Book Review: The Magician of Tiger Castle

Today, we will be reviewing The Magician of Tiger Castle by Louis Sachar, an adult fantasy novel. I grew up on Sachar and seeing him release a new novel, one for adults, made my year. Keep reading to see what we thought of this novel and if you should read it too!

The Magician of Tiger Castle Summary

Centuries ago, there was a kingdom in France called Esquaveta. The kingdom needed money and the quickest way to do that was for the kingdom to forge an alliance. That is why the king arranged for his daughter, princess Tullia, with a less than pleasant prince.

But a month before the wedding, the princess falls in love with an apprentice scribe. To save the marriage, the king turns to the magician Anatole. The last few months have not gone well for Anatole and his reputation as the king’s magician has taken a hit. He needs to succeed or he may be out of a job soon.

The king tells Anatole that he needs to make a potion that ensures the wedding goes on. But the princess is like a daughter to Anatole. He has to choose between his job or the princess’s happiness. With the wedding day around the corner, Anatole must make his choice and ensure its success or suffer the consequences.

Commentary

The Magician of Tiger Castle was released in August 2025 and is his debut adult novel. Like most people, I grew up on Sachar and when I saw that he was releasing a new novel, I was excited.

Going in, I did not know what to expect but after the first few pages, I knew that this book was going to be amazing. We all know Sachar is a great storyteller and that is true in this fantasy adventure. The cast of characters are fun and feel like people you know in real life.

The novel feels like a combination of a novel for adults and for young adults. This could easily have been a fairytale and it is different from your typical fairytale. I enjoyed every second of this novel and honestly would love more stories involving Anatole.

Conclusion

I can see this novel being adopted into another successful movie for Sachar. If you loved Holes, then you are going to love this fantastic fantasy novel. It is fresh and yet, feels like a Sachar novel.

I am glad that Sachar returned to writing and this was the perfect first adult novel. This is one fantasy novel that you need to read. Until next time, happy reading!

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