Note: I listened to this book as an audiobook and got to about page 220 (about 2/3 through the book). These were my thoughts:There are many characters in The Mark of the Assasin that I don't even know where to start... some spoilers below.A stinger missile is launched off a yacht in Boston, hitting a jetliner upon take-off and killing everyone aboard. The attack is attributed to the Sword of Gaza, a Palestinian terrorist group. Under the advisement of his Chief of Staff, Paul Vandenberg, President James Beckwith orders strikes on the Sword of Gaza training camps. Pres. Beckwith is trailing in the polls just months before election day, but this strike and his proposed missile defense shield, cements his re-election.In reality, the attack on the jetliner was orchestrated by The Society of International Development and Cooperation. The Society is made up of disgruntled intelligence agents and the like, who strive to maintain discord around the world, believing that world peace and cooperation benefits no one. One member of the Society is Mitchell Elliott, CEO of Alatron Defense Systems, one of Chief of Staff Vandenberg's closest friends.A Washington Post reporter, Susanna, is investigating Elliott's financial contributions to Pres. Beckwith's campaign, believing that he has been wielding unduly influence on the president's decisions. Elliott places her under surveillance and when she accidentally stumbles upon Elliott's henchman, he kills her. Susanna's friends, Elizabeth (a lawyer) and Michael Osbourne (a CIA agent) are able to retrieve Susanna's finished article on Mitchell Elliott, and send it to editors at the Post.Meanwhile, Michael has doubts that the Sword of Gaza is responsible for the jetliner attack - he believes an assassin, the same one who killed his British gf years ago, has something to do with it. He travels to London and meets with his MI-6 friend and a KGB defector. He learns that a former KGB operative, codename October, was responsible for a number of killings over the years. As for Michael's gf, Sarah, she was working for the KGB and was sent to get close to Michael. However, she fell in love with him and when she tried to quit the KGB, they ordered October to eliminate her.I'm not sure if I want to continue reading or not - I read spoilers and see that the ending might be unsatisfying. A lot of people die - mostly secret agents who have outlived their usefulness or know too much - and also a lot of innocent civilians (such as the passengers on the jetliner). I wasn't sure when this book was published - there is mention of Saddam Hussein, and a line about Iraq being an enemy of the US - apparently the book was published in 1998. I find it a bit chilling that this book was written before 9/11, as I'm sure conspiracy theorists would go crazy after reading this book.I guess I'll continue reading - I'm the type of person who wants bad people to get what they deserve, but at least I know who dies and who doesn't. It'll make the book less irritating.One thing about the narration - some of the voices are comical. The narrator juggles a number of accents (French, Russian, British, Texan, American) but the female voices are particularly laughable. They're either annoyingly screechy or they sound like a guy in drag.Update: I made it to page 284 and then just skipped forward to the very end. I'm not sure the fate of the guy I most wanted to see dead (Mitchell Elliott) - I presume he survives, as does The Society. Blah. Parts of this book were intriguing but I felt like there were few mysteries - The Society and its members were introduced early on, so it was clear they were the bad guys throughout. Felt like everyone was getting killed off, except the truly bad guys, so it was a bit frustrating.
I was looking through my bookcase for something to read recently and discovered Daniel Siiva’s second book THE MARK OF THE ASSASSIN (ISBN 978-0451209313, $9.99, paperback). This contemporary spy thriller features Michael Osbourne, a former field agent, who now rides a desk in the Langley, VA headquarters of the CIA. His mission is to uncover and neutralize an assassin whose modus operandi is three bullets in the face of his victims.What sets Michael off on this adventure is the crash of Transatlantic Airlines Flight 002 off the coast of Long Island. Sound familiar? Found floating in a Boston Whaler near where the plane crashed is the body of a terrorist with three bullets in his face and an empty Stinger missile tube. Several years earlier, Michael’s finance had been shot the same way right in front of Michael.Michael’s wife Elizabeth is a lawyer in a Washington, DC law firm and one of the partners in the firm is about to be named Secretary of State. A friend of Elizabeth is a reporter for the Washington Post and she is working on a story that will negatively impact President James Beckwith’s second term as POTUS. The highest levels of the U.S. government may be infected with traitors. During Michael’s investigation, characters from Silva’s first book (THE UNLIKELY SPY) make cameo appearances. The reader finds out who the assassin is before Michael does but that doesn’t lessen the suspense. Michael and his wife are dealing with some domestic issues. Michael’s investigation keeps pulling him away from the domestic crises at inopportune times adding to his stress. On a dark and stormy night, the plot comes to a head at Elizabeth’s father’s estate on Shelter Island in Long Island Sound. If you are a fan of great spy thrillers or a fan of really good storytelling, then this book is for you. GO! BUY! READ!
What do You think about The Mark Of The Assassin (1998)?
Typical thriller fare.An international cabal of wealthy and powerful men use their wealth and power to increase their wealth and power. If that means killing those who stand in their way, so be it.Silva’s primary antagonist is an assassin who is so skilled and effective, he operates almost undetected for 35 years. It’s only when he comes face to face with Silva’s protagonist that he turns into an inept adversary.Silva did a better job here of delivering an intense climax than he managed in many of his Gabriel Allon novels. But it still wasn’t the definitive climax a thriller should have, leaving the door open for a sequel. The post-climax chapters (also unlike those in the Allon books) were just the right length to tie up all the threads running through this story. Only the epilogue ran a little too long and was a little too draggy.
—Quillracer
Wow! This is the first Daniel Silva I've read, and I LOVED it! It's a 4.5 star! An American jetliner is shot down from the sky off of Long Island by a hand held Stinger missile by a two man team in a small boat, killing all aboard. The boat is discovered to be the tomb of a dead Palestinian terrorist with links to the militant group the Sword of Gaza. He had been shot 3 times in the face, the signature of premier assassin Jean Paul Delaroche, known as October.The attack had been orchestrated by a group called the Society, a clandestine group of wealthy businessmen, intelligence experts, career military men and criminals. The goal of the Society was the maximizing of profit by promoting world chaos. Mitchell Elliott, multi millionaire industrialist and owner of Alarton Defense Systems was a prominent member. Through years of political contributions, Elliott was able to control policy decisions of America president James Beckwith. Elliott now stood to make a fortune by supplying the nation with a missile defense system.Michael Osbourne, top CIA agent and Middle East terrorism expert is called in to investigate the tragedy. Osbourne, now married to beautiful and high powered lawyer Elizabeth Cannon, years ago, witnessed the killing of his girlfriend Sarah by Delaroche.Osbourne suspecting that the Sword of Gaza was not involved in the plot, starts to investigate Elliott and Delaroche. His speculation is confirmed when his wife's best friend, Susanna Dayton, investigative reporter for the Washington Post is found murdered. She had been working a piece that exposed the dirty dealings of Mitchell Elliott.Eventully Delaroche is commissioned by the Society to dispatch Osbourne, which begins a cat and mouse game across the globe between hunter and hunted.
—Sheri faulk
This was a pretty good spy thriller that is based around terrorism before 9/11, but after the fall of the USSR. I found that viewpoint rather refreshing, almost like the early Clancy novels, although the characters didn't pop as well for me. They were good characters. I liked the mix, both good & bad, but they didn't make me want to meet them. I think he did best with the settings. He described them very well, but didn't get flowery. The plot was good & twisty with a really good conspiracy. It was a little overblown at times (view spoiler)[the meeting house on the island that was built in 6 months & then destroyed sucked. What better way to draw attention & keep the islanders talking for years? (hide spoiler)]
—Jim
