Rating: 
Summary: Fine Celtic-like fantasy, but with plot inconsistencies
Review: Farrell's first fantasy book presents a rich world with well-developed characters, and a few surprising twists in the plot. However, the author's usage of Celtic-like terms and names without actually capturing the Celtic spirit, some naive choices of words and sentences, and a horrendous scene near the end of the book unfortunately make it just above average.
The other reviewers have talked at length about the qualities of the book, so I'll just mention the drawbacks that impressed me most.The first thing, of course, is the obvious similarity to Tolkien's Lord of the Rings (content, ideas) and Jordan's Eye of the World (style and beginning). In our fantasy-saturated world, however, only very rare jewels manage to escape influences by others, especially at the beginning of their author's career. That is why this point is least important of the drawbacks.
Then comes the Celtic world that everybody else so appraises. It is a good attempt, indeed, but it by no means captures the fey Celtic fantasy spirit. Swarming the book with Celtic-like names and terms (lough for lake, dun for settlement, etc.) and mentioning a few fantasy creatures in passing (the fantasy creatures that do participate in the plot have nothing to do with Celtic fantasy) is not enough to make a book Celtic. It is probably enough to make it "Celtic-like", nothing more. If you are looking for a wonderful book that does capture the Celtic world, you'd best obtain and read R.Feist's Faerie Tale.
Then come the politics. The presentation of intrigue is shallow and naive, and very often I was able to guess who the "bad guy" was chapters before. Being predictable is not something that a book could be proud of. To be truly objective, politics comprise only a small part of the book, and everything else is just as it should be - plot twists, good character building, etc.
Last and most important, the terrible ending scene. Imagine Gollum whispering something into Sam's ear right before Mount doom, then Gollum and Sam together grabbing stones and hitting Frodo on the head. Quite ridiculous, isn't it? This is as close a comparison as I would make without spoiling the book for you. I'd just add that some major characters, who had been built throughout the second half of the book (and had been built incredibly well), do make a similar totally illogical and character-spoiling choice so that the author can highlight yet once again (for the hundredth time) the power of the One Ring... um, excuse me, Stone.
Before judging the book by my review only, I'd advise you to read the other reviews in order to get acknowledged with the advantages of the book (well-detailed world, wonderful setting, incredibly good character-building, etc). This review serves strictly to fill the holes that all the five-star reviews have left as opposed to displacing those reviews. Actually, if I had not read all of them before buying the book, I would probably have lower expectations of it and, logically, my impression on it would be higher. Please do not make a similar mistake.
Last of all, I do not like Amazon's grading style - it does not provide adequate margins to distinguish between different books. On a grade of 1 to 100, Holder of Lighting would get 65 from me. If the book-spoiling last scene was omitted (the plot would not lose much, actually), the points would be close to 80. And only the best of the best would get above 95 (that is 5 stars here) from me.
I'm waiting for the second book in paperback. Hopefully Farrell will have learned from her mistakes. She does have much untapped potential.
Rating: 
Summary: Not too bad
Review: I bought this book months ago on a whim, and finally I picked it up. I'm normally not a super-fan of celtic fantasy, but I enjoyed Kate Forsyth's series so I figured I'd be ok.
The beginning starts out kind of slow, although you don't get to learn too much about Jenna before the action begins, which creates a problem (her personality changes quickly from an addiction, and even though its pointed out, you don't relate since you aren't even sure what Jenna's original personality was). I also had a problem with some of the characters- some are supposed to be those changing characters- you think they're something they're really not. This is common in fantasy, but Farrell is missing something. I think its the fact there are no hidden things that you realize after you learn the character's true self. Maybe not though.
But honestly, if you're looking for some fantasy to read (I never thought it would happen, but I'm running out of books to read), this is a pretty good book. After the beginning, the plot moves fairly quickly, it's not confusing, there's romance as well as political intrigue, and there's a lot going on in the plot. The characters aren't top-notch and can be irritating at times, but it's still enjoyable. Definetly give it a shot and see what you think.
Rating: 
Summary: Can't wait until the next book!
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: Can't wait until the next book!
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: This is a riveting book!
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: Top Echelon
Review: I would agree that this book belongs in the upper quadrant of fantasy. In fact, I believe it to be in the top echelon. But I have to shake my head at some of the comments made by a previous reviewer, who commented that the world was "not new." Like most of the reviewers, I found the world in this book to be quite finely drawn and incredibly detailed with a rich, textured background. Yes, several of the creatures are familiar -- this is, after all, a Celtic-based fantasy and I'd be surprised and perhaps a bit disappointed if the creatures of that mythology didn't appear here. But there are also new sights and marvels aplenty: the siog mist, the stone-beings called the Creanach, and so on. And the characters... These are frankly among the best, most well-drawn and believable characters I've had the pleasure to encounter in fantasy. Farrell's people are complicated, with genuine qualities, flaws, and motivations. Even the antagonists are understandable and believable -- none of them evil, but driven by motivations and agendas that place them at odds with Jenna and those around her. HOLDER OF LIGHTING is a true and rich delight. A feast. Buy it, read it, then do as I've done and buy the next book. This is the beginning of a classic series and a bright talent.
Rating:
Summary: A fun subway read but not much more
Review: Let me preface -- the book certainly belongs to the upper quadrant of fantasy literature. It has a swiftly-moving plot, some fairly interesting characters and doesn't trip into too many cliches. The world-building is commendably consistent though not original. I'll probably buy the second novel in the series. The problems: 1) Jenna's motivations were never really clear. I never got the sense of the person she was and despite the author telling me, through other character's mouths, that she was supposed to have grown and changed, I never really felt it. She was not pro-active enough - a basic problem when you have a character who is basically an illiterate farm girl thrust into great politics. I really liked that she remained illiterate, though, a bit of realism there. 2) Other character's motivations. Particularly Mac Ard -- it was very hard to see why he wanted the Lamh Shabhala so badly. He remained a cypher. Also, a reviewer below has pointed out another inconsistency regarding another character in the end. I also don't think it was established enough why Lamh Shabhala was worth going into a major war for -- we saw in the book that it was stronger than the other stones but only in the end got a glimpse of the full abilities. 3) Deus ex machinas (machinae)? Seancoim's sudden appearances, Thraisha (sounds like a black hip-hop star), shapeshifting, etc., etc. 4) The world was not "new" - it was too Tolkienesque, there was no sense of wonder for me, for all the "old" things the coming of the magic brought -- well, you'd seen all of them before. And they never rose above being "cool background." The descriptions occasionally grated with anachronisms. This may be a nit, but I always cringe when I read fantasy which uses a number of modern words. (I don't have the book with me right now, but words such as organism and blood circulation don't make sense in the context - blood circulation wasn't discovered until much later). Hoping the author improves with the next book.
Rating: 
Summary: Just Didn't Work For Me.
Review: Picked up the book at the library - the fantastic cover art and exerpt intrigued me at the bookstore, but I don't have the cash to purchase every book that I see that interests me on the shelves =) Boy, am I glad that I didn't waste the money.
The storyline is interesting - the idea that magics stem from what, to me, sounded like a more randomized aurora borealis; the young girl caught up in it all without any desire to be in the middle...
But the characters were awful. At the very best they were annoying, and more often they just didn't evoke any interest whatsoever. The main character, Jenna, usually came across as a drug-addicted, gullible spoiled brat. The "villains" didn't ever make much sense - as someone else has mentioned, *why* was the stone worth going to war for? - and the other "good" guys were incredibly predictable in their constant betrayals. Topped off by the wretched scene at the end...
Well, if the library gets the sequel in I may pick it up in hopes that the next generation of characters are a little bit more interesting - the whole concept really is very good - but I definitely won't be running out to put down money for it.
Rating:
Summary: A Glorious And Appetite-Wetting Ride Of Fantasy and History
Review: The gorgeous cover that features our main character, Jenna Aoire, using Lamh Shabhala as curls of colored air dance around her was what caught my eye in one of my favorite bookstores. I kneeled, picked the new book off the shelf, probably not long after it had been stocked, the time being Jan.-Feb. 2003, and I ran my fingers across the gorgeous lettering and covering. Opening the book, I began to read. I loved it. The story was intersting and snatched me right into it. Although I didn't sit down and read it in one sitting due to the chaos of life, I did pick it up again within two weeks and read it all in three days. The story was amazing and wonderful, I loved the characters and the settings, the rich background and powerful events. The author, the truly wonderful S.L. Farrel seems brave with her characters and her storyline. I reccomend this book to anyone who loves Fantasy and ancient Ireland.
Rating:
Summary: True Magic
Review: 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.
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