This is my 3rd Allon book and I must say I am addicted to Silva's creation of Allon. I know that Silva's writing projects that the Israeli spy Allon and Israeli intelligence is almost and always the best in the world, which might feel bit stereotyped in all his novel, but then I don't read Allon series to debate over world politics. I read them because they are absolutely riveting, doesn't spare a dull moment and always keeps me at the edge of the seat and compels me to finish them otherwise I cannot rest. Add to that Silva's subject to the Israeli cause in each book gives it a very realistic backdrop for every novel he writes. The previous 3 novels were on the holocaust and Nazi Germany atrocities and how post WW2 Nazi Germans were being hunted down by Israeli intelligence. This one deals with more immediate problems in Israel, the Palestine terrorism. The book deals with how Allon's perfect life in Venice gets thrown away as his cover is blown by the terrorist cells in Palestine and he is forced to return to Israel. How he goes about finding the terrorists and bombers who are after him now. This book also deals with how he gets setup in the terrorist mastermind's plot of exposing him to the world that he was a Israeli ayyan, the assassin. But in the end, Allon is the winner and the hero wins against he villain. Easy plot? But then, Silva, the master of thriller, espionage, intelligence novels give this plot a brilliant spin and just keeps you glued to each page till you finish this.What made this book better is the way Allon handles his love life and decides between his wife and his lover! It makes you feel that no matter how iconic Allon is, he is but only a human and a Man and hence the women in his life gets the better of him.Onto my next Allon/Silva novel and keeping my fingers crossed about how he manages to win his personal battle in regards to the women in his life!
Gabriel Allon returns in Daniel Silva's Prince of Fire, the fifth book in the series. When the Israeli Embassy in Rome is attacked by suicide bombers, the Israeli Secret Service investigate and discover that this attack is only one in a chain of attacks planned against Jewish targets. Gabriel is recruited to capture the terrorists. He puts together a Mission Impossible team of Israelis to pursue the last member of a deadly family dynasty of Palestinian militants. But nothing is easy or uncomplicated in this story. This is not the best book in the Gabriel Allon series but it's still very good. There is a lot of history in the book. Despite the fact that it's correct and it is in keeping with what actually happened in the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, the focus seems to take away from the story. I didn't think it was as focused or fast paced as the previous books in the series. I've read all the Allon books but am now in the process of listening to them. If you enjoy spy thrillers you will certainly enjoy any book in the series. Now, I'm off to find the audio version of “The Messenger”.
I'm not usually a reader of spy thrillers but I picked this one up at the library on a whim and I'm very glad I did. I was sucked in from the get go and could hardly put the book down. Gabriel is a great character, very much a 'reluctant hero', the plot is complex but not so complicated you can't follow it, the cast of characters are various yet distinct. Some very interesting personalities in this book!The writing in this has a light touch, sparse enough that its not too heavy handed & bogged down with explanation, but detailed enough that the scenes are vivid. I felt like he was sketch the scenes, dotting them with bits of vivid colour. I loved the writing style.The plot centers on Israel/Palestine conflict, which is very complex and emotional and difficult--and I thought he handled it brilliantly, not one sided at all, showing diverse reactions and reasons.I liked this book so much I want to read the next one.
—Julie Johnson
A very familiar topic for me having been raised in Israel. The story is typical about the Israeli/Palestinian conflict and was well researched. Yet, in some ways I found the book to be similar to others I have read of the genre…a bombing of a Jewish community center in Rome and several other targeted terrorist attacks unleashing Gabriel Allon on a mission to avenge the killings.It actually is more complex than that but enough said. …..I enjoyed reading about familiar places and topics and would recommend it to anyone interested. It appears that Daniel Silva is well informed and had done significant amount of research on the Palestinian Israeli conflict.
—Dina
This 5th thriller in the Gabriel Allon sees a change as Allons alter ega gets outed and he has to leave Venice and live in Israel. In the opening of this book the embassy of Israel in Rome is hit by an murderous attack with a high bodycount, and of course Allon with a small team gets picked to figure out who is behind it. Of course they quickley find a possible lead and when they follow it Gabriel Allon finds himself under fire.This book is a decent thriller, and in my humble opinion a failure in making it a really great thriller. The background of this book is the creation of the state of Israel and the trouble that came from it. Instead of going into the source of the trouble we get a somewhat shallow, for my taste, explanation which in itself lacks any heart. It therefor restricts itself to chasing a killer whose roots lie in the old Palastine.A missed opportunity, but perhaps mr Silva's interest lies more with the world of art and less with any geopolitical ideas. It makes this book easily one of the lesser of the series and a bit of a put off.
—Mark
