 Fast Page Turner
"The Kill Artist" tells the story of Gabriel Alon, a former Israeli agent who has retired to a life of an art restorer, his former cover which became his occupation. Alon is called back for duty one last time to stop an old enemy who is on a murderous spree before he leaves this world. The story takes place in Europe, US, Canada and Israel and has many twists and turns where no character is left unharmed.
The book if an easy read, fast and a page turner even though somewhat predictable, yet it does have its surprises. The author does try to present several sides of the mid-East issues but doesn't delve into any issues of take sides (almost a bullet point presentation summed up in a few paragraphs). There are no "good" or "bad" guys in this book, which is one reason I liked it, the Israelis fight with the same immoral conviction as their Palestinian counterparts - and both believe they are right an stand on a higher moral ground than their opponent.
The characters in the book are somewhat cliché, a supermodel spy who is used to entice enemies, a tortured reluctant hero, an enemy who feels justified, SOB directors and more.
It is a well written spy novel, filled with details in all the right places as well as several characters from Silva's previous novels and wonderful political popcorn for those of us that care. I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
 I LOVE the Gabriel Allon Series!!!!
I was looking for a new series to fall in love with when I read the reviews for The Kill Artist. I purchased this book, hoping I wouldn't be disappointed, and I wasn't!!! I absolutely fell in love with the main character, Gabriel Allon, and I couldn't put the book down! Before I even finished the first book, I went and purchased the second and third so they would be ready for me to start as soon as I was done with the first. I am now reading the fourth book in the series, A Death in Vienna, and I still can't put the series down! I have recommended it to several of my friends and they too have fallen in love with the Allon series!
The books are written in a way that keeps you wanting more and keeps you hooked. I love the flashbacks that connect the pieces of Gabriel's past to the current, little by little his past is revealed and gives you an understanding of why he is the way he is. The character is continually developed throughout the books, allowing the reader to continually grow closer to him. I think this is why I fell in love with the character. Yes, he's mysterious and doesn't let people in easily, but you can't help but love him when the author reveals him the way he does.
The writing is superb! I was hooked after two chapters! The details he describes, the research that goes into each book is tremendous. You always have the feeling that the author is educated on the subject he is writing about. Gabriel is an art restorer, and the descriptions of the paintings, their locations, and the knowledge behind WWII and the involvement of the Swiss in hiding art masterpieces that were taken from the Jews during the war (which comes into play in the 2nd book, The English Assassin), and the knowledge of the structure of the Vatican (the 3rd book, The Confessor) are all perfect in the design and description in the books and I expect the same in the last books in the series. The spy tactics, procedures, and terrorist organizations are all elements that had to be researched and developed. Daniel Silva does an amazing job detailing each event and idea correctly, leading the reader to be more engaged because they know what the background of the story is. Daniel explains each detail so the reader doesn't get lost, making it a more enjoyable read.
I absolutely love this book and love this series! I would recommend it to everyone! I do recommend reading the books in order, as old characters reappear and you will get lost if you don't know the back story. I plan on finishing the series soon and will likely re-read the books in the next year because I enjoyed them so much!
The order of the Series:
1. The Kill Artist
2. The English Assassin
3. The Confessor
4. A Death in Vienna
5. Prince of Fire
6. The Messenger
7. The Secret Servant
8. Moscow Rules
9. The Defector
First in the Gabriel Allon series
This starts off the series of Gabriel Allon and sets a lot of the background, but leaves you hungering to find out more about his past. A real cliff hanger in the end.
Fast Page Turner
"The Kill Artists" tells the story of Gabriel Alon, a former Israeli agent who has retired to a life of an art restorer, his former cover which became his occupation. Alon is called back for duty one last time to stop an old enemy who is on a murderous spree before he leaves this world. The story takes place in Europe, US, Canada and Israel and has many twists and turns where no character is left unharmed.
The book if an easy read, fast and a page turner even though somewhat predictable, yet it does have its surprises. The author does try to present several sides of the mid-East issues but doesn't delve into any issues of take sides (almost a bullet point presentation summed up in a few paragraphs). There are no "good" or "bad" guys in this book, which is one reason I liked it, the Israelis fight with the same immoral conviction as their Palestinian counterparts - and both believe they are right an stand on a higher moral ground than their opponent.
The characters in the book are somewhat cliché, a supermodel spy who is used to entice enemies, a tortured reluctant hero, an enemy who feels justified, SOB directors and more.
It is a well written spy novel, filled with details in all the right places as well as several characters from Silva's previous novels and wonderful political popcorn for those of us that care. I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
I'm enjoying The Kill Artist
Good book - I'm almost finished. I'll be reading more books by Daniel Silva.
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