God's Daughter (Vikings of the New World Saga) (Volume 1)

By Heather Day Gilbert

Description:

"The life of Vikings in North America is energetically described, and the entire cast of characters feel fresh and vivid, including Leif Ericson and Gudrid's father-in-law Eric the Red... a remarkably assured tale, well-recommended." ~ Historical Novel Society Reviews, May 2014

"Vivid, powerful...triumphant. This story took me by the heart." ~ Joanne Bischof, award-winning author of the Cadence of Grace series

"God's Daughter offers a brave, fresh look at a lost way of life and the Vikings who left an indelible mark in history. Author Heather Gilbert weaves a riveting novel with unforgettable characters and circumstances, the first installment in a series sure to resonate with historical fans. The stunning cover is only the beginning!" ~ Laura Frantz, Christy finalist and author of Love's Reckoning

One Viking woman. One God. One legendary journey to North America.

In the tenth century, when pagan holy women rule the Viking lands, Gudrid turns her back on her training as a seeress to embrace Christianity. Clinging to her faith, she joins her husband, Finn, on a voyage to North America.

But even as Gudrid faces down murderous crewmen, raging sickness, and hostile natives, she realizes her greatest enemy is herself--and the secrets she hides might just tear her marriage apart.

Almost five centuries before Columbus, Viking women sailed to North America with their husbands. God's Daughter, Book One in the Vikings of the New World Saga, offers an expansive yet intimate look into the world of Gudrid Thorbjarnardottir--daughter-in-law of Eirik the Red, and the first documented European woman to have a child in North America.

Awards:

Why the author wrote this book:

When I bought my own copy of The Sagas of Icelanders, I was fascinated with stories of Gudrid, a Viking Christian woman who took stands for God in the midst of her pagan culture. The more I read, the more I realized the sagas were solid bones of a story that needed to be fleshed out. This book is a near-biography based on the first European woman to give birth to a child in North America.