Prince of Fire (Silva, Daniel) (ISBN 1596000252)

Another Engrossing Silva Read:
Silva can always be counted on to deliver a taut, fast-moving yet nuanced thriller and this is no exception. Hero Gabriel Allon sets out, somewhat reluctantly, to to avenge a massive, ugly bombing in Rome and in so doing, is forced to consider why he does what he does. In this book, as in his other Allon books, Silva ties the plot into the historic troubles between Israel and the Palestinians and ably reflects the complexities that motivate both sides. Allon is a believeable hero, now aging. Will Silva let him fade into the sunset? Doubtful, although Silva is quite capable of penning compelling novels that don't rely on this worthy hero. All in all, a good thriller. Your time won't be wasted on this one.

Silva is 5-star:
Don't know how I missed this author before, but plots are complex and I'm involved in the book from first to last page. He is tops and I look forward to reading all his other books.

Good of its kind:
A gripping tale with a likable hero, I recommend this book for travelers, insomniacs and vacationers. Daniel Silva has mastered the thriller style, knows how to keep his reader turning the pages, guessing and fearing and hoping.

Explosive Artistic Ability!! Silva's Best Allon to Date:
When you read a review saying that Daniel Silva can flat out write, believe the hype! Silva can really write, and "Prince of Fire" proves just that. Another reviewer said that he didn't think Silva would raise the bar with this one, and that he was wrong. That's accurate enough, because I felt the same way. If somebody were to tell me that Daniel Silva isn't up to snuff, I'd be laughing for a long time at you. So, what kind of situation can Daniel Silva put Gabriel Allon into this time? Well, look no further then the likes of Ari Shamron and Lev. Lev says move, and Gabriel calls some critical shots in this lethal game of chess! And when check-mate seems so far away, you better check your king and queen, because Gabriel will find the move that you don't see coming. This is a whole new hunt, and the question is, who's being hunted? He also deals with issues concerning his wife, and coming to terms with it altogether. In some ways, he becomes more of a leader among men then he thought possible. And the stakes just get higher. If you ever thought of "Daniel and the Lion's Den," just think of the possibilities. This is by far the best that Silva has offered up concerning Gabriel Allon! I mean, WOW!! And I still have "The Messenger," as well as a couple of others to go in this series. Does that mean I'll be looking forward to his next offering? You bet! This was an explosion of Daniel Silva's very best, and it'll sure be a tough one to beat!

A Silva Masterpiece:
Despite reading them out of order, I have thoroughly enjoyed Silva's entire Gabriel Allon series. This and "The Messenger" are the best. "The Messenger" was a fabulous page turner with a timely message about Saudi financed terrorism. "Prince of Fire" is just as good, but in a different way. It is a bit more cerebral. It has plenty of action, but it also gives the reader a closer look at Allon and, particularly, details of the Black September revenge assassinations that got him started on his career with The Office. I do not recall having seen those details in the previous Allon novels. Another highlight of this book is its historical perspective on the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. I have not seen this history provided in this depth since many years ago in Leon Uris' "Exodus." Although provided in a fiction format, the history appears good, and, despite being told from the Israeli view, it seemed to provide a fair hearing to the Palestinian viewpoint as well. If you have not read anything in the Allon series, this is a great place to start. Then move on to "The Messenger." Both are masterpieces.