I am a huge fan of Holes and Small Steps, both by this author who was, up to now, primarily a children's author, so imagine my absolute delight when I heard about this, his first adult book... and it was mostly good :)
So... we start with the kingdom of Esquaveta where Anatole works as magician to the king. As with most small kingdoms, alliances have to be forged and the best way of doing that is by marriage. Which is why Princess Tullia was betrothed when she was a young child and, we catch up to her in the weeks before the wedding is taking place. All well and good, until you also hear that Tullia is in love with lowly placed palace scribe Pito and really isn't keen on the awful prince she is supposed to be marrying. Anatole is summoned to the king to make sure the wedding takes place by creating one of his potions. But Anatole is torn as he is himself close to the princess and, as we will eventually find out, not too personally keen on her betrothed. But what can he do to? He faces an impossible task? A decision that may well cost him his freedom, or even his life!
This is really a book of two halves. We start initially with the dilemma and the potion and the scene setting and all that jazz. The second half is action packed all the way and did go a wee bit off course on occasion. But the main issue I had was with the characters. Now, I absolutely loved Anatole, we connected from the off and that connection grew as I learned more about him and got to know him better. Sadly I failed to really connect with either Tullia or Pito and quite frankly didn't really care what happened to them as long as Anatole was safe!
As already mentioned, this is supposed to be the author's first adult book but to me it didn't quite feel that way. It felt more like a half way house - nearly adult, but still with a lot of childish things contained herein. It almost felt like the author didn't quite want to commit to it being wholly adult reading.
As we are actually reading the story being "told" by the future Anatole looking back on his past, I can't help feeling that there is more to come from this. Is this the start of a series and we will hear more of Anatole's shenanigans in future books? I'll definitely be interested in that...
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

‘The Magician of Tiger Castle’ is a fun, quick read. The pacing is quick, the light hearted and humorous tone throughout is cozy, and the story is fun. I enjoyed it immensely, especially the humour.

I enjoyed this book. It was well written, I loved the magician and enjoyed the ending. The pacing was a bit off sometimes but I really loved the twists and turns of the story, it was definitely an original concept.

Louis Sachar’s “The Magician of Tiger Castle” did not disappoint. As a longtime fan of “Holes”, a book I’ve shared with countless students, I was excited to experience Sachar’s storytelling crafted for an adult audience. True to form, his signature wit and whimsy shine through, proving once again his ability to enchant readers of all ages.
This modern fantasy follows Anatole, an immortal magician whose reputation for failure precedes him, and the unexpected journey that leads to his redemption. Told through Anatole’s reflective narration, the story weaves together past and present, immersing readers in a vividly rendered world. Sachar’s attention to historical detail is impressive, from the gritty realities of medieval life to the grotesque (and often hilarious) ingredients in Anatole’s potions.
The characters are where Sachar’s brilliance truly shines. Anatole’s dynamic with Princess Tullia and the scribe Pito reveals layers of humour, tension, and depth, while secondary figures like Harwell leave a lasting impression. The dialogue crackles with personality, making each interaction memorable.
Without spoiling the magic, I was hooked from start to finish. The plot delivers delightful twists, balancing science and superstition in clever, unexpected ways. Anatole himself is a wonderfully quirky protagonist, both in appearance and temperament, and the subtle, heartwarming details, like the possible presence of Luigi tucked under his jacket at the end, add an extra layer of charm.
For fans of Sachar’s earlier work or anyone seeking a smart, whimsical fantasy, “The Magician of Tiger Castle” is a must-read. It’s a testament to the author’s versatility and enduring creativity.

"The Magician of Tiger Castle" is an unusual, slow-burn tale that stretches across the centuries. Anatole is the famed magician of the fictitious European kingdom, Esquaveta in the 15th century. Anatole has returned to his former home in the present day and is retelling some of his adventures over a period of 4 months or so, several hundred years ago.
This is a tale full of adventure, and romance. With plenty of danger and Anatole, along with Tullia and Pito must combine magic with ingenuity and bravery to survive. While it was entertaining to read of Anatole's experiments, at times this lead the story to seem slow, but I enjoyed the humor to be found in these sections. And how the characters learned to work together to survive. Definitely one of the more unusual adventures that I have read recently.

4.5 stars

Reading The Magician of Tiger Castle felt like returning to an old friend: familiar, warm, and unexpectedly comforting. Though the plot itself didn’t hinge on big twists or high-stakes drama, the story thrived in its tone and atmosphere, drawing me in with a quiet sort of magic.

The magician was easily the highlight for me. His charming self-importance and slightly inflated sense of wisdom were both endearing and hilarious. I found myself laughing more often than I expected. It reminded me a bit of Candide; there’s a similar blend of naivety, dry wit, and philosophical musing.

While the book doesn’t contain literal magic, it still manages to feel fantastical. Sachar gave the story a soft magical realism that blurred the lines between science and the sublime. The setting was immersive without being over-described, and I appreciated how it allowed space for imagination to fill in the gaps. It truly could have been any town in Italy in the Renaissance.

I’d recommend The Magician of Tiger Castle to older teens or adult readers who enjoy cozy fantasy, character-driven stories, and books that offer more warmth than spectacle. It’s the kind of story you settle into, like a long conversation with someone who’s lived a strange and wonderful life.

ARC from NetGalley.

Forbidden love, an evil prince, brave and sassy princess, with magic potions aplenty!

Reminiscing from present day makes Anatole an intriguing narrator. I was caught up in the historical fairytale style narrative and how each character’s tale was interwoven with another. The end was perfect.

I’ve taught the fabulous Holes and was not disappointed with Sachar’s first adult novel. I will definitely recommend this to my older readers at school and adults alike for an escapist read that is gentle and funny.

A great start to my holiday reading!

A magical world with a wonderful addition of history. A delightful mix that will have you entranced from the start. Lovely descriptions of the modern world and how they might have evolved from historical magic, an amazing imagination and wonderful storyline.

4.75 stars

The Magician of Tiger Castle is a fun-filled adult fairytale. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.

The story follows Anatole, the magician of the kingdom of Escaveta. Based at the castle, he makes potions and tinctures for the King. He tells his story, or rather a pivotal moment in his story, 400 years after the events, as he sits drinking coffee and having a croissant, after having gone on a tourist tour of his old home, now dubbed ‘Tiger Castle’ by the 21st century.

The world-building is fantastic, we're thrown back to the 1500s, to a made-up country set in the Italian Alps, where tigers are a novelty and people believe in magic. The characters are all very colourful and larger than life, and though they fit into their archetypes, they do not feel stale or boring.

This is my first encounter with Louis Sachar’s writing. I can see the hints of his experience as a children’s book author; the prose is easy to read, the characters are fun, and the story is fast-paced. The writing is very knowing and tongue-in-cheek, vaguely farcical at times and probably won’t be everyone’s cup of tea.

The only reason this isn't 5 stars is that I was disappointed with the ending; it took a surprising turn, and I felt that the actions (or lack thereof) didn’t really fit previous character arcs.

I had so much fun reading this, I'd highly recommend it to anyone looking for a lighthearted, fast-paced historical fantasy. I hope Sachar continues his venture in adult novels.

Renaissance fantasy for adults, one of my favourite books so far this year.

Loved this. Sachar proves he is an author for adults here as well as young people. There was a touch of Matt Haig and Ross Welford here in the concept (both of whom are also excellent writers for children), of a long-lived man looking back through the centuries on his origins in another time.

Anatole is a magician to the King, in a time and place where lives are in constant danger from a monarch's whims as well as dirty water, infection and the constant threats of other kingdoms wiping them out in political machinations. Anatole feels much empathy for the fading kingdom's princess, Tullia, promised at birth to a prince to forge an alliance that will keep their heads above water. Esquaveta's magician is however called to action when it is learned that Tullia has fallen in love with a scribe just before the wedding that will save them all. Anatole must ensure the headstrong princess goes through with the wedding - but how? Lately all he has been doing is attempting to turn sand into gold - can he conjure the kind of magic required?

This is only the start of a most enjoyable story involving some wonderfully likeable characters, philosophy, mice, spells, monks, tigers and a hairless magician who cannot sweat.

Our magician looks back on a fairy tale and takes us behind the whimsy, five centuries in his own future, with a cappuccino in his hand, remembering and correcting, broadening the picture into a perfectly entertaining, exciting and enveloping love story.

I adored this, I didn't want it to end. I found all the characters well written, there's a great bad guy, the three main characters are realistic and funny, charming and destined surely for a screen version before long.

I especially liked that Anatole is speaking with the wisdom of many lifetimes and using comments comparing the modern world to the Renaissance one he was born into, it added a dimension that gave further depth and wit.

Definitely a high recommendation.

With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample reading copy.

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of The Magician of Tiger Castle through NetGalley (thank you Hachette!), and as someone who adored Holes growing up, I was really intrigued to see Louis Sachar take on fantasy, and he’s done it really well, although I do think this could be packaged as YA rather than adult.

From the very first page, I was pulled in by his clever, funny storytelling. Sachar has such a distinctive voice, warm, playful, and sharp, and this book had me smiling all the way through. It reads like a proper fairytale in the best way, full of charm, quick pacing, and just enough bite.

The premise feels refreshingly original (thank god for something a bit different in fantasy), and the little fourth wall breaks and dry humour are a real joy. My only complaint? I think I would have liked just a bit more tiger!

A magical, inventive read that’s perfect for fans of classic storytelling with a twist.

I have to be one of the only people in the planet who hasn't read 'Holes' so I came into this book without any preconceived expectations of the author.

I enjoyed the threads of foreshadowing at the start, when the myths of Tiger Castle were explained which show how the story has become myth. It was very enjoyable to then go back in time and learn what really happened. The blending of real history and this fictional nation were very well done, weaving in talk of the New World, of Spain, of inventions and Popes, all mixed in with this little nation that was just that tiny bit fantastical. The fact that our 'magician' uses potions that are basically medicine, there is some basis in modern world such as bread mould curing things due to antibiotics.

I loved the whimsical energy, although sometimes chapters felt more like random scenes rather than actually telling the story.

The ending however just didn't land for me. It suddenly became very fast, very vague and nothing was really explained. After everything that had come before, I just couldn't believe that it would end like *that*. It was deeply unsatisfying, for all that it was a 'happy' ending, and for that I couldn't rate it any higher.

This is a lovely book. Narrated by a mysterious magician out of time, but with so much love for the past. It reminded me of "The Princess Bride". The chapters are short and the pace is determined by their brevity. My main criticism is that I wasn't gripped by anything that happened. I was pleasantly entertained and I think that the contents of "The Magician of Tiger Castle" will appeal to a wide audience.

I read this as an eARC, thank you Netgalley, Louis Sachar and the publisher's and I'm voluntarily reviewing this book.

I found myself quickly absorbed in this book and read through it over two nights. Told from the point of view of Anatole the castles magican it is charming and heartfelt with moments of comedy as he describes the story with its ups and downs.

Anatole is called upon to assist the monarchs in persuading their daughter to fall out of love with Pito the lowly scribe and in love with the neighbouring royal son to whom she's been betrothed practically since birth. Especially since her betrothed is demanding the execution of Pito at a royal banquet during the pre-wedding celebrations!

Anatole had fallen out of favour over the proceeding years with the only one who still had faith in him being the princess Tullia. Having a great sense of decency Anatole determines to create a potion to make them forget each other instead. But things don't always go to plan.

Anatole is a fantastic character and I thoroughly enjoyed this book

I made it to the end of this book, but there was something about it that was just so unsatisfying. I can't really explain why I felt this way about it, I just did.
I didn't find any of the characters particularly interesting or stand out. The story felt weak, predictable and just a bit dull.
It wasn't really a bad book...just not a very interesting one. I struggled to keep going the whole way through, but I kept reading, hoping it'd get to a point, but it never really seemed to.

A rather strange little book which tells the story of a medieval magician and what happens when the princess, the daughter of the King he serves, falls in love with a trainee scribe.

An amusing tale, it never quite gripped me fully and seemed to rush towards its conclusion towards the end.

Having loved Holes, I’m not quite convinced by this foray into adult fiction but would be happy to read more by Sachar.

Set in a fictional European principality and narrated by a character who is living in the present day, The Magician of Tiger Castle is a fantasy that owes quite a bit to The Princess Bride

The titular magician is the narrator, Anatole, who works in the castle and is actually good at his job. He would like to be left alone to do his research but he is drawn into larger events when he is asked to drug Princess Tullia to make her more compliant with her upcoming marriage. She is betrothed to a prince but has fallen in love with a court scribe, who has of course been imprisoned.

Anatole's idea is that instead of drugging her with opium he can create a potion that will make them forget each other. The necessitates him spending time with both young people, but particularly Pito, the scribe, who is awaiting death and is therefore a fit subject for testing potions. As their friendship develops Anatole becomes gradually more uncomfortable with the situation and although his nature is to passively let court events happen, he finds himself needing to take action.

It's never explained why the (usually intelligent) princess decided to announce she was in love with the scribe, except that it was necessary for the plot of the book. If they had been caught planning to run away together that would be understandable, but announcing it was a bizarre decision that Anatole doesn't question at all.

In many ways this is quite an old-fashioned book, and definitely plot led rather than character -driven. Despite the asides from the modern-day Anatole, most of the story is completely linear. There is a little character development from Anatole but not to the point of him evaluating his past actions or attitudes. Pito and Tullia already have their personalities set at the start of the story and the only real change comes in how they interact with each other. Towards the end the pacing of the book becomes unbalanced, and the ending itself is both rushed and inconclusive, which is surprising in a story that models itself so closely on traditional stories.

Readers will have varying degrees of comfort with the casual use of potions to manipulate people and to disregard consent, particularly of women. The nature of his job means that Anatole does not question a lot of what he is doing, even when looking back from the present day and even when the consequence are clearly horrific. There are a few times other characters act as a conscience, but they are isolated and rare instances.

Overall I found this book to be quite an interesting and enjoyable read. Thank you to the publishers for providing an ARC.

A whimsical tale of kings and princesses, magic and science as told by Anatole (The magician of Tiger Castle) in the present day.

This is a light fantasy with a grounding in the Dark Ages and Renaissance. It ends a little abruptly but it's hard to see how else it could end as a standalone book.

It's rare for me to find a standalone fantasy book which I enjoy and don't feel short changed and this is such a book.

I received an advanced copy of this book via NetGalley. My review is wholly my own opinion and words

Thank you Netgalley and Headline Books for this advanced copy!

Holes was a favourite read of mine in elementary school. It's been a long time since then but when I heard Louis Sachar had an adult modern fantasy novel coming out, colour me intrigued!

I found the premise to be interesting - a fictional kingdom, but somewhat anchored by modern day reality/geography. The matter-of-fact way which magic vs. science was described, our humerous narrator (Anatole), and the cast of supporting characters (primarily the princess and scribe) were well fleshed out and easy to grow fond of.

While The Magician of Tiger Castle is certainly a different genre to Holes, it had markers identifying this as a Louis Sachar book: a story within a story, an immersive setting, and twists and turns that had you guessing at the motives of different characters before reaching the end.

I devoured this in one go - it was entertaining, had the makings of a cozy read, and left me wanting more.

Overall rating this 4 stars!

I unfortunately DNF’d this book quite early on. Although I could see that the story of this book was quite interesting, being from the perspective of an old magician, being in his head just wasn’t my cuppa tea.

I’m used to fantasy and romantasy books being within the POV of a 25 year old badass girl who is saving the World and so I found being in the POV of an old magician a bit tough. When he started talking about the fact he had no hair anywhere on his body when an experiment went wrong and he went bald absolutely everywhere, I had a vision of this naked bald man, I thought no, I’m can’t.

I am appreciate though that many people will enjoy this type of book.