The Black Widow audiobook

Daniel Silva has entertained and even educated us, throughout the last 15 novels featuring the brilliant and enigmatic hero, Gabriel Allon - Israeli intelligence agent, super spy extraordinaire, art restorer, family man. We have been taken on journeys to different places throughout the globe, met a cast of varied, interesting and compelling characters. Creative and inventive plots filled with present day situations and past history that affects our lives today. The Black Widow, the latest 16th book in the Gabriel Allon series takes frightening and believable to new a new level.....the fictional events that begin with a shocking bombing in Paris that reveals the growing terrorist threat to world peace, take you to the dark world of ISIS, the disturbing brainwashing of young people to join a cause filled with hate and death, is so plausible and relatable.It was interesting to read that the author had written this book before the bombings in France took place this year. I am so impressed by the research that is done with each book that he has written. The vivid imagery is truly astounding. Powerful. “ISIS doesn’t crucify only because it is cruel. It crucifies because, according to the Koran, crucifixion is one of the proscribed punishments for the enemies of Islam. It crucifies because it must. We civilized Westerners find this almost impossible to comprehend.” It seems that this may be the last book in the Allon Series, which makes me feel pretty sad. I have loved this series for years and Gabriel Allon has become one of my favorite fictional secret agents. Hopefully he will make a "guest" appearance in future books.A dark ,disturbing and brilliantly written story “Take the operation, Gabriel—for Hannah Weinberg, if for no other reason. Get inside the network. Find out who Saladin really is and where he’s operating. And then put him down before another bomb explodes.”

I'm not much of Daniel Silva fan and picked this one up after reading the reviews. It was tough dropping into the story but once the conflict was set it really took off. I'm going to go back and read the others now. Maybe they are constructed the same way. I really enjoyed the main character and the new secondary character who played the Black Widow. I hope we see more of her. Part of how I rate a book is based on how much I think about the book afterward. This book was well worth the read. I just wish when the crisis was concluded the book ended. The story went on another 40 pages or so and was not at all compelling. I don't know why it was there unless it was to set the background for the next book. Not a cliff hanger but background. Even so I highly recommend this novel.David Putnam Author of The Bruno Johnson Series.

Another excellent high tension Gabriel Allon story, this one more frightening than most since it deals with current unresolved and perhaps unresolvable terrorist acts. I won't say more about the plot since I don't want to spoil it. It's a good read.HOWEVER ... With one important exception, Silva repeatedly expresses great disdain for a not at all disguised President Obama, which I find overdone and offensive. On the other hand, there is almost no criticism of Israeli actions which, in my mind, have made things worse rather than better, and continue to do so. Now you can say that Silva writes novels, not political commentary, but when he chooses to insert his political opinions in his novel, then it is fair to disagree with those views on a political rather than literary level. I think Silva's take on our President is simplistic, failing to recognize the complexities of decisions at that level. To the extent that Silva is well read, his opinions have impact, and I think he has given too little attention to the real-life consequence of his writing.

Read this review and more at www.TheRealBookSpy.comGabriel Allon, the wayward son of Israeli intelligence, returns to star in his sixteenth novel authored by Daniel Silva. Set shortly after the events of last year’s The English Spy, Gabriel is finally nearing the day when he will forever leave behind his dangerous work in the field to instead sit behind a desk as director of Israel’s foreign intelligence service, known simply as the Office. Gabriel, who apart from being the Office’s most legendary operative, is also one of the most skilled art restorers in the world. Equally skilled with both a paintbrush and a gun, Allon begins this book by utilizing the former skillset to bring an old piece of art back to life.The painting, which longtime fans of the series will immediately recognize, could quite possibly be Gabriel’s final restoration. Apart from that, Allon plans to spend his last few days off with his wife and their newborn twins, Raphael, and Irene. But just days before he is set to replace Uzi Navot, the current director, an explosion rocks a Jewish neighborhood in France, pulling Gabriel back into the field for one final mission. While this won’t be the first time Gabriel runs an operation in France, it does mark the first time that he’s doing so with their blessing. In fact, they requested his services and even strong-armed him into helping out.A woman whom Gabriel knew (she appeared in Silva’s sixth Allon novel, The Messenger) was among those killed in the explosion. She happened to be in possession of a very rare and famous painting that is valued at more than twenty million dollars. In the event of her death, she had arranged for the painting to go to Gabriel. Knowing this, the French confiscated it from her flat and are holding it until he finishes aiding them with their investigation. Gabriel and his team get to work and quickly learn that the man behind the attack is a terrorist mastermind who calls himself Saladin. With women all over the world, including the west, joining the ranks of ISIS, Gabriel exploits the terror group’s one weakness by inserting a recruit of his own to infiltrate Saladin’s operation. The recruit, Natalie Mizrahi, is a French-born Israeli working as a doctor in Jerusalem. With no field experience, Gabriel must train and mold her into the unassuming, lethal weapon needed for this particular operation. In doing so, Mizrahi takes on the identity of Leila Hadawi, the daughter of Palestinian refugees and Gabriel Allon’s black widow. (Think of ISIS as the Death Star and their recruiting tactics as the thermal exhaust port. Gabriel, then, would be Luke Skywalker, planning to expose their lone weakness. Mizrahi is the torpedo aimed to bring the whole thing down, if only it were that simple…)If Mizrahi can get close enough to Saladin to expose him, Gabriel will end his field career by killing the terrorist before finally taking his much-anticipated promotion. However, things don’t exactly go according to plan. Saladin, for all his ambition and ruthlessness, has managed to keep his true identity a secret. Everyone from Jordan’s GID to America’s CIA, and, of course, the Office, know him by reputation and name only. Smoking him out will not be easy, especially for a young doctor working as a newly trained, and first-time spy. Mizrahi’s scenes are especially compelling, as the magnitude of her mission is never lost on the reader. Silva has done a tremendous job developing her character just enough to make the readers care about her, while at the same time allowing her to remain somewhat of a mystery. That balance allows for some really intense moments later on, as the story eventually takes several surprising turns. With nonstop suspense and more than a few twists to keep readers glued to their chairs, The Black Widow is Daniel Silva’s darkest, most timely thriller to date. If this is indeed Gabriel’s last time out in the field, Silva makes sure to send him off with a bang. Proving once again to be one of the best authors of his generation, Daniel Silva delivers a stunningly brilliant plot, with a final act that is sure to leave readers speechless! WHY I LOVED IT Daniel Silva Authoer picIf you’ve read Silva’s last few books, then it’s no secret that the Gabriel Allon we once knew is coming to an end. Older, but finally happy and ready to settle down with his wife, Chiara, and their children, Gabriel’s days as a field operative have long been numbered.As a longtime fan of the series, I’m happy for Gabriel, but sad at the same time. I’m not yet ready to admit to myself that those days of him in the field are over with. However, if they are, Silva has begun setting things up for the future rather nicely. Among the many new characters introduced in T Black Widow are two Israeli operatives that are part of Gabriel’s team. One, or both, could absolutely have their roles increased as Allon transitions to more of an in-charge figure who manages things from a distance. Regardless of how things play out in the future, I have nothing but total trust and confidence in Daniel Silva and wherever he’s planning to take this franchise. For what it’s worth, I think that Saladin is one of Silva’s best villains and a worthy foe for Gabriel Allon. I love the mystique around his true identity, which only adds to the overall suspense of the story. WHY YOU SHOULD READ ITWritten with prophetic-like precision, Silva’s latest thriller is almost too real to be called fiction. As good as Gabriel Allon is with a paintbrush, Silva is even better with a pencil and legal pad, which he famously uses to write out the first drafts of his novels.Known for beating headlines and tackling political issues before they are considered mainstream, Silva topped himself yet again when he wrote about ISIS attacking France long before the real-life attacks that took place in Brussels and Molenbeek. Daniel Silva is the master of spy thrillers and one of the best authors on the planet. To not read his books and call yourself a fan of the genre is nearly criminal. BOOK DETAILS Author: Daniel SilvaPages: 517Publisher: HarperRelease Date: July 12, 2016 (Order now!)

“It seems history has absolved you of your sins.”THE BLACK WIDOW was the first novel of Daniel Silva’s I read. It was the 16th in his Gabriel Allon series, and I liked it so much I went back to the first book and began reading. Now I am back up to number 16 while I’m reading through the series in order. This is the one that started it all for me. Having read my way “back” to it, I clearly see why it captured me those years ago. Initially I picked this book up because I heard a TV commentator mention how prescient it was with what was going on the world today. And sadly, it is.Although a fictional thriller, this novel opens with ISIS terror attacks in Paris that are too real for comfort and the novel is unflinching in its portrayal of radical Islam and its ultimate goal of recreating an Islamic caliphate. Silva does not shy away from placing the blame for the current state of affairs on American foreign policy (especially the invasion of Iraq in 2003) and he is equally candid in his assessment of the Obama administration’s policy failures when it came to terrorism, and their weakness in the face of the rise of ISIS. He knits those views into the plot of the novel pretty seamlessly, and at times you have to remind yourself this is fiction.I was actually surprised (those years ago) at how decently the novel is written. Characterization is (for the most part) pretty adept and Silva’s writing is good, to the point, and his ability to plot out this novel is pretty stellar. It is sprawling in scope, and Silva handles the myriad locales with a deft hand. I read the book pretty quickly, and found myself wanting to return to it to see what came next. Although over 500 pages, it is an intense read. Pulse pounding actually. ISIS is the worst of humanity and Mr. Silva has no problem showing them for what they are, the worst of the worst.Quotes:• “And difficult things are almost always accomplished entirely in secret.”• “It’s not often we are given a second chance at happiness.”Despite the fact that the novel is a bit of a dark read, it does end with a sense of hope. The good guys will fight on. That is the stuff of movies, and hopefully of reality. Its ending however leads me to believe that Mr. Silva intends to continue another frame of the story in the next novel of the series. The story does not quite feel complete.THE BLACK WIDOW is entertaining (and at times not pleasant) reading. The novel is unflinching in its support for fighting radical Islam, honestly says what Western Civilization is up against, and evenhanded in its assessment of Israeli policy (Silva is not a shill for Israel as some reviews have claimed). If that is not for you, don’t read it.

Wow! A classic Daniel Silva novel--the best yet. Much has been made, and rightly so, of Silva's prescience. However, like all good thriller authors who dive deeply into their characters and settings, it is possible to extrapolate a fictional but very credible future from the present as Silva has done here. (For example, in Strike Price, the Chechen in the opening scene was written and accepted for first publication well before the Tsarnaev brothers' Boston attack.)What I particularly liked was the way in which Silva describes the effective training/brainwashing of the central operative. Readers may wind up empathizing with both sides of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.Each page is suspenseful as we race to learn whether the operative will unconsciously betray herself or if her true identity will be uncovered.

4.5/ rounded up to 5 because...Daniel Silva This is the novel Daniel Silva almost didn't write. When the attacks in Paris happened, he considered dropping the novel. I'm so glad he didn't. This was such a beautifully written story, rich in detail and growing menace. Placing a Jew in the line of Fire of ISIS was ingenious. I loved the references (perfectly described, IMHO) of the President at the time of the novel. Bringing ISIS was how I imagined it would happen, too. My only "complaint" is that Gabriel is more of a minor character, rather than the "doer". I'm sure it's in preparation for his new role at The Office. Still, I wish he was a little more in the forefront. Overall, a really well written and well plotted book.

Uma intrincada trama sobre um espião lendário, uma organização terrorista e uma jovem que tem as habilidades certas no momento certo.Um thriller de ficção que inicia com ataques terroristas do ISIS em Paris e prossegue retratando o Islamismo radical e o seu objetivo final de recriar um califado islâmico.O autor, não se coibiu de opinar sobre o estado da política externa americana (especialmente a invasão do Iraque em 2003), fazendo a sua avaliação das falhas políticas do governo no que diz respeito ao terrorismo e das suas fraquezas perante a ascensão do ISIS. Apesar de um começo algo "morno", o enredo acaba por ganhar impulso e mistério. Uma obra sobre espionagem, agências de inteligência, organizações criminosas, terroristas, mas baseada em fatos reais e, incrivelmente, premonitória.

In his foreword, Silva talks about his decision to leave his plot the same as it was prescient about all of the violence that has occurred recently by terrorists. Starting with a horrific bombing of a Jewish Center in Paris, Gabriel Allon is compelled to find the mastermind by recruiting someone fresh to penetrate ISIS. He is almost too successful as the female doctor plays a central role is the subsequent mayhem perpetrated by the mastermind (code named Saladin.) The intelligence forces of France, Jordan, Israel, and the U.S. are unable to prevent a major disaster occurring (view spoiler)[ on U.S. soil (hide spoiler)]. Like his other books, this one is very hard to put down, although I found the female doctor's decision-making in consistent, which I suppose is to be expected given the enormous pressure of being undercover with a horrific death the result of being discovered. A little more Gabriel in the next one please...

Another well developed spy novel that unfortunately reads very similarly to Mr. Silva’s previous book in this series, Portrait of a Spy. Both books recruit and train women to fight terrorism and both books have in depth portrayals of the characters and well developed plots. Really 3.75 stars because of the almost identical stories of his last two novels.

While discussing his new book THE BLACK WIDOW in the Music Hall in Portsmouth, NH author Daniel Silva pointed out that the Paris bombing described in his sixteenth installment of his Gabriel Allon series was a complete fabrication. In light of actual events that seem to coincide with the book’s publication, Silva seems clairvoyant, a trait that allows him to create plausible scenarios when compared to real events. In part, this characteristic is responsible for the popularity of his work, along with the development of the Gabriel Allon character over the years. In THE BLACK WIDOW, Allon is about to become the head of the “Office,” the nickname for Israeli intelligence when a bomb explodes in the Marais section of Paris, known for its Jewish population. The attack was centered on a conference organized by Hanna Weinberg, the head of the Isaac Weinberg Center for the study of Anti-Semitism in France. The jihadi attack is successful and we learn about a man who goes by the nomenclature of Saladin.What follows is one of Silva’s best books as the author presents an accurate reality that hopefully will never visit America. Through Silva’s characters the reader is exposed to an accurate history of the Islamic State or ISIS and the background presented affords the reader the expertise that Silva has tapped in preparing his novel. Many names will be familiar to Silva’s audience as they were developed in previous Allon books. However, a new person emerges as one of the most important that Silva has ever created. Her name is Natalie Mizrahi, a physician who immigrated to Israel because of the treatment of Jews in France, a subject that Silva treats as he argues that Islamic terror is a serious problem for Jews in France, and that the French government has been very laissez faire in dealing with it. Dr. Mizrahi is recruited by Allon and trained to penetrate ISIS and gather intelligence concerning Saladin’s plans. Saladin is a former officer and intelligence operator in the Saddam Hussein’s Iraq. Once the United States invaded Iraq and defeated Saddam’s forces Washington pursued the mistaken policy of “debathization.” Because of this error hundreds of Saddam’s Sunni officer core had nowhere to turn. Saladin, like many others joined al-Qaeda in Iraq under Abu Musab al-Zarqawi which eventually morphed into ISIS.Throughout the novel Silva makes many astute judgements that currently affect the war on terror. For example, the Brussels’ neighborhood of Molenbeek is presented as an ISIS oasis in the middle of the Belgian capitol. Silva critiques President Obama’s Middle East policy (without mentioning his name) and statements concerning ISIS that he totally disagreed with. The state of French-Israeli relations, the bureaucratic battles within the Israeli intelligence community are delved into, as is the sour relationship between Washington and Tel Aviv. It is obvious that Silva has done a great deal of research in preparing his novel. As I was reading the dialogue I had the feeling that I was reading from the works of Scott Shane, Michael Weiss, and Joby Warrick who have written extensively on ISIS and the war on terror, and lo and behold when I read Silva’s acknowledgements he cited these excellent journalist/historians.What is fascinating about Silva’s approach is how realistic and believable his scenarios and characters are. His description of turning Dr. Mizrahi into the Israeli agent Leila Hawadi is eye opening. Further, the Mizrahi/Hawadi character’s indoctrination by ISIS is very disturbing as she witnesses the caliphate up close and what their raison detre is, as well as the actions they are planning. Silva takes the reader on a thrilling voyage that I fear someday might come to pass. If you are a fan of Silva’s previous efforts, you should find THE BLACK WIDOW a very satisfying read.

It's hard to believe this is the 16th book in the series featuring Gabriel Allon, perhaps my all-time favorite "hero." He's a sought-after restorer of priceless paintings, a spy, soon-to-be chief of Israel's secret intelligence service (albeit reluctantly) and, with his beautiful wife Chiara, the father of twins Raphael and Irene. So much do I love the books that I didn't even break a sweat at the thought of 544 pages - much longer than most books I read these days - and once I started, I admit to getting testy when something or someone interrupted my progress. By the end of the first few chapters, I knew this would be a 5-star-plus read for me.That doesn't mean, however, that a few things weren't a bit bothersome - the first of which is that the emphasis is far more on politics and history than on the characters. Chiara barely plays a role, and even Gabriel doesn't seem to be at the forefront as much as in previous books. There is almost tedious detail about the relationships (pro and con) among various countries like Israel, France and Syria, and the author makes it abundantly clear what side of the political fence he's on. That's not all bad, mind you; even though I've crabbed about other authors' crossing the line of putting their personal political agendas ahead of the story - and this one comes close to doing just that - Silva manages to write around it all in such an interesting, totally engaging way that in the end it didn't matter a whit to me (the historical parts, in fact, I thoroughly enjoyed).As the book begins, Gabriel hasn't yet assumed the mantle of intelligence chief; in fact, he's officially dead (not really, of course, but for all intents and purposes beyond the Israeli agency, he was killed off a while back). Just as he's about to be resurrected to take on his new responsibilities, ISIS sets off a bomb in Paris. With so many dead and wounded and the entire country in shock, the French government seeks help from Gabriel and his agency in finding out who was behind the dirty deed.It's an offer Gabriel can't refuse, and he sets off on what could be his final mission before "retiring" behind a desk (assuming he survives, of course). Early on, he recruits and trains a multi-national Jewish female doctor named Natalie who will infiltrate the ranks of ISIS in the hope of getting close enough to the caliphate to learn what the next target(s) will be. In fact, the book is more her story than Gabriel's; she is to be transformed into a Muslim "Black Widow," - a woman who lost a husband at the hands of non-Muslim terrorism and wants nothing more than revenge (and the glory that will come when she dies as a martyr).The story follows all that happens to her as well as the interaction among the government agencies that are involved. In between are chases that lead to blind alleys, shady characters doing their thing and horrific strikes, and threats of even more strikes, by ISIS terrorists. Can Gabriel and his team (with the help of the good doctor) bring whoever is running the ISIS show to his knees in time to prevent an even more horrendous disaster? I know the answer, and if you read this terrific book, so will you.

Always enjoy the Gabriel Allon cast of characters. This installment is not bloated as some of the earlier in the series became. Although somewhat predictable, immersing yourself in this world for a period is like visiting friends, comfortable and entertaining. Always love the history lessons built in, along with the scary level of premonition found in these books.

http://mrs-margot.blogspot.pt/ This is a story that flows naturally, with an easy reading due to its small chapters and I must say it was my first reading of this highly successful author, but this book is the 16th in a series entitled "Gabriel Allon" and although Read very well as an independent reading, because the author knows how to contextualize everything, the truth is that I believe that there may be details and even relations with some characters that we would understand better if we had followed the series.    There is a mystery that is not revealed at the end of this book and that left me wondering if it would not be a character that has appeared in the other books, because he knows Gabriel Allon, it's about the identity of the "Saladin"? The leader of the terrorist who seems to have had a past in espionage, but that left us with several questions that makes us want to wait for the next book to see if this mystery is unraveled.    And don't think this book deals only with somber things, there is a hint of romance between the doctor and a spy, which although it isn't at all a focus, can relieve some pressure.    Another interesting point at the end of the book the author gives us a brief explanation about several facts that he wrote in his book and some bridges connecting with previous books. It is a book that goes to the detail of everything, these details enrich this story.    I wasn't expecting to like it, at first it was difficult to get into the story, but then when we got into Natalie's skin, we started living in a disturbing, scary world of imminent danger and sometimes we have to take a deep breath before reading it again. Although it isn't my favorite literary genre, I can't say that "The Black Widow" is a book that passes me by, it's a very well written story and very well done, all the fiction generated we believe as if it were a truth absolute and I felt completely involved in this espionage world of Gabriel Allon.