The Confessor

Rating:
Summary: Strong plotting, poor backgorund research
Review: By the way he writes, Mr Silva is following the footsteps of acclaimed international top notch thriller writers like (i.e) Federick Forsyth.

The Confessor exhibits a polished prose, good plotting, satisfactory outline of characters, and employment of resources to grab the reader attention

The core of this story is the willingness of the new elected Pope Paul the VII to release secluded key information and documents to prove the Church silence and Vatican-Nazi links during the Holocaust of the Jews at the time of the Second World War.

The new Pope also wants to follow a policy intended to foster better relationship with the Jews and the first step of his project is to go and visit the Great Synagogue of Rome on the other side of the city, however his efforts will be confronted by the conspiracy of an influential inside Catholic sect called "Crux Vera" adamant to maintain the status quo so as not to undermine the world political power of the Church, the reader is then presented with two antagonist factions from beginning to end

To carry out his idea, Silva resorts to alluring elements typical of this type of novels, the Israeli Spy Agency Mossad, the evil maneuvers of the Priests of the Vatican Curia, first class murderers and terrorists for hire, etc

And here comes the weak point (the missing star), if you dare to include in a novel powerful spy features like the Vatican and the Mossad that means you are playing heavyweight, and the only way to exploit them efficiently is long serious background research, something I have never noticed

Lack of research is manifest since most chapters are short when the first half of them should have been devoted to detail the exploits of the research and the last half to tell related actions and events or even they could be mixed up, that would have rendered a longer fruitful captivating story

If Mr Silva makes the big effort to include more enlightening research in his work, he will become a top international thriller, good research is his missing link up to date

Rating:
Summary: Ultimate suspense for Silva!
Review: Daniel Silva has penned a series of spy thrillers, whose main character is Gabriel Allon, an Israeli spy-assassin, doubling as an art restorer. Allon's credibility is infallible as he pledges to continue a slain colleague's attempt to reveal a secretive Vatican society.

This novel captures the tragedy of the Holocaust, recounting soberly and with sadness the Nazi atrocities, and the continued efforts of major world-players to conceal their involvement. The troubling role of the Catholic Church in the Second World War and the refusal of the Church to release its records from that period is realized through Allon's willingness to expose the truth and protect the Pope from the darkest members of the covert Vatican society.

The combination of international intrigue, fast-paced action, and institutional politics is woven together by Silva in an absorbing portrait of a crisis where human life is of no consequence to many who would kill to protect their institutions from attack.

The Pope's key role of insisting that the church live up to its ideals, together with the network of comrades who enable Allon to secure his trust, has a ring of both truth and idealism that is reassuring and heartening.

Rating:
Summary: Thriller writing doesn't get any better than this
Review: Daniel Silva is one of the best thriller writers currently working. His novels have it all- well fleshed out characters, exotic locations, nasty villains, and topically relevant pulse racing plots. This latest is no exception.
A writer, Benjamin Stern is killed in his Munich apartment. The murder is made to look racially motivated in that Stern is Jewish. Gabriel Allon, Israeli Mossad agent and art restorer is called from his job in Venice to look into the death. It is soon discovered that the killer is an assassin for hire-- the same who might have been responsible for the death of Allon's young son and putting his wife into a comatose state. As Allon goes after the killer, he discovers that the reason Benjamin was killed is a plot that could severely discredit the Catholic religion.
This is the second book published recently that deals with a secret society of the Catholic hierarchy that could place it into peril (with THE DaVINCI CODE by Dan Brown being the other). However, THE CONFESSOR is a much tighter work with the thriller elements more skillfully handled. Gabriel Allon is a compelling character with much human frailties, yet remains a mysterious loner to outsiders. Thriller writing does not get any bettor than this.

Rating:
Summary: Fun Old Fashioned Thriller
Review: Don't read too much into this book. It's an old-fashioned thriller that is difficult to put down. The premise: has a secret Catholic organization killed two priests, a nun, and a researcher? And if so, why? There are car chases, shootouts, international conspiracies, guilty secrets. The writing is pleasant and concise. The characters are somewhat stereotypical, but who cares? I couldn't put it down during a recent trip that included a 6-hour layover.

Rating:
Summary: Oustanding Novel, Silva is better every time
Review: From my favorite writers, Silva is the one I'm sure will never dissapointe. When others write consecutive novels in short time, usually you find one or two that are not that good. I've been to the places described by Silva in the book, some of them I went to see after reading the book. The description of the places really gives you the very clear picture of how they look like. Daniel is really a master, I wish I could write like that.

Rating:
Summary: Entertaining, If Not A Little Over-exaggerated
Review: Having never heard of Silva, it was the subject matter-that of Mossad intrigue coupled with vatican politics-which got me reading this novel. Written in a highly readable manner, it has just the right amount of history woven into all the espionage.

I found the plot a little too incredible for my liking. Fictional characters are meant to be larger than life, of course. But I think Silva may have overdone things slightly. A Secretary of State that orders a hit on his pope? When the plot becomes too incredulous, it somehow loses its grip on the reader. He no longer yearns to finish the book, since anything, no matter how improbable, can happen.

Still, I found the novel pretty engaging on the whole, and particularly enjoyed the historical bits. It piques my interest enough to want to read The English Assassin and A Death In Vienna.

Rating:
Summary: Good, I just bought another Silva book....
Review: I found a new author. This was good, exciting and appeared to be true, but who knows.....

Rating:
Summary: For Da Vinci Code fans
Review: I read this book, about 6 months after i read the Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown. I think this is important to note as many people have compared these two books, and many copies in Australia are now sold with a sticker on it put there by the publishers that says "Better than Dan Brown or your money back".

While I know that this book was written before all the Da Vinci Code hype, I have the distinct feeling that this has become an overdone genre of sorts. If you have read books such as the Da Vinci Code, Angels and Demons, the Name of the Rose (Umberto Eco) or the Rule of Four, then chances are you are going to have a very easy time, like me predicting what will happen in the plot of the book.

Examining this book with out its context of other simular titles, i must say that there were too many characters and that the characterization itself was not as good as it could have been.

So if you are addicted to the church conspiracy books, then you may love this one, but if you are, like me rather sick of the genre, then this one is not worth the read.

Rating:
Summary: 4 1/2 Stars -- Very Suspenseful And Controversial!
Review: In The Confessor, Silva, as in The Kill Artist and The English Assassin, calls on his art restorer/Israeli spy-assassin, Gabriel Allon, to investigate the murder of a long-time friend and fellow spy. As part of his investigation, he uncovers a conspiracy within the Vatican pertaining to the Holocaust, which is where the real plot begins and compelling suspense builds and builds right up to its bullets flying, bodies dying ending. While Silva once again relies on what has become a successful formula for him, The Confessor kept me engrossed throughout the book. However, for me, what really made this book rise to the top of its genre is the very interesting, thought-provoking and controversial perpsective Silva provides on the Vatican's involvement (or lack thereof) during the Holocaust. I've enjoyed all of Silva's books very much and I'd consider The Confessor to be the best of the three featuring Gabriel Allon. Regardless of your personal viewpoint about the controversial subject on which the plot is based, The Confessor is a novel of slow-building but non-stop tension and suspense that will keep you glued to the edge of your seat. Highly recommended!

Rating:
Summary: A Smart, Stylish, and Sophisticated Thriller
Review: The Confessor is Daniel Silva's sixth book, and the third featuring protagonist Gabriel Allon, the hero from The Kill Artist and The English Assassin. Silva's stories are driven by both strong character development and intricate plot devices as opposed to simple action sequences. The result is a sophisticated thriller that should satisfy fans of more complex, subtle, and intellectually stimulating stories.

The Confessor centers around the silence of the Vatican during the Holocaust. When an author who uncovered facts detailing the secret meeting at which the Church agreed to allow the Holocaust to take place is killed, Allon is dispatched to investigate his murder. During his investigation, he is stalked not only by an assassin known as the Leopard, but by a shadowy group within the highest circles of the Church.

My only critique of this novel would be the abundance of characters. It can be difficult to keep track of who's who at times, especially since many of them have Italian names. Realistically, this is a minor complaint, since the characters are developed well enough so that knowing them is second nature. Besides, if you have difficulty with complex novels, this one isn't really for you anyway.

Also recommended - The Mark of the Assassin and The Marching Season, Silva's second and third novels featuring Michael Osbourne, are excellent. Kurt Corriher's Someone to Kill is a lesser known international thriller that I found to highly entertaining.