The Heist

By: Daniel Silva

Narrated by: George Guidall

Length: 12 hrs and 7 mins

Publisher's summary

Gabriel Allon, art restorer and occasional spy, searches for a stolen masterpiece by Caravaggio in number-one New York Times best-selling author Daniel Silva’s latest action-packed tale of high-stakes international intrigue.

Sometimes the best way to find a stolen masterpiece is to steal another one....

Master novelist Daniel Silva has thrilled listeners with 16 thoughtful and gripping spy novels featuring a diverse cast of compelling characters and ingenious plots that have taken them around the globe and back - from the United States to Europe, Russia to the Middle East. His brilliant creation, Gabriel Allon - art restorer, assassin, spy - has joined the pantheon of great fictional secret agents, including George Smiley, Jack Ryan, Jason Bourne, and Simon Templar.

Following the success of his smash hit The English Girl, Daniel Silva returns with another powerhouse of a novel that showcases his outstanding skill and brilliant imagination, and is sure to be a must-listen for both his multitudes of fans and growing legions of converts.

©2014 Daniel Silva (P)2014 HarperCollins Publishers

Good Story Larded with Verbatim Repetition

What made the experience of listening to The Heist the most enjoyable?

I enjoy George Guidall every time. He is easy to listen to. It is a good story that does not insult the listener by being overly predictable or tidy.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

I have read or listened to every Gabriel Allon novel but it only became really apparent to me when listening to the audio books (at least the two most recent) just how much filler Silva lards them up with. He must have his computer filled with dozens of paragraphs that he reuses verbatim. These paragraphs are descriptions of characters, events, and places from previous books or times in Allon's life that I suppose he would argue are useful to a new reader as backstory. However, it seems that the least he could do is change the wording even slightly.

It is insulting to loyal readers when an author abuses his success in this way. Perhaps I am just envious that he can get away with it! The book seems half done before he writes an original word. A comparison of The English Girl and The Heist shows this laziness at it's worst. So here is the formula..... come up with an interesting plot line (grade A) , insert multiple paragraphs from previous books, add a few new paragraphs, sort appropriately, send to publisher, cash check. Overall grade... C minus, mostly for laziness and insulting loyal readers.

Typical Silva

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

Judged by itself, it's a very entertaining book. Lots of twists and turns and engaging plot.

If you’ve listened to books by Daniel Silva before, how does this one compare?

Unfortunately, once the scene is set, this book is completely predictable when comparing it to other Gabriel Allon books. After The English Girl which was much more original, this book was a bit of a disappointment.

Did the narration match the pace of the story?

Yes. George Guidall did his usual wonderful job.

Do you think The Heist needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

A followup would be great but need something more original for the next book.

Guidall does

Gabriel way better than anyone. I have enjoyed everyone of the books in this series - but Mr. Guidall really nails this character and those around him.

Not enough suspense

The story was great and interesting technically but not enough twists, turns, suspense and surprise.

Another hit if you enjoyed the previous books

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

The Heist ranks fairly high among the audiobooks I have listened to so far. Good plot and interesting characters

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Heist?

I don't want to provide any spoilers but the negotiations was very brief but surprising

What about George Guidall’s performance did you like?

I would listen to George read the tax code or phone book and still enjoy him

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I was very surprised at the negotiations. I thought the book would take a much different twist

Ending was out of character

OK. Since I was troubled / puzzled by the ending, I should warn that my review might give too much away.

So, let me get this straight. Eight billion or so dollars were cleverly drained away from the evil Syrian regime (the heist!), potentially weakening its power to kill and torture its citizens. Great!

But, in order to save the book's appealing heroine from her hostage state, Allon negotiates her release, lets one of the evil doers slip back into his role, and releases the fortune back to the regime. In short....Allon negotiates with terrorists to save one life and, quite possibly, seals the miserable fate of thousands for years to come. Oh....but.....happy ending....he finds a lost painting.

I have either read or listened to every Daniel Silva book, and I'll probably continue to do so. But this one seemed strangely out of character.

Finally, George Guidall is an excellent reader.

Great summary

This book allows you to pick up in the story without reading the previous books. Great for a cross country trip.

Best Spy Book Ever

Written by my favorite author, this book combines espionage with art history, world history, and great thriller writing. Best author ever.Best series ever.

A great book!

Intrigue, mystery, conspiracy, unexpected turns, this is a master thriller worth hearing. The performance was outstanding!

a bitter sweet story

This is one of the best in the series. As always it is a bitter sweet story. Lots of tension & suspense.