Before Robert E Howard's Bran Mak Morn or Conan, before JRR Tolkien's Middle Earth saga, there was Fingal. James Macpherson's 18th century best seller is little known today, but it started a genre which is still one of the most popular and has spawned many books, comics, films, and games. This story of the great Celtic Warrior Fingal and his fellow heroes Cuchullain, Ossian, and others battling to defend their lands from the invasion from Scandinavia of the giant warrior Swaran is as thrilling today as when it first appeared. This modernised version by John McShane is accompanied by several essays on the background to the original publication. Was it really an ancient Gaelic epic, or did Macpherson write it all himself. This book reveals the true story,