The One with The English Assassin

136. Title & Author: The English Assassin by Daniel Silva (386 pages)

Genre: Fiction--Action & Thriller

Completed: 7 March 2010

Summary & Review:

Israeli spy Gabriel Allon is summoned to Zurich to restore a painting by Raphael. When he enters the home of his client, a prominent Swiss banker named August Rolfe, he finds him murdered and his secret art collection stolen. After discovering that Rolfe's collection had been given to him by the Nazis during WWII, Allon begins to unearth Switzerland's collusion with the Third Reich in the pillaging of Europe's greatest artworks and the truth behind the modern group that wants to keep that fact a secret--no matter the cost.

This probably my favorite of the Gabriel Allon books I have read so far. Silva's writing was on point throughout the novel and the story was entertaining without being contrived or difficult to believe. Allon continues to be one of my favorite characters in the spy-novel vein of fiction and I look forward to reading the next installment.

Rating: 9.0

The One with The Hobbit

135. Title & Author: The Hobbit: Or There and Back Again by J.R.R. Tolkien (275 pages)

Genre: Fiction--Fantasy & Adventure

Completed: 14 February 2010

Summary & Review:

As he is about to enjoy his tea, Bilbo Baggins is unknowingly swept up into joining an adventure that will forever change his life. He accompanies Thorin, the heir to the fortune of Thrain, King Under the Mountain, to return to his ancestral home in the Lonely Mountain to slay the dragon guardian and reclaim his riches. Their journey is perilous as they escape from the deep caves of the goblins, the webs of giant spiders, and the greed of men and elves alike. Luckily for Bilbo, he stumbles upon a mysterious ring that aides him in their quest.

Obviously, there is a reason this book has been a classic for nearly a century, largely Tolkien's knack for fanciful, magical adventures. Here, he crafted a journey that constantly kept the reader guessing, unsure of how Bilbo and his companions would escape and accomplish their goal. One of the high points of the climactic action within the book, however, the slaying of the dragon Smaug, was almost breezed over and I was disappointed at that. But, since Peter Jackson is set to make a movie adaptation of The Hobbit, I'm sure I'll get the dragon-killing satisfaction I felt was lacking in the book. Additionally, Tolkien's prose was surprisingly casual for such an epic story with its astounding scope. Yet, reading this novel with the understanding that it is, in fact, a children's book makes the prose seem more fitting and appropriate.

Also, thank you to CBO for loaning me his copy of this to read.

Rating: 7.5

The One with Conspiracies

134. Title & Author: Conspiracies (A Repairman Jack Novel, Book 3) by F. Paul Wilson (317 pages)

Genre: Fiction--Thriller & Science Fiction

Completed: 31 January 2010

Summary & Review:

A man's missing wife contacts him and tells him that only Repairman Jack can help her, so he finds and enlists Jack to locate her. By following the woman's passion for conspiracies as a possible clue, Jack delves deep into the world of paranoia and discovers that not all conspiracies are myths.

I was a little disappointed by this book. I have read several of the Repairman Jack series and I definitely see Jack as one of my favorite protagonists in the Thriller genre. But, although Jack was the usual intriguing mix of humor, action, and humanity, Wilson's writing was found wanting. The story was a good one, even one of the better premises in the series that I've read so far, but it was poorly handled by Wilson's prose. It almost felt as though the whole book was rushed. To be fair, however, a bad Repairman Jack book is still better than most contemporary thrillers.

Rating: 7.0

The One with The Kill Artist

133. Title & Author: The Kill Artist by Daniel Silva (428 pages)

Genre: Fiction--Spy & Thriller

Completed: 17 January 2010

Summary & Review:

After witnessing the murder of his son and the permanent maiming of his wife, Israeli spy Gabriel Allon turns his back on the world of clandestine intelligence in favor of his other passion, art restoration. But, after an Israeli diplomat and his wife are murdered by an infamous Palestinian terrorist, Allon returns to work for The Office to hunt down the killer before he can assassinate Yasser Arafat and indefinitely destroy the peace process between Palestine and Israel.

This is the first book featuring the spy/art restorer Gabriel Allon. Allon's character is what has really drawn to this series because, as I've mentioned before in reviews of Silva's Gabriel Allon series, I really like the different perspective the reader gets with a protagonist that is not an American working in Washington D.C. or New York. Silva's writing style is fast-paced and entertaining and he offers intriguing insights into the continuing struggle between Israel and it's Arab neighbors.

This lovely first edition was a Christmas present from my wonderful wife, Paige.

Rating: 8.5

The One with Arguing with Idiots

132. Title & Author: Arguing with Idiots: How to Stop Small Minds and Big Government by Glenn Beck (299 pages)

Genre: Nonfiction--Politics

Completed: 8 January 2010

Summary & Review:

In a year of unprecedented growth by the Federal government, Glenn Beck offers his solutions to the declination of liberty and freedom that has been experienced under this expansion of governmental power. Beck takes on topics from our failing public education system to the problem of illegal immigration to universal healthcare, all with his usual mix of entertainment and common sense.

I appreciate that Beck has become more and more libertarian since I have started watching his program and reading his books. People who study the history of this country know that our founders wanted the absolute least amount of power in the hands of a central government as possible, as evidenced by the failed Articles of Confederation. They knew, as have millions of others, that prosperity does not come as a result of government, but in spite of it. Beck's arguments supported no particular political party, but rather he showed how America became the most prosperous country in the world through personal liberty coupled with personal responsibility.

This book was a Christmas present from my sister, Bethany.

Rating: 8.5