I think what may have killed this book for me was I read this just after reading John Le Carre's The Spy Who Came in from the Cold--and after having recently read Alan Furst and Eric Ambler while working through a recommendation list that included Silva among this number. I got spoiled and after reading the best in the espionage genre this struck me as nothing more than a generic pulp thriller with all the writing skill, complexity of characterization and plotting of a blow'm up rat-tat-tat of a...

Strong introduction to the series, specially setting up the background of Gabriel Allon. As the book progressed, however, I found the set up with Allon as 'surveillance' detail, felt sluggish and bored me. I was expecting a Mitch Rapp or Jason Bourne, but instead got neither. There are still over 10 Gabriel Allon books, I'll give Mr Silva another chance simply for his unique and engaging writing style. 3stars.

I read the 'Rembrandt Affair' a year ago and really enjoyed Gabriel Allon, the Israeli spy and assassin who just can't quit his job. I expect spies to have a lot of personal baggage - why else would they gravitate to a profession that requires isolation, deception, moral ambiguity and high ideals (whether it's for a country, a religious belief, or personal gain). He had a rich background and I slipped very easily into the story, enjoying every moment. And then I found out it was the eleventh in

Eh. Kind of an ordinary spy thriller, one I might have appreciated more had I read it 15-20 years ago when I was less jaded.Like many of this genre, you have a good (and troubled) guy who works for Israeli intelligence working with his stunningly beautiful and capable heroine with whom he has a complicated (of course) relationship. And of course, you have the bad guys who are always one step ahead of the good guys, but then the good guys catch up, but then the bad guys catch on, etc., etc. This

The Kill Artist is an enjoyable book that uses an interesting premise to set up the rest of the series.I was fascinated by the main character and that is one of the reasons I picked this book up. Gabriel Allon is somehow both an Israeli assassin as well as a world renowned art restorer and the book deftly manages to combine his two talents at the same time. The book has good tradecraft and I really liked the ending.

I enjoyed this book so much I now intend to read the rest of the series. Not really sure how I came across this author but I am so glad I did. The story is exciting, fast paced and informative. The characters are well developed and you can easily picture them in your mind which makes the read easier and more enjoyable. The subject matter is not entirely my genre and not an obvious choice for me but I quickly got into it and read it over two days.

He had the strange sensation of walking through the rooms of his childhood – everything was familiar but slightly different, a bit smaller than he remembered, a bit shabbier perhaps. As always he was struck by the similarities between the craft of restoration and the craft of killing…As always with a Gabriel Allon thriller, I am struck by author Daniel Silva's penmanship, a style that is more European than American, the slickness of the plot, with a twist in the tail. It is easy to engage with t...

I’m always surprised when a premise of a book sounds so good – a perfect swish, and then the book itself is like a big old airball. Meet Gabriel Allon: super spy, art restorerer, tortured soul, handsome, ruthless, boring. Daniel Silva’s book sounds great! A spy who restores masterpieces, who is out for revenge for his murdered family but doesn’t really like to kill people. He’s recruited from retirement by a ruthless Israeli agent who wants to stop an equally ruthless Palestinian terrorist. Ru

Number 1 in the Gabriel Allon series. I really enjoyed this book. A good spy thriller in the mould of Robert Ludlum. Books such as The Osterman Weekend and others.Gabriel Allon, a once Israeli agent come spy has retired from that occupation and now lives as an art restorer in a quiet village in Cornwall England. The last thing on his mind is a return to his former life. His, one time boss, gets in touch and tells him that the man who was responsible for the death of his wife and child is out of

I’ve heard good things about this series, and I was not disappointed. Very enjoyable. Lots of action and twists. I’m glad I starts this series.

“The Kill Artist” is the first book out of 17 (as of today) that follows the exploits of Israeli agent Gabriel Allon. I had previously read the 16th book in the series, “The Black Widow”, and enjoyed it very much. So much so that I went back to the beginning of the series. I am glad that I did not begin at the beginning.This novel is okay, not great. Unlike my previous experience while reading a book of Mr. Silva’s I found I could easily put it down. That is not to say that I did not enjoy readi...

An Average Read Until the End This marks the first book I have read by Daniel Silva. The Kill Artist, the first in the Gabriel Allon Series was first published in 2000 and it is starting to feel its age. The story resolves around Israeli and Palestinian conflict. There is a cast of a "villain" and an "anti-hero" and retaliation is the word of the day. The plot feels tired. Granted, had I read it first in 2000, I may have not felt this way.As in many books that are the first in a series, the sto

Having read Daniel Silva's The Order ( #20 in the Gabriel Allon spy thriller series) I was duly impressed enough to come here, to the beginning of the series.In The Kill Artist we meet Gabriel Allon, renowned art restorer and Israeli spy/assassin who is pulled out of retirement to track down the dangerous Palestian agent known as Tariq. It is a nicely paced thriller as a thriller should be, I was fully engaged, it was well researched and well written for the most part. It had a nice twist at the...

This is the 1st book in the Gabriel Allon series by Daniel Silva.Gabriel Allon, former Israeli super spy/agent is now a restorer of old art masterpieces, living an isolated life in a remote English seaside village. Persuaded out of retirement by his former boss, Ari Shamron to track down the deadly Palestinian assassin, threatening to derail the peace talks between the Israeli Prime Minister and Arafat after assassinating the Israeli Ambassador in Paris, and who is also responsible for his wife

My first ever read of a Daniel Silva book and I want some more. I found this a very good action/adventure book dealing with terrorists, counter-terrorists and the protagonist is an art restoration expert. The book is a bit dated since it was written a while back but the saga is quite engaging and moves us around the world quite deftly as a Palestinian terrorist tries to complete a mission and Israeli counter-terrorist Gabriel Allon tries to prevent it from happening. The books plot is driven by

After completing The Kill Artist I felt lifeless, and drained. Which is quite unusual for me. Another uncanny thing about this book is that it established a blistering 5/5 average rating right from the start. In this book it is 90% clear who we are supposed to side with. More unusual aspects of this unusual book is that the seemingly condemned character doesn't die. Also the hero doesn't perform much in the vicinity of heroics. I felt sad after reading The Kill Artist. I should not. The book wa