Ansgar: The Struggle of a People. the Triumph of the Heart. Section 1

The Windflower Saga

by Aleksandra Layland

This is Section 1 of 2 of the Large Print Edition of "Ansgar: The Struggle of a People. The Triumph of the Heart." (Part I of The Windflower Saga), a multi-genre action/romance.fantasy trilogy. Ansgar, youngest son of King Bogumil of Kimbria, has never visited the southernmost lands of his dukedom. No one lives in the vast Wastelands except a few fishermen, nuns, monks, and the remnants of the Kimbrii people. These original inhabitants of Kimbria were once famous as horsemen and mounted archers but are now on the brink of extinction. Returning to his homeland after several years away, Ansgar journeys directly to the south to search for the Kimbrii but his ship and crew are lost in a storm at sea. Near death he slowly heals at a remote monastery, presumed dead by his family, and still determined to search for the Kimbrii.

388 pages, Paperback

Published December 15, 2015

About the author

Aleksandra Layland is a retired civil engineer and federal civil servant who worked primarily for the United States Air Force as a senior installation civil engineering manager responsible for buildings, airfields, infrastructure, fire protection, and emergency preparedness. She also served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Western Caroline Islands where she helped build school classrooms and cafeterias, low-income housing, and simple village water distribution systems. Her other interests include arts and crafts, family genealogy, religion and spirituality, fostering peace in the world, and enjoying retirement with family and friends.

The award-winning epic fantasy Windflower Saga is comprised of a trilogy of novels and eight related novellas as well as several books for younger readers. They trace the lives of members of the fictional Ansgar family of Kimbria against a background of struggles between forces such as good and evil, love and hate, war and peace, integrity and corruption. It was the author’s first attempt at writing novels.

Reviews

[K.J. Simmill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ansgar: The Struggle of a people The Triumph of the Heart is part one of Aleksandra Layland's the Windflower Saga. When Ansgar survives an unseasonable and terrifying storm he finds himself anew, learning the true meaning of faith. At his journey's start he was committed to finding the Kimbrii people, but when they are the ones who find him and pull him from the clutches of death he is more certain than ever fate has something in mind for him. He learns from these people, learns of the unjust laws they are forced to adhere to, and of their rich and threatened heritage. He knows in his heart his initial perception of this shrinking race was correct and wishes to protect them, but this struggle would be more difficult than he anticipated, he is not only forced to face the outdated views of his world, but of their world too, fortunately there are those who see logic and offer wise council.

I see a lot of native American inspiration in Ansgar: The Struggle of a people The Triumph of the Heart, specifically in how things came to pass and how the Kimbrii were driven from their land, oppressed, and denied the same rights as the invaders who forced them from their homes to claim the territory as their own. There are many religious and social undertones and the author easily incorporate issues at the heart of today's society into their work giving the reader things to reflect on that are out of balance in our own society and views. There's a message in Aleksandra Layland's book, one of acceptance for people regardless of race, and it is well presented. This is a tale of love and understanding and, as such a tale should be, is heavily driven by both the characters and plots.