The Marching Season Book

Average Rating:

The success of the Good Friday Agreement is being threatened by a new terrorist group and the current British Prime Minister requests that the U.S. President appoint a heavyweight to the Court of St. James to show U.S. support for this agreement. Senator Douglas Cannon, a political rival of the current administration, gets the appointment and since he is Michael Osbourne's father in law, we know that the former hero of "Mark of the Assassin" will be lured back into the web of dirty deeds and operatives. Even the "Assassin" from "Mark of the Assassin" returns. What more could one ask for.

Unlike many, I thought that the first half of the book was extremely well done. Especially where Silva lays the seeds for the problems in Northern Ireland and introduces his new paramilitary "bad guys" (and "bad gals"). But, with the introduction of a super-secret cabal known only as "The Society", whose directors are interested in world domination and control from an economic as well as a political/military level, I think he starts to lose it. First of all, the identity of the U.S. delegate to this group is a piece of cake to figure out. Then, "October", the assassin from the second book, performs a hit for the Mossad and Osbourne can recognize him from his hand (?). The Society itself - that world domination thing, again - is vintage Robert Ludlum. Even the three word title is downright Ludlumesque. And having Osbourne and Jean Paul Delarouche ("October") join forces to save the world.......well, let's say I double checked a couple of times just to make sure whose name was on the cover.

A number of authors of this genre have had their first couple of books be their best work and later novels become the literary equivalent of popcorn. I think that Silva is too good a writer to allow that to happen. But, I look forward to his next novel, just to make sure.

To be sure, this book starts off more slowly than I would have expected or liked. However, that is where the skill that Daniel Silva possesses reveals itself. Without a doubt, here is a relatively new author who is already a master of pacing, tension, plot, scene, character development and everything that is needed to craft a finely wrought spy novel.

Michael Osbourne is reprised from THE MARK OF THE ASSASSIN as are his wife, his liberal father-in-law, retired U.S. Senator Douglas Cannon and other members of the government and the CIA. Also returning for a not so welcome guest appearance is Jean-Paul Delaroche, aka October, the Assassin who unsuccessfully attempted to kill Michael Osbourne in the previous installment.

The internal machinations of the U.S. and British governments, as well as the possible goings-on inside both the IRA and the various Irish Protestant paramilitaries are also revealed here and in fine detail. Another master stroke that Silva employs throughout this story is that he doesn't ever really get preachy. With some authors, their natural biases come out in their writing. Not so with Daniel Silva. He simply tells the story and writes about the people he populates the book with.

Is there moral outrage on Silva's part? I would have to guess yes. No normal person could ever condone the terroristic acts that are carried out in the name of one misguided cause after another around the globe. If he shows that outrage, it is when he talks about how various splinter factions have risen out of the ashes of the fires of terrorism to scuttle the Irish peace process. He also writes damningly of THE SOCIETY, a super secret extra-national intelligence organization that continues to stir the pot around the globe for its own greedy interests. These are the folks you can tell Silva despises; the globalists with no loyalties to any nation or flag. They are only loyal to their own financial interests.

Although Silva continues to be spare with his information on Jean Paul Delaroche, he provides just enough material to keep the reader plunging along in headlong pursuit of the final denouement. This is what makes October so interesting and ultimatley almost sympathetic. For throughout the international chases, October is a man who maintains his own sense of values and morality. Michael Osbourne may not agree with October's view of the world or himself, but ultimately, the respect, while grudging begins to grow. How Silva brings this all about is what makes this an exceptional spy novel.

If you have not discovered Daniel Silva, you are in for a real treat. Start with THE UNLIKELY SPY and then read THE MARK OF THE ASSASSIN, followed by THE MARCHING SEASON. Only the last two are directly related but, if you read them in the order I have listed, you will get to follow Silva's rapid development as a writer and see his promotion into the ranks of spy-thriller masters.

I recommend these books unreservedly to all fans of well-crafted spy fiction. Read them and you too, will be telling your friends about Daniel Silva.

Thank you, Mr. Silva for many hours of reading enjoyment. I hope you'll keep Michael Osbourne as a central figure in your future novels. I think he still has more to say.

Paul Connors