Really enjoyed this book. Great plot and engaging, believe characters. I was drawn right into the story. Would definitely recommend.

On one hand, this book is fascinating. The alliances, the power struggles, the discoveries, the hopes and fears that seem so familiar to us even 500 years later. But the length of this read is daunting (and I write this as a person who enjoys long reads). There were just a tad too many dates packed in here.

I nearly passed on this book feeling I'd had my fill of Columbus and his journeys and the off and on holiday in his honor. Then I read the description and noted it also contained the pov of the Tainos! That reeled me right in. The book is well researched and referenced, so I am gathering it is far more accurate than many of the accounts I've found. Sadly, the encounter wasn't very positive for the Tainos, or any of the American natives. And I am aware of the Native American views of the colonists and pioneers. The Tainos, were pretty well finished once Columbus arrived. It's good that someone has given them a voice. I do hope there will be a second book. Great read for fiction or history lovers.

A brilliant look into history (though fictional), Encounters Unforeseen presents what's often overlooked in history books. The little things that ultimately impact the larger parts of history. Cannot recommend enough.

I felt so privileged to read this book. It is well put together and has evidently been very extensively researched. It is well referenced and really well explained. I was transformed to another world reading it and learnt a lot from it. To me the 5 stars are well and truly deserved.

Re telling the voyages of Christopher Columbus isn't something I would naturally be drawn to read. However the author Andrew Rowen has widened the scope of this part of history by threading in the lives of those natives, monarchies and the family of Columbus into an entertaining historical drama.
Easy to read and illuminated with maps and historical resources and lots of good research that doesn't overwhelm the narrative I was taken in totally to the worlds that were being discovered.
The part dealing with the Taino chieftains Caonabo, Guacanagan and Guarionex were intriguing as the narrative is from the point of view of the tribes themselves and the impact of invaders and merchant traders not only bringing goods to add to the variety of life but taking slaves from many islands.
On the 525th anniversary of the voyage that re-shaped the world Columbus's childhood in Genoa is totally believable and the impact of his meeting the Taino tribes and capturing one of their youths and taking back to Spain very revealing.
We also follow Isabella and Ferdinand and the strong links made across European monarchies by marriage and power.
The novel uses text from primary sources and we see the challenges to the old world as the new world encounters and then rules. The beautiful maps show us a world through past eyes and how strange it must have all seemed , particularly to the Taino tribes. The young sailors were also learning about the world beyond the entrenched religious 'flat earth' beliefs and exploring and questionning values and new discoveries.
A very good read with lots to discover!
Author sets the scenes very well and the sailings are interesting (which surprised me as I'm not a fan of ship based adventures usually)