Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.98 AVERAGE
3.98 AVERAGE
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
not the best of the series so far
I’m still enjoying this series and the intricacies of the plotting. I needed a quick read and these always work while also being well-researched about the politics of the countries where they take place.
This is a spy thriller, and not my cup of tea. I would have given two stars, but for the genre not being my favorite.
It began with several cold murders. I was not drawn into the story; I didn’t care about the characters. I put the book down after about a hundred pages.
It began with several cold murders. I was not drawn into the story; I didn’t care about the characters. I put the book down after about a hundred pages.
An Israeli spy returns from his honeymoon to fight Russian arms dealers.
This wasn't badly written or anything--in fact the writing was good enough to take it from a "meh" three to a "well-written" four--but the book never spoke to me. I feel like the book was predictable from the beginning, the characters were kind of three-quarters there, and the point of view of the author was different enough than mine that I was never going to love this book.
What I want from a story is to feel the weight of how the characters feel and think, and have that affect the plot. How the characters felt about anything wasn't important--although it wasn't hidden--and that was almost the point. "I don't like it and I have misgivings, but let's do this anyway." You kind of only want a moment like that to come once in a book, not to be a constant emotional tone.
But: that's asking too much of this book, which was never meant to have all the feels, but to be a convincing spy story set after the Cold War era. It's exciting, and it's a page turner, and the plot is complex and believable, and the ending brings it all home. It's not a poorly written book at all--but because I'm not that kind of person, I was left wanting to have read a Le Carre, with all his mopey, insecure characters, full of their petty dramas, instead.
Recommended for: People who want an actual spy thriller without all the emotional drama.
This wasn't badly written or anything--in fact the writing was good enough to take it from a "meh" three to a "well-written" four--but the book never spoke to me. I feel like the book was predictable from the beginning, the characters were kind of three-quarters there, and the point of view of the author was different enough than mine that I was never going to love this book.
What I want from a story is to feel the weight of how the characters feel and think, and have that affect the plot. How the characters felt about anything wasn't important--although it wasn't hidden--and that was almost the point. "I don't like it and I have misgivings, but let's do this anyway." You kind of only want a moment like that to come once in a book, not to be a constant emotional tone.
But: that's asking too much of this book, which was never meant to have all the feels, but to be a convincing spy story set after the Cold War era. It's exciting, and it's a page turner, and the plot is complex and believable, and the ending brings it all home. It's not a poorly written book at all--but because I'm not that kind of person, I was left wanting to have read a Le Carre, with all his mopey, insecure characters, full of their petty dramas, instead.
Recommended for: People who want an actual spy thriller without all the emotional drama.
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Gabriel Allon spends some times in Moscow.
“Moscow Rules” is the eighth book in the Gabriel Allon series. But this time the main antagonist isn’t an Arab terrorist or a Nazi sympathizer; instead, Gabriel must contend with a Russian arms dealer. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the arms dealer is selling weapons (indirectly) to Arab terrorists; but still, the story’s focus is on Russia and Russians. And it’s clear that Moscow is a dangerous place for spies to operate.
The book’s characters, both the “good guys” and the “bad guys”, are well-drawn and interesting – and through their conversations with each other, exhibit their individual touches of humanity and/or cruelty. Indeed, it’s the characters, in addition to the descriptions of the locations where they are operating, that give these books both a sense of realism and a sense of the exotic. It’s a winnng combination.
As with some other Gabriel Allon stories, Gabriel is impossibly noble and so once again eventually puts himself selflessly in harm’s way (and once again allows his adversaries to beat the crap out of him). But this time, escape seems impossible. That made for a very exciting final set of pages (until the near miraculous ending, which may have you thinking “give me a break”).
Bottom line: Another high-quality Gabriel Allon story. An entertaining story, though with an ending that comes out of left field.
“Moscow Rules” is the eighth book in the Gabriel Allon series. But this time the main antagonist isn’t an Arab terrorist or a Nazi sympathizer; instead, Gabriel must contend with a Russian arms dealer. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the arms dealer is selling weapons (indirectly) to Arab terrorists; but still, the story’s focus is on Russia and Russians. And it’s clear that Moscow is a dangerous place for spies to operate.
The book’s characters, both the “good guys” and the “bad guys”, are well-drawn and interesting – and through their conversations with each other, exhibit their individual touches of humanity and/or cruelty. Indeed, it’s the characters, in addition to the descriptions of the locations where they are operating, that give these books both a sense of realism and a sense of the exotic. It’s a winnng combination.
As with some other Gabriel Allon stories, Gabriel is impossibly noble and so once again eventually puts himself selflessly in harm’s way (and once again allows his adversaries to beat the crap out of him). But this time, escape seems impossible. That made for a very exciting final set of pages (until the near miraculous ending, which may have you thinking “give me a break”).
Bottom line: Another high-quality Gabriel Allon story. An entertaining story, though with an ending that comes out of left field.
It's a particularly apt time to be reading Daniel Silva's espionage thriller MOSCOW RULES, given the recent re-release of Eric Ambler's early espionage works from just before the start of the second world war. Particularly apt as the Moscow Rules of the title, is a hat tip to John le Carre's classic novel Smiley's People - Le Carre having acknowledged Ambler as one of the influential pioneers of the genre.
MOSCOW RULES follows, therefore, a significant body of espionage thriller books. The central protagonist Gabriel Allon follows in the footprints of some incredibly strong characters, although as a part-time art restorer, part-time spy Allon is a slightly different take on the norm. In MOSCOW RULES Allon and his new wife are attempting to have a honeymoon when he's summoned back to meet with a Russian journalist who will only talk to him. The violent death of that journalist takes Allon into new Russia - awash with new money and old enemies. Allon must stop a plot to deliver Russia's most sophisticated weapon to al-Qaeda before it's too late.
I'm not adverse to a bit of good old fashioned espionage, spying, cloak and dagger doings as might be guessed from my overall reading habits. Unfortunately, not having read any of the other books in this series definitely put this reader at a bit of a disadvantage. Sorting out who Allon was; how he fits in with what seems to be an ongoing cast of characters; where the art restoring fitted; and other elements of his back story required a fair amount of effort, and as such I was frequently having to go back and remind myself of plot points and elements of the overall story, which made reading this book a little more time consuming than it would have been had I started somewhere earlier in the series.
Overall I did find that I was engaged by the storytelling, and I did like what I could glean about Allon. Perhaps reading earlier books would have helped as the plot here is very dense with lots of things going on, and sorting out the personalities and the who's who at the same time was very distracting. If you've read earlier books in the series I suspect that MOSCOW RULES will be another favourite for you. Perhaps, if like me you've not had the pleasure before, it might work better if you start a little earlier in the series, as I now intend to do.
The Gabriel Allon series is made up of the following books:
The Kill Artist
The English Assassin
The Confessor
A Death in Venice
Prince of Fire
The Messenger
The Secret Servant
Moscow Rules
The Defector (July 2009)
MOSCOW RULES follows, therefore, a significant body of espionage thriller books. The central protagonist Gabriel Allon follows in the footprints of some incredibly strong characters, although as a part-time art restorer, part-time spy Allon is a slightly different take on the norm. In MOSCOW RULES Allon and his new wife are attempting to have a honeymoon when he's summoned back to meet with a Russian journalist who will only talk to him. The violent death of that journalist takes Allon into new Russia - awash with new money and old enemies. Allon must stop a plot to deliver Russia's most sophisticated weapon to al-Qaeda before it's too late.
I'm not adverse to a bit of good old fashioned espionage, spying, cloak and dagger doings as might be guessed from my overall reading habits. Unfortunately, not having read any of the other books in this series definitely put this reader at a bit of a disadvantage. Sorting out who Allon was; how he fits in with what seems to be an ongoing cast of characters; where the art restoring fitted; and other elements of his back story required a fair amount of effort, and as such I was frequently having to go back and remind myself of plot points and elements of the overall story, which made reading this book a little more time consuming than it would have been had I started somewhere earlier in the series.
Overall I did find that I was engaged by the storytelling, and I did like what I could glean about Allon. Perhaps reading earlier books would have helped as the plot here is very dense with lots of things going on, and sorting out the personalities and the who's who at the same time was very distracting. If you've read earlier books in the series I suspect that MOSCOW RULES will be another favourite for you. Perhaps, if like me you've not had the pleasure before, it might work better if you start a little earlier in the series, as I now intend to do.
The Gabriel Allon series is made up of the following books:
The Kill Artist
The English Assassin
The Confessor
A Death in Venice
Prince of Fire
The Messenger
The Secret Servant
Moscow Rules
The Defector (July 2009)
My first Daniel Silva/Gabriel Allon but it won't be my last. Really enjoyed it!
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Really enjoyed reading this book. I like how as much as Gabriel Allon is the main character he needs to rely on someone else to complete his job and there was no guarantee that it would be done. This book would make a good movie. Having said that I'm sure there will be a next part as the story doesn't necessarily end and the bad guy is not dead yet.
A good read.
A good read.