The Rembrandt Affair

Gabriel Allon, Book 10

By: Daniel Silva

Narrated by: Phil Gigante

Length: 11 hrs and 27 mins

Publisher's summary

Determined to sever his ties with the Office, Gabriel Allon has retreated to the windswept cliffs of Cornwall with his beautiful Venetian-born wife, Chiara. But once again his seclusion is interrupted by a visitor from his tangled past: the endearingly eccentric London art dealer Julian Isherwood. As usual, Isherwood has a problem. And it is one only Gabriel can solve.

In the ancient English city of Glastonbury, an art restorer has been brutally murdered and a long-lost portrait by Rembrandt mysteriously stolen. Despite his reluctance, Gabriel is persuaded to use his unique skills to search for the painting and those responsible for the crime. But as he painstakingly follows a trail of clues leading from Amsterdam to Buenos Aires and, finally, to a villa on the graceful shores of Lake Geneva, Gabriel discovers there are deadly secrets connected to the painting. And evil men behind them.

Before he is done, Gabriel will once again be drawn into a world he thought he had left behind forever, and will come face-to-face with a remarkable cast of characters: a glamorous London journalist who is determined to undo the worst mistake of her career, an elusive master art thief who is burdened by a conscience, and a powerful Swiss billionaire who is known for his good deeds but may just be behind one of the greatest threats facing the world.

Filled with remarkable twists and turns of plot, and told with seductive prose, The Rembrandt Affair is more than just summer entertainment of the highest order. It is a timely reminder that there are men in the world who will do anything for money.

©2010 Daniel Silva (P)2010 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Good but not great. Really did not like the reade

This was a fast and interesting read. He was a bit heavy handed filling us in on the history of art theft from the European Jews and some of the horrors they endured. All true...and a story that can't be told enough. But it was just a little heavy handed.. Could have been done with slightly more finesse. Those are minor quibbles. My big quibble was with Phil Gigante. He is just not suited to this or any other Silva book. His accents are inconsistant withing the same person in different parts of the book. His Englishman was a caricature. His Israeli accents weren't even close. It isn't that this is essential.. but given that Silva's readership includes many people who would recognize an Israeli accent, it is very annoying. Some of the accents are what you might expect from someone imagining what an Israeli accent might be... namely a yiddishy Eastern European accent....very far from the Israeli type accent. The main problem is that the main character's accent wasn't close to Israeli...and wasn't distinctive at all. It was just watered down something... something I couldn't figure out... and not being distinctive in any way, it limited my ability to think of the character in any distinctive way. His woman voices are mostly pitiful. It was painful to listen to the main character's wife. The only ones he did well were the old Eastern European women....I think that is the only "Jewish" accent he knows. This has really pulled down the last 2 Silva books. I am sure Gigante would do fine with other books but he shouldn't read Silva's

Brilliant Narration - Captivating Story

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Definitely! A great story with memorable characters and great narration.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Gabriel Allon and Zoey Reed. Both understated and make you want to know more about them.

Which character – as performed by Phil Gigante – was your favorite?

All of them - Phil's a master. I just enjoyed his 'voices' so much!

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The description of the Hershfield family betrayal.

Any additional comments?

Highly recommend. Slow first chapter and then hang on for the ride!

Hate the whiney voice used for women

Would you try another book from Daniel Silva and/or Phil Gigante?

It started in the previous book in the series and now I just cringe when even Alon's wife comes into the story . It kills the mood every time .agh!!' No more from this narrator.

What didn’t you like about Phil Gigante’s performance?

Everyone sounds tired or whiney.

Was The Rembrandt Affair worth the listening time?

W the fast forward option, yes .

Total Entertainment

Would you consider the audio edition of The Rembrandt Affair to be better than the print version?

The author continues to amaze me with his ability to weave a story. I absolutely cannot get enough of Gabriel Alon. Each story in this series is as good as the next. Highly recommend this book.

Another great escape

I enjoyed 'The Rembrandt Affair' much more than 'the Defector'. Glad I didn't give up on the series as the last book was my least favorite thus far. I'm not big into spy thrillers but was taken with Gabriel Allon's story with the release of 'The English Girl' ( my absolute favorite in the series). I was pleased to discover that there were many more novels to be explored and I've nearly caught up.

another good book

j love allon his mix of bad ass vs restorer what a good cover for a spy as always the characters are very interesting and well thought out , look foward to the next one

great storyline

they just keep getting better and better. Daniel silva has developed the human side of Gabriel Al long to be a reluctant hero motivated by decency and love of his people.

Silva delivers again

Where does The Rembrandt Affair rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This is my 4th Silva book and again the author has kept me interested from 1st to last. I listened to this during my 90 minute commute. I found myself looking forward to getting in the car just to listen to a bit more of the book. Well done.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Rembrandt Affair?

too many to state

What does Phil Gigante bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

The voices were done well. However his Hebrew accent was more like old Russian or Upper west side.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The scene in Ms. Hertzfeld's presence.

Engaging Read

Daniel Silva didn't disappoint as this story weaved its way through the storied history of the Holocaust to the affairs between Israel and Iran then back again. It flowed easy and the main character, Gabriel, served as both an easy to love protagonist and narrator of the past. I was on the edge of my seat when it could have been so easy for Silva to kill off a decent character, the Russian Mikael, but spared him to likely make an appearance in a later installment. The narrator's intonation the female voices was like listening to a drag queen but otherwise took on the smooth, debonair attitude of Gabriel with expected accuracy. Very enjoyable to those seeking a decent historical fiction.

Still enjoyable but a tad formulaic

I've read all the Gabriel Alon novels and have enjoyed then thoroughly but this one just seemed a bit too formulaic thus predictable. I continue to be intrigued by the character so I look forward to more Gabriel Alon stories.