`The Secret Servant' by Daniel Silva

This was my first time reading Silva and his Israeli Spy / Assassin / Art Restorer, Gabriel Allon...I was not disappointed. In fact, I've already gone and ordered his other Allon novels with plans on reading them chronologically.

In `The Secret Servant', our hero, Gabriel Allon tracks a radical Islamist terror cell responsible for the abduction of a prominent American. The story is smart, current and incisive that you'll find a frolic of a read.

For fear of giving anything away, I'll say simply, that Mr. Silva has woven a fine spy tale that hooked this generally strict non-fiction reader and it comes with my recommendation...for whatever that's worth.

- Johnny

I heard Mr. Silva promoting his book on a radio show and although I've kind of burned out on the super-spy genre, the book was so highly recommended by the show's host, I thought I'd give it a read.

This is the first book by Mr. Silva that I've read, although this is the 7th(?) of the series so I came to this book not knowing the characters. Perhaps I'm just burned out on the genre, or maybe I hadn't developed loyalty to the characters that one might get after reading the series, but I just didn't get in to this book very much. It was a decent read and had some exciting parts, but it also had a number of moments of boredom that put it in the 3 star category with me. I can't really say what I objected to without spoiling things, but it seemed to me there were lots of loose ends, unnecessary digressions, and improbable plot twists that kept the story from being as coherent and suspensful as I had hoped it would be. If I had it to do again, I think I'd rather have picked this one up from the discount bin.

An excellent writer of thrillers but is Silva an Israeli agent? He seems to be propagandizing on behalf of the Cheney-Netanyahu clique.

Daniel Silva gets increasingly better. Secret Servant kept me in the game from the first page to the last.

Daniel Silva may just be the best spy/thriller writer these days and "The Secret Servant" is the latest proof in his series featuring the Israeli Spy, Gabriel Allon.

This time, Allon finds himself in the middle of a hijacking of a U.S. Ambassador's wife. Allon deals with the politics of the Europeans, the politics of the U.S. and the reality that to fight terrorism means to be willing to kill or be killed.

The plot is compelling, the writing is excellent and the dialogue and the action means you don't want to put the book down. I won't give away other details, but Silva seems to have his pulse on the realities of the Middle East and the fact that the terrorist world is a dangerous place where European and U.S. leaders play "politics" instead of playing tough.

Read this book. You will not regret it.

another great novel by Daniel Silva.....Why is he so underrated? Daniel Silva is one of the best writers out there. His novels are fast, fun, entertaining and certainly educating.....A great read.....

I've read three or four of Silva's Gabriel Allon series, all designed to sound the alarm about jihadist terroism. It seems that Israeil counterterrorism activities, in the character of Allon, are becoming indispensible--at least in their fictional incarnations--to the US and UK, who lack the survivalist will that drives the Israelis. This is perhaps why the series is becoming predictable. Silva is by no means an elegant writer, but he constructs a decent plot and moves his characters around in interesting ways. The occasional didactic lesson is put in the mouths of Allon or one of his counterparts. lest we lose sight of the heroic struggle necessary to battle jihadists. The Egyptian situation is painted here in brushstrokes suggestive of the role played by oppressive totalitarian regimes in fostering radicalism amongst their own peoples. Given the radicalized generation about to emerge from Iraq, Silva should have no trouble finding new material, and continuing to refine his place as the leading thriller writer in English of this genre.

I reviewed this and gave it one star because altho I like most of Silva's stuff I didn't care for this. I see that review has disappeared. I'm putting in another and still rating it one star but I won't say anything about my reasons because obviously Amazon has some sort of censorship in place for this author.

I have always enjoyed Silva's books but this one was a total exception. To me the element that set him apart was the humaneness of his perception, something not in evidence here. I always enjoyed the parts dealing with art restoration, also not much in evidence here. This book reads like something written by a right-wing Israeli politician, as if the real Daniel Silva had died and some paper pusher in the government took over to continue the series. The radical Muslim who changes his errant ways is persuaded to do so by the brutality of the Egyptian secret service, not Israeli brutality, by all accounts (including their own) not much different. Bad Arabs, always. And the professor whose killing starts off the book is presented as being wise and far-seeing in his denunciation of Islam so of course he should have free rein to say whatever he likes (and I think he should). However anyone who questions anything about the Holocaust does not have the right to say so and should be locked up. The hypocrisy is pretty much from start to finish. For a far more nuanced and believable book read Fade by Kyle Mills, where the real ambuigity in human behavior is presented realistically and not as the propaganda in this book.

Nobody does espionage thrillers better than Silva. The Gabriel Allon books, while sometimes coming precariously close to caricature, are compelling, thoughtful action books. While Allon is portrayed as a superman, he also is seen as a level-headed operative who deals justice in the black and back alleys of the world with a clarity that is rare in fictional spydom. And, as always, Silva gives us a jarring lecture on the perils of jihadism -- especially in Europe -- in our modern and dangerous world. And finally, this book -- like the other Allon offerings -- is just a darn good read that will grab you on page one and hold you till the end.

With the Secret Servant, Daniel Silva has moved into a class of his own amongst contemporary thriller writers. While numerous series from normally can't-miss authors are now flagging or formulaic, Silva's Allon stories continue to get better with each book. And not just a little better - much better. His plot lines are more real and frightening; his research - more detailed; and most importantly, his hero - more nuanced. To find comparable writing quality, you have to back to LeCarre; for detailed research and action Forsythe. To find a compelling hero that grows with the series, to have to look to Connoley's Harry Bosch or Rankin's John Rebus.

Seriously - this book is that good.

If you haven't read the earlier books, you will still enjoy this one. If you have read other Gabriel Allon stories, this is a must read. It is fantastic.

Mr. Silva is one of the most consistent writers today. Even this, another installment of the Gabriel Allon series, is fresh and remains exciting. Although this is a series, the novel stands alone. It is nice to know the players, but you can start with this one and go back to the older ones without a problem.

This time Allon, an Israeli operative, starts in Denmark and ends up in London - or Londonistan as it seems. There are the usual bouts of intrique, sleuthing and thrills as he seeks his quarry. The tension builds to a fever pitch as Allon is knowingly thrown into the brink with little to no support. He is left to go where no government will sanction.

What separates Mr. Silva from the usual writers of the spy novel genre writers is his underlying message. Without beating the reader over the head or proselytizing, he alerts the reader to the state of the world and terrorist threats today. His afterword is a very understated emphasis of the threat of Islamist terrorists in Europe. This novel posits the theory, espoused by many, that Britain is now the primary target for jihadists.

Despite the sobering context, this is an intelligent and exciting spy thriller. Highly recommended.