Customer Reviews

Niamh and the Hermit: A Fairy Tale

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3 star:		(1)
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Beautifully written, this lyrical tale tells us of Niamh, a halfling princess whose beauty is beyong compare. It is so great that it carries a terrible price. None can look upon her without going mad or being driven to seek a holy life. It would seem that this girl who has so much to give, for she is as beautiful inside as outside, will be alone forever, but then her parents learn of a man whose soul has strength enough to withstand her beauty. Niamh begins corresponding with him, and her heart is won, despite the rumors that he is terrible to look upon.

Yet, before the hermit can come and claim his bride, the price of her loveliness banishes the princess from the court into the wild world. Alone and frightened, she manages to make her way in life, while the valiant hermit seeks her untiringly, through danger and pain.

***** This story is only slightly less beautiful than the title character, which is fortunate, since otherwise, readers would be driven insane by picking up the pages. With a subtly inspirational message combined with mists and myth, this novel enchants the youthful spirit that lives within us all. *****

Emily Snyder's Niamh And The Hermit: A Fairy Tale is a fantasy novel written in the verbose and lyrical style associated with Lord Dunsany. It is the imaginative tale of the daughter of a King, and the story of a Fairy whose beauty is so great that it drives ordinary men mad. Only a hermit with the piety of a saint can hope to share happiness as her bride, yet a vengeful Count lays plots and schemes to sow misery for the princess and her destined one. Niamh And The Hermit is highly recommended for fans of "high fantasy" as being an original, captivating, and thoroughly enticing fable.

After reading Niamh and the Hermit, I can only come to the conclusion that Emily Snyder has somehow been taught by J.R.R. Tolkien himself. As Tolkien created a world with its own history, languages, and legends, Snyder likewise fashioned an entire land, complete with its own mythology, heroes and villains, maps, and beautifully haunting music. Unlike much of mainstream fantasy, there is no sense that Snyder has borrowed from Tolkien, as their worlds and their origins are completely different, though similar in their levels of thoroughness in creation. (I must add, however, that Snyder's novel is faster-paced than Tolkien's, much to my own delight; though I very much enjoy Tolkien's epics, I tend to be rather impatient, and this novel kept my interest very well.)

I picked up Niamh and the Hermit, my curiosity piqued at the idea of a princess with beauty so great as to drive men to insanity, so much so that only a strange but noble hermit might be able to marry her. The ensuing events of the novel led me through both sorrow and joy, and after having read only a few chapters, I found that I couldn't put the book down. And when I had finished, I found myself feeling much like I had after reading The Return of the King-- with a desire to learn more about this author's world, particularly that which might lie beyond the Twelve Kingdoms, and I look forward to more stories from Emily Snyder about this intriguing world.

Niamh and the Hermit--great literary quality, excellent morals, well-drawn characters, and a gripping plot. I'm not normally a big fan of romance, but this is a book where it's done right. Get out there (or stay in here) and buy a copy--you won't disappointed. (Maybe I'll write something longer later...)

Sean T. M. Stiennon

I really don't like fantasy. Though I've diligently tried to humor my friends by reading various examples of modern fantasy, I've never been able to keep from gagging over the poor literary quality, the half-hearted worldbuilding, and the 'easy out' of magic. The only fantasy I can stomach seems to come from authors who are writing in a more mythological sense (ie: Tolkien) and who have obviously put a good deal of effort into both creation and execution. I had assumed that this second type of fantasy author was pretty much dead until yet another friend suggested I should read *Niamh and the Hermit.*

Wow. For once, an author who tried to create a world that seemed to exist above and beyond the confines of the page. Every word Snyder writes in this book is deliberate and well-chosen. She braids several plots together, crafting her characters with such detail that they practically beg for their own stories to be told in sequels.

I was actually disappointed when the story ended, and I hope she continues to expand this world for us.

I couldn't stop reading. The characters were very easy to understand and the plot was exciting with many twists. Particularly interesting were the maps and drawings throughout and even on both covers. Oh oh and sheet music too. But the story itself carries you into a wonderful world that is mysterious and dazzling all at the same time.
QUALITY READ!!

Niamh and the Hermit is a wonderful debut for Snyder. While reading her book you can easily believe that you are hearing a fairy tale from the Medieval ages. There are points when it seems as though we are in the story ourselves, that we're sitting in a pub and listening to the legend of Niamh. But then the "legend" interweaves itself to become realistic and what we thought was the normal world shifts into legend. Snyder's book is like a story that is on the brink of the Faerie Lands where reality is no longer certain. Her prose is spectacular with sweeping descriptions and witty dialogue. But words aside, Ms. Snyder has now debuted as an artist and composer. Scattered throughout the novel are original illustrations and maps. Written on musical staffs are some songs the characters themselves sing. These melodies are haunting and truly seem authentic to the "time" she has set this story. The world building of the Twelve Kingdoms is extensive as seen in the appendices. Tales and legends referenced in the story are expanded upon, further drawing the reader into Snyder's world. A world from which one does not want to escape.

The story seems interesting, however I found the story hard to follow. Dialogue is long like that of older fantastical fiction. It is long and there is little to find in the speach patterns to seperate characters. The book also lacks good character descriptions within the text. In order to understand the book, I figure you really have to study the appendixes first and then read the dialogue very carefully. This typically is not the type of reading I enjoy for leisure.

Unlike Tolkien, Synder spends very little time describing the settings. Actions at many times seem melodramatic and some scenes seem to contradict themselves.

The story was interesting and the plot well done. My only complaint is that I wish it was easier to follow. I bought the book to read for fun. Sometimes I felt like I had to study the book to understand what was going on. The dialogue was long and written in a style that required a lot of words with little meaning. I would have to stop and think about what was being said to get the point of the dialogue. There is very little setting description and the author moves between characters with little explanation. I wish it had been written more in a modern style to allow the characters and story to flow easier. It would have truly been an engaging book, one that I probably would have finished in one sitting.