【 MAGIC KINGDOM FOR SALE/SOLD 】

Genre: Fantasy
Audience: Adult
Author: Terry Brooks
Published: March 1986
Publisher: Orbit Books
Pages: 324 (paperback)

Shame on me for not reading this sooner. And shame on you for not having this on your radar if you don’t. This was both hilarious and a masterpiece, and not at all what I expected. I had originally picked this up on a bit of a whim; I trust that Brooks will write a great fantasy novel, but that title? Surely, this is not taking itself seriously and is going to be a bit silly. I was not expecting this to be anything to write home about. But reader, fetch me my parchment!

This certainly is a good time, and holy moly, this takes itself so much more seriously than the cover would suggest, and is a phenomenal read! Like, this is an exceptional piece of fantasy literature, in my opinion. I will now be dedicating much of my life to recommending this book to anyone who will listen. If you’ve ever loved the trope/idea of a main character leaving there normal, mortal life behind in order to fully embrace a fantastical and, up until this point in their life, never-before-known magical world, then this is for you.

This book, which reads like a standalone fantasy novel, is about a 40-something-year-old man who’s lost his wife (so yes, we start on a very sombre note) and is basically not coping with the loss. One day, a subscription that she was subscribed to and that he hasn’t got around to cancelling yet, is delivered. And in this is magazine is an advertisement to purchase a magical kingdom for one million dollars.

And there folks, is the plot, nicely summarised. So take my word when I say this is a glorious, beautiful, emotional journey of one man’s healing adventure to go out on a limb, to feel entirely ridiculous actually pursuing the purchase of said magical kingdom, and to do his best to not only take it all seriously, but to put his best foot forward.

I loved so many things about this story. Ben was a really solid main character. You would never think that a 40-year-old man was your guy for a fantasy novel, but hot dog, will this prove you wrong. There is clearly something afoot/not quite right when he first arrives in the magical kingdom and so it becomes this genuine exploration of what’s what, who’s lying, and an epic crash course of an education for Ben to get up to speed on everything about the kingdom itself.

Because importantly, by purchasing the kingdom, he has become king by default. And so with some hilarious advisers (one of which is a talking dog), he bumbles his way through all the tasks laid before him to try and untangle the mess and sad state that the kingdom is in.

You will just love this. There simply isn’t anything not to enjoy. This has a great cast of characters, a really robust and fun (without being stupidly silly) plot, and some unexpectedly good character development. So if you’re in need of some 10/10 entertainment and a fantasy novel that is a breath of fresh air, go read this immediately. You will thank me later.

You may also like …

Title: Magic Kingdom for Sale/Sold
Author: Terry Brooks
Add it on Goodreads

Landover was a genuine magic kingdom, complete with fairy folk and wizardry, just as the advertisement had promised. But after he purchased it for a million dollars, Ben Holiday discovered that there were a few details the ad had failed to mention. Such as the fact that the kingdom was falling into ruin. The barons refused to recognize a king and taxes hadn’t been collected for years. The dragon, Strabo, was laying waste to the countryside, while the evil witch, Nightshade, was plotting to destroy no less than everything. And if that weren’t enough for a prospective king to deal with, Ben soon learned that the Iron Mark, terrible lord of the demons, challenged all pretenders to the throne of Landover to a duel to the death – a duel no mere mortal could hope to win. But Ben Holiday had one human trait that even magic couldn’t overcome. Ben Holiday was stubborn…