Here are just some of the critical reviews that The Stoneholding has received:
"Never have I read such a gripping tale that transported me to another world. This is surely fantasy writing at its best and doubtless will become an American classic."
- G.P. Taylor, author of the New York Times best-selling Shadowmancer,
Wormwood, and Tersias
"The Stoneholding is an extraordinary novel, brilliantly imaginitive, a real tour-de-force. I highly recommend it."
- Douglas Preston, New York Times best-selling author of Tyrannosaur Canyon
"The vivid and tightly written prose draws you in right from the start and the pace does not let up as you travel with this strong cast of very real characters through a rich and complex world as they struggle to overcome seemingly insurmountable difficulties. I'm really looking forward to the rest of the trilogy."
- Sharon Ells, Head of Collection Development, Ottawa Public Library.
"Vast in scope, profound in its cosmology, this first book of the Talamadh stands head and shoulders above the swarm of new fantasy literature that has emerged during the past half century. Indeed it is not so much fantasy as it is a mythology rooted in the ultimate Real. That its author also tells a gripping story and consistently exhibits a mastery of language, freshness of invention, erudition and wit, ensures that long after 99% of contemporary imaginative literature is forgotten, this series will be read and reread. A maximum bravo!"
- Michael D. O'Brien, author of A Landscape With Dragons,
and of the Children of the Last Days series.
"The novel The Stoneholding by Mark James is one of fast paced adventure set in a fantastical world full of mythical creatures, magic, and beautiful settings.
The ancient world of Ahn Norvys, one full of legend and lore, is falling into darkness. The king has died and the queen and young prince have been forced into hiding in order to save their lives. Now, the Mindal who have taken over, have a choke-hold over the people and are aided by the evil Ferabek and his Black Scorpions leagues, the most feared warriors in all of Ahn Norvys.
Enter young Kalaquinn Wright and his friend Galligaskin Clout who find their whole world turned upside down in the space of a few hours. They discover an encampment of the same Black Scorpion soldiers in the upper reaches of their northern clanholding, one of the last holdings to be taken by the new fearsome rulers of the land.
As the day progresses events begin to spiral out of control as the boys over-hear the sinister plot about to be set in motion, the slaughter of all who live in the Stoneholding and the capture of the Talamadh. The Talamadh is a powerful harp of old meant for good but in the wrong hands it could bring about the destruction of the Great Harmony and the fading of light in the land. In an effort to save the Ahn Norvys, Kal must gather the survivors and escape from what was once their home into danger and adventure in an unknown world.
Mark James shows a talent for creating colorful characters, a deep, compelling plot and perhaps, best of all, a beautiful world full of legend and mystery. Wonderfully written, The Stoneholding is a novel for any fantasy lover."
- Sarah Leslie, What If?magazine May-June 2005.
"When the Alumni Office asked me to review a work of fantasy written and published independently by an alumnus, I must confess to some cynicism: to my mind (at the time), independent publication generally indicated work of inferior quality, something which the major publishing houses had refused. I agreed to read the novel, although I did so with some trepidation. Two months later, during a time when I could scrape together a few minutes each evening for some light reading and had nothing else to hand, I picked up The Stoneholding, and the few minutes of leisure gradually expanded into hours stolen from sleep. The plot and the intricate descriptions of an enchanting landscape drew me further into the charms of this excellent first novel by Mark Sebanc and James G. Anderson, who collaboratively write under the penname Mark James. Those who appreciate plot-driven works of fantasy (or any "ripping good yarn"), and who subscribe to J.R.R. Tolkien's theories of storytelling in his essay, "On Fairy-Stories," will find here a treasure of greater substance and better quality than most offerings in fantasy today. . . The Stoneholding and its engaging fantasy landscape provide the enjoyment and delight which Tolkien so earnestly wished to inspire in readers of his own works, and which he expected from others writing in the same genre. I heartily recommend it."
- Guy Trudel, C.S.B., DPhil., Professor of Medieval Studies,
Pontifical Institute of Medieval Studies, University of Toronto.
"A joint collaboration between two writers (Mark Sebanc & James G Anderson), The Stoneholding really does prove the theory that two heads are better than one. From the first page, this novel delivers; supplying thrills and spills at the drop of a hat, whilst retaining a veneer of authenticity with its Celtic backdrop. The writing is so seamless it is certainly not apparent that two minds are at work here.
Brewing with atmosphere, and featuring engaging and charismatic characters, The Stoneholding follows Kalaquinn Wright's journey from Wheelwright's son to revered Hordanu (a semi-religious figure and adviser and guide to all the of the land of Ahn Norvys. Among the many new responsibilities unwittingly thrust upon him, he must guard and retrieve the Talamadh (a magical, gilded harp, whose music leads him on his journey) from the Wild Boar, would-be-conqueror of Ahn Norvys. He must also find the Crown Prince Starigan, lost since childhood and the murder of his royal parents, the only one who can relight the Sacred Fire, an element destined to return magic and peace to the kingdom.
As with most fantasy, some of the character and place names sound like someone is choking on a chicken bone, but at least Anderson and Sebanc aren't so pretentious as to offer us a glossary of meanings and pronunciations! What is notable however is that they have created a real fantasy world, a rich, verdant landscape which lives and breathes. There is a tendency at times to over focus on this landscape, almost as though the writers are indulging in the creation of their world, but what we are left with is a vibrant, lush setting for Kalaquinn's adventures.
The only concern, and it is a small one, is the fact that The Stoneholding is 'Book One of the Talamadh.' There is a tendency with Fantasy authors of late, to approach any novel with the view that it has to be part of some sequence or other, a mere portion of a Tolkien-esqueTome rather than a novel in its own right. The reader is subsequently forced to invest a substantial amount of time and money in completing, what often becomes, an overlong and overwrought saga, which attempts to emulate (sometimes very badly), Tolkien's original works. If there is only 'One ring', we ask, why can't there be only one book?!! Don't let this put you off though. Anderson and Sebanc have not fallen into this trap. Granted, the novel is 'Book One . . .', but it is also one hell of a yarn. I look forward, with anticipation, to Book Two."
"The tale is a splendid one, no surprise there. But what I was especially taken with was the precision of expression, and that's fitting, since, as everyone knows, each step in any journey is as important as the last. You will enjoy The Stoneholding in the large as well as in the small - fitting for a story written in the great and necessary wake of that master of the sacramental imagination, J.R.R. Tolkien!"
- David Craig, Professor of English and Creative Writing,
Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio
"When I read it, I enjoyed it thoroughly, marveling at Mark James' talent for creating memorable characters, a very compelling plot, and a consistently sustained faery world rich in lore, names and mystery. While it's comparable (naturally) to Tolkien, the author is clearly drawing from the wider Celtic traditions, and in ways Tolkien never explored. The concept of the harmony which protects Good is marvelous and deep. I cannot imagine what more a discerning reader could ask for in a work of fantasy."
- Ted Nasmith, illustrator, J.R.R. Tolkien's The Silmarillion
"With dazzling richness of language and sheer abundance of imaginative design, Mark James succeeds preeminently in imparting to his work a high literary quality of the kind we associate with the great masters of the fantasy novel tradition. Moreover, in keeping with what is best in this tradition, Mark James establishes his work on the firm foundation of the literary and spiritual classics of our civilization. A truly distinctive achievement." - Johann M. Moser, Professor of Literature Emeritus,
Saint Anselm College - New Hampshire
"Mark James is a very talented writer whose book is essential and whose ideas are crucial in this challenging age."
- Michael Coren, author, J.R.R. Tolkien: The Man Who Created Lord of the Rings
and The Man Who Created Narnia: The Story of C.S. Lewis
