Retribution

[Lynda]

I always have a concern that Gabriel Allon's drive is to seek retribution for an injury to Israel. The situation in the Middle East will go on until the end of the world, no matter what envoy is sent by the US to try settle the controversy! As long as each side must make someone pay for past evils, the evils will be perpetuated! The novels present this as a logical response to what your enemy has done. It is very sad to realize that a thinking man cannot recognize the folly of "an eye for an eye" policy that has resulted in the death of so many human beings!

[Kelly]

I ruined the book from the very beginning when I realized that Gabriel Allon had to be nearly 70 years old based on the timeline in the novel. From that point on all I could feature was an old coot who cannot reconcile himself to retirement.

[Mickey]

I really like Silva's books. I like the mix of art restoration, world travel and m-u-r-d-e-r. Who on earth will they get to play Allon in a movie?

[James]

In my opinion Silva is the best writer of spy thrillers today. He manages to be faithful to the genre begun by John Buchan, yet makes it interesting to contemporary readers.

[Kelly]

I'm not saying the story was bad, I'm just saying that Gabriel should be retired by now. It's time for a newer, younger hero to take the reins. It is a long stretch of the imagination to take a man who is in his late 60's or early 70's to be a superspy, master sleuth, assassin extraordinaire.

[James]

A major reason there will never be peace in the Middle East is that a basic tenant of Islam is that any land once occupied by Muslims can never be relinquished. That is why Spain, which was occupied by Muslims for many years, suffers so many terror attacks. Because of that, the Palestinians will never honor an agreement that cedes any land to Israel on a permanent basis, and Gabriel Allon is well aware of this.