God's Daughter

Vikings of the New World Saga, Book 1

By: Heather Day Gilbert

Narrated by: Becky Doughty

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

In the 10th 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 journey 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 1 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.

©2013 Heather Day Gilbert (P)2014 Heather Day Gilbert

Vikings! great story..

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes, it was certainly interesting and the narrator had wonderful accents!

What did you like best about this story?

I liked that the heroine was such a strong young lady. A lot of action, suspense and romance.

Have you listened to any of Becky Doughty’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Yes.. I found it once again, well done and her accent was spot on!

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It did get me a little tense at times.. It had me wishing for a better outcome than I thought was coming. Vikings were certainly tough and unpredictable!

Raw and haunting Viking saga

God's Daughter by Heather Day Gilbert is an amazing historical tale. Tenth century Viking history is a little-known world to this reader and I imagine to many others as well. Gilbert does a fantastic job, giving readers a seemingly realistic view of the Viking world. Characters that are strong and yet have the same feelings and failings as folks centuries hence. Compelling adventures of a people who need to rely on community and cunning to survive. Powerful messages of the weakness of the human soul and the hope that faith in God alone can bring. Vivid, detailed descriptions of a harsh and hostile life softened by the love of family and God. The audio version is narrated by Becky Doughty, who does a great job of narration. Having captured the essence of the various characters she gives them a voice of their own. God's Daughter is a fascinating, forcefully dynamic book that should not be missed.
I was given an audio copy of the book by the author in exchange for an honest review.

A good drama

This was a good story. I enjoyed watching the characters grow and also seeing the different belief systems of the Viking era. This book didn't have a lot of action, but was engaging. It was more of a journal come to life. Overall a good listen.

A Novel about the Viking's New World Adventures

I loved this well researched and well written story about a new world settlement, financed by Leif Erickson. Told through the eyes of an adopted daughter of Eric the Red, it's a tale of hardship and passion that spans two continents and several years, just as the vikings are abandoning the old gods and adopting a more settled lifestyle an the Christian tradition.
This one's a great way to absorb a bit of history with your romance.

Did Not Want It To End!

If you could sum up God's Daughter in three words, what would they be?

Fascinating, Believable, Educational

What was one of the most memorable moments of God's Daughter?

When Gudrid finally realizes she wants Finn more than any other man.

What about Becky Doughty’s performance did you like?

She has such a rich voice, and pronounces every word so clearly. She is not in a hurry, and yet puts so much feeling into her reading!

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The end! I did not want it to end!

Any additional comments?

I am glad there is a sequel coming soon!

The Struggles of a Christian Viking Woman Explorer

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes, it's different than other Christian historical fiction out there and an enjoyable listen.

What did you like best about this story?

I really liked the setting and Viking characters.

What does Becky Doughty bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I've listened to Becky Doughty narrate another book, and it was good. Her very precise enunciation threw me off at first with that other book, but she did a great job with God's Daughter. I've read in other reviews that her narration can be a little monotone. I agree only to a point. The narration itself is smooth and soothing, like sitting in the shallows of a creek in a light-speckled forest and letting the water slowly pass over your legs. Ms. Doughty doesn't get excited in her narration. It's soothing. However, the speaking parts, the dialogue and accents of the characters, are outstanding, with strong emotion and nice inflection. I'm glad I listened to the story instead of simply reading it.

Who was the most memorable character of God's Daughter and why?

Freydis, the "Forest Child," who was the illegitimate daughter of Eirik the Red. She's the lead character in the second book of the series, which I haven't read yet. She was both incredibly strong and yet when tragedy strikes very vulnerable. She was an interesting and realistic character.

Any additional comments?

The main character Gudrid is not like any other Christian fiction character I've come across. She was raised by a Norse profitess called a völva and trained to be one herself, memorizing all the chants and customs. She's also a healer. She became a Christian as an adult by the evangelism of a monk but has never read the Bible for herself. Being raised in a sexually loose society, she's realistically portrayed as a Christian woman who struggles with sexual desire. She loves her husband but craves the attention of other men in her life, men who openly tempt her. It was uncomfortable at times, listening to the struggles she had in her thoughts. At the same time, it was refreshing to "read" about a character who is not like the cookie cutter Christian characters in some other books, but a character who struggles in her mind but relies on God to keep her from faltering. She also struggled with juggling parenthood and her responsibilities as a leader in the community. She's a relatable character. She was also a well-rounded character who grew and matured during the course of the book. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.

So worth the second chance--an EPIC for sure.

What made the experience of listening to God's Daughter the most enjoyable?

It took me two tries to really get into this audiobook. I'm fairly new to the audiobook scene and brand spanking new to this time period, though I am an avid reader of historical fiction. But once I settled into the voice of the narrator and figured out I could adjust the speed of the playback a bit to fine tune it on my Kindle, I was able to begin to really tell the characters apart. There are a LOT of characters and for necessity of the story they are introduced quickly and they have historically accurate names which made it a little tough to remember who was who, especially if you let much time lapse between chapters. HOWEVER, I hung with it because the cover is so gorgeous and I really wanted to "get" this book. Once I settled into it on about chapter seven or eight, it was a great listen.

What was one of the most memorable moments of God's Daughter?

Where do I even start! Hmmm... have to say was at the end when Gudrid gets the "revelation" about Finn. Can't say much more than that without it being a spoiler, but my heart was MELTING!

What about Becky Doughty’s performance did you like?

Once I got comfortable and accustomed to the accents, I enjoyed them and felt like I was living in Gudrid's head and world the whole time I was listening.

Who was the most memorable character of God's Daughter and why?

Gudrid. For sure. While I couldn't relate to her historical struggles of everyday life in a Viking camp, I could relate deeply to a woman wrestling with her identity, complicated relationships, and having to be strong all the time, even when you can't.

Any additional comments?

I'm not a reader that does well with women's fiction typically, and this title definitely had that flavor. I enjoyed learning about a time period I knew next to nothing about, and honestly had no interest in prior to this audiobook/story. That has changed now thanks to God's Daughter and I'm anticipating the next in the series, thought I thought this book ended well and was a complete story in itself.

Strong Viking Women

I enjoyed the reading of this story. At times I felt I would have gotten lost if I had tried to read it.

Engrossing Story!

I really enjoyed the audio of God's Daughter. The narrator does a lovely job of using different tones and inflections for the various voices - her Scottish accent is excellent and really made that character come to life for me.

Good book, wonderful narration!

This book is an entertaining historical fiction with an interesting twist: it is told from the perspective of the mother of the (believed) first European child both in North America. No not Virginia Dare, but a Viking child! There are interactions and references to people you may have heard of (Leif Erickson, Eric the Red). If you aren't into religious fiction don't be turned off by the title - while the beliefs of the characters (Christian or not) is evident and partly shapes there actions and world-view, it is not a book which preaches to you.

What really makes this book work is the narration. The accent and ability to effectively handle the very Viking names throughout really grounded the book - it helped you to really feel "in the story" as you listen. I would consider buying further books just based on her narration alone.