Format: ebook
Published: May 18th, 2021
Age: Adult
Genre: Fantasy – Romance
Rating: 5/5 Stars
Sage and King was a delightful read. Partly inspired by the TV series Merlin, the book features Zaya, a prince who is enough removed from the crown he never expects to wear it, and Col, a young sage who acts as a tutor to Zaya as he learns about the secrets of magic. Zaya is dealing with the death of his family, becoming king, and discovering magic exists when him and Col meet, and it soon becomes apparent there are more than a handful of people just waiting to see what kind of ruler he will be.
It’s a lot of pressure on the young king, and I think Ringle fleshes out both Zaya and Col really well, allowing them room to discover and grow while making it clear they are, fundamentally, good people who want to be better. Zaya struggles with making decisions, while Col works hard to gain his trust, not just for the sake of magicians, but so Zaya has someone he can rely on, too.
I really liked their relationship. In a lot of ways, it’s a fairly quiet book, built on character moments rather than lots of action. And it works! It also makes the ‘action’, when it happens, feel that much more meaningful. I really liked how Zaya and Col interacted with each other, and Ringle has done an excellent job with the side characters, too, making them stand out while they support Zaya and Col through their journeys.
Sage and King is a sweet, quiet book with lovely worldbuilding and an intriguing plot running throughout, and although it is quiet, there’s plenty of internal and external tension revolving around Zaya and Col to keep the reader gripped. It’s one I very much enjoyed, and after this and Lava Red Feather Blue, I’ll continue to look out for books from this author.
Reading Challenge
2025 SFF Title Challenge
Prompt: king(dom)
Progress: 1/16
Unwrapping Words 