Read the entire Fifth Millenium series. Rollicking, sword swinging, fist smashing, down & dirty good times ahead! ( )

Snowbrother by S.M. Stirling is another from the Fifth Millennium series. This story is about Shk'aira before she leaves her people and meets Megan. Snowbrother fills in a lot about the people/tribes/races in the Fifth Millennium world and how they interact even though their lives and social mores are divergent.

Shk'aira is sent on a glory and treasure seeking excursion against a small village. The village is easily taken, since they hadn't finished their defenses, but help is on the way. Shk'aira and her band of warriors and support plunder the people and belongings of the village and prepare for the long winter trip back home. There are scenes of rape of males and females by males and females. Shk'aira lets her guard down with one of the new slaves. The trip home becomes a fiasco as the newly organized militia harries the caravan, a mysterious "Snowbrother" kills guards from within the scout pattern (very demoralizing), and the tension between Shk'aira and the Shaman escalates over spiritual protection and the use of human sacrifice. The shaman sees a glimpse of Shk'airas future.