Although this book follows a time tested Silva formula, it's still exciting. Nazis, betrayal, spies, art work, Iranian nukes and the ever present "office" make it so. The author admits that the Swiss connection is concocted, even though they did help in dissolution of the third reich. The conversion of a journalist to a spy is a fine touch--an oxymoron. The characters were fun, even the bad guys--some converted, some not. At the end, the reader wonders about the next time tested formula experience of our Israeli hero and his buddies. "The Rembrandt Affair" is my first book by Daniel Silva who is a very talented writer. Silva is able to weave multiple threads into a coherent narrative. The book begins well by focusing on art theft and art forgery, a subject the author clearly knows well. Unfortunately it soon morphs into a conventional thriller about brilliant and highly skilled Israeli intelligence operatives who will do whatever is required to stop evil The main character, Gabriel Allon, is an Israeli assassin. They occasionally team with less brilliant and less skilled US and UK counterparts in pursuit of even less brilliant and less skilled agents of evil. The characters are all cardboard thin, showing no flaws or traces of introspection. There are “good guys” and “bad guys” with little in between. It reminds me of the old James Bond series. I stopped reading about half way through. This is very likely my only Daniel Silva novel.
Do You like book O Caso Rembrandt (2010)?
I love Daniel Silva. I hope Gabriel is real, as we need him in our world.
—xenoic
A fine spy-thriller. Consistent with the collection of good work by Silva.
—haggis228
Standard fare but this one seemed a bit cookie cutter and predictable.
—kimmie
