Former Israeli intelligence operative Gabriel Allon is drawn back into the game to take on a cunning terrorist on one last killing spree, a Palesti...
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Apr 07, 2008
Koeeoaddi
rated it: 
...espionage from Lake Wobegon, where all the women are stunning, all the men are ruthless, and all the children know spycraft.
I can't lie, though, I'm popping these puppies like cheesy-poofs.
I can't lie, though, I'm popping these puppies like cheesy-poofs.
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Oct 19, 2007
Helen
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Gabriel Allon is an art restorer brought back from retirement to be a secret agent for Ari Shamron and to restore The Office by capturing Tariq. Gabriel agrees because he is seeking revenge on Tariq. Severla years beofre, Tariq planted a bomb in the car which Gabriel's wife and son were in thereby killing his young son and physicaly and mentally scarring his wife. Tariq is part of a terrorist network who is planning to kill the Palestinian prime minister and disrupt the Isreali/Palestinian
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Jan 04, 2009
Eric_W
rated it:
The methodology of the art restoration expert is the same as that of the professional assassin: “study the target, become like him, do the job, slip away without a trace.” Just as retired Israeli agent Gabriel Allon must study the artist Vecellio in order to resurrect and restore The Adoration of the Shepherd, to make the painting just like the original so he must study again the work of his old nemesis Tariq, agent of the PLO wing that is angry and upset with Arafat’s peace initiatives
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Jan 23, 2012
Dlora
rated it:
Gabriel Allon notes that the methodology of the art restoration expert is the same as that of the professional assassin: “study the target, become like him, do the job, slip away without a trace.” That same parallel is underlined by the chapter titles which refer to art restoration but are used to divide the elements of catching and foiling the dangerous terrorist Tariq from Allon's past. The action falls into: Acquisition, Assessment, Restoration, the same steps of Allon's work restoring the Ve
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Dec 17, 2011
Grant
rated it:
This the 7th of Daniel Silva's books I've read, was to me the most personal. In this story Gabriel Allon, who is back in Cornwall in what he hopes will be retirement from is job as a hired assassin for the 'Office' the euphemistic name for the Israeli Secret Service. He is absorbed in restoring a painting for Julian Isherwood, a retailer of high-end paintings. Allon has a rendevous with a man who he loves and dislikes in equal measure, Ari Shamron.
Shamron is Allon's mentor and boss in the More...
Shamron is Allon's mentor and boss in the More...
Dec 10, 2011
J
rated it:
Disclaimer - my "reviews" are not truly that. Rather than a critical analysis, each "review" is mostly my quick summary of the plot -- so I can refresh my unreliable memory. Also, I find that once I journal a book, it's easier for me to give it away. That's important, as our house is getting "overgrown" with books.
The Kill Artist:
Israeli intelligence agent Garbriel Allon has a rare cover, which serves as his occupation whenever he's lying fallow: More...
The Kill Artist:
Israeli intelligence agent Garbriel Allon has a rare cover, which serves as his occupation whenever he's lying fallow: More...
Nov 05, 2011
Harmonybites
rated it: 
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
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Oct 24, 2011
Sarah
rated it: 
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
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Jul 28, 2011
Zbegniew
rated it:
As other reviewers have noted, the protagonist is Gabriel who is retired from the Mossad and now restores old art. He is pressed back into service to take out an old nemesis, Tariq. They have each killed relatives of the other so "this time it's personal." Gabriel presses into service a French/Jewish supermodel to go under cover with him. Another reviewer commented on the believability of that development, so I won't dwell on it here. The majority of the story takes place in Paris, alt
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Apr 02, 2011
Jim
rated it: 
I found this narrative to be weak and the characters almost cardboard-like. I developed some empathy for the main character, Gabriel Allon, but in the end I felt he didn't have any real substance. As for the principal female character, Jacqueline Delacroix, etc., she was simply forgettable. I think the main problem with this writer is he doesn't get you inside his working characters (except for a peripheral one named Peel who is a boy in a village in Cornwall who winds up idolizing Allon) so
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Aug 27, 2010
Anna
rated it:
There were some nicely developed characters in this book. The start is as with any spy story or thriller: you have the good guys trying to escape and catch the bad guys. But the characters get more light on the road, and how they have become what they are gets more sense after their personal or family history gets told along the story. And while that happens and the story progresses, it gets less clear who are the good and who are the bad guys actually.
In the beginning I liked the characte More...
In the beginning I liked the characte More...
Jun 08, 2010
Zohar - ManOfLaBook.com
rated it:
"The Kill Artists" tells the story of Gabriel Alon, a former Israeli agent who has retired to a life of an art restorer, his former cover which became his occupation. Alon is called back for duty one last time to stop an old enemy who is on a murderous spree before he leaves this world. The story takes place in Europe, US, Canada and Israel and has many twists and turns where no character is left unharmed.
The book if an easy read, fast and a page turner even though somewhat More...
The book if an easy read, fast and a page turner even though somewhat More...
Nov 28, 2009
The Kill Artist, by Daniel Silva, a-minus, narrated by Jason Culp, abridged edition, produced byBooks on Tape, downloaded from audible.com.
I wanted to read this book for purposes of group discussion, and I could only get it as an abridged form unfortunately. Gabriel Allon is an Israeli who helped to protect against Palestinian terrorists. But when his wife and son were greatly injured in a bomb blast deliberately set by Tariq, a zealot who had a particular reason to hate Allon who More...
I wanted to read this book for purposes of group discussion, and I could only get it as an abridged form unfortunately. Gabriel Allon is an Israeli who helped to protect against Palestinian terrorists. But when his wife and son were greatly injured in a bomb blast deliberately set by Tariq, a zealot who had a particular reason to hate Allon who More...
Oct 28, 2011
Kandice
rated it:
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
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Dec 24, 2011
Amanda
rated it:
You know, I think I've almost never read a book of this type -- mysteries and intrigue are not my genre. But this was a hell of a lot of fun and one I could not put down. Bill Clinton, an avid reader of history, mentioned on a Today segment that Gabriel Allon was his favorite fiction character of all time. So I checked it out. I haven't read a lot of these types of books so I cannot compare them to say if this one is better than most or if I have entered a different time in my life when spy thri
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Apr 27, 2009
Linda
rated it:
My husband suggested this book to me and it is not the typical story I like to read, however, I am passionate about art and I'm Jewish. This book incorporated both in the story...about terrorist activity, the PLO, Israel, and spies. The main character, an assasin, is also an art restorer (that is his "cover" and he is good at it as well). The book is well written and concisely constructed. I'm going to be reading more from Daniel Silva!
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Jun 22, 2011
Mike
rated it:
A solid book and the start of a series I hope to fully enjoy. The Kill Artist revolves around a retired Israeli spy/assassin who is brought out of retirement to finally kill his great nemesis. Not exactly original stuff, but I liked the background and the way many side characters were weaved in and out of the story.
Overall I liked the story and the spycraft involved. I thought there could have been more action, but the book felt more realistic than other similar types of books I More...
Overall I liked the story and the spycraft involved. I thought there could have been more action, but the book felt more realistic than other similar types of books I More...
Sep 24, 2011
michelle
rated it:
My father recommended this series to me. He also mentioned, after I had already started this one, that the characters get better formed in the later books. I might get to them, but since there are something like 120 books on my "to read" list and this book didn't have me longing for more, it might be a while.
The book itself was an interesting story and an interesting twist on the typical mystery - the main character was a member of the Israeli intelligence office of profess More...
The book itself was an interesting story and an interesting twist on the typical mystery - the main character was a member of the Israeli intelligence office of profess More...
Apr 24, 2011
Ed
rated it:
As the first book in the series, this effort does not measure up to later stories. This is understandable because Silva had to cover a lot of ground in order to set the series on its way. The later books in the series keep getting better and better.
Gabriel Allon, the protagonist, is an art restorer, who at one time worked for a secret Israeli intelligence agency. He, in fact, was one of the assassins, Golda Meir dispatched to take revenge for the Munich Olympics massacre of Israeli More...
Gabriel Allon, the protagonist, is an art restorer, who at one time worked for a secret Israeli intelligence agency. He, in fact, was one of the assassins, Golda Meir dispatched to take revenge for the Munich Olympics massacre of Israeli More...
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Jan 12, 2012
Pat
rated it:
I am flip flopping between 3 stars or 4...Four, because it was very good. Three,because my review of the book would be because of personal preferences. Meaning, I am a big squeamish sissy.
I felt as if The Kill Artist was an excellent suspense filled book. Perhaps, only to me, I found by the end of the story, I kept feeling as if I was totally in my own little world. Can these things really be going on? Can I be in my own little world so much that I can't see this sort of espionage and murde More...
I felt as if The Kill Artist was an excellent suspense filled book. Perhaps, only to me, I found by the end of the story, I kept feeling as if I was totally in my own little world. Can these things really be going on? Can I be in my own little world so much that I can't see this sort of espionage and murde More...
Dec 06, 2011
Torey
rated it:
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
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Sep 08, 2011
Filipe Miguel
rated it:
Cometi o "erro" de começar a ler Daniel Silva pelo fim: "Regras de Moscovo" e a sua sequela: "O Desertor".
Só depois resolvi comprar os restantes livros da saga Allon para ler pela ordem correcta.
Em comparação, e tendo lido duas das suas últimas obras e a primeira, considero o "Artista da Morte" bem menos conseguido.
Presumo que a introdução a esta nova personagem - Gabriel Allon -, tenha levado Silva a tentar uma abrangên More...
Só depois resolvi comprar os restantes livros da saga Allon para ler pela ordem correcta.
Em comparação, e tendo lido duas das suas últimas obras e a primeira, considero o "Artista da Morte" bem menos conseguido.
Presumo que a introdução a esta nova personagem - Gabriel Allon -, tenha levado Silva a tentar uma abrangên More...
Aug 22, 2009
Bill
rated it:
It took me a while to get into this book, but once I did I had a hard time putting it down. What attracts me to the main character, Gabriel Allon, is that he is a fine art restorer that works for the Mossad as an assassin. Gabriel does not have to think when he kills, but there is an obvious negative effect on him after each killing. He is very sensitive to those he is working with. Gabriel's wife was badly hurt and his son killed in a car bomb meant for him. In one section Gabriel visits hi
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Aug 02, 2011
“The Kill Artist” is a workmanlike accounting of a reluctant assassin who would rather be an art restorer. Author Daniel Silva makes an effort at developing motivations for the actors in this Palestinian-vs.-Israeli drama, but the characters remain paper-thin and cartoon-like. Repeatedly, cold-blooded killers incredibly decide not to kill key actors. And key actors incredibly survive encounters that would rationally lead to their deaths. The premise of the book is that states may from time t
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Oct 18, 2010
Kathleen
rated it:
I love Daniel Silva and I love Gabriel but I realized I had never read the very first book in this series so I was eager to read this and was not disappointed. Silva's writing is so clean and crisp and his plots are so tight you feel like you are on a thrill ride with no relief. The thing about his characters is that they are so palpable, so real, you feel like you could know them if you are the sort of person who hangs out with spies and assassins. Gabriel Allon, like other great assassins in l
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Apr 19, 2009
Andrew
rated it:
I came to this book after reading the later story Moscow Rules, which may have been a mistake because the later story is much more gripping than the first. On the other hand, had I read this one first, I might not have found it compelling enough to get me to read on in the series. Silva's first Gabriel Allon book is enjoyable, but it is not a gripping page-turner. Some have compared Silva to John LeCarre. I think that's overstating the case. Silva is, at this point at least, a good, entertaining
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Oct 11, 2011
Lucy
rated it:
I discovered Israeli spy and assassin, Gabriel Allon, in The Rembrandt Affair, which is actually book ten of this series. Being impressed with both the writing, plausibility of the plot and depth of character development for a "thriller" I decided to start at the beginning. Interestingly, I found The Kill Artist to be a bit more shadowy in its plot revelations and development, almost as if the author wasn't sure which direction he was going to go with his protagonist or if, in fact,
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Aug 29, 2011
Marcus
rated it:
Can't say that I'm as impressed with this first book in the series, but it's definitely much better than 'Unlikely Spy', the first book by Silva that I've read. Anyway... in 'The Kill Artist' we are introduced to Gabriell Allon, an assasin questioning his deeds and his employers. Nevertheless, he accepts this 'one last job' and we are off on yet another, rather slowpaced terrorist hunt with predictable ending. In itself this book is not remarkable in any way, even though it managed to keep my i
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Jul 10, 2011
Shanna
rated it:
Cold-hearted spy? Check. Femme fatale? Check. Wiretaps? Check. Double-cross? Check. Original idea? Negative. Not even one. I read this book for my book club, and I wanted to like it just like the other girls did. Unfortunately, I couldn't find anything to write home about. The story is so trite that I'm actually surprised it was published. There was no originality, little suspense, and such weak character development that I didn't really care if something happened to the protagonis
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Aug 21, 2010
Pete
rated it:
I don't know if anyone else has this experience, but sometimes, when I am reading a book, I get the feeling that I've read it before. I had this feeling from the very beginning of the book -- art restorer who is an assassin for the Israelis -- you would think I would remember it clearly. I finished the book with the same feeling. This is the first book in a series about the same character, so I am guessing that I read a later one in some airport somewhere.
It will be no surprise th More...
It will be no surprise th More...
