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A.J. Norfield lives with his loving family on land but below sea level. He tries not to worry too much about climate change and the melting of the polar ice caps. His wife and two rascals of children keep him engaged and grounded in life while he pursues goals of publishing a story that has been stuck in his head for years.
As a longtime forest and mountain enthusiast, he often wonders about his flat surroundings and how to escape them. In his free time, if available at all, he enjoys a wide variety of gaming, reading/writing, drawing and socializing. His interest in (dragon-fantasy) novels has followed him throughout his life ever since he was young enough to read. It was this interest—with a number of broken nights thanks to his daughter’s sleeping schedule—that eventually lead to his current undertaking to write his own dragon-fantasy series ‘The Stone War Chronicles’ and put it out into the world.
Inspired by established names like Anne McCaffrey, Terry Goodkind and Naomi Novik—to name only a few of many—he is ready to show the world what he has to offer.
Reviewed by Lit Amri for Readers' Favorite
When one of their most sacred monasteries is attacked by a force of unknown origin, the royal family of the Tiankong Empire requests aid in tracking down and reclaiming their sacred ancient relic. Under the command of his brother Gavin, Raylan and his squad must undertake this dangerous mission for their kingdom’s trading partner. He would soon discover that the ancient relic holds unexpected life; a creature buried in legends, one not seen in their world for more than two hundred years.
Windcatcher (Stone War Chronicles, Book 1) by A.J. Norfield is an epic fantasy built on the dragon theme and a world where other ethereal creatures exist. The writing is effortless in its liveliness, describing the world that Norfield created easily and imaginatively. Personally, I found the pace was moderate in general (except for the fight scenes). On the other hand, I found myself connected to the story and its characters, entertained by Norfield’s inventiveness in using and incorporating the classic dragon theme into the plot. Characterization is solid; Gavin, Xi’Lao, Raylan, the dragon Galirras, as well as other sub-characters are well developed, and have sufficient depth in terms of their emotions and relationships.
The ending provides a suspenseful cliffhanger and an insight to another great plot that readers can anticipate in the next book. Windcatcher is the cross-generational book a reader of any age can devour and fantasy fans will find it a satisfying read. I look forward to reading more of the adventure that is available in the Stone War Chronicles.
