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.
In Farrell's second richly imagined Cloudmages fantasy (after 2003's Holder of Lightning), the younger generation takes center stage. It's been almost 20 years since the mage-lights returned to the sky and Meriel MacEagan's mam, Jenna, found L mh Sh bh la, the mage-stone that reawakened the other clochs. With it, Jenna has become the Banrion of Inish Thuaidh and has managed to form an uneasy truce with the other Tuathaan. But the old R! Ard is dying, and his successors-Jenna's half brother Doyle Mac Ard and the R! Ard's daughter Edana-are more than willing to reopen the war with the Inishlanders. And while L mh Sh bh la and its holder may be too powerful to attack directly, her family is not. The author deftly manages Meriel's journey from the sheltered and innocent Banrion's daughter of the book's opening chapters to the grounded and powerful woman she will become-and from hostage to healer. Intriguing, fully developed characters abound. This entry can only enhance Farrell's reputation as one of the rising stars of Celtic fantasy. (Jan. 1) Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.
With the return of the mage-lights, cloudmagic has once more come back to the realm of Inish Thuaidh. Jenna MacEagan holds the master stone, able to reawaken the other stones of power that control magic, but she faces a host of enemies determined to destroy her-and control her daughter. Farrell creates a world filled with Celtic flavor and richly inventive back history and peoples it with strong male and female characters. Amid scenes of sorcerous rivalries and political maneuverings runs a story of a mother's love for her child and a woman's loyalty to her land and her magic. This sequel to Holder of Lightning is a strong addition to fantasy collections. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.
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