I picked up this book at random. I like the idea of bard as being a career option and feel that it is a shame we don't prepare more young folk for a vocation in the Bardic Arts.
The main character in Taylor's series, Felimid Mac Fal, is an instantly loveable character. He is a true roguish sort that loves to indulge in the simple pleasures of life: wine, women, gambling and laughter. Taylor does not let his character fall within the common fantasy tropes of being a vessel of absolute good. Felimid possesses a kind of moral ambiguity that we see him struggle with and shape throughout the story.
Keith Taylor spins a wondrous tale in the first book of his Bard series. This book came out when the Fantasy market was beginning to take off and publishers were being flooded with all sorts of rubbish. Taylor roots his hero and the world the hero inhabits in Irish Folklore and Mythology, Arthurian Literary Tradition and numerous other tales and mythologies that have survived from the span of time surrounding the "Dark Ages".
I have an above average background in Medieval Literature and its precursors and I found myself referring to the internet every few pages to clarify a reference the author had made. This reliance on an historically based world instead of one of pure fancy adds to the experience of reading the books. Taylor not only presents the reader with an excellent story but guides the reader into a world of rich cultural significance. After the first book you will find yourself reaching for Google less and less as you become familiar with The Gods and Goddesses of ancient Ireland. ( )