Talon

The Windwalker Archive #1

by Michael James Ploof, Trevor Smith (Illustrator)

They call him Plagueborn...
On the frozen Barbarian island of Volnoss, survival means strength. Only the strongest and tallest shall be named Vald. Like their harsh unforgiving homeland, they allow no weakness. Those who do not meet the measure are declared Skomm, and condemned to a life of slavery.

They call him Throwback...
Born two months premature during the Frozen Plague, raised by his grandmother, and rejected by his father, he is allowed to live among the mighty Vald until the day of his measure. A day fast approaching.

They call him Skomm...
He must somehow survive a cold world of giants, and a twisted culture of discrimination, cruelty, and injustice. Despised for his size and weakness, shunned by his peers, and beaten by bullies, he knows no friend but a timber wolf pup named Chief.

They call him by many names…
Legend will call him TALON WINDWALKER.

Set two hundred years before the events of Whill of Agora, TALON, Book #1 of the Windwalker Archive, reveals the origins of Dirk Blackthorn’s spirit wolf, Chief. Talon is a coming of age tale rich with magic, culture, friendship and lore. It is a fast-paced race against time; an underdog story wrought with action and adventure. Fans of the Legends of Agora books will be introduced to unforgettable new characters, and revisit a few old friends.

Although Talon takes place chronologically before Whill of Agora, it can be read before or after.

Genres: Fantasy, Adventure, Fiction, Ebooks, Paranormal, Amazon, Romance

237 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 7, 2014

About the author

I spent my youth in the land of make believe. School was a bore, and growing up in the "Boonies" without cable television forced me to use my imagination. If I wasn't holed up in my bedroom playing with my vast collection of action figures, I could be found in the forest with a wooden sword or staff in hand, battling the forces of evil. As an 80's kid, I was raised on a healthy diet of movies like Star Wars, The Neverending Story, Labyrinth, Goonies, and endless other classic (but strange) movies.

As a reader, I enjoy books that take off right out of the gate, sweep me off my feet, and whisk me away on an epic adventure. As an author, I try to create books that do the same for my readers. I write fantasy, and I suppose that I still live in a land of make believe, except now I get to share the adventure with others.

I hope that you will join me on my next adventure, and together we can escape reality, if only for a time.

Yours in Magic,

Michael James Ploof

Join the mailing list at www.whillofagor(dot)com.

Books by Michael James Ploof

Epic Fallacy

Book #1: Champions of the Dragon

Book #2: Beyond the Wide Wall

Book #3: The Legend of Drak' Noir

Book #4: The Mother of Zuul

LEGENDS OF AGORA

Book #1: Whill of Agora

Book #2: A Quest of Kings

Book #3: A Song of Swords

Book #4: A Crown of war

Book #5: Kingdoms in Chaos

Book #6: Champions of the Gods

Book #7: The Mantle of Darkness

Book #8: Dark Echoes of Light

Book #9: The Warcrown Legacy

THE WINDWALKER ARCHIVE

Book #1: Talon

Book #2: Sea Queen

Book #3: Exodus

BLACKTHORN

Book #1: Blackthorn Rising

THE ORION REZNER CHRONICLES

Book #1: Afterworld

The Dragon Throne War

Book #1: A Dream of Fire

Doomsday Sheriff

Book #1

Book #2

Book #3

Dragon Rider Academy

Episode #1: Ascension

Episode #2: Transcendence

Episode #3: Initiate

Episode #4: Dragon Heart

Episode #5: Accursed

THE SOCK GNOME CHRONICLES

Book #1: Billy Coatbutton and the Wheel of Destiny

Book #2: Billy Coatbutton and the ring of Sockchild

Harem books written as Mike Ploof

Rebirth online

Rebirth Online #1

Rebirth Online #2

Rebirth Online #3

Rebirth Online #4

Rebirth Online #5

Rebirth Online #6

Monster World

Monster World #1

Monster World #2

Warwick

Episode #1: Galactic Arena

Episode #2: Galactic Fugitives

Episode #3: Galactic Vengeance

litRPG Published By Aethon Books

Arcane Veterinarian Book 1 - August 6, 2024

Arcane Veterinarian Book 2 - Fall 2024

The Family Jewels Book 1 - Coming Soon

Reviews

[NickReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The son the father refuse shall make farther's name known."

4 WOLFY STARS!

Before I start I must say that this cover is awesome.The colors bind with each other and even that there are a lot of elements on it,it is still greatly done and fits te book perfectly.



Talon is a brilliant fantasy with a lot of action pack moments and emotional and funny ones.It is a prequel to "Whill of Agora" which I am eager to read.The story sets place two hundred years before the events of "Whill of Agora".It is a great read and I couldn't put the book down for a moment.



The writing style is so unique and different from other novels.It is written in third person,and lately I have been reading a lot of third person novels and this one is on top.



What intrigued me to read this,to flip the pages,is the world the author created.It is perfectly described and it fits with the story and the characters.The characters were also well made,but the reason why this is not was not a 5 stars book is that I couldn't connect with the character,especially with the main character.But this is the first book,and maybe the second one will work on that aspect.



I recommend this book to every reader out there,especially the fantasy readers.It's a great adventure to a perfectly made world with a lot suspense and thrilling moments.Pick it up!

[Leila · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have already read most of the 'Will of Agora' series and found them really well written and enjoyed them very much. I purchased Talon, the first book in The Windwalker Archive series some time ago, on the strength of how much I had taken to the Will of Agora books and have just got round to reading it. I was not disappointed. This book is set 200 years earlier than Will of Agora series but it can be read as a standalone. The main character is Talon, a young teen-ager and he brought up by his beloved grandmother as he is motherless and abandoned by his father.

Talon suffers from low self esteem and feels hopeless about his future as an adult. He feels he just does not fit in anywhere. He is not wrong in his judgement and is soon condemned into cruel slavery.

No more details about Talon's journey and the various challenges he faces. Within the culture he lives in, there is magic, mystery, fear conquered, the strength of friendship, and the corruption of misused power et al. It is quite an easy book to read but Michael James Ploof writes beautifully. His focus on "what makes people tick" and his excellent characterisation meant for me, that it is well worth reading if you are into fantasy. I recommend it.

[Brennan · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was an easy read, pretty simple to get through. I did really enjoy the world that was created, though I would have loved to see even more world building and lore included in what seems to be a complex setting. It might be fleshed out in the next book or previous series, but I was disappointed to not see it touched much upon here.

The characters were okay, though not very complex and didn't experience any interesting development. They embraced a lot of tropes; the weak hero who becomes strong, his beautiful love, his cheeky friend. They didn't really expand out of those characterizations. They weren't relatable and honestly weren't too interesting. The young love plot was kind of distracting as well; the relationship was not convincing. It had no development as it was literally love at first sight. It would have been nicer to see the characters bond over time as they grew, rather than throwing them together from the start.

The plot was interesting enough, though it did drag at times. The thing that kept me going was the potential, and I might visit the rest of the series because of it. This book didn't grab me and make me excited to read next book, though. It reads like a middle grade book, though the heavy violence would make me hesitate to suggest it to someone younger.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rounding up from 3.5 stars. I really enjoyed this story, but I've never come across a character taking so many beatings before. I hope this changes in the next book.

[Tala Gilbert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read!

Great read!

Michael Ploof does it again with another amazing story that I literally could not put down. You could feel every pain, every tear, every laugh. I laughed and cried. It was fun learning how Chief became the wolf in the figurine and meeting Azzeal as I hadn't seen him before. He is my favorite elf, I believe. I want book 2 to come soon, Michael. You better get busy :)

[[ J o ] · Rating 1 out of 5]

[ to review at a later date - perhaps even re-read and review at a later date as well, though not urgent ]

[Heather Rainwater-Alvarado · Rating 5 out of 5]

Epic Fantasy Tale of Romance, Struggle, and Perseverance

I originally purchased this book as part of the "Legends: 15 Tales of Sword and Sorcery" set, so this may not show as a verified purchase; however I felt compelled to write a separate review for this individual book. I will say that this prequel series from the Windwalker Archive can be read before reading the Whill of Agora series, which is what I ended up doing. Or you can alternately swap the series order and they complement each other nicely.

The story begins with a great prologue that sets the stage for a promising epic fantasy. Ploof's writing captivated me from the first chapter to the last, and constantly kept me wondering what would happen next. The story centers around a slave boy who battles all odds from birth and develops into a compassionate yet complex character you cheer for throughout the entire story. Ploof draws you into a realistic yet mystical world all of his own. There are numerous key characters, yet each becomes developed and complex along the journey of the main character, Talon Windwalker. At the end of the book, the story takes an unexpected mystical turn which adds to the story's allure and bridges perfectly to the next chapter in the journey of Talon Windwalker. If you're a fan of epic fantasies, this series is a must read!

[BobA707 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Summary: Not a bad plot set against a pretty miserable setting. I found the writing slightly hard work but plenty of promise as the series moves forward into the next books

Plotline: Fairly simplistic but moves along nicely, with some nice twists

Premise: Not nice but seems to work. Plenty more to find out about the magic system and elves

Writing: Pretty good but I found some parts hard work

Ending: Ok a bit predictable but it sets up the next book nicely

Pace: Never a dull moment!

[Taryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book I decided to trial on my kindle, the story is a very easy read, very simple writing, an enjoyable storyline. The end leaves many questions to be answered and so glad its a series which I may delve into. Was like nothing I've read before.

[Lucas Mattila · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked that the novel didn't pull any punches. I don't like the quotes at the beginning of the chapters, they honestly give up too much plot to the reader.

[David Wellman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read

Good read working on rest of the series. Interesting to see where the rest of the series goes and the fates of Talon and Chief

[Deborah · Rating 3 out of 5]

At first I wasn't keen on this story with the very harsh setting but the main character is well written & well balanced so you feel compelled to keep reading & supporting his journey

[Larisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Engrossing read

I love how the characters reveal bits of themselves that you do not expect as the story unfolds. And freedom always comes at a price.

[Marta Esterkin · Rating 5 out of 5]

The stuff of which legends are

Indeed, born. Touching, honest, articulated story. Will be continuing the series and other books in the Agora primal and starck world!

[Lois Lara · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good read

This book is worth reading, I recommend it. It pulls you on even though it can be disturbing at times, you can't help but root for the success of the main character.

[Stephen Levesque · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not for me. It was slow, boring and felt like the story was going no where.

[Susan Lee Thuener · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magic, giants, healers,elves abound. A good read.

This has all the above and a love story too. The end came before the lovers were reunited so our hero and his spirit wolf set off by raft to find her.

[Shanna Gebhard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Talon: The Windwalker Archive had my attention within the first few pages. The writing is fluid and flows well. The story is engaging and evokes emotion from the reader throughout. The story of Talon takes place in a mythical world where the cast system is alive and well. I have always been fascinated by cultures that are open and honest about the cast system.

Throughout the story we see Talon struggle with the way others are treated. He knows it's wrong but he also knows if people try to change it there was be massive devastating fallout.

The characters are well developed in the story. I was able to connect and feel what they felt through the writing. I love it when a book can evoke emotion out of you. However, it was labeled as a young adult book. Some of the scenes can be a tad gory. Like the one where the baby is killed, I don't think some kids have the coping skills or understanding to process this. Each child is different and I am sure some teens could deal with the graphic scenes but that is for each parent to decide.

Talon: The Windwalker is an easy read. You will be engaged and captivated by the story. But I would suggest you read the book yourself before you give it to your child. That way if they are disturbed with some of the scences you will have the information to talk it through with them. Or if once you've read the book you can decide to not approve it for your child to read if you know it is too much for them.

I received an ebook copy of Talon: The Windwalker Archive by Michael James Ploof complimentary for evaluation purposes. Regardless, all opinions expressed are still 100% my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with Federal Trade Commission 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsement and Testimonials in Advertising.

[Rudra Roy · Rating 1 out of 5]

This review is after reading all the three books of the series.
After reading grrm, lynch, rofthous, sulliviam, ambercome, sanderson etc when you try to find and read good fantasy books by authors who are not so popular,you realise why these authors are not popular.. seems Fantasy genre is falling day by day and every one is getting published nowadays
.This was my first read of the author's works. And while the first book ie talon was somewhat readable even though repeatedly repeating itself ie same old beating. .cruelty of one class of persons over another weaker section ie slaves..well and that's it..That's all there is in the first book. .story doesn't move further than that ..There is no building up of any character be it the protagonist ie talon himself.
However i thought ok it will be in second book that i will find some story in this..but guess what therez no story on the second book itself..its repeat of first book..lol i swear its as if the author just forgot that he had already written the 1st book and repeat itself..so there u are two voluminous books is over and you keep wondering hey where the hell is the story of magic..elf..destiny child which the author hinted in first few chapters.
It seems as if author read some books on slavery in roman civilization and thought to himself hey i will write a fantasy book on the same ..and he did in this series..only problem was he didn't have any idea as to a story line but he ie thr author said to hell with any story. .ill just write or reproduce whatever i hd read nd heard of Romans cruelty on slaves .And that's what he did. .
Well that was your truly honest review but anyone still want to waste their time and money on it by reading all those 4-5 stars review instead of reading one of tje plemty of good fantasy writers out thete.. .hey go ahead...its ur time..ur money

[Minh-Tam · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this was a very interesting and enjoyable book to read. The writing style is so different than what I'm used to (what most YA books read like) that I started out kind of unsure but grew to really appreciate, as it really fits with the world the story is set in. I think the world building was done extremely well (I mean, of course, since this is a prequel series), and the world is different than anything I've ever read, but still felt perfectly logical. I really liked the extra 'prophecies' at the beginning of each chapter, and books with maps in the front are always cool. The characters are mainly uncomplicated and there aren't really any surprises in terms of character development, but in this case I think it made perfect sense in the context of the story, and worked as part of the style/feel of the novel. The plot I found was original (or rather, made interesting enough that I wasn't made to groan for something to move faster so that I could get to the 'reveal' that I'd already anticipated) and as I read I actually kind of had the thought that this is a book that would be very easily translated into film... In fact, how I felt (with regards to the characters/action) while reading it was extremely similar to how I feel when watching a movie. I don't know how to explain it but it's kind of like the perspective from which the novel was written is a really detached third person narrator, which sounds bad because I can't think of a better way to say it but works really well in an interesting way? Anyway, yes I liked it, and thank you for choosing me for the Goodreads giveaway.

[Amy Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book, it's the first one I've read of this author. He's self published. So I found him by chance. I'm a new fan and most certainly will be reading his other novels. The world is set in a Scandinavian type premise. The main protagonist is a member of a tribe that seems very reminiscent of Viking. Their spiritual beliefs are shamanistic. Animal spirits are worshipped and bravery admired above all else. However, you must attain 8ft to stay with the tribe, 7ft for women. All other tribe members are banished to the slave village where life is hard. Our main character Talon is short and is bullied for it; he worries that he won't reach the required height by 16. But his tamed wolf and his lovely granny (a witch doctor) make his life bearable and he grows to be a brave and morally strong young man. His strength of character bring the attention of mystical beings. His fate was written in the stars....

[Sherry Vaughan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Talon is a sad story of a boy who does not fit in. He is not as tall as he should be, he is not as strong as he should be, and he will never fit in. In his world, only the strongest and tallest have a chance at a better life. All others are used as slaves and killed with as little thought as one might use when squashing a bug. He has friends and enemies but only his grandmother and a lone elf see that he is destined for greatness. This is a continuing series so the book ends on a sad note. The story is thoughtfully presented and you can feel his passion and taste his triumph. I am sure that the rest of the series is as well crafted.

[Kira Blake]

Really Violent

[Diane Gilman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book

This is a book I would read over and over and feel the love and not in the bed discount of people that they did their due today I am sick of hearing people doing things to people that shouldn't be judged by what they look like or what they are they need to be more loving caring people in the world know that the world today is warm real for me

[Wesley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good read as always. The style is a bit simple, but the plot is imaginative. This one was a bit more graphic than the Whill series, with a lot of physical(as compared to magical) violence, which was described in more detail. Might be better for the older kids....

[Tony Bones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Talon wind walker

For a book of the future this story is born of mystery and human spirit more than anything else. A wonderful story of courage and what others see in each of us. The Talon story is not to missed.

[Amanda Gathright · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love love LOVE this series! I read 1 and 2 in a day! (One day each) I felt compelled to cheer on and relate to Talon. The characters are complex and the book has excellent turns in plot. I cannot wait to read more from Mr. Ploof!

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun read for a fourth or fifth grader. Sort of German-Viking-Spartan tribe full of jerks, likable young hero, mysterious creatures... The book was mainly just an intro the series though, so there's not a resolution so much as a pause.

[CindiB · Rating 5 out of 5]

Michael James Ploof surely does it again!

I loved this book.

The struggles of an outcast, the willingness to forgive and love through loss and heartache.

A bonus that it is connected to Agora.

Time for the next one in this story...

[Eunice Korczak · Rating 4 out of 5]

Talon Book One of The Windwalker Series

Talon Book One of The Windwalker Series is a very interesting and engaging fantasy. I enjoyed it, and if you like fantasy, I think you will, too.