily Bestler Books.
Category – Mystery/Thriller Publication Date – January 30, 2018.
This is a spy book that probably comes closest to telling a spy story the way it really happens. It is listed as a thriller but it is far from a thriller, just a really good spy story that shuns the James Bond persona for the way it really happens.
It is difficult to write a review on this book without giving too much away.
An Israeli goes to the American Embassy and offers to sell his countries secrets for money and power. Although he is a minor player he convinces the Americans that he will rise up in the Israeli government and become a major player.
After many years the Israeli government has information that there is a spy in their mist and a crack team is put together to find him. The team works out of Israel but finds itself in the Russian Zone and finally to the United States.
A search begins that seems futile until the team thinks they have their man. Be prepared for an unusual ending that is far different from what the reader is anticipating.
Again, not a thriller but a very good spy story, probably the way it really happens.
Category – Mystery/Thriller Publication Date – January 30, 2018.
This is a spy book that probably comes closest to telling a spy story the way it really happens. It is listed as a thriller but it is far from a thriller, just a really good spy story that shuns the James Bond persona for the way it really happens.
It is difficult to write a review on this book without giving too much away.
An Israeli goes to the American Embassy and offers to sell his countries secrets for money and power. Although he is a minor player he convinces the Americans that he will rise up in the Israeli government and become a major player.
After many years the Israeli government has information that there is a spy in their mist and a crack team is put together to find him. The team works out of Israel but finds itself in the Russian Zone and finally to the United States.
A search begins that seems futile until the team thinks they have their man. Be prepared for an unusual ending that is far different from what the reader is anticipating.
Again, not a thriller but a very good spy story, probably the way it really happens.
April 21, 2018
An interesting book, albeit slow and sluggish at times. However, the author, Jonathan de Shalit (a pseudonym) is a former high-ranking member of the Israeli Intelligence Community and that is what exactly drew me to this book in the first place. The very inner side of the book's cover states who he is and how this book had to be vetted and approved particularly by a special Governmental Ministers’ Committee. Based on the plot and the intricacies involved as well as the fine attention to detail, it is evident that the author is well versed and experienced in his previous occupational field.
In Traitor, a young Israeli man presents himself at an American embassy in the heart of Rome to offer himself to commit treason by becoming a spy against his own country. However the very person to whom he offers his service is in turn serving Russian interests. After several years of spying on and sharing all high level secrets of the Israeli government, it is nothing short of a shock for him when he discovers that the very people with whom he thought he was collaborating all this while are not the Americans but the Russians!
As all secrets eventually unravel, there is a hint that a spy exists at the highest level of the Israeli government.
Thus come in a special top-secret team, composed of veterans and experts in intelligence services, that work day in and day out to discover the identity of this traitor. Almost a half of the book goes on to reveal each member of this special team and their areas of expertise.
The book is promoted as a spy thriller, and it's plot of espionage is riveting and captivating and often had me racking my brains trying to find out who the traitor really was.... The details of the team members, how they are pulled back into action even after they have either retired or chosen not to continue in their service fields anymore, the multiple lives they lead and the fluidity in switching between identities....all portray the essence of the life of a spy.
However it can't really be called a thriller, because the book is too heavy on words, slow on action, and lacks the basic element of nail biting suspense and excitement that is crucial to any thriller! At least, that's what I felt while reading this book. Though the last few chapters reveal an exciting twist, but it's already too little too late.
Overall, I would rate this a 3/5...and those interested in spies and military intelligence should definitely give it a read.
I would like to thank Nobonita Chowdhury who shared this book from her ARC collection, as part of an arc sharing group on Facebook.
In Traitor, a young Israeli man presents himself at an American embassy in the heart of Rome to offer himself to commit treason by becoming a spy against his own country. However the very person to whom he offers his service is in turn serving Russian interests. After several years of spying on and sharing all high level secrets of the Israeli government, it is nothing short of a shock for him when he discovers that the very people with whom he thought he was collaborating all this while are not the Americans but the Russians!
As all secrets eventually unravel, there is a hint that a spy exists at the highest level of the Israeli government.
Thus come in a special top-secret team, composed of veterans and experts in intelligence services, that work day in and day out to discover the identity of this traitor. Almost a half of the book goes on to reveal each member of this special team and their areas of expertise.
The book is promoted as a spy thriller, and it's plot of espionage is riveting and captivating and often had me racking my brains trying to find out who the traitor really was.... The details of the team members, how they are pulled back into action even after they have either retired or chosen not to continue in their service fields anymore, the multiple lives they lead and the fluidity in switching between identities....all portray the essence of the life of a spy.
However it can't really be called a thriller, because the book is too heavy on words, slow on action, and lacks the basic element of nail biting suspense and excitement that is crucial to any thriller! At least, that's what I felt while reading this book. Though the last few chapters reveal an exciting twist, but it's already too little too late.
Overall, I would rate this a 3/5...and those interested in spies and military intelligence should definitely give it a read.
I would like to thank Nobonita Chowdhury who shared this book from her ARC collection, as part of an arc sharing group on Facebook.
March 27, 2018
Disclaimer: I received this book in an ARC circulation where an ARC of this book was provided to me in return for an honest review. Nonetheless, all opinions and thoughts are completely mine and are in no way biased.
Review:
I find it really fascinating that a former high ranking member of the Israeli Intelligence community wrote this and that it had to be revised before even seeing the light of the world. I wouldn’t say that Traitor is your average thriller novel but it most certainly is worth a read.
Picture a black and white scene in a small, run down office. There are papers everywhere all over the desk, ringed with coffee stains. The man at the desk has his feet up with a cigarette dangling from his lips, listening to the radio, occasionally switching from news to jazz music.
As weird as it sounds, reading Traitor gave me this vibe and I think a lot of it has to do with the writing style. A part of the reason why Traitor isn’t your normal thriller is due to the writing style and its ‘more lyrical than most thrillers’ approach which I thoroughly enjoyed.
Another thing to keep in mind is the setting and timelines jump throughout the book so if you have a short attention span, I wouldn’t say this book is for you as it might prove to be a hard book to follow.
Furthermore, I do feel like this book’s strong point also does bring it down a bit. There were parts where it seemed like it was dragging and as if nothing was happening due to the narrative.
However, Traitor is most definitely a breath of fresh air in the realm of thrillers. If this genre is up your alley then I would recommend this book.
February 11, 2019
I just wanted to thank the publisher for sending an Advanced Reader edition of this novel for an unbiased review.
This book was very intriguing to read in regards to the world of spying. I also enjoyed that it focused on an unofficial Israeli team whose sole mission is to find a spy within the Israeli government. I haven't heavily read this type of genre, but many give an American perspective, so I liked how the author focused on a different nation. In addition, this novel gives an intricate spy network that provides the ultimate twists.
I thought the plot was enjoyable. It's a slow thriller that lets you gather all the details before you have an understanding with what is happening, along with the various perspectives, which gives the readers knowledge that the characters don't have. I almost felt like I was like a fly on the wall as I read through the pages.
One thing to mention is I hope that the published version, edits more of the story. I am not an expert at grammar or writing, but at times, I felt like the paragraphs were too long and there were occasionally confusing phrases.
This is also slightly funny, but the Israeli team that makes up the majority of the story oddly reminded me of the team on NCIS. I guess this is due to how the characters interact with one another.
Overall, I would recommend this novel to readers that love tales of espionage and those who are just a little curious if this is a book they would enjoy.
This book was very intriguing to read in regards to the world of spying. I also enjoyed that it focused on an unofficial Israeli team whose sole mission is to find a spy within the Israeli government. I haven't heavily read this type of genre, but many give an American perspective, so I liked how the author focused on a different nation. In addition, this novel gives an intricate spy network that provides the ultimate twists.
I thought the plot was enjoyable. It's a slow thriller that lets you gather all the details before you have an understanding with what is happening, along with the various perspectives, which gives the readers knowledge that the characters don't have. I almost felt like I was like a fly on the wall as I read through the pages.
One thing to mention is I hope that the published version, edits more of the story. I am not an expert at grammar or writing, but at times, I felt like the paragraphs were too long and there were occasionally confusing phrases.
This is also slightly funny, but the Israeli team that makes up the majority of the story oddly reminded me of the team on NCIS. I guess this is due to how the characters interact with one another.
Overall, I would recommend this novel to readers that love tales of espionage and those who are just a little curious if this is a book they would enjoy.
April 17, 2019
I have mixed feelings about this novel. The title is not accurate. Traitor to Israel, yes. Thriller, no. More of an intrigue. The crimes of the traitor are never enumerated, just assumed. And yet, there were things I liked. Every detail, every nuance can infer something else. So I kinda get the mindset. Per the blurb on the book jacket it's written by a high-ranking member of Israeli intelligence (a pseudonym and was vetted in order to publish this). So it definitely has a feel of authenticity. Still the dialogues were more like monologues. Long and mostly uninterrupted. Not real. People simply don't talk like that. Maybe it's cultural. Betting not. And the characters were too two dimensional and stereotypical. Too smart. Too cunning. Too good looking. Too fit. No real flaws. Where was the drunken jaded bastard that had seen it all? Nowhere to be found. And I for one am certain THAT guy exists in every covert operation.
So if you're a spy guy, and I'm really not (I took a chance), this is likely worth the read. For the rest of us, not really.
So if you're a spy guy, and I'm really not (I took a chance), this is likely worth the read. For the rest of us, not really.
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