Customer Reviews

The Bard of Bethlehem

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Welcome to the twenty-second year of the reign of Caesar Augustus or 5 B.C.! The Roman world is at the height of its power and corruption at a time when men of all nationalities hope for a better world. The Romans may control half the world but numerous plots and intrigues threaten their power; Greeks, Celts, and Jews proudly cling to their cultural roots while they serve as slaves and servants to their domineering overlords.

Terentius and Bridicia are the main characters, a bard and fish peddler, whose love endures through multiple perils in this riveting, intriguing novel. "Someone betrayed me," becomes the catch-all phrase for them as well as for the a Druid who has set a debilitating curse on Bridicia; for the young Jewish musician threatened because of jealousy and prejudice; and for the governor who has reached the pinnacle of success but whose every action now seems to create more and more enemies.

In the midst of it all, a wondrous star appears that is brighter than all other stars and which carries a mystical aura touching every observer and laying bare the obvious and hidden motives behind every actor and actress. "What could it mean as it fails to weaken or disappear but only increases in size and strength?"

Join Terentius and Bridicia as they elude the looming disasters threatening them in Tarsus in Cilicia and then as they travel to the land below where the star shines and they meet the characters whose destiny will be forever connected to that initial heavenly appearance!

David James Trapp's writing has evolved gracefully and powerfully since his last novel, Dog Days in Bedlam. The Bard of Bethlehem is a novel you will love and remember forever as the work of a master storyteller capable of fully and accurately portraying the known and unknown players of ancient sacred and secular history!!! Wonderful!!!!

Reviewed by Viviane Crystal on January 12, 2007

Trapp's novel takes you back to 5 B.C. where the Celts, Jews, and Greeks all live under Roman rule by Julius Caesar. This is a time of political turmoil, where Maximus, the Governor of Cilicia, is asked to step down because he hasn't been performing his duties, due to what is called "the black melancholy." Maximus lost his wife and could be in the throes of depression, because after being relieved of his governing duties he attempts suicide.

The Druids, even in placid times, had to hide their practices, but one Druid stands out, Corvus, who states that the Britons trained him although he now lives in Tarsus. Corvus buys and sells various items: linen, cotton, and herbs. He is wise in the way of Celts, but is an angry, vengeful man who cursed a young Celtic woman who would not sleep with him during the feast of Samhain, the Celtic New Year. Even though Caesar executed Druids and outlawed their beliefs, Corvus and others still practice the old ways.

The young cursed beauty, Bridicia, who is a fish peddler, meets the harpist Terentius. He immediately falls in love with her. She refuses his offer of marriage since she cannot bear children. Terentius, who, though Celtic, maneuvers through the Jewish, Greek and predominately Roman parts of town without impunity, loves her and doesn't care that she is barren.

The storyline is woven tightly around political scandals, Caesar's mandatory census and taxation of all males, while Bridicia and Terentius's relationship blooms along with a star that is seen in the heavens. The star amazes everyone of all races and religions, "What could it mean as it fails to weaken or disappear but only increases in size and strength?"

The book keeps you spell-bound with the interweaving of numerous plot lines. A great historical novel with the flair of fiction and nonfiction combined. Highly recommended, but Trapp isn't true to the language of the period and uses some words that weren't in existence until the Middle Ages.

Armchair Interviews says: The Bard of Bethlehem gives new meaning to old legends and the co-habitation of many cultures in the Holy Land.

Reviewed by Richard R. Blake for Reader Views (12/06)


This remarkable story begins in the city of Tarsus in a period of political chaos. It is the story of two young Celts. The book is rich in Celtic background, customs, and Druid folklore. Young Terentius, a harpist, and Bridicia, his bride, are threatened by a Druid's curse and are caught in a web of political corruption. Trapp exhibits great scope and depth in his understanding of the political upheaval in the year 5 B.C.

David James Trapp is a master story teller. He draws the reader back in time, two thousand years, to a time when the Celts, Jews, Romans, and Greeks, were all deeply affected by the appearance of a mysterious new star.

Terentius played music to the star. "...the melody he created was fantastic, complex, impossible to describe...Tenentius always kept is eyes on the mystery star. Such a brilliant sign! He knew beyond any doubt now that all those Druids were wrong to fear this star."

Tenentius, Bridicia, and their Egyptian slave girl fled Tarsus hoping to find safety in Judea. They were pursued by Corvus, a self proclaimed Druid leader seeking revenge.

David James Trapp has the uncanny ability to make you feel you are walking along side his characters. I felt the anguish of Terentius after his release from custody. "Every step was hard. His limbs ached from the bruises, and breathing was difficult...sharp pains pounded through his skull...with every step he scanned the streets looking for his beloved Bridicia."

This is fast paced historical fiction at its best. David has the inherent ability to keep the reader involved in an intricate plot with unexpected twists, and attention-grabbing sub plots. "The Bard of Bethlehem" is an excellent read, noteworthy, and absorbing.

Book received free of charge.