Customer Reviews

The Messenger (Gabriel Allon)

5 star:		(84)
4 star:		(32)
3 star:		(11)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

The Messenger by Daniel Silva is the most recent in his Gabriel Allon series, and I think it is the best of the bunch.

The Messenger opens in London where a professor of Middle Eastern studies is suspected of having Al-Qaeda ties. The Israeli Secret Service is on his tail when he is killed in an accident. The laptop he was carrying proves that not only was he a recruiter, but that he also was involved in an intricate plot against the Vatican.

Israeli agent Gabriel Allon is once again sent out into the field, trying to avert a tragedy in Rome. At the same time, the agency decides to find the source of terrorist funding through Saudi sources. The Israelis and the CIA concoct an intricate plot to discover the location of a Saudi terrorist financier. The plot involves a beautiful American art curator and an unknown Van Gogh painting.

The Messenger is such a good book in that Silva ties in so many things that are happening today. Al-Qaeda is planning terrorist acts, Saudis are financing the terrorists and can't be touched by the Americans, and the Americans are involved in covert and sometimes illegal operations. The plot of The Messenger is fast-paced and exciting, and it's one of Silva's strongest efforts yet. While Gabriel Allon still plays a major role in The Messenger, Sarah Bancroft (the American art expert who infiltrates a terror group) steals the show.

I have read all of Silva's Allon books except the first one, The Kill Artist, which I just obtained. While it might help to read them in order, it is not as critical as in some other series.

In Daniel Silva's "The Messenger," Ari Shamron, special advisor to the Israeli prime minister on security and intelligence, once again lures art restorer (and master spy) Gabriel Allon out of retirement. However, before Allon can decide whether or not he wants the job that Shamron offers him, two deadly terror attacks change both men's priorities.

Adrian Carter, acting as an intermediary for the President of the United States, urges Allon to "run an agent" into the inner circle of Saudi billionaire Abdul Aziz al-Bakari. Al-Bakari, also known as "Zizi," is a well-known supporter of Ahmed bin Shafiq, the mastermind behind a number of bombings that have taken the lives of many of the Western "infidels" whom he despises. The person chosen to get close to Zizi is Sarah Bancroft, a beautiful art historian and curator. Sarah's bait will be a previously undiscovered Van Gogh that she will offer to Zizi, an ardent collector with a fondness for Impressionists. Allon hopes that, with Sarah's assistance, he will be able to find and eliminate not only Zizi, but also his close friend, bin Shafiq. However, Gabriel's plans hit some unanticipated snags, placing both the intelligence operation and Sarah's life in grave danger.

"The Messenger" is another timely and entertaining novel from the talented Silva, who writes knowledgeably about the volatile political, economic, and military situation in the Middle East. As usual, the author has done his homework. The narrative is filled with engrossing and realistic details about art, spying, and the endless conflict between the world's democracies and the Islamic extremists who oppose them. Although the story's conclusion feels a bit rushed, Silva redeems himself with his crisp dialogue, exciting action sequences, and fine descriptive writing. "The Messenger" is an absorbing and thoughtful spy thriller that is extremely relevant in today's age of global terrorism.

Daniel Silva's series of thrillers featuring Israeli assassin/world-class Renaissance painting restorer Gabriel Allon continues to amaze. Now into his sixth book, Allon is starting to leave behind more pedestrian thriller-heroes and join the ranks of the elite (such as Lee Child's fantastic anti-hero, Jack Reacher).

Allon, who at the behest of Golda Meir once killed six of the members of Black September who led the attack at the Munich Olympics, is aging. His mentor, Shamron, is sick. The Prime Minister wants to replace Shamron with Allon, which would mean that Allon's field days are over.

This is a logical step for Allon, who is indeed getting on in years. But since it would be the death of the series, Silva creates a meaningful reason for Allon to keep Allon in the field - a terrorist attack in the heart of the Vatican that nearly kills the Pope. Remember, this is a Pope whose life Allon has saved, and Allon is in the Vatican at the time of the attack. As a result, Allon gets personally involved in tracking down the terrorists responsible.

This leads to an in-depth examination of what Silva terms as "Jihad, Inc." One of Saudi Arabia's richest men heads a global empire of high finance and terrorism. With an army of lawyers and well-funded academics (not to mention soldiers), the Saudi billionaire Zizi funds terrorist operations as he and his family sail the seven seas in the finest luxury. Allon decides that he must get an agent inside Jihad, Inc.

To that end, he recruits Sarah, a perfect American candidate. Sarah's training is handled perfectly by Silva, as is the ruse Allon uses to insert her into Zizi's lair - the discovery of Vincent Van Gogh's last painting. Silva keeps the tension building, and building, and building, as Sarah enters Zizi's lair, with Allon always watching from a discreet distance. Sarah's problem is that this short distance gives Zizi enough time to have Sarah eliminated any time he wants, if he discovers the truth. In an novel with a pretty high body count, the reader knows that Zizi's discovery of Sarah is always just a slip of the lip away.

Silva is one of our finest thriller-writers today, and for the most part, "The Messenger" does not disappoint. The ending in the Vatican is a bit anti-climactic, given what has already gone on in the novel. But this four-star rating is probably more due to the heights Silva has reached in the other Gabriel Allon novels. This is a must-read for any fan of Silva or Gabriel Allon, and if you haven't read any of these novels yet, grab a copy of "The Kill Artist" and dive in.

Glenn Beck recently said the only place he could find authors who defined the Islamic threat, and presented a true picture of its danger was in fiction. He must have been talking about Siva's The Messenger.

The old saying, "follow the money" applies to Islamic terrorist. I was pleasantly surprised with Silva's premise--Saudi Arabia, the home of Wahhabism, is the main source of Islamic terrorists funds.

Silva also identifies the second Saudi danger to the West--Saudi funded madrassas that indoctrinate, brainwash, the young, turning them into the next generation of terrorists.

Later in the book, Silva shines a light on the powerful effect the "river of green" Saudi money has in Washington. His characters depict the arrogance of the house of Saud. How should we, the U.S., deal with billionaire Muslims who are above the law. I agree with Sivla's answer.

On page 28-29 Gabriel says, "You [the Pope] seem to believe that the problem of terrorism and radical Islam can be swept away if they were more like us--that if poverty, illiteracy, and tyranny weren't so prevalent in the Muslim world, there would be no young men willing to sacrifice their lives in order to main and kill others. But they've seen the way we live, and they want nothing of it. They've seen our democracy, and they reject it. They view democracy as a religion that runs counter to the central tenets of Islam, and therefore they will resist it with a sacred rage. How do we deliver justice and prosperity to these men of Islam who believe only in death?"
"It certainly cannot be imposed on them by the barrel of a white man's gun." [Pope]
"I agree, Holiness. Only when Islam reforms itself will there be social justice and true prosperity within the Arab world. But in the meantime we cannot sit idly by and do nothing while the jihadists plot our destruction. That, Holiness, is immoral, too."

Sivla has defined America's dilemma. If we continue to wait for Islam to reform itself, will they? Can they?

It not, are we willing to wait until we lose a city or cities? What happens if we do? This is the questions I explore in my novels.

Daniel Silva has provided the things I seek in an excellent novel: a well written believable plot, believable characters, a real world problem for the protagonists to deal with, a story with a message, and a story that challenges the reader to contemplate an unpleasant possibility.

With the dissolution of the Soviet Empire and the end of the Cold War, the international spy novel has suffered from a lack of compelling story lines. Daniel Silva has remedied this deficiency by making Israel as the epicenter of his provocative novels. With a haunting past defined by the Holocaust and a present preoccupied by terrorism, there are storylines aplenty.

Much of Silva's phenomenal success is due to his main character Gabriel Allon, a sometime Israeli assassin who is also a world-renowned art restorer. A child of Holocaust survivors, as an art student Allon was tapped to join the Wrath of God team, which sought retribution for the Munich Olympics terrorist plot perpetrated by Black September. Allon is an assassin with a conscience though, who sees his task as necessary but supremely regrettable. He was changed after his first kill, both physically and spiritually, and by each successive one.

In The Messenger, Silva's latest, terrorists are planning a massive attack on the Vatican. Extending the hand of friendship, Israel sends Allon to help protect the life of the pope. After the attack, Allon's team affects a search for the terrorists who planned and financed the assault on Vatican. Using a once lost Van Gogh and a young American art expert, the Israeli team bates a trap that nearly goes disastrously wrong.

Silva's writing is gripping for intellectual sweep. His use of art, history, music, and travel adds layers of depth that are the hallmark of great novels. Most importantly, Silva is not afraid to take on controversial issues. In The Messenger, he probes real life concerns that international Islamic terrorism is succored doctrinally and financially by Saudi Arabia. His very believable scenario might anger some, but it will be a great conversation starter.

Does geography play a role in world politics? Can money buy "moral blindness?" How are evil people punished by courts if no one captures them? What course must religious leaders take concerning world events? Are "special operations" really necessary? What must a country do to protect itself?

The answers or lack thereof point to "The Messenger," latest in the thriller series featuring Gabriel Allon, special operative for the Israeli government. Now middle-aged, Allon is first introduced as the avenger of seven of the murders of Israeli Olympians years ago. Although an artist when he began the assassinations, he had to change directions to become a world-class art restorer whose name recognition is not a problem.

This has been a fascinating series. One reason is learning the inner workings of the Israeli thought process, especially concerning terrorists. If a bomb hit Israel, fully one-third of the world's Jews would be wiped out. Because of Israel's history, Israelis are particularly bold in protecting themselves.

When terrorists hit the Vatican in an attempt on the Pope's life, Allon and CIA operative Adrian Carter join forces to bring down the terrorist behind the action and the money behind the terrorist. Zizi, the Saudi billionaire and the money man, is set up through an art deal, which Allon arranges. He hires an American art manager, a non-professional operative, Sarah Bancroft, who will become the messenger of the title. The meaning is different, however, in an undercover use. She basically becomes the go-between in a very complicated game of human chess. Losing means her life.

What becomes the undoing of extremely careful and detailed preparation to insert Sarah into a terrorist organization is professionalism and zeal. Gabriel is an exacting planner, who knows when to extract his team if a single thing goes wrong. In this case, two teams of planners and killers, Israelis and Saudis, go head to head against each other. It is a single scar that disrupts this deadly game and checks the queen.

What a thrilling series this is, watching seemingly actual headlines play out on pages of a book. Are these actions really possible in covert operations of governments. I don't doubt them in the least. Who is right and wrong in this war? Perhaps a better question is: What are the stakes and what is the outcome?

Having read all of Silva's books, I wondered if he would be able to maintain his high quality of writing in his newest book. He maintains his high quality while demonstrating the ability to expand and develop characters in a wonerful book. One could easily finish this book in one sitting, yet I chose to savor each page while relishing the double and triple twists that make Silva a truly special writer.

This is my 9th Silva book and it is my favorite one yet. Smart and well-written! Just be prepared to stay up all night. Completely satisfying with characters that are real! Bravo again!
A fan from NYC

Daniel Silva is amazing. His Gabriel Allon series has been insightful, action-packed, making us turn the pages as fast as possible. This sometime art restorer, part Israeli operative has had a troubled past - he was the first to go to revenge the 1972 Olympics massacre, and has lost his family due to his work.
This outing, Gabriel is thrust in the midst of a terrorist plot - He has information about a terrorist threat that deals with the Vatican, it happens, and Gabriel and his team sets out to find those responsible, and the money trail.
They need an outsider to infiltrate the Jihad group they suspect. This is Sarah Bancroft, who is an expert in art. Zizi, one of the main suspects, is a super art collector who works for the major terrorist bin Shafiq, was hooked when an unseen van Gogh painting is brought up for sale - Sarah is invited to work as his art representative.
Gabriel and his group have given her an intense training program how to work undercover. She does, but gets captured. What happens to her, and the great conclusion, you will have to read the book yourself.
Another winner with The Messenger.

I had to wait quite a long time to write this, because I didn't want my disappointment with this book to over-influence my evaluation. So now I've read The Messenger for the second time, and I realize that it is an OK>good generic thriller. Of course, the best things about the Gabriel Allon series have been the earlier books' non-generic qualities.

OK, OK, what about The Messenger? Well, two bad things and two good things.

Gabriel Allon remains a fascinating character because he keeps evolving, as do the other long-running characters in this outstanding series. But in this novel, we get our first extended look at the action through the eyes of a character other than Gabriel. Enter Sarah Bancroft, an American with a background in art history. Sadly, Sarah constitutes another first for the series: a boring stereotype. The talented-and-beautiful-expert is a standard role for women in thrillers, and Sarah is an underwhelming specimen the type. I've always been glad that the gorgeous vanilla-scented Chiara plays so minor a role in the business side of the novels, avoiding just this egregious more-is-less collection of superlatives. If Silva is trying to give us a strong woman character in a major role, he would do better to let us see more of Dina Sarid. OK, she's not conventionally beautiful, but she's got more depth and credibility than a random American CIA-reject.

It would have been a risk for Silva to give us a sympathetic Muslim character in such a narrative, but to have Sarah spend a key chunk of the book in the company of an entirely mean/superficial/materialistic group of morally bankrupt semi-observant Muslims baddies makes the whole plot more than a bit simplistic. In many of his earlier books, Silva positively embraces moral ambiguity, so it was sad a surprise to see him go all black-hat here. Yes, the crimes are monstrous, but we recognize monsters because they are different from the ordinary people around them. Zizi's friends and family are all variations on the same us/them worldview, monsters in training, if you will. Some critics carp that the books are too pro-Israeli. That's absurd. The characters are Israeli, so of course that's the view we see. But the earlier books in this series rise above the nationalist dichotomies and deal with complex acts of complicated people.

That complexity is missing here.

On the other hand, we get yet more back-story for that delightful petal, Julian Isherwood, as well as more nuanced portraits of Uzi Navot, Eli Lavon and other Mossad agents we have met from time to time. Adrian Carter of the CIA is more involved than his usual elegant but marginal presence. (Although, as other reviewers note, some of his judgments on the American public are surprising from a sympathetic character by an American author; let's hope that Silva isn't training to be one of those pseudo-intellects who defines himself only in opposition to his own nationality.) The legendary Shamron is literally side-lined for most of the book, creating a breathing space for the other characters. While the Israelis are training Sarah in a house outside of London, we get the band-of-brothers family atmosphere than was so appealing in The Prince of Fire. They may not always be a happy family, but they do pull together for what is clearly framed as the common good.

Silva's plotting continues to give us a wonderful balance of the inevitable and the unexpected. Many authors narrow down to simple plots in a long-running series, but there seems to be no danger of that here as we move from Israel to Rome to London, Paris, the Caribbean, Switzerland. The settings offer all the grim glamour any reader could want, with nifty details keeping things real.

The sub-plot of the missing Van Gogh is wonderfully developed, just plausible enough to work, with lots of delicious biographical speculation. As always, the art/art history material is both fascinating and informative. Silva is less patronizing about the Roman Catholics than in earlier novels, but the almost obligatory visit to the back-stage world of the Vatican has a forced feel, as if the author is trying to out-outrage us into the knee-jerk moral judgments this book offers.

I don't know what I would have thought of the book had I not read all the others. Probably I wouldn't have kicked so hard against the simplistic morality. But I do expect more of Silva. Here's hoping that the next book is worthy of sitting on the shelf with The Kill Artist, The English Assassin, A Death in Vienna, and The Prince of Fire.