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Legacy of the Stone Harp #1
The Stoneholding: Legacy of the Stone Harp: Book One
Darkness looms over the ancient world of Ahn Norvys, and the Great Harmony of Ardiel lies rent asunder. Prince Starigan, heir to the throne, has been abducted and power has been usurped by a traitorous cabal. In the mountainous highlands of Arvon is the small but ancient community the Stoneholding, which has held out against the gathering forces of the evil Ferabek.
Here by tradition the High Bard has resided as guardian of the Sacred Fire, as well as the golden harp called the Talamadh. But in his search for the lost prince, Ferabek has attacked the Stoneholding with his Black Scorpion Dragoons and razed it to the ground. Wilum, the aged High Bard was forced to flee for his life with a ragged band of survivors, including Kalaquinn Wright, the wheelwright’s son.
Kal, green in years and understanding, was torn from his pastoral life. Now, as night covers Ahn Norvys, he must save what remains of the hallowed order of things and somehow find Prince Starigan, rekindle the Sacred Fire and seek his destiny.
Here by tradition the High Bard has resided as guardian of the Sacred Fire, as well as the golden harp called the Talamadh. But in his search for the lost prince, Ferabek has attacked the Stoneholding with his Black Scorpion Dragoons and razed it to the ground. Wilum, the aged High Bard was forced to flee for his life with a ragged band of survivors, including Kalaquinn Wright, the wheelwright’s son.
Kal, green in years and understanding, was torn from his pastoral life. Now, as night covers Ahn Norvys, he must save what remains of the hallowed order of things and somehow find Prince Starigan, rekindle the Sacred Fire and seek his destiny.
Hardcover
First published October 24, 2004
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106 people want to read
About the author
James G. Anderson
8 books5 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
James G. Anderson is a teacher, catechist, musician, and poet, and holds a BA and MA in theology from Franciscan University in Steubenville, OH. His interests range from gardening to fly fishing, from winemaking to songwriting. He lives with his wife and three sons on the Canadian prairies outside Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
James G. Anderson is a teacher, catechist, musician, and poet, and holds a BA and MA in theology from Franciscan University in Steubenville, OH. His interests range from gardening to fly fishing, from winemaking to songwriting. He lives with his wife and three sons on the Canadian prairies outside Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
February 4, 2015
Arguably, this high fantasy book’s greatest strength is also its Achilles heel.
The world is described in loving detail, not only through the narrative, but through extensive use of dialogue. It’s a fascinating world, beautifully crafted and filled with lore and mystery, but it’s also a lot to absorb. Readers may find all the exposition a bit much, especially taking into account the lively pace of the prologue.
Let me explain: after a spectacularly exciting prologue the story fast tracks almost twenty years… and, frankly, comes to a grinding halt as far as pacing is concerned. There are layers and layers of history and world building to wade through between flurries of excitement. The English used when characters interact in, for example, the older languages of the envisioned world, is often excessive in nature. It’s by design, of course, and suits the story, but it makes for slow reading. Considering that this book is rather dense to start with (600+ pages in the Baen print), and that it essentially deals with a very, very small portion of what is a much bigger story, readers may well feel cheated when they come to the end and realize that not all that much has actually transpired for all the time spent reading.
Let me just qualify all this by saying that, personally, I enjoyed the book a lot. Yes, it’s a slow book, but it’s quite atmospheric and sets up what promises to be a fascinating story in a very complete world. I even enjoyed the flowery language, because sometimes I do actually read books for their prose. I also tend to enjoy immersing myself in strange and mysterious worlds.
If you prefer fast-paced and action filled stories with lots of big fights then this isn’t for you. To be clear, though, this doesn’t mean that I won’t recommend it in any case. I’m rather keen to read the sequel (Darkling Fields of Arvon), since there is only one way the story can go from here and it’s likely to be a fine ride.
Addendum
Just a note on the maps. There are three of these, and I compulsively kept checking everything against them. This isn't recommended, since you won't find the Balk Pit of Uam (it's on an area outside the map) in any case, and it will prolong your reading time a lot. But to each his own.
July 16, 2015
The Stoneholding is a fine beginning to the Legend of the Stone Harp series. The plot is superb. The King and Queen are long dead, and Prince Starigan is lost. Much of the world is now ruled by the bad guys. So far, so unoriginal. However, how the story continues is very imaginative. The Sacred Fire is quenched by the enemy, and without it, the Harmony of Ardiel cannot survive. But the only way the Fire can be relit is with a plant found only in the Balk Pit of Uam - and none but the lost prince can retrieve it. It's the task of nineteen-year-old Kalaquinn Wright to find him.
Meanwhile, the peaceable Stoneholding is razed by the enemy, who are also looking for Prince Starigan. And for some reason, they are after Kalaquinn as well.
After a rather slow beginning, The Stoneholding really takes off. The writing itself is, perhaps, not perfect. However, that doesn't take away from the story itself. I've already read this book multiple times, and will definitely reread it in the future. I love that music is an essential component of both the story and the world in which it takes place, because music is practically my life.
My only real gripe about this series? The third book is taking FOREVER to come out!
Meanwhile, the peaceable Stoneholding is razed by the enemy, who are also looking for Prince Starigan. And for some reason, they are after Kalaquinn as well.
After a rather slow beginning, The Stoneholding really takes off. The writing itself is, perhaps, not perfect. However, that doesn't take away from the story itself. I've already read this book multiple times, and will definitely reread it in the future. I love that music is an essential component of both the story and the world in which it takes place, because music is practically my life.
My only real gripe about this series? The third book is taking FOREVER to come out!
January 26, 2015
Many novels are compared (favorably or unfavorably) with Tolkien, so it seems almost trite to say that this story will appeal to fans of Tolkien. Yet it seems unavoidable, and in fact misleading, to do otherwise. In an age of short attention spans and sound-bite reading capabilities, you will unmistakably see that this series hearkens to an earlier age. Like Tolkien, creator and co-author Mark Sebanc is a philologist and scholar, and it shows in his writing. The point that others have made regarding the detailed nature of the story is valid, but contrary to the general consensus, I do not see this as an inherently bad thing. The authors intend to immerse you in their world, and do so with a precision of which Tolkien and Kirkpatrick would be proud. But more than the detail of the land, the story resonates from the same place in the heart from which Tolkien wrote, and this is something that many have attempted, but not many have managed to accomplish. Regardless of whether or not you are a fan of the more sedate pace, if you read this with a fresh mind and a desire to return to the days of the Bird and Baby, you can easily imagine this being a product of an unknown member of the Inklings.
The Legacy of the Stone Harp begins with a long prologue. It is essential to understand that this prologue is for the entire series, and not just for the first book. When the action continues past a few pages, and into the short story realm, you might start to wonder when the narrative proper is going to begin. But this tale, set a generation in the past, sets up the action for all that is to follow. Also, the Quest is established in this first book. It is not a self-contained novel.
The Stoneholding (Book One) is primarily the story of young Kalaquinn Wright, the son of the hero of the prologue. It isn't long before one is questioning his heritage, but as with the film Shadow of a Doubt, the authors keep you teetering on the precipice of Kal's suspected true identity. The reader will recognize several familiar faces from the Hero's Journey: The reluctant hero, the wise mentor, etc. As Kal is thrust into a responsibility for which he is unprepared (and yet for which he has been groomed), the reader gets to know this young man's nobility and frailty. There are times when his compassion works against him, almost to a frustrating degree, but this is part of his character, and so while at times you may wish that he were a little less guileless, the fact that his actions have consequences keep you grounded, and allow you to move past certain elements of the story.
As with Tolkien, the authors have created a world of clashing and intermingling cultures, so much of the story revolves around navigating the geography of Ahn Norvys, and the people who inhabit the land. The world, like Middle Earth, could ostensibly be considered a character in its own right, possibly even the main character of the novels.
If there is one criticism to be leveled at the story, it is that the characters tend to feel a little distant, even given the fact that the authors do not tend to break point-of-view often. The relationships about which they are expected to feel close come off as almost secondary, and I occasionally found myself wondering if the main characters cared as much about family and significant others as we would otherwise be led to believe. On the other hand, this may be intentional on the authors' part, portraying deep love as unsentimental and ultimately elevated above some of the pettiness and angst that we typically associate with the human experience. There are some stylistic choices that might have slowed the story down; occasionally the authors forgo the "show, don't tell" and opt instead for "show, then tell." However, this was not off-putting enough for me to set the novel aside and reach for something faster-paced.
Overall, a good read, and recommended to fans of high fantasy. Continued in part two, Darkling Fields of Arvon.
The Legacy of the Stone Harp begins with a long prologue. It is essential to understand that this prologue is for the entire series, and not just for the first book. When the action continues past a few pages, and into the short story realm, you might start to wonder when the narrative proper is going to begin. But this tale, set a generation in the past, sets up the action for all that is to follow. Also, the Quest is established in this first book. It is not a self-contained novel.
The Stoneholding (Book One) is primarily the story of young Kalaquinn Wright, the son of the hero of the prologue. It isn't long before one is questioning his heritage, but as with the film Shadow of a Doubt, the authors keep you teetering on the precipice of Kal's suspected true identity. The reader will recognize several familiar faces from the Hero's Journey: The reluctant hero, the wise mentor, etc. As Kal is thrust into a responsibility for which he is unprepared (and yet for which he has been groomed), the reader gets to know this young man's nobility and frailty. There are times when his compassion works against him, almost to a frustrating degree, but this is part of his character, and so while at times you may wish that he were a little less guileless, the fact that his actions have consequences keep you grounded, and allow you to move past certain elements of the story.
As with Tolkien, the authors have created a world of clashing and intermingling cultures, so much of the story revolves around navigating the geography of Ahn Norvys, and the people who inhabit the land. The world, like Middle Earth, could ostensibly be considered a character in its own right, possibly even the main character of the novels.
If there is one criticism to be leveled at the story, it is that the characters tend to feel a little distant, even given the fact that the authors do not tend to break point-of-view often. The relationships about which they are expected to feel close come off as almost secondary, and I occasionally found myself wondering if the main characters cared as much about family and significant others as we would otherwise be led to believe. On the other hand, this may be intentional on the authors' part, portraying deep love as unsentimental and ultimately elevated above some of the pettiness and angst that we typically associate with the human experience. There are some stylistic choices that might have slowed the story down; occasionally the authors forgo the "show, don't tell" and opt instead for "show, then tell." However, this was not off-putting enough for me to set the novel aside and reach for something faster-paced.
Overall, a good read, and recommended to fans of high fantasy. Continued in part two, Darkling Fields of Arvon.
February 23, 2017
The Stoneholding, by Mark James (a.k.a. Mark Sebanc and James G. Anderson) is a fine beginning to the Legend of the Stone Harp series. The plot is superb. The King and Queen are long dead, and Prince Starigan is lost. Much of the world is now ruled by the bad guys. So far, so unoriginal. However, how the story continues is very imaginative. The Sacred Fire is quenched by the enemy, and without it, the Harmony of Ardiel cannot survive. But the only way the Fire can be relit is with a plant found only in the Balk Pit of Uam – and none but the lost prince can retrieve it. It’s the task of nineteen-year-old Kalaquinn Wright to find him.
Meanwhile, the peaceable Stoneholding is razed by the enemy, who are also looking for Prince Starigan. And for some reason, they are after Kalaquinn as well.
After a rather slow beginning, The Stoneholding really takes off. The writing itself is, perhaps, not perfect. However, that doesn’t take away from the story itself. I’ve already read this book multiple times, and will definitely reread it in the future. I love that music is an essential component of both the story and the world in which it takes place, because music is practically my life.
My only real gripe about this series? The third book is taking FOREVER to come out! I mean, c'mon - this book came out in 2009 and the second one in 2010! I think it's about time for the next one!
Meanwhile, the peaceable Stoneholding is razed by the enemy, who are also looking for Prince Starigan. And for some reason, they are after Kalaquinn as well.
After a rather slow beginning, The Stoneholding really takes off. The writing itself is, perhaps, not perfect. However, that doesn’t take away from the story itself. I’ve already read this book multiple times, and will definitely reread it in the future. I love that music is an essential component of both the story and the world in which it takes place, because music is practically my life.
My only real gripe about this series? The third book is taking FOREVER to come out! I mean, c'mon - this book came out in 2009 and the second one in 2010! I think it's about time for the next one!
April 11, 2025
Well, were do I start with this book. The prologue is excellent, but then the book re-starts and gets bogged down in pages and pages of explanation and exposition that just doesn't seem necessary.
The story starts off with the "rescue" of the Queen and her baby son, who have been held captive by a Trader's Guild who has taken over the Kingdom. The soldiers who help her escape are part of the King's Guard, but they get ambushed by an enemy, and the Queen and so are supposedly killed, along with all but one of the soldiers.
The story then jumps to 18-20 years later, and deals with a Bard/Wise Man, who is training two youths to eventually take over from him. Their homeland gets secretly invaded by the minions of the Trader's Guild leader, and the rest of the story is how the Highlander people escape their clutches. They eventually escape into a Dwarven realm, where they are given sanctuary.
I skipped so many pages trying to just find something that was actually happening, and I'd like to think that if it had concentrated on action rather than history, it would have been a far better book.
There is a sequel, and I'll eventually read it, but it's not any where near the top of my TBR pile..
The story starts off with the "rescue" of the Queen and her baby son, who have been held captive by a Trader's Guild who has taken over the Kingdom. The soldiers who help her escape are part of the King's Guard, but they get ambushed by an enemy, and the Queen and so are supposedly killed, along with all but one of the soldiers.
The story then jumps to 18-20 years later, and deals with a Bard/Wise Man, who is training two youths to eventually take over from him. Their homeland gets secretly invaded by the minions of the Trader's Guild leader, and the rest of the story is how the Highlander people escape their clutches. They eventually escape into a Dwarven realm, where they are given sanctuary.
I skipped so many pages trying to just find something that was actually happening, and I'd like to think that if it had concentrated on action rather than history, it would have been a far better book.
There is a sequel, and I'll eventually read it, but it's not any where near the top of my TBR pile..
March 12, 2021
Really wanted to like this book more than I did. Started out strong, then jumped forward about 18 years with no clear explanation of who or where we were and nothing about the characters from the opening. We eventually find out but it takes a while. And talk? It seems that is all they do is talk. And about some of the dumbest things. Needless to say I won’t be looking for book 2
November 20, 2018
Overly written, with characters who were either cutouts or idiots.
May 9, 2025
11. Why say something in 5 words when you have 12 stealthily hiding up your sleeves. The author is clearly a fan of the old school fantasy epics. Sadly, this is not up to code.
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April 16, 2009ForeWord Magazine’s editor-in-chief, Heather Shaw, was chosen this year to host the Indie Editors Buzz panel at BookExpo America. Shaw invited five independent publishers to each present a title at BEA that they feel will have wide appeal--there’s a debut mystery, a memoir by Ted Kooser, a debut novel, a book of essays by Michael Greenberg, and a debut fantasy. The editor’s pitch session will be held on Friday, 29 May at 11 a.m. in Room 1E15. On Saturday, 30 May at 3:30 p.m. there will be a panel discussion with the authors at the Downtown Stage.
Over the next five weeks, the ForeWord Book Club will be showcasing each of the "Buzz" books, beginning with Baen Books' The Stoneholding: Legacy of the Stone Harp: Book One by debut authors James G. Anderson & Mark Sebanc (September).
Jim Minx, editor at Baen, will be pitching what James Rollin, bestselling author of Map of Bones, calls "one of those rare discoveries, a world of fantasy that is both as familiar as a folktale, yet still refreshingly new at every turn." G.P. Taylor, the New York Times bestselling author of Shadowmancer, Wormwood, and Tersias says, "This is surely fantasy writing at its best . . . an American classic."
The prologue to The Stoneholding is available for download for one week only. Book Club
Over the next five weeks, the ForeWord Book Club will be showcasing each of the "Buzz" books, beginning with Baen Books' The Stoneholding: Legacy of the Stone Harp: Book One by debut authors James G. Anderson & Mark Sebanc (September).
Jim Minx, editor at Baen, will be pitching what James Rollin, bestselling author of Map of Bones, calls "one of those rare discoveries, a world of fantasy that is both as familiar as a folktale, yet still refreshingly new at every turn." G.P. Taylor, the New York Times bestselling author of Shadowmancer, Wormwood, and Tersias says, "This is surely fantasy writing at its best . . . an American classic."
The prologue to The Stoneholding is available for download for one week only. Book Club
January 1, 2013
A standard epic fantasy with all the usual elements and nothing particularly new to add. Told in a verbose manner that consumed twice as many pages as were necessary for the amount of story covered, salted with only occasional flashes of adequacy, the Stoneholding suffers from a number of flaws that plague the genre: long boring sections filled with exposition; characters dashing from one place to another with great haste and intensity, but insufficient motive; and then more long passages of justification for it all, but without really engaging the reader. In short, way too much time spent explaining the story to me, and way not enough time spent telling it to me.
The final straw came when I hurled the book across the room for the second time within 10 pages, furious at the stupidity of the protagonist and his friends - the kind of stupidity that makes them no longer worthy of the respect necessary to make me care whether they succeed or fail. Once I've begun hoping they'll die, it's time to cut my losses and move on to better fare.
So long Ahn Norvys. I won't be coming back.
The final straw came when I hurled the book across the room for the second time within 10 pages, furious at the stupidity of the protagonist and his friends - the kind of stupidity that makes them no longer worthy of the respect necessary to make me care whether they succeed or fail. Once I've begun hoping they'll die, it's time to cut my losses and move on to better fare.
So long Ahn Norvys. I won't be coming back.
June 29, 2015
This is an interesting fantasy story that while having some of the standard fantasy tropes throws enough twists and turns to keep it entertaining. The story has a heavy Scottish/Irish background that provide a pleasant setting for the story. The druidic/bardic magic is a nice change from the standard wand wizard stories. The essential plot nugget is it is an end of an Era and the growing story of the character from a simple boy to a greater role. The biggest issue I have in the story is that the lead characters are too trusting which leads to some poor decisions that would not normally happen.
July 20, 2010
I read the first 3 chapters (page 100) and just could not get into the story.
Rather wordy with nothing new or exciting.
Trying too hard to be an epic.
Rather wordy with nothing new or exciting.
Trying too hard to be an epic.
May 14, 2015
It got fairly bloody boring. I couldn't even finish it because I couldn't find it in me to care about what was going on.
January 6, 2016
Book 1 of The Legacy of the Stone Harp. Slightly better than average fantasy, but it cloys after a while.
goodreadingguide-com
November 9, 2014HS to review at www.GoodReadingGuide.com
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews