Red Winter: The United States Of Vinland (The Markland Settlement Saga Book 2)

An interesting take on the alternate history of Vikings in America. The interrelationships amongst the Viking clans and the native is plausible and quite new.

What if Vinland was real or true, what if the colony survive and grew, nearly 22 or 23 years later, the believer of the old ways, the old belief is still there in the New belief, but such ways could grow and develop to advancement.

This is the second in an interesting trilogy exploring the "what if" Vikings had settled North America back around 1000AD.I was very much looking forward to this book after the first and admit to being somewhat disappointed. A good half of the book takes place over a couple of days, recounting the Viking response to an uprising by their slaves (the vikings kept slaves though mostly of the "inferior" folks, such as the American Indian) near the beginning of the book. There's a LOT of blood shed and basically the story tends to highlight the differences between the two primary Viking colonies.There's a secondary thread about the daughter of one of the founders of these colonies who was for some reason left back in Iceland. There she gradually becomes aware that the local chieftain who is managing supplies to/from the colonies is dragging his feet on sending more colonists, preferring instead to get rich on the lumber and iron coming back from the New World.I enjoyed this book though it felt like a placeholder and was DEFINITELY longer than it needed to be. I'm really not sure why; my anticipation had been that the author was going to "jump" a couple of hundred years forward from the events in the first book, not a mere decade or so. I do look forward to the third, but it needs to be tighter and a bit faster moving.Very recommended for any fans of the first book and/or fans of a somewhat different alternate history. Looking forward to the third.

To be completely honest I had eagerly anticipated this book and devoured the first third of it as soon as it downloaded to my Kindle. Unfortunately the viewpoint then shifted to the second main location of the book and I got bogged down in the political intrigue going on in far off Iceland. I ended up putting the book down unfinished meaning to get back to it when I had more mental energy to spend on the intricate machinations of the newly introduced characters. Unfortunately I kind of forgot about the book for over a year, until I got a notice from amazon that the sequel would be published in July 2016, so I dug it out and finished it. Looking back at it now with fresh eyes I enjoyed it and think it is a good addition to the series, but for my taste more focus on Markland is what I am hoping for in the third novel.

I was eagerly awaiting the next addition to the USV family & Red Winter did not disappoint! Mr Taber has a rare talent in that he uses prose to transport the reader into the universe of his creation - in this case an alternate universe where the USA is colonised not by the English, but by the Norse who live a life more closely aligned with the land then the English. There are some minor similarities between early Norse & English settlements but in this the second novel differences and divergences are becoming more obvious. The way in which he uses the cast of characters and the settings to build the tension between not only the rival houses but also the peeople who remain in Greenland is outstanding. And ofcourse Mr Taber chooses to end the book with an amazing cliffhanger that leaves you begging for more.. for which I am glad as I would be sad to see the end of this series so soon!If you haven't read the first book in the series I highly recommend it. Then get stuck straight into Red Winter. Hopefully I won't have to wait too long to read the 3rd book in the series!!

Colin Taber certainly ups the action and consequently, the body count, in this, the second USV novel. Some interesting new characters are introduced, each with significant implications for the future of the fledgling colony. Colin writes strong female characters in all of his books - a refreshing change in this genre, and does the same here once again.While the dialogue is occasionally stilted at times, there are enough good action scenes, moments that will actually tug at your heart strings and sufficient new plot threads to lead you nicely into the next book. Looking forward to seeing what comes next.

The book was good at the beginning and very end. However, the middle of the book was so boring that I about put down the book multiple times. The part in between the war and the last couple of pages were just horrible boring. I will still buy the next book because this is still a very good series and because of the awesome cliff hanger at the end.

I had hoped it would jump generation to generation in stories leading to a modern era in a score of books, but he is still fleshing out the birthplace of a new nation under Asgardian Faith. The character's and story follow the North and South civil war about slavery in a broad example but very intriguing. Can't wait for next book.

Red Winter is a brilliant addition to what is proving to be an original and in-depth alternate history series.The story has exploded with a huge cast of characters, all with competing interests in the new land. With the use of omniscient point of view and multiple unique characters, we are able to closely follow numerous plot lines and viewpoints from many perspectives as they each converge towards inevitable bloody clashes.The story has introduced or developed some standout characters. As examples, Trion, a leader with a bloodthirsty, psychotic appetite, is a recipe for unpredictable chaos. Ineke is someone to sympathise with, who eventually finds her strength, with a promise of greater endeavours.Tension is strong where it is needed throughout the book. The scenes switch between the competing camps at a well-sequenced and timed rate that the book becomes a page-turner.The tension during the lead-up and opening scenes of the battle at Akrvan makes it one of the best battles I have ever read.There are some fantastically described settings in this new world, all delicately woven into the story to draw out deep emotions. The opening paragraph of the scene with Gylla waiting outside the Hall of Ravens is to me the benchmark in linking setting with mood.Whilst I wouldn’t have waited for the trilogy to be completed, I would have preferred to read the series straight through, as with the break I found some difficulty in following the various people and differing locations.Similar to the first book, the cliffhanger ending reinforces that this book is not just one story, but an integral part of a large series.I recommend this series for the original alternate history concept, the huge cast of characters and the well-crafted writing.

Too much blood and gore, too long, too wordy and too many back references to too many confusing characters. A pity, as the first book and the basic concept are so promising. I hope future work in the series avoids these faults. i suggest Mr Taber reads CR May's 'Spearhavoc' to find a model of how to do early medieval stories (whether in our timeline or an alternative one).

Interesting idea. It is possible that some people became part of the native population

Not as good as his first