DAW BOOKS , January 2003 (hardcover) and January 2004 (mass market pb)
"S.L. Farrell makes magic real with a story that encompasses the highest of classical high fantasy and the grittiest of real-world situations, told with never a misstep and never a pause. I read this in one sitting, breathing optional. It's wonderful! -- Holly Lisle, award-winning author of Memory of Fire
"This is an engaging, moving tale, told with passion and skill. S.L. Farrell has created a world that captures the imagination, peopled it with complex, compelling characters, and imbued it with magic that is both believable and wondrous. I recommend it." -- David B. Coe, author of the Crawford Award-winning LonTobyn Chronicle
"[A] richly detailed fantasy debut launches a new series that's sure to delight fans of Celtic fiction... In this thinly-disguised medieval Ireland, every man's hand can be turned against every other's (and women aren't backward in this, either), particularly when the stakes are as high as they are here... [P]owerful scenes of magic-wielding and [a] vividly depicted Celtic society." -- Publisher's Weekly, 12/9/2002 issue
Very Highly Recommended... HOLDER OF LIGHTNING, an epic fantasy novel, is based on ancient Celtic tradition and legend yet is set in a realm that is subtly different." -- Under The Covers review Website
"This first volume in 'The Cloudmages' series is an unusual Celtic fantasy set in a land of rival kingdoms skirmishing for power as a long-absent magic returns. [Farrell] spins an absorbing tale full of wonders, largely self-contained despite being only the first in a series." -- Carolyn Cushman for Locus Magazine
"Introducing a bold new voice in epic fantasy fiction. This multigenerational saga is set in the British Isles, rich with Celtic magic, ancient legends and unforgettable characters. " --Columbus Metropolitan Library
"HOLDER OF LIGHTNING couples Celtic mythos with a richly detailed fantasy world. Redolent of a bardic tale with its unlikely heroine beset by enemies from all sides, Mr. Farrell's story has a unique cyclical magic energy waiting to be harnessed." -- Kelly Rae Cooper, Romantic Times Book Club
"Besides great, fast-paced fun, full of politicking and betrayal, Farrell's tale is a tragic love story with a surprisingly satisfying ending. " -- Paula Luedtke , Booklist (Amerian Library Association)
"A great beginning to a special series, and I can't wait for the sequel." --Henry Leon Lazarus, Center City's Weekly Press
"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... Strong characterization. " -- Midwest Book Review
"...has the power to capture the reader with its entertaining blend of Celtic magic, heroic and romantic characters, and dynamic plot." -- Jan Chapman reviewing for VOYA (Voice of Youth Advocates)
"If you like Celtic fantasy that spreads out a story like a huge blanket at a picnic and provides a feast to satisfy your imagination, then Holder of Lightning by S.L. Farrell may well be the book for you." -- Donna Scanlon reviewing for Rambles: A Cultural Arts Magazine
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