Posted on 07/23/2020 2:12:49 PM PDT by Dr. Scarpetta
We interrupt our regularly scheduled reviews to warn readers who have absorbed my annual praise for Daniel Silva’s usually exquisite novels. Like clockwork a new book featuring Israeli spy hero Gabriel Allon has appeared each July. But I feel painfully obligated to say this: Despite Bob Woodward’s “Can’t put it down” recommendation, you should save your money and not pick up Silva’s latest, The Order (Harper, published on July 14).
(Excerpt) Read more at world.wng.org ...
I have also read all his books. I came across them because they were recommended as “good spy thrillers for conservatives”. I, too will pass on this one.
I just finished it this week. I have read all the Gabriel Allon books and enjoyed them very much. But this one, with right -wing neo-Nazi parties rising in Italy, Germany, and France..... I mean, if only. Silva attributes the anti-Semitism rampant in Europe to these new Nazis, when nine times out of ten it’s Muslims committing the acts. I think he just dashed this one off to get a book out (maybe he’a out of ideas and the Gabriel character has run its course).
Yes, I was disappointed by that, too.
It’s also boring.
With libraries closed, Silva might do well in sales. I belonged to 3 Daniel Silva FB pages. There were no unfavorable comments about the book.
If you look on Amazon’s page for The Order, there were plenty of people who did not like the book.
His previous book “The New Girl’ was filled with negative references to President Trump and his vision of the Middle east. The book is also filled with criticism of Russia/Putin and they interfered with US elections.
In his thank you notes, Silva also said he used Bob Woodward as a reference to help understand the US “’entanglement” in the ME. He then said the Washington Post had some of the finest and most honest writers in this country.
I put the book down and decided I will not read another one.
The Order sounds like more of the same.
Au revoir Gabriel Allon.
I wonder if he got taken to the woodshed.
Grrrr, now you tell me!! It just arrived two days ago.
The Order is even worse. Right wingers are responsible for murdering the pope.
Sorry! I’ve been trying for a week to find a negative review & I finally found this today.
Very likely. I was always a bit suspicious of Silva because he is married to a CNN reporter. In previous books, he seemed to be critical of the Obama administration and Great Britain for their refusal to admit that Islam is the source for most terrorism. Now that he is turning to neo-nazis as villains he seems to have gotten the message.
Oh, well, the books were running out of steam anyway. My favorite of his books was The Unlikely Sly, which was set during WW2. Several of his plot twists were done better in that book. His two CIA books were pretty terrible.
Too bad Vince Flynn died so young.
We listened to an unlikely spy on audio book, it was very good. We also listened to several of the Gabriel Allon books and enjoyed them too. But after a while it started to get on my nerves, iirc in several he has “ultra conservative “ Catholics as the villian.
He wouldn’t have the nerve to make a Muslim the bad guy.
The wife and I have read everyone of his books...the wife is currently reading The Order and says it starts very slowly.
ITA about Vince Flynn. I was disappointed by the order myself.
Very likely. I was always a bit suspicious of Silva because he is married to a CNN reporter. In previous books, he seemed to be critical of the Obama administration and Great Britain for their refusal to admit that Islam is the source for most terrorism. Now that he is turning to neo-nazis as villains he seems to have gotten the message.
It was a matter of time, I guess.
Let me know what you think.
Actually, in most of the Gabriel Allon books, muslims are the bad guys. In a few, it is Russian oligarchs and IRA types in one or two and surviving Nazis in a couple. The books have usually been about Israel's enemies, which tend to be muslims. Sounds like Silva has jumped the shark with this one.
Well, I’m willing to concede the point. I don’t remember the stories all that well. But they really are good stories, the supporting cast is great.
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