Ръкописът на Войнич

Dr. Steven Archer Cross #2

by Russell Blake

В силно охранявано подземие се пази в тайна една свещена реликва, а религиозният орден, който ревностно я крие от света, според Църквата не съществува. Когато една нощ неизвестен похитител успява елегантно да открадне реликвата, в последвалия водовъртеж от събития се оказва замесен и доктор Стивън Крос.
Крос е любител криптограф, който живее в Тоскана и обича предизвикателствата и неразкритите тайни. Скоро той се оказва въвлечен в смъртоносна надпревара с времето, за да разгадае какво се крие зад тайнствения шифър и рисунките на несъществуващи растения в енигматичната книга от Средновековието, наричана Ръкописът на Войнич.
Заедно с дъщерята на убития си колега Крос пътува от Италия до Близкия изток в търсенето на истината. Разгадал сложно преплетената мрежа от тайни, любителят криптограф прави невероятно откритие, което би променило историята, каквато я познаваме.

Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Historical Fiction, Suspense, Fiction, Adventure, Action

320 pages, Paperback

First published February 22, 2012

Reviews

[Donna · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a total, and I do mean total, knock-off of The Da Vinci Code. Let's see...

Brilliant symbologist cryptologist? Check.
Daughter of murdered guy who held the secret of...? Check.
Sadistic evil guy slavishly devoted to evil father figure? Check.
Good guy who turns out to be bad guy? Check.
Secret that can destroy the Catholic Church? Check.
Not-great writing? Check.

What is it missing that The Da Vinci Code had?

Depth.
Excitement.
Suspense.

It wasn't terrible, it was just...there. It all seemed totally predictable and I never felt any excitement or tension in it. The most memorable part to me was this little nugget:

After finding out that an innocent guy who helped them has been found dead...

"And they found Danny's body - he'd been tortured," Natalie said and took a bite of her toast. "Shit. It's burnt."

Wow. Just...wow. Remind me never to help Natalie with anything. Ungrateful bi-atch.

[Bookish Indulgenges with b00k r3vi3ws · Rating 5 out of 5]

Though I have heard of him before, this was the first time that I got a chance to read Russell Blake’s work.

The story begins with a vivid description of how a scroll gets stolen. Right from the first line of the first chapter, the author manages to grab your attention. Then we move on to our protagonist, Steven Archer. We are given a glimpse into his life with Antonia and his life after her. Steven is the head of a software company and a cryptologist by hobby. He had managed to combine his business and pleasure by coming up with a software that deciphers cyphers. Soon contacted by a colleague’s daughter, Steven gets embroiled in a situation that could very well cost him his life.

What is a story without secret societies and some ruthless and powerful villains? While Steven & Natalie try to decode the seemingly impossible to break cypher, they are pursued by some powerful forces - some of who want to bury the secret of the cypher and some people who want to use the secret of the cypher to meet their own sadistic needs.

The author portrays a beautiful picture of the places in the story that makes you feel that you are there when it all happens. For the first time readers like me, the character of Steven Archer Cross develops right alongside Natalie. Their interaction and relationship development is also something that I enjoyed reading in this book.

The fact that this is also a fast paced story and zero dragging on uselessly, it will keep you hooked on from the first page till the last. A fantastic plot, great twists, detailed research and amazing narration is the USP of this book. It is literally unputdownable!

I am going to go back and read the other Russell Blake books as soon as I can get my hands on them!

[Fred Hughes · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is very much in the genre some say was created by Dan Brown, and if not his creation he has had the most success with it.

Our protagonist; Dr. Steven Cross is an amateur cryptographer who has had success decrypting various ancient codes. However the Voynich Cypher continues to elude him as well as most other cryptologists.

However there is a rumour that part of the cypher that has the key code has recently been stolen from an until then secret hiding place.

As Cross first tries to find the scroll and then having found it tries to stay alive he runs into forces both evil and benign of which both want the missing scroll.

On one hand is a billionaire who had the scroll stolen and a secret arm of the Vatican that wants it back to again be hidden.

There is lots of action as Cross tries to stay ahead of the two different groups after him for the information in the scroll.

There are plot twists and turns that add to the enjoyment of the book.

Recommended.

[Melissa Foster · Rating 5 out of 5]

A twisted ride of suspense and intrigue!
This was the first Russell Blake book that I have read, but it won't be the last. The Voynich Cypher is a fast-paced, intelligently written story with twist and turns that kept me up late at night until the very end. The characters are real and flawed, as we are in real life. I was as hooked by this book as I was by the Da Vinci Code--if you liked Da Vinci, The Voynich Cypher has the same flavor--I urge you to pick it up. A must read for any suspense lover.

[Steven Konkoly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Russell Blake comes out of the gate strong in 2012, with The Voynich Cypher, a refreshingly unique and thrilling addition to a genre worn thin over the past decade. As with all Blake novels, the plot accelerates rapidly, and cleverly devised twists hide around every corner, leaving the reader in a constantly satisfied state of suspense. The Voynich Cypher reintroduces Dr. Steven Cross (formerly Archer) from Blake's critically acclaimed trilogy serial, Zero Sum.

After narrowly escaping with his life and a tidy sum of money, Archer assumes a new identity as Steven Cross and decides to spend the rest of his life pursuing less dangerous hobbies along the Italian coast. One of those hobbies, the study of cryptology, becomes an obsession for a technical mind like Cross'. Like every cryptologist in the world, he is fascinated by the Voynich Manuscript, an medieval parchment written wholly in indecipherable code centuries ago, and rumored to hold the key to a secret that could devastate the Catholic Church. All of his high tech attempts to unlock the code have failed, but one of his amateur theories have piqued the interest of the world's premier Voynich expert, Winston Twain. When Twain is found dead with one of Cross' letters on his desk, his innocent obsession with the Voynich Manuscript takes a deadly turn, as two ruthless and unstoppable factions compete to find him.

Russell Blake turns this genre upside down with The Voynich Cypher. In a cross between a modern-day Raiders of the Lost Ark and a high-tech Da Vinci Code, Blake brings strong, capable characters to a genre normally dominated by inept, pensive professors and confused female sidekicks. Outgunned and fighting against overwhelming odds, it is a delight to watch Steven Cross and Natalie Twain physically battle their way across Italy, while applying an equal level of rigorous, intellectual discipline to unraveling a series of clues related to the Voynich mystery. I thoroughly enjoyed the realistic interaction between these characters, and the development of their relationship throughout the story.

In terms of literary qualities, Blake's descriptions of ancient Roman sites, Venice and the Tuscan country-side are luxuriously handled, bringing the reader right into each scene, where the action and tension is palpable. Still, at no point did the descriptions seem onerous or distracting, which is a difficult balance for any author to achieve. Blake has developed this skill considerably over the span of several books, culminating in this book with some of the most immersive scenes I've experienced in years.

The most satisfying element of this book is the end. Without giving it away, let me say that you will not be lead to the precipice of discovery, only to have the camera fade away while the characters nod their heads. Blake gives the reader what they have desperately sought in this genre for years...a close look at exactly what the characters have endured hell to discover. The Voynich Cypher was a pleasure to read on every level.

[Matt Kelland · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to admit, when I picked up this book, I wasn't sure whether I'd read it before. Let's see, we have an amateur genius cryptologist, a stolen ancient scroll which leads to a secret that could destroy the Church, a secret order within the Church that will stop at nothing to get the scroll back, a ruthless billionaire who'll stop at nothing to own it, all tied in to a well-known mysterious object that has baffled academics for a century - sound familiar? It's starting to become a well-worn formula, and honestly, while I read and enjoy the genre, most of the ones I read don't stick in my mind.

Well, as it turned out, I hadn't read this one. It's definitely better than the average, and it makes for great bedtime, vacation or travel reading. It's got plenty of action, two likeable and well-written main characters who have both intelligence and humor, and plenty of plot twists. The bad guys were a bit stereotyped and one-dimensional, but in such a way that it just made for easy reading. Most importantly, it didn't have the sort Dan Brown-ish crazy leaps of deductive logic that leaves the reader feeling cheated: the unfolding of the mystery was easy to follow and carried me along nicely.

I'm giving this a good solid 3 - I liked it. If you like religious crypto-thrillers, you'll enjoy Voynich Cypher. It's not going to blow you away, but it's great fun, and good light entertainment for when you just want to switch off and relax for a few hours.

[Tim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Clearly in the same vein as Da Vinci Code, as the codes are cracked and the secrets unleashed to lead our unlikely couple to the climax that could transform the Church and the world as we know it. It did keep my attention, but left me feeling rather unconvinced at a couple crucial moments. I wasn't quite sold by the actual clues, or by their ability (or lack thereof) to solve them, until the plot demanded a breakthrough. Making the pivotal characters so apathetic towards any and all religious matters made for a rather anti-climactic climax as the secrets are discovered. Fairly typical theme of "the Church" being old-fashioned and resistant to change, and the good guys continuing to fight for truth and justice, without the impure monetary motives of everyone else involved. It kept me flipping pages, but not the best of the genre.

[Margaret Tidwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book. I reminded me at times of the Da Vinci Code and that is one of my favorites. I couldn't put this book down because I wanted to know what was coming next and how it was all going to end. I was shocked at the end to say the least because I didn't see it ending the way it did but it was the best ending I think it could have had. I fell in love with the characters and found myself nervous during parts because I wasn't sure how it was all going to end and if they were going to make it out alive.

[Ollivier · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story is ok although both the cryptographic part of the plot and the plot itself are lightweight. Ending could have been less abrupt, I mean, the suspense building is rather nice then... the end. Slightly disappointing. A good read, no more.

[Karen Smith · Rating 2 out of 5]

Little too much like someone who is watching a movie and describing it to someone else. Good story. But, too much thinking like a movie. Transitions from scene to scene are a bit rough.

[Douglas Cook · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book in the vein of Dan Brown's da Vinci Code. Fast, plot driven with some surprises.

[Rick · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a followup to the Zero Sum book, and is a little better in terms of writing and plot. While there are some circumstances that are a little hard to believe, the plot moved along fairly steadily and it held my interest enough to finish it.


The book takes place a few years after the events of the previous novel, where upon the author kills off Cross's wife, the love interest in the previous book, quite unceremoniously. It seemed a little cruel since it was intimated that she had recently found out she was pregnant with their child, but he didn't know yet. Maybe that was done to give the main character more sympathy? In my opinion, it really just felt unnecessary.
Of course, this then clears the decks so that Cross can fall in love with the new love interest, with whom he has a rocky relationship at first. Cliche, but not the worst sin committed. The rest is basically a typical solve the puzzle to unlock the secrets that factions in the Catholic Church are trying to keep secret (I won't reveal the big reveal, but it isn't surprising either) at all costs, including murdering those that find out the secret.


It was a quick read, nothing spectacular but mildly interesting. I just never warmed up to the main character, and found some of the other characters to be more intriguing. However, it was an improvement over the first novel.

[Teodora Toncheva · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was extremely painful to finish. I'd describe it as mediocre at best. The plot is predictable, the characters are boring and lacking depth, the one thing I was exiting to learn something about - The Voynich Cypher was briefly mentioned a few times. And I won't even start on the way they "decrypted" it, it was ridiculous. The book is quite similar to others in the genre which wouldn't bother me if it was good enough. Unfortunately to me it's not.

[Beverly · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the vein of Dan Brown and J. Robert Kennedy, Blake writes of Dr. Stephen Cross, amateur cryptologist and ancient cypher aficionado. This time, the item being sought by multiple entities is the supposed key to the Voynich Cypher, which no one has been able to decode for centuries. Would an amateur be able to solve it?

[Raven · Rating 4 out of 5]

Suppressed knowledge

Religious control of historical knowledge leads to killings around the Mediterranean and USA. Resulting in a trade of relics for safety. Nothing gained for the masses. No answers here concerning the voynich mystery.

[Betsy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book about good,evil, secrecy and religion

Interesting characters who were well developed. Near the end,you figure the secret if the cypher is it, and something else is thrown in. Great read; was difficult to put aside.

[Dean G. George · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good reading book

I liked the book it kept me interested through the entire book. The secrecy of the church , the knowledge of the area all led to the intrigue . I would recommend it.

[Stacy Derebery · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exciting with twists that will cause you to pause

Alright once again - I want to cry and scream at times. I want to read the next book to see what happens. Yet again I do not want to ruin the ending. I was sad while reading and then intrigued.

[Marian Pandera · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pentru cei interesați de thrillere care îmbină mistere istorice cu acțiune intensă, "The Voynich Cypher" oferă o experiență captivantă, explorând secretele unuia dintre cele mai enigmatice manuscrise din lume.

[Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Voynich Cypher

The Voynich Cypher by Russell Blake is a really a good read. If you are a Da Vinci Code fan you will certainly enjoy this.

[Carla Burnham · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked it!

Similar to Dan Brown's books, but better maybe. There were plot twists and action and adventure, romance and spirituality. A good read!

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kept my interest. A bit formulaic but worth a read. Read mostly on vacation, at airports and on planes and such.

[Keith · Rating 2 out of 5]

For me, halfway through, the storyline took a downturn and the about 80% through it took a nose dive. The ending was disappointing.

[PATRICIA BATES · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Voyncy Cypher

Excbellent read man y twist and v turns. Confused by ending but figure that was meant to be love story was okay

[Diane Straus · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lousy read. Poor attempt at copying Dan Brown. Many plot loopholes and inconsistencies that are very frustrating, starting with the original premise.

[Christopher Alderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

VERY Entertaining!

This book immediately jumps to the front as my favorite RB novel. The characters. The story and ending. I enjoy it when someone takes something historical and crafts an amazing story around it.

[Kristi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Russell Blake's latest addition to his already outstanding arsenal, The Voynich Cypher, is just another testament to why he has become a favorite author of many. Each of his titles have been different in their subject matter, different in their plots, and different in their overall writing style. However, all of them have been stupendous in keeping you engaged, entertained, and in the end a little more educated. Blake is superb in his research and keeping the book realistic, while taking your mind on a journey through possibilities that most of us don't look for.

The Voyinch Cypher easily lives up to the standards Blake's previous books have created. In the spirit of titles such as The DaVinci Code and National Treasure, Blake takes us on a journey of what if. What if there are secret societies associated with the church? What if there are buried secrets out there that people in power didn't want getting out? What if people with money decided they want the power of these secrets?

Dr. Steven Cross soon finds out as an innocent letter he penned drags him into a life-altering adventure. "When a sacred relic is stolen from its subterranean guarded vault, Dr. Steven Cross, amateur cryptologist, becomes embroiled in a deadly quest to decipher one of history’s most enigmatic documents – a 15th century parchment written entirely in unbreakable code; The Voynich Manuscript. Stalked by secret societies, and aided by the daughter of a murdered colleague, a trail of riddles catapults Cross from England to Italy to the Middle East, where a Byzantine web of ancient secrets leads him to a revelation so profound it will change the world order." (Author's synopsis).

Blake masterfully spins the story painting vivid pictures in your mind, while not blustering on forever over the minutiae that many authors get caught up on. You know, those moments of "Yes, I understand we're in the wood with lots of trees and lots of leaves. How long does this go on? *Flipping pages* Oh, here we are 3 pages later, now I can get on with the story." Whether a fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat thriller, a non-fictional tribute to a lost pet, or a methodical, well-plotted quest, Blake never fails to thrill the reader with his stories.

*Disclosure: I received this book for free in exchange for a review*

[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went to Catholic schools as a child and in Junior High we were asked to write stories about what the world would be like if all copies of the Bible were lost or destroyed. I rebelled and wrote why I was sure it couldn’t happen instead. Russell Blake’s The Voynich Cypher evokes a similar response in me, but it’s fiction, like Dan Brown’s Da Vinci Code. All fiction involves the willing suspension of belief, and those moments when disbelief becomes un-suspended either make us think or make us put down the book. In my case, Russell Blake makes me think. He doesn’t change my mind about anything—just makes me re-explain things to myself, writing my reasons into another essay in my head.

If Da Vinci annoyed you, you probably won’t want to read The Voynich Cypher. If it intrigued you, you probably will. There’s a made-for-TV feel to the romance, and Italy’s countryside, towns, and dark basements provide plenty of atmospheric scenery. Characters include a remarkably fit and capable amateur cryptologist, a fascinating and beautiful young woman, sinister Catholic priests, spies and more, with some pleasing surprises when true motivations are revealed. The original cypher is real (I looked it up on Wikipedia) though the stolen relic presumably isn’t. And there’s a nicely convincing feel to the cryptologist’s methods. Some aspects of Italian life felt less real to me—a woman struggling with medical expenses that might surely be covered by the state for example. And I would have expected Middle-Eastern travel to be more fraught with regulations. But the story’s fun and carries me beyond those minor disbeliefs.

The book is the second in a series, and some setting up in early scenes probably makes more sense if you’ve read the first (I haven’t). But apart from that the story stands alone very well and has an enjoyable movie-like feel to its action. The question of “What could be so important?” is certainly intriguingly resolved though, just like Da Vinci, its fictional implicatios may cause offense.



Disclosure: I was going to get a free ecopy in exchange for my review, but then I got a free ecopy in an online deal instead.

[Martha Bryce · Rating 5 out of 5]

Compelling, Fast Paced Read
Wow! It was love at first sight between me and Dr. Steven Archer Cross. Dr. Cross is self made man who retired from his own software company at age 30. Seeking intellectual stimulation, Archer immersed himself in cryptography, often using his super computer skills and the resources of his newer hobby software company, to unlock the mystery of codes. Cross is at loose ends, recovering from the death of his beloved Antonia and living in Italy when Winston Twain, a colleague to whom he had mailed a theory about the Voynich Cypher, a fascinating centuries old document written in an unbreakable code, is brutally murdered. Unbeknownst to both of them, a priceless document, hidden and protected by the Catholic Church holds the key to the Voynich Cypher and a secret that could unleash information that would shake the very foundation of our world.
Cross becomes aware of a car tailing him and is unable to completely elude it when the car’s passenger, a gorgeous, violet eyed, black haired goth in a cat suit, jumps from the car and introduced herself as Natalie Twain, the daughter and confidant of Winston Twain. She asks for twenty minutes of his time and convinces him that because his theory was right under her father’s body when he died that both Cross and she are in terrible danger from someone who wants the Voynich Cypher decoded and returned. When they are attacked, Cross understands the danger and the challenge and the race is on!
This is an engaging and fascinating read. Inevitably there will be comparisons between it and The DaVinci Code since they both deal with centuries old secrets, the Catholic Church, mysterious societies but The Voynich Cypher will stand up against the comparisons as a worthy read. Action, mystery, an enticing love interest – this book has it all. The characters are strong, well developed and compelling. I could not put it down and hope for more fascinating reads by Russell Blake

[Sofia Wren · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will admit up front, I'm not a huge fan of suspenseful gun packed action-adventure stories involving cyphers and secret societies. Sure I've read and enjoyed The Da Vinci Code, but Angels and Demons by the same author has sat on my shelf unread for years.

The premise is Dr. Steven Cross, crypotologist widower, is surprised by Natalie super-hot chick in catsuit with the unfortunate news that suddenly an intellectual exercise of his, The Voynich Cypher, has become a life or death riddle. They must escape the Order, a section of the Catholic Church, as well as other, more ruthless, opponents, all of whom are after a secret he has yet to decode.

After a page of this book, I was hooked and into the story. Russell Blake writes a tight novel, and The Voynich Cypher is incredibly readable, and fast paced. The author does a fantastic job of describing Italy, a place I have visited dozens of times myself. The only teeny mistake my Italian snobbery was able to find was minor, "cara" (Dear) used to describe a male should be "caro." The story ushers us through several Italian cities, as well as historical places like an old mausoleum in Rome. The main characters even have time to eat delicious Italian food and sip fine wines while they run from their perusers around the peninsula. I was very impressed by the research that must have been done to create the map of historical points, and the context of the Cypher within history.

All and all a good read! Well done.


*Reviewer received a copy from the World Literary Cafe in exchange for a review*