"A master writer of espionage...[Silva's] writing is crisp, compelling and clean." - Cincinnati Enquirer
According to his website profile, this book is the book that changes the course of Daniel Silva's writing career even though his very first novel, The Unlikely Spy, went on to become an international bestseller. This book is also the first in the Gabriel Allon series.
As you may have recalled, I came across Moscow Rules (review: 2 May 2010) in the library and enjoyed it so much I thought I would start the series right from the beginning. True to its word, Silva's works have not disappoint thus far.
In a nutshell, the story of The Kill Artist is about a spy who deceives a terrorist but who in turn is deceived by the very organisation whom he works for. It is an elaborate deception indeed.
Description (taken from Silva's website):
Once a key operative in secret Israeli-intelligence missions, Gabriel Allon is on the run from his past, assuming a quiet life as a meticulous restorer of priceless works of art. But now he is being called back into the game. The agent with whom he is teamed hides behind her own beautiful mask-as a French fashion model. Their target: a cunning terrorist on one last killing spree, a Palestinian zealot named Tariq who played a dark part in Gabriel's past. What begins as a manhunt turns into a globe-spanning duel fueled by political intrigue and deep personal passions. In a world where secrecy and duplicity are absolute, revenge is a luxury no man can afford-and the greatest masterpiece of all.
Silva writes smoothly and simply and yet, is able to put across intricate and conflicting schemes, credible characters and elaborate and non-stop plots in the most believable fashion. He brings the story to life beginning with a quiet exile in a rural village in a little corner of England and ending on an evocative climax at the end of an apartment corridor in New York City.
Yet again, Silva likens the craft of espionage to the craft of art restoration by interfacing one on to the other with a methodology: strip the varnish, dissolve the paint until the underdrawing is laid bare, then begin building it back up layer by layer in tone and texture until the painting is once again restored.
I especially love Silva's imaginative descriptions of the people and places involved in the story which can be hilarious at times and perhaps true to form. As with Moscow Rules, some parts can be predictable but I have been converted once again.
Any book with an interesting fiction and fact combination is a winner for me. Don't miss it!
Rating: 4/5 (Hooked)
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