title: Niamh and the Hermit
author: Snyder, Emily C.A.
description: The daughter of a King and a Fairy, the Princess Niamh is glorious fair. But her incredible beauty proves a curse when no suitor can withstand even a moment in her presence without running mad. The kingdom's only hope rests upon a mysterious Hermit. With the claws and wings of an eagle, the head and tail of a lion, the mystery of a magician, and the piety of a saint, he alone may hold her. But a vengeful Count schemes to ruin the Princess and lead her to perdition before her betrothed arrives. A rich story crafted in the evocative lyric style of Lord Dunsany, Niamh and the Hermit is an exultation of the classic fairy tale. Emily Snyder takes us through Celtic mist to a world of mystic wonder. Imagine Tolkien's true north sailing west. Imagine Gandalf wandering in the legendary footsteps of St. Patrick. Imagine the Numenorean Faithful sailing in the wake of St. Brendan. Imagine a ripple of Rivendell flowing into the living waters of Tara. Imagine Lothlorien fading into the faerie fogs of Erin. Imagine Middle Earth coloured in forty shades of green. - Prof. Joseph Pearce, Ave Maria University, author of Tolkien: Man and Myth A graduate of Franciscan University of Steubenville, Emily C. A. Snyder has been inventing stories since she was old enough to babble. Creator of the Christian Guide to Fantasy website and the Tower of Ivory Literary E-Zine, Ms. Snyder teaches drama and has directed performances ranging from Shakespeare to musicals.