Confessions of St. Nicholas

St. Nicholas, in self-imposed exile in a far northern land, tries to write an account of his life as a way of putting it behind him. As he takes us from his boyhood in third-century Asia Minor throughout his years as archbishop, his story reflects his increasing despair at the state of the world and his own soul. Drawn against his wishes into the political and religious struggles of his time and gifted with miraculous powers that are as much a burden as a boon, he is caught between the demands of social duty and spiritual growth. Interwoven with the main story are his reports on the northern tribe he now lives near and his memories of an early love affair. The tribes encounter with a monstrous creature from the forest saddles Nicholas with unwelcome responsibilities. The vague hints we are given about the love affair raise questions about his real role in its tragic outcome. Yet, the book is an historical fantasy--by the end, Nicholas has taken on all the standard attributes of Santa Claus--and the tone is mostly light and humorous throughout.Eads, Richard is the author of 'Confessions of St. Nicholas' with ISBN 9781893652675 and ISBN 189365267X.