The Serpent Dreamer

Book excerpt: “Expertly researched narrative abounds with fascinating lore . . . this flamboyant re-creation of the distant past . . . is another genre triumph.” —Kirkus Reviews When Norse raiders slaughtered his family and abducted his sister, Corban Loosestrife set out on an odyssey that took him across half the world, from the Viking fortress of Jorvik to the wild and desolate shores of Vinland in the New World. Now Corban struggles to make a new life alone in this strange land amid bloody clashes between warring native clans. Shunned for his pale skin and dark, coarse hair, Corban seeks shelter with the Wolf Clan discovering he is also feared for his strange powers to make fire and cut through the toughest skins with his magical blade. The healer of the tribe comes to love Corban, but will this be enough to defend him against the hatred of Miska, the tribe’s cunning chief? When Corban has a vision he is compelled to follow, the world he has come to know is forever altered . . . “This compelling installment will satisfy fans of Holland's meaty Viking epic.” —Booklist “The best historical novelist since France’s Zoé Oldenbourg still has the chops—and TheSerpent Dreamer will not disappoint her many fans.” —Kirkus Reviews