The Fallen Angel: Gabriel Allon, Book 12

By: Daniel Silva

Narrated by: George Guidall

After narrowly surviving his last operation, Gabriel Allon, the wayward son of Israeli intelligence, has taken refuge behind the walls of the Vatican, where he is restoring one of Caravaggio's greatest masterpieces. But early one morning, he is summoned to St. Peter's Basilica by Monsignor Luigi Donati, the all-powerful private secretary to his Holiness Pope Paul VII. The body of a beautiful woman lies broken beneath Michelangelo's magnificent dome.

The Vatican police suspect suicide, though Gabriel believes otherwise. So, it seems, does Donati. But the monsignor is fearful that a public inquiry might inflict another scandal on the Church, and so he calls upon Gabriel to quietly pursue the truth - with one caveat.

"Rule number one at the Vatican," Donati said. "Don't ask too many questions."

Gabriel learns that the dead woman had uncovered a dangerous secret - a secret that threatens a global criminal enterprise that is looting timeless treasures of antiquity and selling them to the highest bidder. But there is more to this network than just greed. A mysterious operative is plotting an act of sabotage that will plunge the world into a conflict of apocalyptic proportions....

©2012 Daniel Silva (P)2012 HarperCollins Publishers

My favorite Daniel Silva book

Any additional comments?

I am about to do something that I have never done. I finished "Fallen Angel" this morning, and I am about to start it all over again. George Guidall was a wonderful narrator (as always), and I felt as if I was just eavesdropping in on conversations.

Now, that I have the plot and storyline down, I want to go back and listen for all of the wonderful details and historical facts in Rome and Israel and other European settings in the book. Silva's writing is so colorful and descriptive and interesting, and this time through, I can concentrate on that.

Overall, a wonderful book!

Silva does it again

Clearly Silva is a great writer. Bringing today events into the world of fiction. This was another cannot put it down story.

An efficient if not stellar action novel

What did you like best about The Fallen Angel? What did you like least?

The characters are larger than life, which is good, the action scenes are well timed, however the overall rythm is uneven and the story lacked complexity. The reader did a very good job however, and the book has its moving moments; it depicts interestingly the various stakes in Israel and the Middle East.

An OK Read

This is the first Gabriel Allon book that I have listened to. He's an interesting enough character, but not to the extent that I'm anxious to download more of these.

The plot was really multiple plots, so at times I was a bit lost. I didn't help that most of the characters had Italian names, either.

The pace of the story was good. It didn't bog down too much in any one place.

In all, I can't put more than an "average" label on this one. A good use of a credit, but nothing to get too excited about.

Another excellent narration

What did you love best about The Fallen Angel?

The story was excellent and the narration by George Guidall made it even better. I don't have a lot of time for reading these days and so I have been using audio books as a way to keep abreast of different subject and also works of fiction. This particular book was hugely enjoyable.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Gabriel Alon

Have you listened to any of George Guidall’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No

A great spy novel!

What made the experience of listening to The Fallen Angel the most enjoyable?

The history and great story line. It was written well.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Gabriel. He was a master mind in his quest to solve so many threats.

Which scene was your favorite?

The end of the book with the Dome action the best.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The end of the book.

JUMPED AROUND TOO MUCH

Would you try another book from Daniel Silva and/or George Guidall?

NO

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

YES

What three words best describe George Guidall’s performance?

OK

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

NO

Any additional comments?

IT WENT TO MANY PLACES FOR SUCH A SHORT TIME, THEN IN THE LAST PAGE YOU FINALLY GOT WHAT WAS GOING ON.

Good story, excellent narration, timely.

One thing that I like about Daniel Silva's (and Lee Child's) books is that the narrative follows the protagonist and for the most part the reader can't tell who is good or bad and where the story is going. I'd guess that it is more difficult to write this way, but makes for a more compelling and active listening experience.

The first part of the book involves a crime story with enough mystery and interesting locales to keep the reader/listener captive. From the Vatican to Tel Aviv, to Sait-Moritz, etc. the action keeps moving at a fast pace. Silva creates interesting characters who are generally believable, if a bit uni-dimensional. Some of the events are so surprising that it would be a disservice to mention them here, but let's just say that the story line kept me completely engaged. The complex reality of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is described in a bold and compelling way as it should, and makes for a disturbing backdrop.

Unfortunately, towards the end Silva takes a lesson from Hollywood and goes for a cataclysmic grand finale, something I found sadly disappointing. He is much better when his characters work in dark alleys, trying to outsmart each other. Gabriel is not the new Bond. In summary, although not perfect it is a good book.

Worthy Entry for the Series

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

Yes, I would recommend this book, but I would first encourage my friends to go back and read some of the more outstanding books in this series, such as "The Secret Servant".

If you’ve listened to books by Daniel Silva before, how does this one compare?

I would rate this book as 'average' for the Gabriel Allon series. Overall, I do agree with some of the other reviewers on this website that the Allon series is starting to feel a bit old and tired. That said, even an 'average' book by Daniel Silva is better than most authors' best works.

Would you listen to another book narrated by George Guidall?

Yes, I felt that Guidall performed well for these characters. However, my favorite reader for the Allon series is Phil Gigante.

Did The Fallen Angel inspire you to do anything?

Not especially.

Good mix of current world politics and fiction

Silva does it again! Interesting, intertwining plots, engaging characters and wonderful narration provided a great listening adventure. There was a lot going on with multiple characters and at times a little confusing, but overall good.Interesting premise on today's global politics and terrorism. Would have been better if I could have listened to longer segments at one time . Will Gabriel be back?