Bard: The Odyssey of the Irish (Celtic World of Morgan Llywelyn) (Mass Market Paperback)

by Morgan Llywelyn (Author) "SEE A TALL MAN pacing alone on the twilight beach, caught between the dying day and the incoming tide..." (more)
Key Phrases: guesting house, druid vision, bard land, Éber Finn, Eber Finn, Fir Bolg (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"By deftly reworking Ireland's ancient myths and legends, Morgan Llywelyn has made Bard ring with Celtic spirit." - Los Angeles Times

"A stunning novel that brilliantly evokes the times and the people... a full-bodied historical novel sure to be savored by many." -Booklist

"The most intriguing of [Lywelyn's] warrior/mystic/romance concoctions." -Kirkus Reviews
-- Review

Review

"By deftly reworking Ireland's ancient myths and legends, Morgan Llywelyn has made Bard ring with Celtic spirit." - Los Angeles Times

"A stunning novel that brilliantly evokes the times and the people... a full-bodied historical novel sure to be savored by many." -Booklist

"The most intriguing of [Lywelyn's] warrior/mystic/romance concoctions." -Kirkus Reviews

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 480 pages
• Publisher: Tor Books (March 15, 1987)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0812585151
• ISBN-13: 978-0812585155
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.1 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (29 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #25,096 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #1 in	Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Authors, A-Z > ( L ) > Llywelyn, Morgan
  #1 in	Books > Literature & Fiction > World Literature > Mythology > Celtic & British Isles
  #30 in	Books > Literature & Fiction > Genre Fiction > Fairy Tales

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exquisite depiction of Ireland's legendary ancestry., January 3, 1997

By A Customer

Ms Llywelyn in this exceptional book about the legendary be- ginnings of the Irish people blends together the conceivable hypothesis of an Iberian migration and the ephemeral mythology of Irish fairy folk origins. Her depiction of Amerghain, the main character in his quest to achieve the poem of his lifetime is intertwined with the equally intense quest that his family members have to make their own marks on the landscape of time. There is here all the pagentry of a royal court and there is also the intangible essence of faith, magic, and deep seated beliefs. Notable is the research that went into this book which gives it the inescapable element of being more than fiction and yet the author proves quite capable of endowing the distant legends and lore with all the flesh and blood and emotions that are the keys to connection with these seemingly faceless names from a time now often forgotten. A superbly written and highly enjoyable book for anyone with even a remote interest in history or magic that is always associated with the land of Eire!

13 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful well told story, February 6, 2005

By	G. E. Williams "Nunah" (California) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

As one with distant Celtic heritage, that did not grow up with any of the wonderful stories that Llewelyn tells, I am grateful for for insights into the make up of my families psychology. Bard, Red Branch, Lion Of Ireland ect. Help me to both understand where we get some of our predelictions and temperments. So blah, blah, blah, to reviewers who want to show thier scholarly prowess by proving her inacurate.They are stories based on myths and legends, that are most likely based on some exagerated truth. I loved this story.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful, February 24, 2004

By	irisheye (Las Vegas, NV United States) - See all my reviews

I recently picked this book up, after reading all of Llywelyn's books from The Irish Century series (which I also recommend, as they are the best books I've ever read). This book is truly wonderful. It's not realistic (nor do I think it was intended to be), but it has that wonderful quality that all of Irish myth and legend has: the ability to transcend time and space. This book is a true tribute to the legacy of Irish storytelling and bardic tradition.
I give it 4 stars, though (4 1/2, if it'd let me), because the ending is a bit abrupt; but this may just be Llyewelyn's way of letting the reader know the story of Ierne is still continuing.