The Ansgar Treasury

A Windflower Saga Collection

Fiction - Fantasy - Epic
681 Pages
Reviewed on 03/29/2018
Buy on Amazon

Author Biography

Aleksandra Layland is a retired civil engineer and federal civil servant who worked primarily for the United States Air Force as a senior installation 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.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Emily-Jane Hills Orford for Readers' Favorite

There is a mythical kingdom. Perhaps it’s an alternate reality. Set in medieval-like times, the saga follows the unification of a kingdom called Kimbria. Ansgar, dressed like a monk, wanders the southern wastelands searching for the people known as the Kimbrii, hoping to save their culture from extinction. He meets and falls in love with Keholani and the two start a family. She was a born leader of her people; he was a man who cared about the land and its people; the two found not only a family but a legacy of a kingdom like no other.

Anyone who has read some of Aleksandra Layland’s Windflower Saga fantasy novels will be thrilled with this new book, The Ansgar Treasury: A Windflower Saga Collection. This book includes the first book of the Windflower Saga trilogy, Ansgar: The Struggle of a People. The Triumph of the Heart, as well as three related novellas: The Feathered Crown, Far Endeavor, and Three Brothers of Ansgar. Each of the selections follows a specific era in this ongoing fantasy saga. Like the engaging drama of Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace, The Ansgar Treasury (even though it's more fantasy than history) leads the reader through countless battles as good confronts evil in its ongoing pledge to unite a kingdom for the well-being of all. The author has infused the stories with compelling descriptive narratives, good character development, and fantasy like no other. Each book in the series, each book included in this collection, will inspire readers to follow their own epic journeys in search of happiness, security, and well-being.

Kathryn Bennett

The Ansgar Treasury: A Windflower Saga Collection (The Windflower Saga Book 12) by Aleksandra Layland is a stunning fantasy collection that includes the first part of the sweeping epic as well as a collection of novellas that deepen the story of an amazing family. Kimbria is a kingdom full of rich and interesting stories woven together like a tapestry, perhaps one of the most interesting is its royal family, the only family in the kingdom which is of a mixed race. Learn about the founding of this great place and go on an adventure with Brother Ansgar as he strives to find what remains of the Kimbrii people in an effort to protect and preserve them.

Aleksandra Layland has written a book that is touching, the perfect read for the times and simply enjoyable. It is hard to know where to start when talking about The Ansgar Treasury, but I will just start by saying I loved it. This is not only a sweeping, beautiful fantasy story, but something that also gives you historical points to hold onto. I am a sucker for any kind of historical fiction and this one ticked all my boxes. Be kind and tolerant seems to be the overwhelming message of this story and it is the perfect message today when there is so much hurt in the world. We, as people, can take some lessons from Brother Ansgar, who doesn't only want to find the people of the land, but wants to help keep the people and their beliefs and customs safe and preserved. I found myself being able to identify with that at a core level because I wish that people today would do the same for the smaller cultures that are getting pushed out. Aleksandra Layland has created a beautiful world and tells the story of this world in an eloquent and absorbing manner; this is a must-read.

Anne-Marie Reynolds

The Ansgar Treasury by Aleksandra Layland is part of A Windflower Saga Collection, the beginnings of an epic trilogy. Set in a medieval-style world, 100 years after the Colonial wars have ended, Kimbria has finally achieved the status of a Unified Kingdom. Ansgar, dressed in shabby monk’s robes, wanders alone, looking for survivors of the Kimbrii, an indigenous people about to become extinct. He wants nothing more than to help them survive, but he is close to dying himself. And then he sees her, Keholani, leader of a clan and the only future her people have. She will stop him from dying and she will steal his heart. In The Ansgar Treasury, we find Part 1 of the Windflower Trilogy, accompanied by three novellas, each of which tells their own part of the story, the beginning of the journey of a lifetime.

The Ansgar Treasury: A Windflower Saga Collection by Aleksandra Layland is an incredible collection of stories, taking the fantasy genre to the next level. This starts with the first Windflower Saga story and includes novellas that add background and detail, preparing the reader for part 2. The characters are so well developed that they are almost like a part of the family, and these are characters you won’t easily forget. The story wends its way through trouble, strife, and romance, keeping the reader on edge. This is a compelling read, a story that you won’t want to end. This fantasy world unfolds as you read, develops with each new story and gradually becomes real, filled with people and stories that come alive through Ms. Layland’s words. This is a must-read for those who want to read the entire series, as it keeps everything in a logical order.


Romuald Dzemo

The Ansgar Treasury: A Windflower Saga Collection by Aleksandra Layland is a powerful and mesmerizing opening to an epic fantasy trilogy with an arresting setting. The setting shows elements of a medieval lifestyle, a hundred years after the end of the colonial wars. Brother Ansgar, clad as a monk, wanders through the wastelands, looking for any remaining members of the indigenous people known as the Kimbrii, a people quickly disappearing from the earth, thanks to the austere conditions of life. He is determined to save what is left of these people. But he quickly finds himself in the gravest danger. Things only change when he meets the one woman who may have the fate of Kimbria in her hands, and a story of romance begins. He will reveal his true nature as he gives his heart to this woman in marriage and starts a family that will change the course of history for Kimbria.

This is a work of great imagination and readers who love well-imagined and beautiful settings in a story will love this one. The characters are memorable and readers will enjoy the complexity of character development. For instance, when they encounter Ansgar, there is something mysterious about him and they can’t help but long to discover what will become of him. Keholani is also a fascinating character, Chief of the Turtle Clan and later of the Kimbrii. The reader will love her grace, her wisdom, and the way she engages Brother Ansgar. I couldn’t help wanting to discover the connection this eccentric young man may have with a people as obscure as the Kimbrii. I love to see characters evolve in a story and Aleksandra Layland has demonstrated great skill in this area. The storytelling skills of the author are impeccable, and I enjoyed the pacing and the skillful handling of backstory. This is a story that will entertain young readers and leave them with interesting characters to journey with for a time. The Ansgar Treasury: A Windflower Saga Collection is a gorgeous treat for fans of epic fantasy.

Alyssa Elmore

Discover how the at-odds Kimbrians and Kimbrii became one people in the epic fantasy saga, The Ansgar Treasury by Aleksandra Layland. As a young man, peace-loving Ansgar has completed his education and is preparing to take his rightful place as Duke of the Southlands in the medieval kingdom of Kimbria. Shortly before he leaves university, Ansgar hears about the Kimbrii, an indigenous people that have all but become extinct due to the overly strict laws of his people. Curious, and full of compassion for the Kimbrii, Ansgar sets out to find the clans that survive. After several painful accidents that leave him nearly dead and almost paralyzed, Ansgar locates the hidden city of Kimbrii. In desperate need of healing and care, Ansgar is stranded, cut off from contact with his family, forced to stay in the secret village. Afraid of how the gentle people will respond to him being a Duke, youngest son of the King, Ansgar keeps his identity hidden, allowing the Kimbrii to believe that he is merely a humble monk. Able to observe the respectful, loving people of Kimbrii, Ansgar finds a home and acceptance. Things become complicated when Ansgar finds himself falling in love with the Kimbrii Clan Chief, Keholani. In a string of surprising events, Ansgar and Keholani are married. Together, they set out to change the ancient, unjust Kimbrian laws against the Kimbrii. Will they succeed? Will they be able to pierce through the prejudices inherited through generations of misinformation and anger?

The Ansgar Treasury by Aleksandra Layland includes Ansgar: Struggle of A People. The Triumph of A Heart, Part I of the Windflower Saga Trilogy and three fascinating novellas, The Feathered Crown, Far Endeavour, and The Three Brothers of Ansgar. Each intricately woven novella introduces a more in-depth character story from sub-characters of the Windflower saga. I was surprised by the quality of writing found in this saga and was impressed with the vivid characters and settings. Although considered fantasy, the romantic subplots intertwined threads of love, excitement, danger, and loss throughout the stories. I enjoyed the Kimbrii way of life; peaceful, compassionate, respectful of all things, and without ego. Reading about the strong character traits of the Kimbrii people, I found myself hopeful for our own future. Similar to the blue people, the Na'vi, in Avatar, the Kimbrii are our future's hope, if used as models. Highly recommended, this beautifully written saga is a must-read for those who enjoy romantic fantasy.