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Vaults of Power
One independent woman. Robyn Gabriel, a young historian turned treasure hunter with a taste for one-night stands and a strained relationship with her twin. Two duty-driven men. A senior executive of the Federal Reserve, and a Chinese triad member. Six days for an impossible ransom. When her twin is kidnapped in Southern France, Robyn Gabriel has six days to steal the precious Voynich manuscript from a bunker-like library at Yale University and break its code--a feat no cryptologist, linguist, scientist or software engineer has ever been able to accomplish. The Federal Reserve can’t allow that. Now, they want her dead. Caught between kidnappers and killers, from Florida to Austria, from France to New York, Robyn, shattered by the revelation of the origin of her own family, lifts each layer of a hundred-year-old conspiracy involving the Jesuits, the Federal Reserve, China and the sinking of the Titanic, and discovers the terrible pact that ensured the United States’ financial supremacy.
278 pages, ebook
First published November 17, 2011
14 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
July 26, 2012
(Review by Lisa Metlak for Word Vagabond)
Thirteen years after their parents’ death, Robyn Gabriel finds herself rushing to her sister’s side in a hospital in the same city where their parents died. She picks up where her sister left off – investigating the mystery left to them by their parents. Unfortunately, she is not the only one who wants to find the answer to the mysterious book she found in her parents’ bank vault. Pursued and endangered by organizations for both good and evil, Robyn finds herself seeking answers from the very people who may have hurt her sister. When she is close to getting the answers she seeks, her sister is kidnapped. Her only hope to save her sister is to translate the Voynich Manuscript, something even the most expert cryptologists have been unable to accomplish.
In the spirit of the Da Vinci Code, Diane Echer creates a mystery that takes you around the world and through a circle of deceit so intertwined with history that you find yourself wanting to learn more about the places and artifacts used throughout the story. This story weaves a web of intrigue while introducing you to characters that are so outrageous you can’t help but want to know their back stories.
The book begins with action and continues the action through to the end. The only predictable part of the story really is the main character’s underlying relationship phobia where her reckless actions and lifestyle are such that she does not appear to care for anyone, though it is obvious that she cares deeply for her sister and for her best friend Parker.
This author has great voice, and the book is absolutely a must-read for mystery lovers. There are some graphic sex scenes and occult references, but they are minor and do not detract from the plot and overall substance of the book.
Thirteen years after their parents’ death, Robyn Gabriel finds herself rushing to her sister’s side in a hospital in the same city where their parents died. She picks up where her sister left off – investigating the mystery left to them by their parents. Unfortunately, she is not the only one who wants to find the answer to the mysterious book she found in her parents’ bank vault. Pursued and endangered by organizations for both good and evil, Robyn finds herself seeking answers from the very people who may have hurt her sister. When she is close to getting the answers she seeks, her sister is kidnapped. Her only hope to save her sister is to translate the Voynich Manuscript, something even the most expert cryptologists have been unable to accomplish.
In the spirit of the Da Vinci Code, Diane Echer creates a mystery that takes you around the world and through a circle of deceit so intertwined with history that you find yourself wanting to learn more about the places and artifacts used throughout the story. This story weaves a web of intrigue while introducing you to characters that are so outrageous you can’t help but want to know their back stories.
The book begins with action and continues the action through to the end. The only predictable part of the story really is the main character’s underlying relationship phobia where her reckless actions and lifestyle are such that she does not appear to care for anyone, though it is obvious that she cares deeply for her sister and for her best friend Parker.
This author has great voice, and the book is absolutely a must-read for mystery lovers. There are some graphic sex scenes and occult references, but they are minor and do not detract from the plot and overall substance of the book.
January 20, 2012
I had an extremely difficult time with this book. It started off very slowly and but did get much better after the first 100 pages or so. I think, perhaps, my problem with the book is not the fault of the author. I did not like the main character. Robyn Gabriel is a headstrong individual. She possesses many characteristics I admire, however, I could not relate to, or feel any sense of kinship with her.
The book is full of complicated twists and turns that may thrill lovers of action adventure stories.
I would like to stress, this is not the kind of book I would usually chose to read. The main idea behind the story, a major conspiracy involving everyone from the priesthood, to the Feds and the sinking of the Titanic (yes the Titanic) are what first engaged my interest. I am glad I read this book. I think Echer has the ability to be a first rate author. Her sense of detail is amazing.
I give this book 4 stars because the writing is fantastic, the reader can visualize the events occurring while you are reading. I think this book would make an amazing movie if the right individual was cast as Robyn
The book is full of complicated twists and turns that may thrill lovers of action adventure stories.
I would like to stress, this is not the kind of book I would usually chose to read. The main idea behind the story, a major conspiracy involving everyone from the priesthood, to the Feds and the sinking of the Titanic (yes the Titanic) are what first engaged my interest. I am glad I read this book. I think Echer has the ability to be a first rate author. Her sense of detail is amazing.
I give this book 4 stars because the writing is fantastic, the reader can visualize the events occurring while you are reading. I think this book would make an amazing movie if the right individual was cast as Robyn
April 27, 2012
Vaults of Power by Diane Echer is a turning twisting thriller that keeps the reader wanting more with each page. Robyn Gabriel's twin sister has turned up missing while on a trip to France to investigate a letter left to the girls by their deceased father.
Robyn is on a dangerous mission to find her sister, which takes her to France, Austria, Florida and New York. She is on a near impossible journey to uncover the missing pages to the Voynich Manuscript that will give her clues to aid her in the decoding of the manuscript and to the origins of her own family and how to save her sister. The manuscript itself is located in the Yale University's Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library. This journey puts her in the hands of some very deadly people who will do anything they can to keep Robyn from her goal of decoding the Manuscript. Conspiracies abound from The Federal Reserve, to a triad in China, the sinking of the Titanic and a dangerous cult all keep Robyn on the run to save her life and the life of her sister. A very interesting and intriguing novel from beginning to end with a very strong plot and believable characters. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Robyn is on a dangerous mission to find her sister, which takes her to France, Austria, Florida and New York. She is on a near impossible journey to uncover the missing pages to the Voynich Manuscript that will give her clues to aid her in the decoding of the manuscript and to the origins of her own family and how to save her sister. The manuscript itself is located in the Yale University's Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library. This journey puts her in the hands of some very deadly people who will do anything they can to keep Robyn from her goal of decoding the Manuscript. Conspiracies abound from The Federal Reserve, to a triad in China, the sinking of the Titanic and a dangerous cult all keep Robyn on the run to save her life and the life of her sister. A very interesting and intriguing novel from beginning to end with a very strong plot and believable characters. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
October 19, 2012
I really enjoyed reading Echer's debut novel. It was definitely a fun and relative fast read.
The characters were well-developed. I really liked Robyn. She was a strong and clever character. Even though she is estranged from her sister she is willing to drop everything and run to her aid. Another strong main character was Jame McIntyre. He was a wonderful compelling villian. Echer provided us with so many great detals of him. I started to understand his point. I mean he was only doing his job...
In the entire novel Echer has an amazing eye for detail. You are instantly transported to the scenes she describes and you actually believe you are there with the characters. She puts together some amazing action scenes in some interesting locations.
This is a stunning read that is full of mystery, action, adventure it will keep you guessing through all of the twists and turns.
* Beware there are some sexual scenes so this may not be suitable for all audiences.
The characters were well-developed. I really liked Robyn. She was a strong and clever character. Even though she is estranged from her sister she is willing to drop everything and run to her aid. Another strong main character was Jame McIntyre. He was a wonderful compelling villian. Echer provided us with so many great detals of him. I started to understand his point. I mean he was only doing his job...
In the entire novel Echer has an amazing eye for detail. You are instantly transported to the scenes she describes and you actually believe you are there with the characters. She puts together some amazing action scenes in some interesting locations.
This is a stunning read that is full of mystery, action, adventure it will keep you guessing through all of the twists and turns.
* Beware there are some sexual scenes so this may not be suitable for all audiences.
April 30, 2012
The story itself is awesome, not at all predictable (which I loved), and it is very obvious that Diane Echer did her homework. I love it when I can tell that the author did extensive research and put it to good use. Vaults of Power is a labyrinth, the reader has no choice but to find his/her way through to the very last sentence.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews