The Magician of Tiger Castle - by Louis Sachar Hardcover

About the Book

"The beloved author of Holes presents his first adult novel, a modern fantasy classic of forbidden love, a crumbling kingdom, and the unexpected magic all around us. Long ago and faraway (and somewhere south of France), lies the kingdom of Esquaveta. There, Princess Tullia is in nearly as much peril as her struggling kingdom. Esquaveta desperately needs to forge an alliance with Oxatania, and to that end, Tullia's father has arranged a marriage between her and the odious Oxatanian Prince. However, one month before the "Wedding of the Century," Tullia falls in love with a lowly apprentice scribe. The king turns to Anatole, his much-maligned magician. Seventeen years earlier, when Anatole first came to the castle, he was regarded as something of a prodigy. But after a long series of failures-the latest being an attempt to transform sand into gold-he has become the object of contempt and ridicule. The only one who still believes in him is the princess. When the king orders Anatole to brew a potion that will ensure Tullia agrees to the wedding, Anatole is faced with an impossible choice. With one chance to save the marriage, the kingdom, and of most importance to him, his reputation, will he betray the princess-or risk ruin?"--

Book Synopsis

- AN INSTANT USA TODAY BESTSELLER - AN INDIE NEXT LIST PICK - A LIBRARY READS PICK - The beloved author of Holes presents his first adult novel, a modern fantasy classic of forbidden love, a crumbling kingdom, and the unexpected magic all around us.

"After decades of children's stories with adult intelligence, Sachar has given us an adult novel with a child's heart"--Alix E. Harrow

"Funny, surprising, smart and weird . . . fully lives up to the high bar you'd expect from a great like Sachar."--Associated Press

Long ago and far away (and somewhere south of France) lies the kingdom of Esquaveta. There, Princess Tullia is in nearly as much peril as her struggling kingdom. Esquaveta desperately needs to forge an alliance, and to that end, Tullia's father has arranged a marriage between her and an odious prince. However, one month before the "wedding of the century," Tullia falls in love with a lowly apprentice scribe.

The king turns to Anatole, his much-maligned magician. Seventeen years earlier, when Anatole first came to the castle, he was regarded as something of a prodigy. But after a long series of failures--the latest being an attempt to transform sand into gold--he has become the object of contempt and ridicule. The only one who still believes in him is the princess.

When the king orders Anatole to brew a potion that will ensure Tullia agrees to the wedding, Anatole is faced with an impossible choice. With one chance to save the marriage, the kingdom, and, of most importance to him, his reputation, will he betray the princess--or risk ruin?

Review Quotes

"After decades of children's stories with adult intelligence, Sachar has given us an adult novel with a child's heart. The Magician of Tiger Castle is a medieval fable for the modern age: wise and whimsical, tragic and comic, familiar and strange. I loved it." --Alix E. Harrow, New York Times bestselling author of Starling House

"Louis Sachar weaves a tale that's both timeless and brand-new. Clever, wistful, and lovely in equal measure, this is the kind of book that lodges itself in your heart!"--Sarah Beth Durst, New York Times bestselling author of The Spellshop

"Just as in Holes, Sachar knots plot threads together in unexpected and satisfying ways."--The Guardian

"Whether you're an adult who loved Holes as a child, or the parent of teenagers, or a teenager yourself, this charming novel will entertain and delight you."--Locus

"There's a feeling you have as a reader when you step into the hands of a master. Every Sachar book has this--a sense of competency and certainty. 'Trust me, this is going to all make sense soon.' Well, I trusted, and the story of The Magician of Tiger Castle came together so beautifully, I wept at the end. It was everything I wanted and more. I laughed, I cried, I clapped with joy and wonderment in the middle of a coffee shop. I could not put the pages down, and now that I'm finished, I am heartbroken the journey is over. I adored this book. It is undoubtedly a new favorite, perfect for fans of Holes--or for any reader who wants to go on a grand, magical adventure for the sake of true love."--Susan Dennard, New York Times bestselling author of The Witchlands series

"Fans of Holes will devour Sachar's first adult novel, a richly imagined history in which a princess falls for a scribe, and a magician must try to save the day."--People

"While keeping the heart and humanity of Holes, Louis Sachar blazes into the adult space with The Magician of Tiger Castle. In a tale centuries old, the reader stands beside Anatole, a court magician, as he is swept into kingdom politics and moral decisions. Sachar paints a stunning story from the perspective of an immortal destined to observe...and the consequences when he decides to intervene."--Rebecca Thorne, USA Today bestselling author of Can't Spell Treason without Tea

"The magic of a novel like "Tiger Castle" lies in the cozy afterglow - this feel-good fairytale is packed with whimsy and humor that reads like the grown-up version of "Holes" or the "Wayside School" series."--USA Today

"[A] melancholy, heartfelt, and utterly immersive Renaissance-esque fantasy. . . .There's a lovely sparsity to Sachar's fairy tale-esque prose that belies the careful scaffolding underneath, which sketches out a gentle love story and offers fascinating commentary about the fallibility of received wisdom, the nature of memory, and the lost histories of common people among the more publicized narratives of monarchs. Readers who grew up with Sachar will be especially thrilled, but even those new to his work won't be able to put this down." --Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"A heartfelt fable about courage and love. . . .Sachar's wry, distinctive voice will remind grown-ups what made him such a success as a children's book author. . . . A sensitive and sincere tale told with Sachar's inimitable wit."--Kirkus (starred review)

"Sachar writes an engaging story from a magician's perspective that feels adjacent to a fairy tale."--Library Journal

"Readers will be entertained and enchanted."--Booklist

"Every bit as creative and endearing as Sachar's dozens of children's and young adult books that enamoured kids and teachers alike for decades. . . . It's funny, surprising, smart and weird, and fully lives up to the high bar you'd expect from a great like Sachar."--Associated Press

"A smart 10-year-old will enjoy the story but might not fully understand what makes Anatole tick; a 60-year-old will thoroughly relish this strangely realistic fairy tale with its historically accurate details. When you're sick of high fantasy, blood-soaked heroes, elves and epic story lines, The Magician of Tiger Castle will take you to a time and place where the ability to write was a mystical (and enviable) skill and tea didn't come in bags."--The Wall Street Journal

"Sachar retains his style and storytelling charm, so that The Magician of Tiger Castle feels like a book for kids, for adults; a twist on the sort of story I'd have read from him fifteen years ago."--Reactor

About the Author

LOUIS SACHAR is the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Holes, which won the Newbery Medal, the National Book Award, and the Christopher Award, as well as numerous other award-winning titles for young adults and children.