Kingdom River

Snowfall #2

by Mitchell Smith

Sam Monroe is the reluctant commander of a tough-minded warrior people living in what was once northern Mexico. His tiny country is flanked on the northeast by the Kingdom River, a vast, trade-driven nation that replaced the southern United States, and on the northwest by the Khanate, an empire of nomads who swept down the west coast after crossing the ice from what was once Russia. Sam's people cling to a precarious, hard-won freedom.

Toghrul Khan, leader of the Khanate, wants Kingdom's lucrative trade and lush farmlands. To get them, Sam Monroe knows, the Khan's forces will march right over his people's small towns and precious homesteads. His country's only hope is an alliance with Kingdom-but the far larger Kingdom may simply swallow them up. Unless . . .

Sam's proven ability in the field attracts the attention of Queen Joan, who rules Kingdom with a heart as cold as the Colorado ice where she was raised. But if she gives Sam Monroe command of Kingdom's forces, her loyal generals and admirals may feel a lot less loyal. Unless . . .

Young, bookish princess Rachel is the key. A marriage between Sam and the princess unites both their nations and their fighting forces and gives the commanders a way to save face.

Has the alliance been made in time? The Khan's armies are sweeping east in a rush, threatening both sides of the vast Mississippi River. Kingdom's large army and navy move excruciatingly slowly. Sam's people are fleet but greatly outnumbered. And there are other dangers Sam Monroe is just beginning to comprehend. The technologically advanced people of New England, who breed monsters in women's wombs and have learned to levitate, are watching the growing conflict between the Khan and Kingdom and more important, watching Sam as he learns not just to command but to rule.

Genres: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Post Apocalyptic, Fiction, Science Fiction Fantasy, Apocalyptic

400 pages, Hardcover

First published February 1, 2003

About the author

Mitchell Smith is an American author writing crime fiction and science fiction.

Also known as Roy LeBeau.

Reviews

[Jeff Turney · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as the first book, all new characters, the next generation, still a good story and solid characters, worth the read.

[Caroline · Rating 1 out of 5]

Never finished it.

[Janet]

I read and enjoyed the first book in the series, Snowfall, so I hunted down the other two. It's been hundreds of years since a change in Jupiter's orbit brings on a massive ice age, and modern civilization collapses. The action takes place in North America, and a variety of regional communities have grown up. I really like all the different societies, and the characters he creates. In the first book, I had some trouble believing that the ecology/economy of the Trappers would work, and became happier as they migrated south. In the second book, I found the Middle Kingdom and North Map Mexico to be believable, and the sweeping action riveting. The third book takes the action through the Indian* tribes up to DNA-twisting science-fictionally-magical Boston. [return][return]The second and third books open about 20 years after the end of the previous book, with a protagonist who is a young man now and was a baby at the end of the earlier book -- a most unusual way to continue a series, and quite satisfying. The second book is war, and politics, between three regions. It's rather grounded and realistic, thought there are some fantastic elements. The third book is a quest. The action is one long trip, probably suicidal, to strike a blow for justice. This book takes us into the strangeness that Boston has created, and goes through other wonders. The "farmers" are eerie, the animalistic Boston Guard is astonishing, and the climbing sequence is fantastic. I did have a bit of trouble in the 3rd book, keeping suspension of disbelief down about the Boston economy.[return][return]While each book is quite different, and probably could be read on its own, I think you'll get more out of them by reading them in order, if only due to the handful of continuing characters. If I hadn't read them in order, I wouldn't have been on the edge of my seat, terrified, as Martha traveled from her home to the Island. Yowza.[return][return]There are wonderful, strong women characters: Catania the Trapper doctor; Patience the slightly mad, rather blood-thirsty, flying Bostonian meddler; Queen Joan of the Middle Kingdom, who was Crazy Joan of the Trappers, and likely to say "Fuck, let's get this over with" on ceremonial occasions; and Nancy the sort-of fox; Charmian is critical to Sam Monroe's greatest military victory.[return][return]*They're kinda, sorta Indian tribes.

[Zedsdead · Rating 5 out of 5]

Volume 2 of the Snowfall trilogy. A slight change in Jupiter's orbit has brought an ice age to Earth. 600 years from now, mankind has regressed technologically to a pre-gunpowder level.

A Mongolian horde has crossed the frozen Bering strait and is overrunning North America. A small army from northern Mexico and the powerful but rigid Middle Kingdom must unite to stop them. Meanwhile, New England has achieved disturbing results in genetic engineering despite the rest of the world's technological decay.

Smith's world is brutal, a point he drives home again and again. What we would consider to be good, socially conscious people either compromise their principles repeatedly--at great personal cost--or else are destroyed.

Wonderfully written. Don't get attached to any of the characters in this series...Smith is almost George R R Martinesque in his willingness to dispose of them.

[Ronald Olin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just stumbled across this when desperate for something to read. Verdict: It could have been so much better with decent editing. Too long, for one thing, and others have pointed out the author's extremely abundant references to "warm-time" words and phrases, as well as "Map- This or That." Enough already!

I did not know at first that this is part of a trilogy.(Tolkien, if you had been able to look ahead and see how every darn science-fiction / fantasy writer has to write a trilogy, would you have still done Lord Of The Rings that way?!)

I doubt I'll ever read the other two books. Too bad; it could have been a good series if it had been tightened up by a conscientious editor or a better author.

[William Gerke · Rating 4 out of 5]

My memories of the first Mitchell Smith book were reliable, and I enjoyed this as much as I remembered enjoying "Snowfall." Smith's style is gritty and hard as his characters but with the frontier poetry of the best cowboy stories. He creates a real world inhabited by strong, yet flawed generals and kings. While his wintery future may not seem is likely as it did when he wrote the novel, the portrayal of a civilization returned to a medieval level of technology, a frontier level of organization, and a memory of the greatness that once was humanity, is affecting and engaging. Well worth it for fans of historical fiction, frontier fiction, war novels, and medieval politics.

[Todd · Rating 3 out of 5]

A change of pace from the first book, with a completely different angle on the story, but still chock-full of the one-dimensional characters and constant pointing out of "warm-time" words and phrases that are supposedly so perfect. Were I not an avid reader of apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction, I would probably have put this series down unfinished, but since I am there's enough here to keep me on-board for the entire ride.

[Donna · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was totally lost in the descriptive battle scenes, which take up the biggest part of the book. I would like to have seen the author explore the relationship between the main character & the "princess" to whom he is betrothed to bring 2 kingdoms together. Some strong characters here, but they all come to no good end, which is a shame. It could have been so much better...

[Dystopian · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really liked the first book in this series, but it is nothing like this second one. This is a lot of military maneuvers and political wrangling.

Also, it is driving me completely NUTS that every other word he uses he has the characters say "wonderful Warm-time word!" or something like that. The first 577 times were enough. We get it.

[Barb in Maryland · Rating 4 out of 5]

For once the middle book of a trilogy is the best of a very good set. A generation separates Kingdom River from Snowfall. Set on our Earth, changed by a climate disaster (no, not global warming), warring societies are battling over what was the US. Great characters, great action.

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another one that I read a long time ago. I don't remember much about it, but I do know that I liked it. I didn't know that this was a series when I started it, but maybe sometime I'll read the others.

[George Riggs · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good

[Macha · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars.

[Nooktastic37 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Started and did not finish - there wasn't much left of the original premise.

[Dadt Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love the concept and the background. Looking forward to the rest of the series!