The Order – Daniel Silva
My Rating – 3.5 out of 5 for this book
Plot Summary of the book
The titular character of all Daniel Silva novels (this is the 20th in the series) is Gabriel Allon, who is now the Head of Israel’s Secret Service, The Office (one knows that that nomenclature stands for the Mossad). He’s married to the gorgeous Chiara, another ex-agent of the Office and has two children. They decide to go on a long overdue vacation to Venice, where Chiara’s parents still stay. On reaching there, she exhorts Gabriel to remit office or retire and they could settle in Venice, with their families around and Gabriel’s notoriously dangerous past, firmly behind them.
Those who haven’t read the earlier issues of the series – Gabriel is also an Art Restorer of exceptional talent, and has done a lot of that all over Italy. So, thinking he could continue doing that full-time, once he remits his position at The Office, he tentatively agrees to Chiara’s proposal. Chiara would take up the Art Restoration business and Gabriel would work for her. So far so good….
Then the Pope dies. It is ruled as death from an existing heart ailment, but Gabriel’s friend and the Pope’s PA, Father Luigi Donati, is not convinced. He repeatedly tries to persuade Gabriel to investigate and rule one way or the other. Gabriel and Chiara are slowly drawn into the investigation as the turn of events convince them that there’s something fishy, leading to the Holy Father’s death.
This is where, after meandering rather aimlessly for the first quarter of the book, it picks up pace. There is the ‘missing’ Holy Testament, which apparently, turns on its head, the assumption that Jews accepted that Jesus’ crucifixion was their fault (courtesy Judas). That would throw into conflict the centuries old antipathy that Catholics’ have held for Jews and what has led to wide spread anti-semitism in most of the Western World. Gabriel has to find that manuscript, and if he gets it into the public domain, it will have explosive effects on Global Politics and Religious practices. Little wonder then, many are aligned against the ‘discovery’ of the contentious manuscript.
Right Wing Anarchists, political machinations within the holiest of holies of all Christendom and basic human follies raise their heads, in keeping with the trends today. In a true reflection of today’s times, Daniel Silva points to the rise of Right Wing extremists in mainstream Europe, be it Germany, France or Italy. It is a shuddering reminder of the 1930’s and ’40’s, when Hitler and Mussolini ran riot over Europe, massacaring over 6 million Jews, in a fashion no real human being would want to be known for.
Chillingly, that trend is inching its way back into mainstream politics in many European countries. While reducing the Global impact of US presence in almost all geo-political discourses, Silva points at Europe as the growing fulcrum of political relevance – where toxic anti-semitism is slowly being pushed aside by anti-immigrant sentiments – be it from Africa, Middle East or Asia. In mirroring real life upheavals, Silva points at troubling times ahead….
Conclusion of the book review
While the book starts off rather slow, it picks up its usual pace in the latter part and all ends well, but sadly, the Super-Spy is ageing and the bite and verve of earlier instalments is missing in this one. But an ageing James Bond is still James Bond, innit??
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Nice content. Beautifully written
Thanks Michelle!