The Magician of Tiger Castle (2025) by Louis Sachar

 Audiobook Review

The Magician of Tiger Castle (2025)

by Louis Sachar

 This novel caught my eye because the author is a career children's lit writer (biggest hit is the multi-platform success, Holes) who decided, at the age of 70, to publish his first book for adults. Sachar delivers a delightful tale set in Renaissance Italy- it sounded like Turin to me, about a court magician, telling his story from his perspective as a tourist touring modern-day "Tiger Castle" (he accidentally became immortal).  Anyone expecting ADULT adult fiction will be disappointed- this book reminded me of something like a Wes Anderson film set in Renaissance Italy.  Sachar took his research seriously- though if I'm not mistaken, he cites his two primary references as a pair of "Learning From the Greats" courses that used to advertise in the New York Times book review in a note at the end of the Audiobook.

  But I was impressed, particularly by his thematic grasp of the fungible line between magic and science in the Renaissance/early modern period.  Magicians were experimenting long before the scientific method existed.  Sachar displays his grasp of the Renaissance/early modern period in many dimensions- another character, a talented scribe, is already anticipating the impact that Gutenberg and his moveable type will have on this own profession. 

  The Magician of Tiger Castle is smart, funny and well-written.  It's not a great anything novel, more of a delightful tale.  Sachar shouldn't have waited so long to make the jump to adult fiction!