Book 8 in the Gabriel Allon series
The story opens with a bang when Russian journalist Aleksandr Lubin meets an untimely death by what is obviously a skilled assassin. He was on a mission to expose Ivan Kharkov, a former KGB colonel who had turned businessman. The journalist's murder triggers alarms with the Israeli intelligence agency and they summon Gabriel Allon to Moscow to look into the matter. The fun begins when Allon discovers that Kharkov has just completed a lucrative deal with Al-Qaeda and with support of allies, Allon must put an end to Kharkov's activities....
"Moscow Rules" is a thriller that exploits the past tensions between the West and USSR up to the present Russia and its part in the rise of world terrorism. Gabriel Allon and Ivan Kharkov are the main players.
The characterisation is strong, Gariel Allon (an art restorer whose secret life as an Israeli intelligence agent) has many countries on his side and is depicted as a smart and smooth operator. Ivan Kharkov (the new generation of Stalinists) is an arms dealer, extremely rich and conning and in control of the FSB (Federal Security Service). The story has many secondary characters that help spin a web of intrigue with many exciting twists and turns. The Hollywood super-hero brings the saga to a successful conclusion, a wrap up easily foreseen.
Some may find this spy story to be a bit stereotypic, I took it for what it is: a tale of espionage and international intrigue written by a master storyteller
The story opens with a bang when Russian journalist Aleksandr Lubin meets an untimely death by what is obviously a skilled assassin. He was on a mission to expose Ivan Kharkov, a former KGB colonel who had turned businessman. The journalist's murder triggers alarms with the Israeli intelligence agency and they summon Gabriel Allon to Moscow to look into the matter. The fun begins when Allon discovers that Kharkov has just completed a lucrative deal with Al-Qaeda and with support of allies, Allon must put an end to Kharkov's activities....
"Moscow Rules" is a thriller that exploits the past tensions between the West and USSR up to the present Russia and its part in the rise of world terrorism. Gabriel Allon and Ivan Kharkov are the main players.
The characterisation is strong, Gariel Allon (an art restorer whose secret life as an Israeli intelligence agent) has many countries on his side and is depicted as a smart and smooth operator. Ivan Kharkov (the new generation of Stalinists) is an arms dealer, extremely rich and conning and in control of the FSB (Federal Security Service). The story has many secondary characters that help spin a web of intrigue with many exciting twists and turns. The Hollywood super-hero brings the saga to a successful conclusion, a wrap up easily foreseen.
Some may find this spy story to be a bit stereotypic, I took it for what it is: a tale of espionage and international intrigue written by a master storyteller
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