From the publisher
LUST FOR INCA GOLD is a masterful blend of history, biography, legend and storytelling, providing a definitive account of the Llanganati Treasure Story. The narrative is related through firsthand accounts of the Spanish Conquistadores and famous explorers of the region; Richard Spruce, Captain Blacke, Jordan Stabler, Colonel Brooks, Captain Loch, Commander Dyott, Luciano Andrade, Rolf Blomberg and Eugene Brunner. New evidence is disclosed and misinformation, misdirection, myths and theories are corrected or dispelled. Exclusive facts, details and maps from world renowned treasure expert Brunner are liberally dispersed throughout this you-are-there narrative! Through historical documents and firsthand accounts relive history traveling with the conquistadores and latter day expeditions in search of Atahualpa's treasure. Share in the discoveries of the intrepid explorers of the region who have gone before you. Attain a visual image of the conditions, hardships, deprivations, successes and failures these men faced on their expeditions into the Llanganatis. Numerous original documents, maps and illustrations from Spruce, Blacke, Stabler, Brooks, Loch, Dyott and Brunner will provide a means to trace expedition routes as you travel with the explorers into the unknown. Witness the insatiable quest for knowledge and the thrill of discovering the unknown that drove the personal quests of these men, or in some cases . . . their lust for Inca gold!Going well beyond historical background and what has been written previously, this invaluable resource fills an information gap, relating new or little-known information and portions of the story that have never been told, while clarifying what has been! A very interesting, intriguing story, which also exposes the military and political conditions and events in Ecuador during the country's transition from military to civilian rule, including the government's role in the attempted recovery of 750 tons of Inca gold!Since releasing LUST FOR INCA GOLD new information has come to light clarifying aspects of the story and answering some of the questions raised within the book's first edition. Numerous sources with personal connections to the story have helped fill in some of its gaps and exposed intriguing new twists, providing over a hundred pages of exciting new material! New events and characters are introduced concerning a central character's personal life, his European past in Nazi Germany and espionage activities in Ecuador during World War II, post war and into the Cold War, providing a unique insight into events, the man and his paranoias'!This genre busting tale has something for everyone . . . nonfiction, history (Spanish, British, Ecuadorian, and American), botany, biography, autobiography, memoirs, politics, military, murder, mystery, espionage, adventure, exploration, discovery, travel, romance, folklore and treasure lore! Discover how a Nazi war criminal, an armed leftist guerrilla group and its leader, Generals, Ministers, Presidents and others all meld into a narrative about Inca gold! Sit back, get comfortable, and let your adventure begin . . . allow LUST FOR INCA GOLD to be your personal expedition into the mysterious Mountains of Llanganati to discover a certain "hidden cave" and "lake made by hand!""FANTASTIC!I started reading yesterday afternoon and before I knew it, it was 3 AM! The type and illustration adjustments along with the new look is more usable, very professional. Your masterful touch of blending all of the new information together in the second edition expands the scope and depth of the story and reveals mind blowing information that no one would have ever expected. People who thought they knew this story inside and out will be shocked to learn the truth of what really happened. I'm thankful we were able to live to tell the story . . . we both could have ended up in unmarked shallow graves somewhere in the jungle!" . . . Review excerpt from the "handler."
About the author
A Vermont native raised in the resort community of Stowe, at twenty-three the author traveled to Ecuador to visit a childhood friend serving in the United States Peace Corps. While in Quito Mr. Charbonneau fell in love with a young Ecuadorian girl, within months they were married. Little did he know at the time, destiny would forever tie him to this mysterious land and its people. Nearly a decade passed before Mr. Charbonneau was drawn back to Ecuador and became involved within a story of international intrigue, espionage, murder, kidnapping, embezzlement, deceit, discovery and untold secrets! Mr. Charbonneau formed Ecuadoran Explorations, Inc. and was no stranger to the United States Embassy, Ministry of Defense, Presidential Palace and Institute of Patrimony & Culture in Quito. Over a two year period, as President and CEO of Ecuadoran Explorations, he applied for an Archaeological Permit and negotiated the terms of a Presidential Decree and contract for the recovery of Inca treasure from the Llanganati Mountains of Ecuador. Although the contract and decree had successfully been negotiated, drafted and were awaiting signature, Ecuador's Attorney General advised his President that a contract and decree were not a requirement for the company to proceed with the project. For political reasons the President then expressed his desire that the project continue without this documentation. Absent written terms and assurances, the fear of confiscation or of ending up in an unmarked grave, doomed the project. Decades later Mr. Charbonneau decided to tell his story and publish the entirety of writings, drawings, discoveries and secrets of renowned Ecuador treasure expert Eugen Brunner. Six months later an expanded second edition included a detailed biographical account of Brunner's life, with new information, details and twists! Arguably a leading expert on the topic, Mr. Charbonneau's personal connection and involvement with this story allows him, through mere prose, to take seemingly unrelated events and draw back the veil of mere coincidence, thereby connecting the unconnected! His characters, both good and bad, are presented in a "matter of fact" style which reminds the reader that the events he relates are fact, not fiction. Mr. Charbonneau's extensive research has rewritten history, uncovered new information and revived interest in a centuries old treasure quest! Obsession, love, political intrigue, deception, mystery, adventure, his books have it all!
