Mordigan Bryre is an orphan, taken in by the Master Bard to the King and apprenticed as bard himself, living in the King's court and favoured by the King's daughter, two years his junior. 'Digan is also the best of the Bard's pupils and seems destined one day to become the King's Bard himself.

However 'Digan has a tendency toward fanciful imaginings, or lies - hence the Liar of the title - that get him into trouble on a regular basis. This and his frequent knack of getting into one scrape or another eventually leads to his master dismissing him shortly before he earns his position as a journeyman minstrel.

Leaving his home, he then becomes caught up in a quest given to him by the witch Freitanya to seek the magician Talthos and petition him for a magical lute. The only drawback being is that on the quest he cannot tell anyone about Freitanya or utter falsehood, for the witch has set a magick upon him which means these would cause him to lose his voice completely, a fate beyond imagining for a minstrel

Upon hearing of his dismissal the King's daughter Allysian runs away from the castle to find her 'Digan and to be with him and help him in any way she can.

This is fantasy fiction of the fairytale variety. We have a hero set a perilous quest, a woman who loves him and risks all to aid him, and many hardships to overcome along the way. You know it's going to end well and you will find yourself rooting for the two main characters.

It's not at all original, but that's not what stories like this are all about. What the author has given here is a romantic feel-good fantasy novel set in a faniliar style of fantasy world obeying all of the fantasy conventions associated with the fairytale.

If you're not put off by the romance, and enjoy fairytales then you could do a great deal worse than pick up this novel.

Synopsis
A passionate desire surged through Digan's breast, until it ached to catch his breath. "I shall become that master, lady! Tell me but how!"

The witch squinted up at him—one eye squeezed nearly shut, the other a bright black bead. "I doubt you have the stomach for it, boy. The hunger, yes; perhaps the will...but the nerve—ah, that's another story."

Honor was at stake now. "Set me your test. I am not afraid! I would learn how to master the magic of the lute."

Freitanya lay a gnarled hand on his arm. The touch sent a spark of power through him, and he shivered.

"How badly do you crave the magic, boy? What will you dare to risk...?" queried Freitanya—and her voice lost all its aged huskiness, melting into liquid silver. He stared into dark, rain-gray eyes that swallowed his soul, laying bare the darkest secrets and hidden passions of his dreams. A faint whiff of sun-warmed oranges wafted from her tumbled cloud of fine white hair. The scent seemed strangely young for one of her venerable years.

"What must I do?" he breathed.

Mordigan Bryre is a liar. It is his defining characteristic when the reader first meets him. He is also an apprentice bard at the doorway to receiving his journeyman's papers when he is thrown out of his Guild Hall by circumstances that have spiraled beyond his control.

Given a challenge by the witch Freitanya to go to the wizard Talthos and ask for a magical lute which will give him the ability to play brilliantly--his fondest dream--Digan journeys to the wizard's Azure City to seek his fortune. Digan hopes that winning the lute will restore him to favor with his master, Cormeyer Stareyes, the King's bard.

Life is rather complicated by the fact that the Princess Allysian is in love with him...or at least the idea of him. With his dark hair and green eyes, Digan turns many heads, but his own heart belongs to the Princess...despite the fact that he knows he cannot aspire to her hand. Both of them have a great deal of growing up to do in the course of the quest, and Mordigan learns that love is worth any sacrifice.