brilliant as usual. I never tire of reading of the exploits of Gabriel and the others. Continuosly thrilling. Never disappoints.
This writer researches his facts which makes compelling reading. The one disappointment is that we have to wait so long for the next which isn't suprising considering the amount of detail and the cleverly contried plots. Young adult I really wanted to get into this book. Maybe it’s the author’s publicity team! Well, someone need to big up his writing which is cold, distant and way too formal. It’s a couple of steps away from academic writing. Not even Le Carre was this cold and distant. Why didn’t his editor tell him something?
Oh, and does he love adjectives. There will often be 3 or 4 before we get to the noun, the point.
Anyway, the whole of chapter 1 is a pure telling summary. It should have been a Prologue or, better yet, preamble! It took him 10 pages to say that the coming story is set in the West End of London. That’s it. Even if there was anything of interest in Chapter 1, I missed it because the style of writing is so distant and cold and formal you might as well read the encyclopedia — you’ll be enthusiastic.
Wish I could return, but I’ll probably just give it away. Very unfortunate. Young adult In Daniel Silva’s previous thriller THE BLACK WIDOW, Israeli superspy Gabriel Allon lost Round One of his fight against Saladin, the new face of ISIS, whose suicide bombers devastated the historic centre of Washington DC. Now a series of bombings in London’s West End see Gabriel once again in harness with British and French Intelligence services to hunt down this Iraq spawned successor to Osama bin Laden as the mastermind of terrorism.
As well as his usual team from 'The Office' (Silva’s version of Mossad) and MI6, Gabriel is reunited with Christopher Keller, hitman for the Corsican Mafia, a villain turned hero. The trail leads to a jet set French hotelier who has a sideline dealing drugs and weapons; he and his English mistress have a taste for expensive artworks. Gabriel’s team mount an elaborate scam against the Frenchman, funded by millions of dollars lifted from the account of Syria’s President (whom Silva aptly calls “the Butcher of Damascus”).
The trail leads to Morocco, heartland of the hashish trade, and a violent confrontation in the Sahara. Where Silva excels, apart from the breathtaking pace and sheer elegance of his storytelling, is in the detail of location and character. Keller consults a Corsican ‘prophetess’ before he leaves the island: this outlandish woman is unnervingly believable – as is Saladin, the merchant of death and destruction.
ISIS, Al Qaeda you can change the name but not the message of hate. They are like the Hydra: cut off their head and they grow another. We may defeat them on the battlefield but their venomous ideology lives on in cyberspace and in the minds – and hearts – of those who embrace jihadism. Young adult I look forward each summer eagerly to the new Daniel Silva thriller and thankfully he shows signs of slowing down or losing momentum. it helps to have read the last book as the hunt continues for the dreaded Saladin but the back story is revealed so it can be read as a standalone.
Horribly prescient in his description of terrorist atrocities. This is an exceptionally exciting, well plotted and well written thriller that is highly recommended. Young adult
A Kirkus Best Book of the Year#1NYTBestseller#1USABestseller#1WSJBestsellerFrom the #1 New York Times bestselling author ofThe Black Widowcomes the thrilling newsummerblockbuster featuring legendary spy, assassin and art restorer Gabriel Allon.A heart stopping tale of suspense, Daniel Silvas runaway bestseller,The Black Widow, was one of 2016s biggest novels. Now, inHouse of Spies,Gabriel Allon is back and out for revenge determined to hunt down the worlds most dangerous terrorist, a shadowy ISIS mastermind known only as Saladin.Four months after the deadliest attack on the American homeland since 9/11, terrorists leave a trail of carnage through Londons glittering West End.The attack is a brilliant feat of planning and secrecy, but with one loose thread.The thread leads Gabriel Allon and his team of operatives to the south of France and to the gilded doorstep of Jean Luc Martel and Olivia Watson. A beautiful former British fashion model, Olivia pretends not to know that the true source of Martels enormous wealth is drugs. And Martel, likewise, turns a blind eye to the fact he is doing business with a man whose objective is the very destruction of the West. Together, under Gabriels skilled hand, they will become an unlikely pair of heroes in the global war on terror.Written in seductive and elegant prose, the story moves swiftly from the glamour of Saint Tropez to the grit of Casablanca and, finally, to an electrifying climax that will leave readers breathless long after they turn the final page.ButHouse of Spiesis than just riveting entertainment; it is a dazzling tale of avarice and redemption, set against the backdrop of the great conflict of our times. And it proves once again why Daniel Silva is quite simply the best (Kansas City Star). House of Spies: A Novel (Gabriel Allon Book 17)
'I don't usually write reviews of booksbut when I do I just had to'.
This is such a case. I found Daniel Silva after thoroughly exhausting first Lee Child, then John Sandford, then Preston and Child, and lastly Michael Connelly. I literally stumbled upon Silva and I am so glad I did! House of Spies is his 20th installment in the on going Gabriel Alon canon. There is something about the 20th book in any series (I am thinking of Patrick O'Brian's 20th book, his farewell to arms), some 'je ne sais quoi'.
In any event, after reading all of the preceding books after they were published, I finally caught up with the maestro and had to (1) actually wait for a book to be published, and (2) buy it new (for gosh sakes). So when my crisp new copy arrived last week, with its beautiful black and gold dustcover, I saw it as a fine old wine meant to be sipped not chugged.
At this point in both my reading of Silva and in Silva's own writing of these books I come to the Alon Saga as to old friends and home. By now I know all of the Barak team, and Graham Seymour and Adrian Carter, and of course the inimitable Julian Isherwood. And the new guy on the block is back, Chris Keller. But so is that mastermind villain par excellence, Saladin!
I've settled into a slow reading pattern each evening before bed. I'm now on chapter 39 and a bit past midway. The stage is has been meticulously and patiently set, as if Silva himself is also sipping a fine wine; and now we are truly ready to set off in pursuit of the prey. I won't say I can't wait becauseI can! I will!
And just to second another reviewer as I close, no, Gabriel is not going to sit in his office and let us all down. Just as his mentor Ari Shamron was, and just as Ari intended, Gabreil will be a working director a field director. And we are all the better for it.
Post script: I've now finished the book and without any spoilers, I do want to amend my review. My previous remarks stand until I got to the climactic ending pages. At that point what had been a carefully crafted and believable plot became sloppy and unbelievable. This change over seemed to me to be done solely for the purpose of having Alon once again be the action adventure hero that Silva must think his fans demand. He even repeats himself with the last scene at a well known landmark in downtown London complete with Mikhail as his sidekick in a blazing guns finale. Only Gabriel could have pulled off this saving of the day? Seemed a stretch to me and left a bad taste in my mouth after an otherwise satisfying book. Young adult This book basically opens right at the start of a deadly terrorist attack, and though I have to admit it's not an overly complex book ( on this later), it sucked me in almost instantly. The story is told from multiple POV's, all third person. They were all enjoyable, but my favorite was Keller, who reminded me a lot of John Clark from Tom Clancy's books. Keller is the bad guy turned good, special black ops type, who has a natural tendency toward violence, but who solves situations with speed and precision. Gabriel as usual was great, but I'd have loved to get of Keller in this book. Anytime he showed up the action and tension intensified.
Pacing was well done in my opinion. Not every scene was an action scene. There was a lot of the actual investigation mixed in, which I think made for a great balance between action, danger, and intrigue. The ending was grim, but extremely satisfying. This book was an easy read. It isn't overly complex. Everything happens about like you expect, but you don't really care because the overall ride is worth it. I read it in one sitting.
Overall, I was extremely happy with this book. Not sorry I waited up for it, and definitely not sorry I read it. I'd recommend it to anyone. This is not a book that disappoints. Young adult Another great book by Daniel Silva! I call his novels literary crack because they're so addicting. Heart stopping suspense and action. I'm so upset that people have been rating his book with only one or two stars because they don't like the price of the book if you don't like the price don't buy the book get it from the library. This is a wonderful book by a great author if you like international thrillers this is for you. You won't be disappointed! Young adult This is the 17th book in Daniel Silva's popular series featuring art restorer and Israeli agent, Gabriel Allon. The appearance of a new Silva book is always a midsummer treat and this one is no exception. Allon is now head of The Office and as such you might not expect to find him on operational missions. But of course, knowing Gabriel, he won't be sitting behind a desk for very long. This stories are always highly topical and this one focuses on the attempt to assassinate the head of a terror network responsible for atrocities carried out in London. Daniel Silva's extensive research shines through as the complexities of the modern world. As always, the plot demands careful investigation and recruitment of assets and these are well balanced with the action sequences. Many of the familiar characters from the previous novels are here (including the Corsican goat) and it is a joy to spend time with them. They seem three dimensional, flawed and interesting. In other words, real. As always, there is lots of travel and lots of places to visit in your mind's eye. I particularly enjoyed the descriptions of Morocco this time complete with jinns.
If you haven't read any of these books, you could give yourself a huge treat and start with the first one (The Kill Artist). The House of Spies can be read as a stand alone novel, although the plot is certainly linked to last year's The Black Widow so you might want to read that one first.
I am very much looking forward to next year's outing for Allon already!
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an advanced reading copy through Net Galley Young adult House of Spies is one of Daniel Silva’s finest works – and that’s really saying something. It follows the conclusion of Silva’s last book, in which Washington DC was devastated by an ISIS attack, with a string of ISIS attacks in London and Paris.
The Israeli spy and now chief of its intelligence service, Gabriel Allon, enlists the help of Christopher Keller in an elaborate plot to hunt down the man known as Saladin, an Iraqi who is responsible for planning and funding the attacks.
It’s a phenomenal read, and the last 100 pages or so will leave you breathless.
And beyond this one book, I actually think Daniel Silva will be remembered as one of the most important authors of his generation. His thrillers are literary quality – and House of Spies is no exception – with lyrical prose, brilliant plotting, and a perceptive wisdom about the modern world and what ails it.
A lot of thriller authors are writing about ISIS but few grasp its history or even the fundamental nature of its barbarity. Instead they plug it into a cookie cutter plot and promote the result as something profound when it’s anything but – and worse are the authors who bash readers with their personal politics rather than being creative enough to give their characters life with actions that reveal what the author is “trying” to communicate.
Daniel Silva does not resort to such tactics. He doesn’t need to.
I highly recommend House of Spies to thriller fans: 5/5 stars. Young adult
