The Order
Do you have a favorite series or fictional character?
Daniel Silva writes my favorite series and fictional character in Gabriel Allon. I have been reading this series since it first debuted (currently on book #20…please don’t do the math and date me), and I’m always preordering and eagerly anticipating each July when the next instalment comes out.
The Order once again reminds readers why Silva is one of the most gifted novelists of our time with this latest must-read thriller. As the story begins, Allon and his family are on a very much needed vacation in Italy, when an old friend from the Vatican, Archbishop Luigi Donati, pops up requesting Gabriel’s immediate help.
Pope Paul VII has died. News reports suggest the leader of the Catholic church passed away from a massive heart attack that occurred while he was praying in his private chapel, but Archbishop Luigi Donati, the Holy Father’s loyal private secretary, suspects there might just be something darker at hand.
But the real mystery, however, surrounds the Pope’s reasons for visiting the Vatican archives late at night, where he was known to wander and read while battling insomnia. Donati suggests he might have found something that someone—or many, for that matter—would kill to keep hidden, giving Gabriel a trail to follow.
What document could be so powerful, so damning, that a sitting Pope would be assassinated to protect it? That’s the question Gabriel must answer, and the closer he gets to the truth, the more dangerous things become .
From there, the story centers around an organization deeply rooted in anti-Semitism plotting to overtake the Papacy.
As always, Silva’s attention to detail and an unmatched ability to paint words on the page bring each European location to life in a way that’s stunningly cinematic (I love how Silva hasn’t let the silver screen ruin his books, so don’t count on a movie or tv series). The story takes the reader to Venice, Rome, Munich and Switzerland. I always find that I feel like I too am traveling on a mini-vacation through these gorgeous parts of Europe just through Silva’s detailed imagery. This is a treat since our current pandemic situation has forced me to forgo a lot of traveling, and for many it will offer an escape from isolation.
The best part of diving into a Daniel Silva thriller is the education and information about current global and political climates. Silva uses our own current times and problems to create a plot full of twists and turns that will keep you up late into the night reading. In fact, I seem to always read each Gabriel Allon book in at least two days.
You will find that this book is fast-paced and relevant to the times we live. Pick up this book or start back at book one of the series! You won’t regret it!
If you enjoyed Dan Brown’s Angels & Demons, then you will love The Order.
