Customer Reviews

Holder of Lightning (The Cloudmages, Book 1)

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I was blown away with this book. The feeling of reality brought out from this fantasy was overwhelming. Holder of Lightning caught my attention and kept it. If you have always been interested in the Irish ways and Celtic times and tradition as I have, you will love this book. This book explodes into a riveting tale of love, lust, and magic. The magic of the mage lights, the love of Coelin, the lust of Mac Ard. Follow Jenna Aoire as she learns of a power that has chosen her and brought on burdens and pain but also gifts and power. Feel her pains and fears, her hopes and joys, as this amazing tale becomes one with you as you read. The powerful strength of the words and feeling in this book will not let you put it down. This is truly a tale to be told.

Be prepared for a complex story not to be completed in a single volume: Holder Of Lightning is Book 1 of the Cloudmages series, and is the first in an anticipated epic which, if this is any indication, will be a powerful set indeed. Jenna is a teen when she discovers a magic stone which will change her abilities and her world: she becomes a mage of magic with the weight of the world on her shoulders and faces a quick introduction to adulthood in this fascinating story. Strong characterization is a plus here, moving the adventures right along.

I'm a voracious fantasy reader, and yes, what brought me to this one was the cover painting. I wasn't disappointed -- the story inside the covers was wonderful: well-drawn and deep characters, a world that has the breadth and past of a true history, and a rollicking storyline that has a truly satisfactory ending, unlike a lot of series fantasy work. The book completes itself and doesn't leave you in mid-story, but it WILL make you wish the second book were available right now.

I highly recommend this!

This is a fabulous book and I don't understand why I haven't heard more about it. I know it's the first book in a series by a new author, but this is easily as good or better than other boks I've read by much better known authors. A great story with wonderful characters and a well-drawn society.

Read the other reviews if you don't believe me -- and if, like me, you've read this book and loved it, write your own review! I can't wait for the second book.

Holder of the Lightning (2003) is the first Fantasy novel in the Cloudmages series. It is set in an ancient Ireland, where magic is wielded by humans, trees and other creatures.

The Daoine came to Talamh an Ghlas -- the Green Land -- centuries ago and drove away the Bunus Muintir. For a time, the Daoine had held the cloch na thintri to wield the powers of the sky. But these powers were lost generations afore.

In this novel, Jenna Aoire is the daughter of Niall and Maeve. She and her mother live in Ballintubber within Tuath Gabair. Her deceased father was from Inish Thuaidh.

Paidraic Mac Ard is a tiarna in the household of Ri Gabair, King of Tuath Gabair. He lives in Lar Bhaile, the main city in Tuath Gabair and the seat of the Ri.

Seancoim is a Bunus Muintir. He lives within Doire Coill, remnants of the ancient forest that once covered Talamh an Ghlas. The forest has powers and doesn't like intruders.

In this story, Jenna was searching for Old Stubborn -- an ancient and cantankerous ram -- in Knobtop's high pasture. As she and Kesh guide him back to the other sheep and start them toward home, strange lights begin to appear in the sky. Then there is a great flash and Jenna stumbles back to fall to the ground.

Jenna sees a partially buried stone glowing on the ground and picks it up. It grows very cold, but soon it seems very ordinary. Jenna puts the stone in her packet and hurries the sheep down the mountain side. She arrives home very late, but Maeve is only relieved to have her back safe and sound.

Maeve and Jenna later go to Tara's to listen to the music. Jenna has a crush for Coelin, the local Singer. Naturally other girls feel the same way and Ellia is presently defending him from the other girls.

The next time Jenna takes the sheep to Knobtop, the stone draws power from the mage-light. Her arm turns cold and begins to hurt. When she regains consciousness, Kesh is licking her face. She puts away the stone and drives the sheep to her home.

Mac Ard comes to Ballintubber because of the lights on Knobtop. He senses that they are mage-lights. He gets to know Maeve and Jenna and seems well-intended. Then Tiarna De Berga comes to Ballintubber with his troops and wreaks havoc in the village.

This tale bestows powers to Jenna and dangers to both Jenna and her mother. The stone found by Jenna is a cloch that draws magic from the mage-lights. Others want the power that it holds.

Jenna and Maeve flee with Mac Ard through Doire Coill. Jenna meets Seancoim and the ghost of another Bunus Muintir. Along the way, Jenna learns that she is a First Holder, who will bring back the powers of the cloud mages.

This series uses various Irish Gaelic terms. While these can confuse the reader, several appendices define such terms as well as listing the characters and places in the story. They also contain a timeline.

This volume introduces the main characters in the plotline. The next volume is Mage of Clouds. Read and enjoy!

Recommended for Farrell fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of ancient legends, magical artifacts, and a bit of romance.

-Arthur W. Jordin

I could overlook all of its weaknesses that other reviewer's have discussed, but I can't get past the fact that Jenna's life consists of nothing but pain, fear, betrayal, grief, anguish, etc right up to the very last page. The whole point of it seems to be for the author to make the heroine's life as unbearably miserable as possible. For those who like that sort of thing the stories of Stephen R. Donaldson are much better written, on a whole other level.

Holder of Lightning continues the great fantasy remniscent of writers like Robert Jordan and J.R.R. Tolkein. I can't wait to read the next book in this series. The Celtic lore combined with the magnificent plot line and realistic characters make for a great read. I would recommend this to all fantasy lovers! I especially liked seeing the main character, Jenna, grow as she learns how to weild her new power. This book really reminded me of Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series (which I love) but, frankly, without the occasional slowness of the Jordan books. I look forward to seeing more books like this from S.L. Farrell.

This book is one of the most grounded and facinating books that i have ever had the privledge of reading. There were many points such as the stones in which the power was concentrated through and even the side effects, which many authors choose to leave out of their book for it isn't very flattering of the magical arts though very factual. During the voyage though there were many points in which the character was found to be quite lacking as a main character should, yet as all books will this will get better as this is quite an inspiratonal first book for all readers. I also found the structure and content facinating as well as intriging. I hope there are many books to come.

This book snared me from the first page and I hated putting it down the first night. The story is set in a mythical version of Ireland, and Farrell has done the work to make the land realistic, with detailed people and cultures. The characters, especially Jenna, are compelling and believable, the magic is intriguing, and even those on the "other side" are portrayed sympathetically. Farrell sucks the reader into this world and never lets you go until the final page. I can't wait for the next book so I can return to this wonderful place!

I do recommend the book. It gives much depth to many past and present characters, and leaves many of them open to be explored in the future. The book lays the groundwork for this and future books - gradually working a history and explanation of the stones into Jenna's story. Yet, at the end of the book, you know there is still very much to learn.

After reading, I searched for other books by S.L. Farrell and found nothing. Above, the editorial from Publishers Weekly states "pseudonymous Farrell". This tells me that this is probably a well known author writing under the pseudonym of S.L. Farrell.
FRUSTRATING!! If I have not already read some of this author's books, I would really like to, but have no idea who it is.
When you find a book this good, you do want to explore more of the author's work. Many Fantasy Fiction authors are not as talented as this one.
Hopefully, at some future time, we will learn who Farrell actually is. But in the meantime - definitely read this book. The only bad thing is having to wait for the next one.