The Kill Artist

I know most people who love Vince Flynn/Alex Berenson books love Daniel Silva. I've read and listened to a few and while I do appreciate the realism in his books I also am a bit turned off by the darkness that tends to be in them. Also a lot of sex scenes tend to be described in his books. I leave 4 stars as I did mostly enjoy the book and I love George Guidall. 4 stars because I think he is a very talented writer but he's just not for me.

I can't quite put my finger on the problem. I expected to become fully engaged by the story and enthralled by the narration, but it just didn't happen.

The story should have elicited some excitement, suspense, tension, but it just seem to drone on. George Guidall is one of the best readers in the business but perhaps his voice is now too soft to narrate a thriller or perhaps even the great Guidall couldn't instill life into this story. Either way, this listen was a bit of a disappointment.

This is the second Daniel Silva I've downloaded - I also listened to Death in Vienna - and it was the author's second chance because I do love spy/thrillers. Still, there are better books out there and better ways to spend a credit. Keep looking. Don't settle for merely OK.

I like and have read most of the Gabriel Allon novels, and returned to this one just because it's been awhile.

It is a little on the dark side, but all in all a good book. Allon is a little too "super duper" but I'll take that to the modern anti-hero so popular in other such novels.

I listened to a newer work by Silva and loved it. So I went back to the beginning and was horribly disappointed.

Sliva uses constant profanity to try and demonstrate the tough grittiness of his characters. Simply showing us who they are would be much more effective. The constant use of "F***" as well as the excessive sexuality distract from and weaken the story line to the point that I finally quit listening half way through.

George Guidall gives a fine performance and is easy to listen to. He is one of the better readers I have heard. His voicing for various characters is appropriate, consistent and well done. Silva's story lines move rapidly from character to character and Guidall's voicing of various characters makes the action easier to follow.

I am glad that I listened to a more recent Silva novel first. Silva has learned how to richly develop a hard, gritty character without resorting to trite use of profanity and obscenity. Unfortunately he didn't learn this early enough in life to save this book.

Ever have a friend start telling you a story and say "hey, let me give you a little background" ... and 30 minutes later they're still going in circles giving you background that really has nothing to do with nothing? If so, you can relate with my reaction to this book. At any number of points, I wanted to scream "JUST GET TO THE POINT!"

I'm a pretty sophisticated reader, but this book is painful. The author will spend ten minutes discussing every little detail in scenes that are effectively 20 or 30 seconds of action. I expect this in the first half of any book as the plot is being setup ... but I swear that this author (at least in this book) actually gets MORE detailed as the book unfolds. The plot is great ... the characters are interesting ... the author clearly has talent ... but I'm just not spending any more credits on this author/series.

The Daniel Silva series was recommended to me by a good friend and I guess I expected more. Maybe it was the narrator - not one of my favorites although I realize he has been doing this a long time and has many avid followers. Most everything I've listened to narrated by him falls a bit flat. I really don't like the way he does women at all. Makes them all sound weak and pouty, no matter who the author is.
The plot of the book felt forced in some places, like the author had to figure out how to write himself out of a hole and did it the most expedient way. And perhaps I just don't love this genre enough, although there are some writers in this genre I enjoy very much. Yet, I will listen to the others in this series that I already purchased, because, well I own them now and maybe they will grow on me, or not.

Gabriel is awesome!

The sense of loyalty and the need to see something to the end no matter the cost.

Absolutely fabulous! Can't imagine listening without him reading.

Keep it coming!

I give this book 4 out of 5 on the steaming pile of drek scale. It doesn't get 5 out of 5 because there is a very small chance that this author could have written something worse.
I have read most of Ludlum and always enjoyed his work. When I want action spy, Vince Flynn does the trick and I have recently discovered Robert Littell and his intricately written spy master books on the CIA and such. I was looking for someone else and landed here and this is the first(and probably only) book I will read/listen to from this author.

I won't give away the plot, but having a supermodel go to the spa(I jest here) to get her in shape to go undercover and be an assassin for the Mossad and think that this is a good plan is a Saturday Night Live skit. Ridiculous unless the enemy is called Band of Tards. But even BOT might read Vogue in the bathroom or at least look at the pictures. The big reveal at the end of the book destroys the entire premise of the book since it becomes obvious that the lead character was never actually needed in the first place. The problem could have been solved in one page and the book would have been much better. My ears bled this was so bad and unbelievable. Any recommendations on other thriller or spy authors?

This book didn't keep my attention at all. I like to listen to books while driving back and forth to work, doing chores, painting, etc. With most books I find myself stopping and listening to the book rather than doing what I really intended to do.

This book was just background talk that never caught my attention enough to even learn who the characters are. The first half was too boring. I'm hoping the second half is better.

To help you understand what type of books I've liked: I've listened to the entire Mitch Rap series by Vince Flynn, half of a series by Brad Thor, Dominion by C. S. Friedman, The Reapers by John Connolly, The Gray Man series by Mark Greaney, some by Andrew Peterson, a few by Tom Clancy, The Company by Robert Littell, and my all time favorite The Way of Shadows by Brent Weeks.

All of those kept my attention and were better than The Kill Artist.

Put more action into it and have a better story line. He spends more time describing things that do not matter to the story than he does building a great story.

First, George Guidall is one of my favorite readers.
Second, Daniel Silva has created a believable character, believable dialogue, and relatively believable adventures. I mean, they are spy stories, they aren't supposed to be totally believable.
Third, Daniel Silva presents a small bit of information about classical painters, their styles, and their histories. One book features a painting by Mary Cassatt. Of course that painting is a figment of Silva's imagination. But, as described, it could be a Cassatt.
Lastly, Gabriel is a wonderful character. He is not a young man, he has years of experience. He has a history that reflects in everything he does. I want to know this man, and his friends. I want to spend time with them.

Because I listen at work, while I do my graphic illustrations (not creative), one book takes about a day to listen to. I can't wait to get to the next one. I have listened to all the Silva books available on Audible, and am eagerly awaiting more.