Holder of Lightning: The Cloudmages #1 - Softcover

Farrell, S. L.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0756401526 ISBN 13: 9780756401528

Publisher: DAW, 2004

Synopsis

It had been so many generations since the mage-lights were last seen that they'd become the stuff of legend. But for seventeen-year-old Jenna Aoire legend became reality one night on Knobtop Hill when she found the stone--not much more than a large pebble yet there was something about it that drew her. And then the mage-lights filled the sky, bringing trouble and magic with them that would irrevocably alter Jenna's life.

About this title

About the Author:

S. L. Farrell boasts (but generally resists sending out) a resume that includes the obligatory long list of occupations, including a stint as half of a juggling act where a few scars and a grudging appreciation for gravity were acquired. Other interests include music, fine art, history, and the fascinating details of cultures both present and past. S. L. is the author of The Cloudmages trilogy: Holder of Lightning, Mage of Clouds, and Heir of Stone; and The Nessantico Cycle: A Magic of Twilight, A Magic of Nightfall, and A Magic of Dawn. S. L. Farrell currently lives in Ohio and teaches Creative Writing at a local university. He can be found at farrellworlds.com.

From Publishers Weekly:

The pseudonymous Farrell's formidably long and richly detailed fantasy debut launches a new series that's sure to delight fans of Celtic fiction. A magic talisman that holds the fate of the world falls out of the sky onto the tale's na‹ve, 17-year-old heroine, Jenna Aoire, one night while she's herding sheep on Knobtop Hill with her dog outside the village of Ballintubber. The pebble-sized object, which turns out to be the Cloudmages' master spell-stone, the L mh Sh bh la, soon leads to trouble for Jenna and her mother, who must flee for their lives from their enraged neighbors. They come under the protection of the House of Mac Ard, but treacherous lords who covet the spell-stone ensure no rest for the weary refugees. In this thinly disguised medieval Ireland, every man's hand can be turned against every other's (and women aren't backward in the fight, either), particularly when the stakes are as high as they are here. Much intrigue involving a multitude of mostly well-drawn characters and little bloodshed make for a relatively leisurely plot by the standards of this subgenre. Powerful scenes of magic-wielding and the vividly depicted Celtic society, though, should hook persistent readers, who will be glad for the glossary of character and place names, a guide to the Daoine calender, a list of the holders of the L mh Sh bh la and more at the end of this challenging book.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: DAW
• Publication date: 2004
• ISBN 10: 0756401526
• ISBN 13: 9780756401528
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• Number of pages: 624