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The Windflower Saga #7
Bind Not the Heart (Large Print Edition): A Windflower Saga Novella (The Windflower Saga)
This is the Second Edition of the Large Print Edition of Bind Not the Heart, A Windflower Saga Novella .
Set in a medieval-like world, Bind Not the Heart tells more of the childhoods of several characters from the inspirational epic fantasy novel Of Wisdom and The Art of War. The Path of Peace. (Part II of the Windflower Saga trilogy) and introduces new characters to fans of the Saga .
In particular, it is the story of Sister Ermentrude, her family, and their connection to the noble Ansgar family of the kingdom of Kimbria. Ermentrude was both godmother and cousin to Lady Keridwen, Duchess of Ansgar (later Queen Keridwen II of Kimbria), who was tragically orphaned as a small child.
This is a heartwarming tale which doesn't shy away from tragedy and loss but finds love and life in every thread of the plot. For fans of the Windflower Saga, it provides important backstory to the characters of Lady Keridwen, Lord Leofric, and Lord Wulfgar as well as Sister Ermentrude and her brother Ermen, who raised Leofric as an orphaned boy until tragedy took his own life.
Set in a medieval-like world, Bind Not the Heart tells more of the childhoods of several characters from the inspirational epic fantasy novel Of Wisdom and The Art of War. The Path of Peace. (Part II of the Windflower Saga trilogy) and introduces new characters to fans of the Saga .
In particular, it is the story of Sister Ermentrude, her family, and their connection to the noble Ansgar family of the kingdom of Kimbria. Ermentrude was both godmother and cousin to Lady Keridwen, Duchess of Ansgar (later Queen Keridwen II of Kimbria), who was tragically orphaned as a small child.
This is a heartwarming tale which doesn't shy away from tragedy and loss but finds love and life in every thread of the plot. For fans of the Windflower Saga, it provides important backstory to the characters of Lady Keridwen, Lord Leofric, and Lord Wulfgar as well as Sister Ermentrude and her brother Ermen, who raised Leofric as an orphaned boy until tragedy took his own life.
282 pages, Paperback
Published January 19, 2017
8 people want to read
About the author
Aleksandra Layland
35 books8 followersAleksandra 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
June 7, 2018
Reviewed For Readers' Favorite by Grant Leishman
Aleksandra Layland’s Windflower Saga Novella’s give us an insight into many of the characters that may appear only briefly in her series based around the mythical kingdom of Kimbria and the Ansgar bloodline that has played such a big part in ruling that kingdom. Bind Not The Heart is one such novella, where we meet the twins Ermitrude and Ermen. Lady Ermitrude enters the convent and becomes a Nun, Sister Ermitrude. What follows is a life dedicated to teaching and to bringing education to the far-flung reaches of the kingdom, especially the rural areas where children have no access to schooling. Her twin brother Ermen, likewise takes Holy Orders and becomes a Monk and also a teacher. Through the fascinating lives of these two educators we meet many of the other characters of the Ansgar line and have the opportunity to place them in their appropriate area within this long-running and prolific saga, across many generations. As well as instructing each new generation of Kimbrian’s, both Ermitrude and Ermen will have a profound effect on the royal lineage and those who are part of the special world that is the Ansgar bloodline.
Author Aleksandra Layland has built a wonderful social and cultural history in the Kimbrian/Ansgar stories, one which traverses many generations. The novella’s, such a Bind Not The Heart, give the avid reader of her works an expanded dimension to characters who may well have just been merely mentioned in passing, in previous stories. I am in awe of the author’s ability to keep the massive genealogical tree in order and understandable for the reader, especially given the repetitious use of identical or very similar names, as is the Kimbrian tradition. I have only read one of Layland’s other books thus far, but even then I continually found myself noting a character’s mention and realising I’d come across that particular character before. The author has produced an easy-to-read, fascinating product that surprisingly doesn’t require you to have read any of her other works, to enjoy and understand it. I love the way she weaves ideals and social mores into her character’s stories. In my mind that is the mark of a good storyteller – one that can make a reader think and ponder, on the choices and beliefs of the characters. Aleksandra Layland is such a storyteller, in my mind – high praise indeed, for what is proving to be an excellent series.
Aleksandra Layland’s Windflower Saga Novella’s give us an insight into many of the characters that may appear only briefly in her series based around the mythical kingdom of Kimbria and the Ansgar bloodline that has played such a big part in ruling that kingdom. Bind Not The Heart is one such novella, where we meet the twins Ermitrude and Ermen. Lady Ermitrude enters the convent and becomes a Nun, Sister Ermitrude. What follows is a life dedicated to teaching and to bringing education to the far-flung reaches of the kingdom, especially the rural areas where children have no access to schooling. Her twin brother Ermen, likewise takes Holy Orders and becomes a Monk and also a teacher. Through the fascinating lives of these two educators we meet many of the other characters of the Ansgar line and have the opportunity to place them in their appropriate area within this long-running and prolific saga, across many generations. As well as instructing each new generation of Kimbrian’s, both Ermitrude and Ermen will have a profound effect on the royal lineage and those who are part of the special world that is the Ansgar bloodline.
Author Aleksandra Layland has built a wonderful social and cultural history in the Kimbrian/Ansgar stories, one which traverses many generations. The novella’s, such a Bind Not The Heart, give the avid reader of her works an expanded dimension to characters who may well have just been merely mentioned in passing, in previous stories. I am in awe of the author’s ability to keep the massive genealogical tree in order and understandable for the reader, especially given the repetitious use of identical or very similar names, as is the Kimbrian tradition. I have only read one of Layland’s other books thus far, but even then I continually found myself noting a character’s mention and realising I’d come across that particular character before. The author has produced an easy-to-read, fascinating product that surprisingly doesn’t require you to have read any of her other works, to enjoy and understand it. I love the way she weaves ideals and social mores into her character’s stories. In my mind that is the mark of a good storyteller – one that can make a reader think and ponder, on the choices and beliefs of the characters. Aleksandra Layland is such a storyteller, in my mind – high praise indeed, for what is proving to be an excellent series.
October 5, 2016
Bind Not The Heart is a little side story in the epic Windflower Saga as we further delve into one of the integral characters from book 2 of the saga, Of Wisdom and Valor: The Art of War. The Path to Peace, Sister Ermentrude. We learn who begot who. Who married who and how it all connects, weaves together in the fantasy world that Layland built.
Layland’s knack and love for genealogy shows in this book as we learn Sister Ermentrude’s back story tracing Sister Ermentrude’s family line learning why she chose the path of Sisterhood, and how she became the Ansgar family preserver, and so much more.
While Bind Not the Heart can stand on its own without reading any of the other books I personally do not think you will get the emotional fulfillment out of the book unless you have read Of Wisdom and Valor: The Art of War. Path of Peace first.
Layland’s knack and love for genealogy shows in this book as we learn Sister Ermentrude’s back story tracing Sister Ermentrude’s family line learning why she chose the path of Sisterhood, and how she became the Ansgar family preserver, and so much more.
While Bind Not the Heart can stand on its own without reading any of the other books I personally do not think you will get the emotional fulfillment out of the book unless you have read Of Wisdom and Valor: The Art of War. Path of Peace first.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews