Kill Artist - reading_fox's review
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1reading_fox
The Kill Artist by Daniel Silva
My review is here
A fairly average thriller that starts off well with an unusual premise, but fails to hold it all the way through.
Gabriel Allon was a stellar member of Israel's fabelled intelligence service Mossad. When his wife and daughter were the victims of a palastinian terrorist plot he retired and took up the descrete profession as an art restorer - not something that you'd have thought he'd have had time to learn properly. However with the servive's reputation in tatters, he is called back "one last time" to salvage their respect, and maybe settle old debts at the same time. His sole aid is a disenchanted beautiful, young but aging, model. Who, in one of the more unbelivable parts, suddenly finds how to fire pistols with extreme accuracy after many years without even holding one! - unlike every other professional sharpshooter.
It's the details and belivability that turn a good book into a great one. And while this is well written and holds the interest, the details just don't quite work. The style is slightly faster than le Carre's Smilely era, but the general air is similar. The author does well in not getting too bogged down in the complex politics of Israel and Palastine, and sympathy can be found for both causes.
Readable, but nothing special. Seems a poor hook for a series.
Comments welcome.
My review is here
A fairly average thriller that starts off well with an unusual premise, but fails to hold it all the way through.
Gabriel Allon was a stellar member of Israel's fabelled intelligence service Mossad. When his wife and daughter were the victims of a palastinian terrorist plot he retired and took up the descrete profession as an art restorer - not something that you'd have thought he'd have had time to learn properly. However with the servive's reputation in tatters, he is called back "one last time" to salvage their respect, and maybe settle old debts at the same time. His sole aid is a disenchanted beautiful, young but aging, model. Who, in one of the more unbelivable parts, suddenly finds how to fire pistols with extreme accuracy after many years without even holding one! - unlike every other professional sharpshooter.
It's the details and belivability that turn a good book into a great one. And while this is well written and holds the interest, the details just don't quite work. The style is slightly faster than le Carre's Smilely era, but the general air is similar. The author does well in not getting too bogged down in the complex politics of Israel and Palastine, and sympathy can be found for both causes.
Readable, but nothing special. Seems a poor hook for a series.
Comments welcome.
