My only complaint is that the books are all sort of similar. I love the writing, I love the characters, I really like some of the plots, but they are very similar. I will continue reading them, but hope they change a bit.

As many reviewers already have done so, I am not going to re-tell the plot. I love Daniel Silva's books and Gabriel Allon is an interesting and complex character. I guess, even as a spy he is allowed to fall in love. But, when the plot is all about private revenge and getting his wife Chiara out of their enemies' clutches, it gets somewhat boring. Especially *SPOILER ALERT* when she survives in a truly unbelievable and tacky way. I am sorry, but the book would have been so much better had she died at the hands of the bad guys. It would have been much more believable. In addition, it would have been in keeping with Gabriel's dark, repressed character. And he would have had a reason in the next book to hunt the bastards down...

Daniel Silva's Gabriel Allon series continues to grow in unexpected was with the ninth book in the series, "The Defector." Allon, "retired" Israeli assassin who wants nothing more to retire to his beloved paintings, keeps getting thrust into Europe's most sinister crimes. This is bad news for Allon's friends and family, but great news for us, the reader.

Silva has long used Allon and his adventures to explore the unpleasant history of Europe's treatment of the dispossessed in the 20th century - the crimes committed against the gypsies, the peasants, the dissidents, and most particularly the Jews. Silva clearly believes that today's Europe has many crimes against humanity that remain unsettled, and that those currently in power will do virtually anything to keep those crimes buried. When it comes to the elite of Europe, those who summer on megayachts in St. Tropez and winter in the chalets of St. Moritz, they will do just about anything to maintain the status quo.

"The Defector" spins out of the grim "Moscow Rules," that brought Allon face-to-face with Russia, perhaps the most bleak and corrupt land in all of Europe. Through his operations in that book, Allon made some powerful enemies . . . enemies that know how to strike back. Hard.

And so it is that the apparent "re-defection" of a Russian intelligence operative from the streets of London becomes the first overt step in a complex game of revenge against Allon and those closest to him. What transpires is dark stuff - Silva makes it clear that the "operations" these spies undertake leave scars even if successful. Unlike James Bond, who can send an evil henchman to his death and spin off a bon mot seconds later, Gabriel Allon feels the human cost of killing.

That's not to say that he won't do it. Indeed, "The Defector" is one of the bloodiest, most gruesome novels in the series. There are several gut-wrenching scenes as torture is brought to bear - including some tactics that make waterboarding look like a walk in the park.

Given the level of violence and the extremely dark themes of the book, I highly recommend against starting with this book if you haven't read the other novels in the series. Silva does a commendable job of conveying each character's back story, but given the high degree of violence it helps to understand the characters involved - you can see how far they are pushed in this book in order for them to take the actions they do.

Yet another "thriller" that has a lot of good stuff to say about our world and our heritage of violence, "The Defector" is a smash.

This is a fine example of a Gabriel Allon yarn, in which Allon and his cohort of Israeli agents are deployed against yet another nasty guy. In a world where many things seem not to work as we'd like, it's comforting to find Allon and his accomplices still doing business with their usual ruthless aplomb. The author does his usual skillful job of setting scenes and developing his characters as well as providing plenty of blood and gore.

I have read all of his books and then reread them. All of them are excellent. As for those who compare him to David Baldacci, there is no comparison.

I was very much looking forward to this book, after loving almost every one of the previous works in this series. The book is still gripping and fast-pased, as to be expected. I liked most of the repeat characters and especially the backdoor view of Gabriel, his internal struggles, the love story, and his strengh to feel, to survive, to make a difference. That being said, I though the story was lacking a liitle in detail and 'believability' factor (at some points of the book, it was more like reading about 007 character, where what made other books so excellent is attention to details, history, places, research on actual personalities and events). I also love Silva for the fact that he's not afraid to describe actual events (or version of) as is, without any sugar-coating, or political correctness. Overall, i still think it's one of the best spy novels out there.

Is it a blessing or curse that you have read all of an authors work? In this case maybe I"m thinking a curse as the Great Gabriel Allon, spy/assassin has been reduced to a predictable plot, same old characters, and a neat little happy ending. Daniel Silva is a great writer, so the book was readable, enjoyable at times, like an old comforter but really, can't the reader have some fresh twists. In the old days there were stunning plot twists, betrayals, really bad guys and not everyone liked Gabriel. He was sensitive, high maintainence but he got the job done. The tortured aspect of his soul and his love of art restoration is what gave him life. The whole wife/Chiara character has been a drag on the last two plots. She is whiny, naggy, wants this ...wants that...and she knows who she married...supposedly. Why didn't he develop the Olga Sukhova plotline more, there's a woman who is a worthy counterpoint for Gabriel. Why Silva insists on making weak women ie; Sarah Bancroft and Chiara the only women Gabriel is interested in is a shame.
With that said, the Defector does deliver a good but predictible plot, the usual suspects meaning Ari Shamron, Adrian Carter and the "team" and a happy neat ending. I am pining for the old days when I would turn the pages at an urgent pace in suspense. Today I find I"m turning the pages, actually skipping pages to get to the end.

Part II to the Moscow Rules book. I didn't like the first one and I didn't like the second one. Still enjoyable, but not good.

Gabriel Allon is one of the thriller genre's most charismatic characters. He's something of an oxymoron: the soft hearted, intellectual, humanist, cold blooded assassin. Author Silva has also surrounded Allon with other appealing characters, and the political backgrounds are always compelling. This is what keeps me reading the series. As many other reviewers have noted, Silva's plots have grown predictable. The Defector is the sequel to Moscow Rules, but, except for the change in the identity of the female victim, there's little to differentiate the novels. I do not mean to imply that The Defector is subpar. Silva writes with simple eloquence and is a master at conveying emotion and motivation, and, as I've noted, characterization. For readers who haven't followed the series, it's a first rate novel. But long term fans of Gabriel's career are in need of new direction. He remarried after years of grief following the bomb attack on his family. Will he now dare to have a child with Chiara, and if so, how will that change his life? Here's hoping we'll soon find out.

As with all of Silva's books, I couldn't wait to get it and read it as quickly as I could once I received it. Now I've read it and have only his next work to look forward to.

Gabriel Allon, Israeli spy, is involved in the search of Russian defector Grigori Bulganov, who is initially thought to have redefected from London back to Moscow. Ivan Kharkov, oligarch, who has made billions selling weapons to any faction with the requisite funds, is responsible for the kidnapping of Bulganov. Over the following 460+ pages the reader follows the exploits of Allon and his crack Israeli operatives as their search and interrogations bring them to London, Moscow, Zurich, Paris, Lake Como, and other fabulous locations.

This book was fun but not fast paced. I found, in many instances, the same dialog being repeated over and over. I would read dialog, then say to myself, "wait a second, where did I read this?" The story was just too lengthy. Had it been shorter, I believe the reader would be in for a more exciting novel. 3 stars

Imagine that one of the most notorious Russian killers, a multibillionaire who is supported by the Russian leaders, kidnaps the wife of Gabriel Allon, the top Israeli spy, known and respected as "The Legend." Imagine the reaction of the President of the United States and the Prime Minister of England and the Pope who Allon had saved from being killed. Imagine the emotions of "The Memuneh," the chosen one, Ari Shomron, the eighty year old prior head of Mossad, who is still feared by his former agents, who has the ear of national leaders, who has the power to wake the Israeli Prime Minister from his sleep, who considers Allon his son.

The Mossad is one of the worlds most feared and respected intelligence services. It is comprised of men and women with frightening skills, with people who love Gabriel Allon.

Shomron decides on a reaction of "kechol velavan," blue and white, a sole Israeli response against one who hurt one of their own. But this was not to be. The President of the United States and the Prime Minister of England would not stand by when "The Legend" is in trouble. Regardless of outcome, the Russian killer and his cohorts would spend the rest of their lives, their short lives as hunted men and women. They stood no chance of survival. Allon, Shomron and all the resources at their command would find them, no matter how long it took. And they would kill them.

Imagine the fear, the sheer terror that the Russian killer should have had. But he did not.

Think what would occur if during the reaction two Israelis are killed, how the Israeli government would react to their death, how it affects Gabriel Allon and Shomron.

Daniel Silva imagined it all and wrote it all. He is undoubtedly the current king of spy fiction and Gabriel Allon, the sometimes brooding art restorer and at other times an assassin, is Silva's hero par excellence.

I first discovered Daniel Silva, when I read his bio on Amazon. It was interesting enough to cause me to purchase the Secret Servant. It was the novel that introduced me to not only Gabriel Allon, but Uzi Navot and and Ari Shamron as well. In my opinion it is the composite of these three charcters that makes the Allon series of books much much more then an exciting story of adventure, peril and intrigue.
I purchased The Defector from Amazon,pre publication,without the benefit of many reviews on the basis of my enjoyment of the Secret Servant. I was not disappointed.
The Defector, even though it contains references and characters from a previous book (Moscow Rules)stands on it own. The plot is full of enough twists, turns and cliff hangers,to cause most readers to stay up long past their bedtimes so as to prevent a restless night. For the most part the action is believable, and sometimes the good guys lose (welcome to the real world). It is definitely in the category of continuous read.
But what sets it apart from most books of this genre is the character development of Isreal's answer to the Three Musketeers, and their never ending angst over the age old question, "Do the ends justify the means?". I suspect after reading this book, you may well have to deal with your own angst.
I enjoyed this book so much, I immediately bought two more of the series from Amazon.

As a reader of Vince Flynn and the like I found Daniel Silva's Defector entertaining and will read his other novels.

I never met a Silva novel I didn't like! He is a master of incorporating into his stories well-researched data that is interesting and useful--and many times alarming. Here is an author you can read for exciting action, well thought out stories and good character development; plus lessons in both history and current events. His latest book continues a line of must-read literature.

Even with all the reading I do, I still feel like I need a whole 'nother 24 hours a day to read all the stuff I'd *like* to catch up on. A friend and reader of my blog recommended I read Daniel Silva's The Defector, so I picked it up at the library. I have read one other Silva novel with the Gabriel Allon character (2006 - The Messenger), and I remembered the basic makeup of Allon. The Defector would have been a bit more enjoyable had I at least read the previous episode (Moscow Rules), but it wasn't a show stopper. Defector was a good espionage thriller that had solid characters and an interesting plot.

Allon is pulled away from his honeymoon and an art restoration project to track down Grigori Bulganov, a Russian defector who has disappeared in England. Allon would have told the Mossad no on this assignment for a number of reasons, but he kept coming back to a promise he made to Bulganov many years ago, a promise to not let him die in an unmarked grave should anything happen to him. Rescuing Bulganov sends him back into Russia to go head-to-head with a powerful Russian crime lord, a confrontation escalated when Allon's wife is drawn into the drama. Allon is willing to sacrifice everything to save the one he loves, and he really doesn't care who ends up dying in the process. The tension continues to escalate to a final showdown in a snowy Russian forest, next to an unmarked mass grave...

Not having read all the other novels with the Allon character has its pros and cons. On one hand, I'm not up on some of the character nuances that may deepen the plot. There wasn't anything overtly obvious that I felt I missed, but I'm sure there was a layer of color that would have made the story even better. On the other hand, not reading all the other books means I'm not burned out on the plots or characters. It's not unusual for that to happen over time, feeling like you've read the general plot before and wonder what, if anything, is going to happen that you haven't already seen.

Overall, I thought The Defector was good, solid, and entertaining. And like I said at the end of The Messenger, I really *should* go back and catch up on his earlier stuff. Now to find the extra hours I need...

Disclosure:
Obtained From: Library
Payment: Borrowed

Even with all the reading I do, I still feel like I need a whole 'nother 24 hours a day to read all the stuff I'd *like* to catch up on. A friend and reader of my blog recommended I read Daniel Silva's The Defector, so I picked it up at the library. I have read one other Silva novel with the Gabriel Allon character (2006 - The Messenger), and I remembered the basic makeup of Allon. The Defector would have been a bit more enjoyable had I at least read the previous episode (Moscow Rules), but it wasn't a show stopper. Defector was a good espionage thriller that had solid characters and an interesting plot.

Allon is pulled away from his honeymoon and an art restoration project to track down Grigori Bulganov, a Russian defector who has disappeared in England. Allon would have told the Mossad no on this assignment for a number of reasons, but he kept coming back to a promise he made to Bulganov many years ago, a promise to not let him die in an unmarked grave should anything happen to him. Rescuing Bulganov sends him back into Russia to go head-to-head with a powerful Russian crime lord, a confrontation escalated when Allon's wife is drawn into the drama. Allon is willing to sacrifice everything to save the one he loves, and he really doesn't care who ends up dying in the process. The tension continues to escalate to a final showdown in a snowy Russian forest, next to an unmarked mass grave...

Not having read all the other novels with the Allon character has its pros and cons. On one hand, I'm not up on some of the character nuances that may deepen the plot. There wasn't anything overtly obvious that I felt I missed, but I'm sure there was a layer of color that would have made the story even better. On the other hand, not reading all the other books means I'm not burned out on the plots or characters. It's not unusual for that to happen over time, feeling like you've read the general plot before and wonder what, if anything, is going to happen that you haven't already seen.

Overall, I thought The Defector was good, solid, and entertaining. And like I said at the end of The Messenger, I really *should* go back and catch up on his earlier stuff. Now to find the extra hours I need...

"The Defector" is an espionage thriller in the Gabriel Allon series, a sequel to "Moscow Rules". Gabriel is an art restorer and a reluctant Mosad assassin. In this novel, we learn that Gabriel is in line to become the head of Mosad.

THE SETUP
In "The Defector" Gabriel is living in an Italian villa with his girlfriend Chiara working on a painting for the Vatican. This idyllic life is disturbed when (defector) Grigori Bulganov disappears from London. Because of events in "Moscow Rules" Gabriel is drawn into investigate.

CRITIQUE
Too many reviewers concentrate on comparing "The Defector" with previous novels in the series. It should be evaluated on its own merits. On that basis, it is an exciting espionage thriller, featuring a very interesting protagonist, although a little slow in places. A solid 4 stars.

But, in context to the previous novels in the series, "The Defector" feels shallow and repetitive. Most of the backstory, although fascinating, is just inherited from previous novels in the series. Gabriel comes off more a government-sponsored gangster, rather than the admirable avenging angel of previous novels in the series. Still worthwhile, but one could wish for better.

My neighbor loaned me his copy of THE DEFECTOR. I may have read one of Silva's earlier books--I am not sure. It quickly became obvious to me that the story was a continuation of MOSCOW RULES. I wish I had stopped and read MOSCOW RULES before continuing. I am sure the story would have made more sense. Thus my heading: Who is Gabriel Allon?

Since the plot and characters have been more than adequately covered by other reviewers, I will limit my review to impressions. Gabriel Allon is a hero for men and women sick of political correctness. The story is set in the present (2009) and revolves around several disturbing facts: Iran's quest for THE BOMB; Russia's cozy relationship with Iran; and the balancing act by the U.S. between supporting Israel and not causing too major a flap with Russia. Silvia allows his characters to be injured, and then show the effects of their injuries. No super heroes who suffer horrendous injuries and then continue on with super human strength.

I noted other reviewers questioning "An eye for an eye" vs. "Turn the other cheek." In the Middle East, and many other places, turning the other cheek is an invitation to be beheaded, and peacemakers are taken for soft fools. So, Gabriel's approach wins respect where it counts--with his enemies. Israel cannot afford to be seen as weak, thus Gabriel Allon and his crew may be closer to reality than we realize.

What will Silva do with Gabriel in his next book? The ending leaves several possibilities.

Another exciting series, the Clash-of-Civilization trilogy starts with a nuclear terrorists attack on the U.S. A retired USAF general becomes president, has no use for PC, and never turns the other cheek. The second book, Behold, an Ashen Horse, presents a chilling picture of events after the attack, and the final book, AMERICA REBORN: Book Three of the Clash-of-Civilizations Trilogy, almost finishes the story, and introduces an American heroine (actually there are four, one being a 12 year old girl) who has the potential to become a female Allon in a future series.

Once again Daniel Silva has captured my reading attention with THE DEFECTOR. From the opening page until the final paragraph, I was spellbound with his storytelling skills. The characters and dialogue are excellent. I loved this book and recommend it.

This spy thriller has two big things going for it. It is skillful escapist entertainment and you will read it with interest until the finale. Also, it gives you some idea of what it is like to live in Russia and the character of its leadership. It will also give you some understanding of why living in Russia is such a miserable experience for the average, decent Russian. But Daniel Silva is no John le Carre, not by a mile.
As I read the first chapters I felt the hero of the novel, Israeli assassin and art restorer Gabriel Allon, was something of a cipher, someone to move the plot along. Maybe Silva fleshed him out in earlier novels and felt no need to do it here. Secondly, there are parts in the plot that, seem implausible. For example, near the end of the novel, Allon, who is Israel's top secret agent, decides to kill everyone who participated in the kidnapping of his friend, a Russian defector who once saved his life. So Allon's team fans out across Europe and soon there are 11 corpses. I think it would not be that easy to find out who they were, where they were and how to kill them. Now we know that in real life the Mossad was given the task of killing the Black September terrorists but things did not go smoothly. Several innocent people were killed because the Mossad had faulty information and there also was some "collateral damage" And not everybody was caught. I doubt very much the prime minister of Israel would sanction Allon's project. After all the novel takes place in 2009 and there are more pressing issues involving Israel's national security to have him send his best assassins on a mission of revenge involving a Russian defector.. The finale also was not convincing. Stop reading here if you don't want a spoiler but you will guess anyway as you read that Allon will eventually kill the Russian arms dealer. How does he do it? Well, the oligarch loves St. Tropez and Allon's team finds out he will attend a riotous party in a St. Tropez restaurant. While the oligarch is at the party he gets a phone call and steps outside the restaurant because there is too much noise inside. There on the street sitting on a motorcycle is our hero with his Glock. Bang, bang, and Russia's most evil man is dead. Supermensh then drives off. Piece of cake. At one point in the novel the head of Israel's secret agents tells the Russian ambassador that his people better watch out because if the Israelis get mad enough they will kill all of Russia's KGB agents (now with a new acronym). Wow! David and Goliath. Allon's team piles up some 30 bodies in the course of the novel and I would have liked to have a page or two on the morality of it all. After all, these guys are educated, smart and brave.Have they never thought of Moses and Mt. Sinai and "Thou shalt not kill"? How do they justify their actions? Is the real commandment an eye for an eye? The only problem with this is that the violence will never end. It will go on forever.

The author's novels need to be read in order, as the plot continues from the story in the previous novel, using many of the same characters. The plot is interesting, as Gabriel feels he has an obligation to rescue someone who did him a major service in the past. But the affair becomes messy, and the plot becomes very involved. I think that my one objection is that Gabriel is heavy handed, approaching problems with brute force. He prefers to personally put a bullet in someone's head. I much preferred Lisbeth in "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" who uses modern technology. You do not want to get on either person's list, but while Gabriel uses sudden death, Lisbeth uses modern technology to give a person long-term problems - admitedly, someone else may put a bullet in a person's head after Lisbeth disrupts things, but she prefers to use her skills as a master hacker (there was the incident with the golf club, but that was a matter of necessity).

I found this one really difficult to get through. A lot of garbled stuff and mostly it was who cares? I think this will be my last dalliance with Gabe.

I love Daniel Silva and have read everything he has published. I only wish he was more prolific. His character Gabriel Allon, is one the best out there in my humble opinion. He includes a lot of history and factual information in his writing which I personally enjoy very much.

Note to Daniel Silva - HURRY up with your next Gabriel Allon book. VERY entertaining books! Only problem with your books is that they make me lose sleep - can't put it down when I start to read/reread one.

Anyone who reads one of Silva's books will be enthralled!

Okay, guess I'm not as particular as other reviewers. So far I'm liking Daniel Silva's Gabriel Allon. Sure, it's pretty much the same story. Why not? The same (world) problems exist and the same bad guys are trying to mess up the world. That story is as old as time. Aside from the fictional fast paced story in Silva's books, there's another story line:When are the politicians going to understand what's going on in the world? Like them or not, the Isralis do a good job of taking out bad guys--only the bad guys if possible. At least Allon doesn't come across as an early day girly boy James Bond wearing a tux while fighting off bad guys then looking like he just stepped off a fashion mag shoot. Silva's books so far for me have been more than entertaining reading; they're thought provoking and at times scary in the dire possibilities they present. Yes there's a pattern. Don't all writers have one for their characters? But so far Silva continues to offer up freshness and believable dialog without the gutter language used by so many cop story writers. The Defector may be more close to what's going on in Russia today than we might imagine.

The latest Allon tale falls hard upon the action of the last. It's an involving story, but feels like it may have been padded a bit to reach his standard length. It would have been nice if the Russian bad guy who precipitates this tale of payback spent less time in the background. Unlike the other books, Allon shows glimmers of thawing out his chilly exterior a bit towards the end of this one. But I have to say I'm getting sick of his ambivalence towards promotion. It's really tiresome. We're to believe there's nothing he wouldn't do for Israel except sit behind a desk? I'd also like to see a story where he spends time in action in his home country for once.

Another winner for Daniel Silva. All I can say is if you haven't read any of the Gabriel Allon books, order them all and get reading. You won't be disappointed!

I confess, and my husband will attest, that I am a Daniel Silva addict. I have read every one, am NEARLY finished with The Defector, and am wondering what on EARTH I am going to read on my vacation, which starts in two days. Le Carre left me cold. Dan Brown: couldn't even get half way through. Daniel Silva, however, is a fantastic and thrilling author, who makes you really care about the characters. I find myself holding my breath as the story takes dramatic turns.

And so I ask Daniel: Do I really have to wait another year before I get our next fix -- I mean installment???

My only regret about reading The Defector is not reading Moscow Rules first (as a sequel, the book repeatedly references how MR concluded, thus spoiling the ending). However, Silva is such a good writer that I will probably read it anyway, if only to learn more about the "new" Russia and enjoy the prose.

Gabriel Allon, a master art restorer and assassin, who we've met in other Daniel Silva's thrillers, namely "Moscow Rules", is in Umbria, Italy enjoying his honeymoon with his beautiful new wife Chiara. But his happiness doesn't last long when he gets the shocking news from London that his friend Grigori Bulganov, who once saved his life, has mysteriously vanished. Many, even in the Britsh government, think Grigori is a double agent and has simply returned to Russia, but Gabriel knows better. He's convinced his friend has been kidnapped. Determined to find him and keep a long-ago promise, he assembles a team of skilled operators and soon finds himself pitted against one of the world's most ruthless men, the murderous Russian multi-millionaire and arms dealer Ivan Kharkov, who will stop at nothing.

With many twists and turns of plot Gabriel's quest takes him from London to Lake Como, to Zurich and Geneva, and finally to a hidden lair deep in the snowbound forests of Russia. There not only his friend Grigori is being held, but now also the one he holds most dear in the world, his wife Chiara, who has also been kidnapped and tortured. Determined to get her back and save his friend, Gabriel with the help of a few trusted allies, storms the complex which leads to a breathtaking climax. I found the Russian names a little hard to follow but this book is a real page-turner and hard to put down.

Of course Gabriel Allon has done it again with The Defector. I'm wondering if any of his fans here on Amazon have sampled another mystery protagonist, Detective Joe Henderson featured in Lawrence Kaplan's new offering House Of Ghosts?House Of Ghosts

Almost a book within a book, House Of Ghosts tells the tale of an attempt by valiant Jewish Americans to divert an Allied bomber to destroy the death chambers at Auschwitz. But the tale is told through the personna of Detective Henderson, a most legitimate [...] son of Phillip Marlowe.

Certainly an alternative take on history, but one firmly grounded in historical fact, and presented with panache and originality. Author Kaplan's work is unexpectedly rich in detail and intricacy plot and character tracings--like discovering the guy at the local tattoo parlor has a sideline creating sacramental vestments for the Vatican.


House Of Ghosts

Every year, I dont know how he will top the last book, but Daniel Silva has quite simply outdone himself! As always, the writing and characters are captivating, and the pacing keeps you up all night, but The Defector also shows how the Gabriel Allon series keeps reinventing itself. The characters evolve over time and Silva always explores new themes and villains. I dont agree with other reviews saying they are repetitive and several posts appear to have obvious agendas. Authors each have their niche. From Agatha Christie to Grisham to Robert Parker to Elmore Leonard to Danielle Steele. Different styles, but you know what you're getting and you read them because you enjoy getting lost in their worlds. Yes, each Silva book is a spy thriller, but what sets him apart is the writing, and that each is a study of an issue he obviously has carefully considered. Some books have been about terrorism, some about the Holocaust, and the last two (The Defector and Moscow Rules) are about the role of Russia today. When you read a Daniel Silva book you are being treated to his vision of the world -- from ethical questions of revenge, justice and loss... to contemporary history -- how is Europe changing; the threats of terrorism; a new Russia. I read them over and over and always find something new. Nothing repetitive there. His prose is head and shoulders better than any of the simplistic commercial fiction out there and his characters are so well drawn I have to remind myself they are not real. Finally, they are entertaining, and in this world nothing wrong with a good escape. In my family we all agree that every man wants to be Gabriel, every woman falls in love with him!

Silva brought to the table a new and improved scenario to the life of Gabriel Allon with his last offering, MOSCOW RULES. I loved it. What wasn't mentioned was that it was TO BE CONTINUED...and we have THE DEFECTOR. And I guess the question lingers, as always, will this top the previous adventure with Allon? In this case, nope. Was it still worth the time it took reading? Absolutely!

In this installment, we immediately find some people slightly pissed at Gabriel. No more disobeying direct orders, or so Uzi tells him. But when the man who saved his life, Grigori Bulganov, supposedly defects, Gabriel takes action, and he knows who he's taking as on well! Enter Ivan Kharkov into the picture once again. Kharkov is ready to rumble once again, and he makes it personal. Mess with Chiara, and it gets extremely personal. Get personal with Gabriel, mess with HIS wife, you've just pissed off a Prince of Fire (see book #5) and that's a really stupid thing to do! Because now, Gabriel just doesn't want to go after Kharkov, he's going after EVERYONE INVOLVED!! A personal war has been started, and if you don't think Gabriel doesn't have the team and the tools, think again.

Silva always gets me ready for his next adventure and massacre with Gabriel. He's an author I look forward to. No, this wasn't exactly his greatest effort to date, but I don't care. Silva bounces back even stronger the next time, and my curiosity is more than aroused. I want to know what Gabriel, Uzi, and especially Shamron have stuck up their sleeves. Oh boy, I bet it'll be good!!

I have always been a big fan of Daniel Silva and his novels, particularly regarding Gabriel Allon. This new novel was certainly above my expectations and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys storylines that continue to change and keep the reader in suspense, with a whole lot of action as an added element.

Bob

One of a series of spy, intrigue, aadventure novels by Daniel Silva. Suspenseful and excellent.

I wish Mossad had a special agent to 'convince' authors not to just churn out a book. "Moscow Rules" was more thoughful.

In the Defector, Israeli super spy Gabrial Allon travels from Italy to England to America to Switzerland to Russia on his mission to rescue his wife Kira and also friend Gregory Bolgonov from an evil Russian billionaire / illegal arms dealer Ivan Karkcov (I think that was his name). Part of the reason I only give 3 stars, I never really learned too much about the villain. Just a few brief discriptions. Alot of the book is dialogue set in sit down situations; a kitchen, a coffee house, a cafe, a livingroom, a park bench, then back to the cafe. The only descriptions of Russia seemed cliche. However, on the positive side, it was a fun story and I loved most the characters. They were deep and I cared about them.I applaud Daniel Silva for writing strong female characters. I give it 3 stars.

The Paris Vendetta: A Novel (Cotton Malone)

Devil's Verse: Natasha Azshatan Unlocks Ancient Mysteries, Reveals Secrets, And Wrestles With Demons As She Fights To Stay Alive

THE DEFECTOR is another thriller from Daniel Silva. Though the stories about Allon are similar, each one is exciting and unique. If you have yet to read one of Daniel Silva's books, this would be a good start.

This novel is a sequel to Moscow Rules, in which Gabriel Allon rescues the Russian wife and her two children from her husband Ivan Kharkov, a former KGB hood who is now a billionaire Russian arms dealer, and is a monster to his wife as well as a facilitator of terrorists around the globe. Gabriel also helps a Russian colonel to defect to England, and severely interrupts Ivan's arms sales. In The Defector Ivan seeks to get his children back by kidnapping both the Russian colonel and Gabriel's wife Chiara. Without giving anything away, Gabriel devises a plan to rescue his wife and the Russian colonel, who enabled Gabriel to be successful in Moscow Rules, and ultimately to get rid of Ivan.

The novel is fast paced, extremely well written, and a real page turner. I totally disagree with the reviews complaining that this novel is not as good as Silva's earlier novels (I have read them all) or is in essence just a "cut and paste" job from more recent novels. The plot is well thought out, the escapades are plausible, and Sivla takes the reader on an entertaining and thrilling adventure. If you have never read Silva before, or even if you have, you will not be disappointed.

Russian Defector Gregory Bulgonov is kidnapped by an evil oligark. Gabriel Allon and his team criss-cross Europe in there high stakes mission to resue not only the Defector, but also Gabriel's Wife Kira. Oooh! Sooo good! But only 4 stars since I wanted to know more about Russia and also more details about the evil oligark Ivan. And also it would be more interesting to know more good things about Russia and its people.

The Lost Symbol

Devil's Verse: Natasha Azshatan Unlocks Ancient Mysteries, Reveals Secrets, And Wrestles With Demons As She Fights To Stay Alive

The Paris Vendetta: A Novel (Cotton Malone)

Let's start with the true premise that this series of Gabriel Allon spy novels is the best series of its genre being written today, probably by far. That having been said, this one is not near the top - still good, but not in the top tier.

This can be read as a stand alone. However, if you read it having not read the prior books there will be many references to prior missions that you will not get. It will not detract from plot, just slow you down. If you have read the prior ones, you must wonder why the very many references are there. A few to remind us of who the characters are (and were) would have been helpful, but there are way too many.

The plot is a basic formula. The heinous Russian from "Moscow Rules" engineers the kidnapping of a defector and Allon's wife. The Israelis pull out all the stops to get them back and, for some reason not adequately explained, the Brits and Americans do too. I found this book a bit formulaic. The Israelis can apparently get almost anything done. They suddenly appear in Russia, in place and ready to operate; they find eleven co-conspirators and knock them off; they hack computers to get into bank accounts; you get the picture. It seemed as though when they were in a pinch, the tough background work got done without foundation or explanation.

So, bottom line. I enjoyed this book because it was still a good rollicking spy novel. It just isn't up to Mr. Silva's very high standards. I'd recommend it to anyone who has read his books before. To those who have not, I would suggest they start with another - perhaps last year's "Moscow Rules" - and come back to this one later.

The writer gets right into the story. Fast reading, didn't want to put it down.

1. Grigori Bulganov is being protected by the British. The Russian's consider London, the new Moscow, and Grigori finds his exile tolerable. Grigori is writing a book called "Killer in Kremlin", he never finishes, but Olga Sukhov, does, after his death. Who is Grigori? Grigori played a major role bringing down Ivan Kharkov plot to sell Russian missiles to Al Qaeda; missile intended for Israeli planes. After Ivan's plot is foiled, Grigori received sudden attention and made an appearance on the BBC criticizing the old Russian regime and characterizing the new Russian President, as Hilter. The British secret service suggest Grigori tone things down and avoid being killed.
2. Grigori was scheduled for a Chess Match against Simon Finch, at Lower Vestry House of St. George's Church in Bloomsbury. Grigori was expected to win, easily. Finch was a known Marxist and devout atheist. Grigori never arrived. Grigori was last spotted climbing into the back of a Mercedes sedan on Harrow Road at 6:12 pm. The British believed Grigori defected to Russia. The American's don't believe in Grigori's defection. The Israeli's know Grigori has been abducted. Gabriel and Seymore review the CCTV tapes and discover a woman who changed clothes in pursuit of Grigori and carried no umbrella in the rain while chasing him towards the getaway Mercedes.
3. Gabriel Allon is Alessio Vianelli. Alessio is restoring, a Caravaggio for the Pope, at Villa dei Fiori, fifty miles north of Rome. Chiara is with Gabriel, but doesn't disclose she is pregnant with child. However, Chiara does leave a child development magazine near Gabriel's reading light and he notices it. However, grief is their fate. Chiara loses the child, after being abducted.
4. In the past, Grigori has Gabriel made a compact, saying, "Promise me I won't end up in an unmarked grave." Gabriel remembers the promise and sets out to rescue Grigori. Gabriel knows that Grigori individually and single handedly tracked down the missiles Ivan sold to Al Queda. Gabriel knows Ivan is behind the abduction. Ari Shamron thinks Grigori abduction is a British problem, but Gabriel convinces Shamron to make it an Office problem. How did Irina get involved? Irina was a pawn. Irina is visible inside the Mercedes and Gabriel finds her and arranges a meeting. Anatoly has a gun to Irina heart and forces Grigori to climb in to save her. Irina hates the FSB and Gabriel knows she was not cooperating on the abduction. Gabriel and Mikhail interrogate Irina and learn Irina entered London under a different name, Natalia Primakova (British intelligence verified her arrival). Irina discloses Anatoly introduces himself a friend of Grigori and has instructions to take her to met Grigori and Viktor Orlov will pay for all expenses. Grigori tells Irina, he is very sorry. Irina is release with a death threat, if she speaks to anyone about the events.
5. Ivan Kharkov loses are high. Ivan lost his wife, Elena and two children, Anna and Nikolai; $20 million and $2.5 million paid for a forge Mary Cassat painting, "Two Children on the Beach"; Elena and the children are safe in America; Elena helped Gabriel steal Ivan's secrets; and Gabriel shattered Ivan's empire and exposed his network. Ivan is wanted by the US for selling several thousand antitank missiles and RPGs to Hezbollah. Ivan is a form KGB agent. Ivan departed the KGB and opened a private bank. Ivan expanded business into transport ships and aircraft, freight companies bound for Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America. The network helped Ivan move weapons, selling to anyone with money.
6. Gabriel team assembles Rimona, Dina, Yossi, and Yaakov. Gabriel states their goal is to put Ivan's operatives out of business.
7. Vikto Orlov become a billionare through oil and steele. The regime forced Orlov out of Steele, but Orlov made billions through his stake in Siberian oil, Ruzoil. Orlov knew Grigori. The Regime wanted Orlov out of oil and forced him to exhile. Orlov remotely maintained control of the Ruzoil. Grigori knew regime secrets that Orlov wanted and used to help him gain respect and to return home. The Russian President was richer than Orlov. Orlov lives on Cheyne Walk, an community reserved for money. Orlov's body guards are former members of Britain's elite Special Air Service provided by Exton Executive Security Service Ltd.
8. Anatoly kills two body guards, Liori and Motti, and kidnaps Chiara. Israel brings Liori and Motti and bury them near the Mount of Olives. What does Ivan want? Ivan wants his children back and will use Chiara and Grigori as bargaining chips. Ivan wants too exchange Grigori and Chiara for his two children. Ivan instead delivers a ring given by Gabriel to Chiara. Ivan receives a letter from his children saying they would rather live with their mother. Gabriel and his team rescue Chiara and Grigori, but Gabriel, Mikhail, Chiara, and Grigori do not escape completely. Ivan returns. Shamron threatens the FSB forcing cooperation to assist in freeing his people. How did Ivan pull off such a complex operation? FSB offers to help get Chiara back. Shamron and Gabriel realize, Ivan is working with the Kremlins blessing and the Kremlin is considered the adversary. SVR, Russian Foreign intelligence was the information source for Chiari and Grigori. Based on a rumors that Gabriel was in Italy. SVR gathered intelligence from the Italian intelligence. Operation must have a leak; operations monitored communications to ensure Gabriel`s safety, so it must be within. Gabriels location was suppose to secure. Olga was exhiled to London. Olga life is in danger. Olga Sukhova and Gabriel evade an drive by shooting by diving behind a short stubby brick wall. Olga interviews Orlov and Olga asks Orlov, who kidnapped Chiara and learns that Comrade Zhirlov is the assassin responsible, specializing in assassination and abductions, skilled in poisons and toxins, and going by the name Anatoly. Anatoly was form KGB, code name Comrade Zhirlov. Gabriels wants to know, who could hire a professional assassin like Anatoly. Orlov discloses the middleman as Vladimir Chernov. Sandra Bancroft helps in the operation to abduct Chernov. Chernov was hired by Zhirlov to be the middle man between the clients and himself. Zhirlov real name is Anton Dmitrievich Petrov. Petrov's existence was known only to a few select group of senior generals inside the first Chief Directorate; Petrov is a chemist, specializing in poisons and toxins. Chernov client was Ivan, who he meet in Vienna for payment. The job was to abduct Grigori and Chiara. Gabriel learns Anatoly picks up his payment, of five million euroes at safe deposit box in Zurich, Switzerland, a small bank called Becker and Pahl. Gabriel, Uzi, and Sarah execute the operation that leads to Petrov capture. Petrov discloses the location of Grigori and Chiara, as dacha northeast of Moscow, in Vladimirskaya Oblast, Ivan's private prison. Two operations will commence. One operation to deliver Ivan's children in exchange for the hostages and a second operation to free the hostages at the Vladmirskaya Oblast compound. The second operation succeeds, but Grigori dies saving Chiara from Ivan's execution. Vladmirskaya Oblast is the location where Stalin executed in secret 70,000 in mass graves. Gaberiel, Mikhail, and Chiara are rescued. Ivan is hauled away. What happens to Ivan? Ivan is Russia. Ivan is not punished nor is Orlov, whom all charges are dropped. Chillingly, the Russian President spoke dispassionately about the Mass grave site at Valdmirskaya. Ivan maintains hisself at his fortress in Zhukovka being cared for by Yekaterina. Gabriel and Mikhail kill eleven Russian's responsible for Chiara's abduction and Grigori death. Adrian Carter tells Gabriel that Ivan, recently, sold Mortars, RPGs, Aks, and several million rounds of ammunition to Congo fighters. The Russian president would not intervene. The Kremlin would not shutdown Ivan's operation. Carter tips off Gabriel that Ivan is planning a vacation, Saint Tropez France. Gabriel is betting the Ivan will return to Cote d'Azur, his favorite restaurant. Ivan arrives and at 2:00 am, he receives a phone call from Rudenko or so he believed, drawing him outside the restaurant; Mikhail kills two body guards stand next to Ivan, and Grabriel rides up on a motorcycle, flips up his visor, and shots Ivan in the face.

"Since you would do a thing like this, I will surely take revenge on you, and after that I will cease." -- Judges 15:7

Where does revenge lead? That's the painful question posed by Daniel Silva's latest novel about Israel's most dangerous man, Gabriel Allon. In Moscow Rules, arms dealer and evil doer Ivan Kharkov loses his children, a lot of money, and his pride. There are bound to be consequences, but Kharkov is a subtle snake.

As the book opens, defector Grigori Bulganov is on his way to a chess tournament he's expected to win when he disappears from the streets of London. The British are convinced he's a double agent and is headed home to Moscow. The news doesn't get to Gabriel for some time. Ordered to leave it alone, Gabriel is convinced that his Moscow savior needs saving and heads for London to do his own investigation. One thing leads to another and Gabriel soon realizes that Ivan Kharkov has made revenge personal.

While the general outline of the plot is quite predictable, the menace being so personal makes the book much more appealing than Mr. Silva's plot formula normally would allow. You'll feel Gabriel's pain more intensely than you normally relate to a hero in a thriller. The book continues to explore Mr. Silva's theme of how evil destroys even those who fight it in a convincing way. I was deeply impressed by the portrayal of evil and its consequences.

At the same time, Mr. Silva keeps a few surprises for us that will make your eyes open wide with shock. No matter how late you stay up to finish the book (I did at 2:03 a.m.), you'll be wide awake when you do.

There's a continuing warning about the risks of dealing with the ex-KGB men who lead Russia that's underlined by a final note on how dangerous it is to be a journalist in the new Russia. It's chilling to think about.

If you like your stories to be bloodless and painless, this won't be the book for you.

I've been a fan of Silva's for years, reading each of his Gabriel Allon novels, finding no clunkers in the bunch. Silva tells stories with tight prose, strong research, and stoic yet three-dimensional characters. "The Defector" sat high on my reading list, and the fact it was longer than many of the other Allon books gave me reason to hope for more meat to chew on.

With Allon's recent Russian escapades, he finds himself entangled again in the Motherland's political and criminal toils. This time, a man he helped in "Moscow Rules" seems to have gone back to Russia, and no one seems to care too much except for Allon who doubts the man's disloyalty. When he decides to follow through on a promise to protect this man, he ends up jeopardizing his wife and others.

The flaws of this story are ones I've never felt before in a Silva novel. The research becomes distracting and bloated for the scenes it's supposed to carry; the reminders of previous stories in the series are unnecessary and slow down the first half considerably; the "defector's" intentions are never in doubt, which would've made it more interesting; and Allon's ability to manipulate banks, US presidential flights, and so on, go against the grain of this series' feeling of reality. I keep suspecting that Silva will turn this into a Jack Ryan series (of Tom Clancy fame), having Allon outdo his last adventures and become the leader of his secret service.

I will wait with bated breath for the next Silva novel, but I truly hope he doesn't feel the need to over-deliver and instead gives us the fantastic post-Cold War novels we've been enjoying for years now.

Gabriel Allon is at the top pf us game with this sensational book. I read a lot of book of this genre and heis is by far the master. Every page is extremely well written and while you can't wait to read what is next you also want to slow down and savor it all. A master story teller and in my opinion the absolute best writer around.

I am a new Daniel Silva reader. I have read all of his books in the past year. Especially having seen his work evolve over a short period of time, I think this is his best. His characters remain interesting and vivid,the pace of action is unrelenting. I could not put this book down. For veteran Silva fans and for those who love thrillers, read this book.

I've read every one of these books and find them absolutely engrossing. Full disclosure: I am a paintings conservator and having the dynamic paid assassin character Gabriel Allon start and end almost every installment with a treatment on a major painting is certainly a plus. (Both paintings conservators and paid assassins must be very good at remembering details.) The details given about art conservation treatments are quite accurate; therefore, I assume that the details of things I don't know so much about--the inner workings of the old KGB, for example--are also accurate. Each book is an education: about Swiss banks, London art dealers, concert violinists, Arab princes who collect art, arms dealers, and/or old political enmities. The last several have become more violent, but also even more exciting. I wish these books would be picked up by some skilled film producer. There is a certain formula--an early murder that takes Allon away from restoration--but I don't find that troubling. The characters that we've come to know-- Shamron, Chiara, etc. are three-dimensional and memorable. Highly recommended.

Excellent! Written well and not a formula plot althoough obviously there are similarities because it is a serial.
Keeps your imterest to the end