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The Austellus Saga #1
The Fool
"A look at how aristocracy and politics can force even the most well-intentioned into a life of performativity under public pressure, from which the only relief might be the knowing love of family...and of a clown." OptimisticDuelist, Homestuck^2 writer.
Castles and kangaroos, together at last!
Leo is a third-born prince forced onto the throne after the death of his parents and brother. His kingdom and castle are in shambles, his family's murderers are getting bolder and he is utterly unprepared to be king, but Leo's biggest problem is definitely the castle fool. It keeps making fun of him.
He just wants to make his dead dad proud. Or maybe to dismantle every shitty policy he ever made, and flip off his grave a whole bunch.
Of course, he might hate his new responsibilities more if there wasn't a mystery man with a bad habit of appearing every now and then to test Leo's morality. Leo doesn't want to be the kind of king who has a secret lover. But his restraint is only so strong...
The assassins are creeping closer and if Leo can't charm the neighbouring countries, it'll mean war. He better learn how to juggle, fast.
Set in a fantasy version of Australia, a cult bent on overthrowing the empire's regime is targeting Leo and his family. This no spice, enemies to lovers LGBTQ+ romantasy features a king overwhelmed by trauma and responsibility taking refuge in his close family and the one person who doesn't expect him to be perfect--his fool.
Castles and kangaroos, together at last!
Leo is a third-born prince forced onto the throne after the death of his parents and brother. His kingdom and castle are in shambles, his family's murderers are getting bolder and he is utterly unprepared to be king, but Leo's biggest problem is definitely the castle fool. It keeps making fun of him.
He just wants to make his dead dad proud. Or maybe to dismantle every shitty policy he ever made, and flip off his grave a whole bunch.
Of course, he might hate his new responsibilities more if there wasn't a mystery man with a bad habit of appearing every now and then to test Leo's morality. Leo doesn't want to be the kind of king who has a secret lover. But his restraint is only so strong...
The assassins are creeping closer and if Leo can't charm the neighbouring countries, it'll mean war. He better learn how to juggle, fast.
Set in a fantasy version of Australia, a cult bent on overthrowing the empire's regime is targeting Leo and his family. This no spice, enemies to lovers LGBTQ+ romantasy features a king overwhelmed by trauma and responsibility taking refuge in his close family and the one person who doesn't expect him to be perfect--his fool.
- GenresFantasyM M Romance
370 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 8, 2025
4 people are currently reading
145 people want to read
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January 6, 2026Fantasy romance set in a magical realm based on Australia, which makes a change.
I enjoyed absolutely masses of this. The premise is really fun--a prince studying magic is catapulted into kingship by his parents' murder, and struggles with trying to given and fix the mistakes of the past, revolution, the harassment of his deeply obnoxious compulsory fool, and his attraction to a mysterious man who won't give his name. (You get null points if you think you've figured out the plot twist, that isn't the point, ahaha.) The writing is energetic and fast moving, though with slightly episodic pacing, there are some very fun aspects to the set up especially the Fools, the romance (closed door) is really nice, and in general the author can tell a story, which is not a gift possessed by all.
To my mind, unfortunately, the book draws its own teeth with some plot developments in the latter half. Others' mileage may vary on this, and it may well work better if you're more invested in the fantasy plot than the romance, but for me it took out one of the most enjoyable elements of the book. Which is to say, I wouldn't have made that writing decision. But writing mental editorial letters is something I only do when I'm highly invested in a book, so there you are. I will look forward to seeing more from this author.
I enjoyed absolutely masses of this. The premise is really fun--a prince studying magic is catapulted into kingship by his parents' murder, and struggles with trying to given and fix the mistakes of the past, revolution, the harassment of his deeply obnoxious compulsory fool, and his attraction to a mysterious man who won't give his name. (You get null points if you think you've figured out the plot twist, that isn't the point, ahaha.) The writing is energetic and fast moving, though with slightly episodic pacing, there are some very fun aspects to the set up especially the Fools, the romance (closed door) is really nice, and in general the author can tell a story, which is not a gift possessed by all.
To my mind, unfortunately, the book draws its own teeth with some plot developments in the latter half. Others' mileage may vary on this, and it may well work better if you're more invested in the fantasy plot than the romance, but for me it took out one of the most enjoyable elements of the book. Which is to say, I wouldn't have made that writing decision. But writing mental editorial letters is something I only do when I'm highly invested in a book, so there you are. I will look forward to seeing more from this author.
June 26, 2025
I got the honor of being able to read the first draft of this novel, and when i tell you all it’s only gotten SO MUCH BETTER since then! Romance, plot, fuzzy family feelings… LESS fuzzy family feelings when thinking about trauma… it really a bit of it all. Leo is such a character and I absolutely adore him, and anyone who is a fantasy reader i think will also really love him! The dynamic between him and the court fool is so delightful, it’ll have you giggling even when Leo is losing his mind.
This book is full of witty humor and amazing characters, and genuinely really feel good moments that had me tearing up repeatedly. I cannot recommend this book any more than I already have without sounding like a broken record.
Laura is one of my favorite people, and I like to think also one of my closest friends now, and she is such a brilliant writer. She’s so so thoughtful and thorough when she writes, and always does her best to approach things with good intentions. She had done so much research and work and had spoken to so many people about this book and the topics that she wanted to address with it, and I’m so incredibly proud of her for all that she’s managed to do. A novel is a hard thing to write to completion, and I am so so enormously honored to both have gotten the opportunities to read this novel in it’s early drafts, and to offer my opinions and thoughts about the direction she took it in.
I’m honored to have her as a friend, and I’m honored to have been able to read such a wonderfully delightful book written by such an amazing and charming person.
This book is full of witty humor and amazing characters, and genuinely really feel good moments that had me tearing up repeatedly. I cannot recommend this book any more than I already have without sounding like a broken record.
Laura is one of my favorite people, and I like to think also one of my closest friends now, and she is such a brilliant writer. She’s so so thoughtful and thorough when she writes, and always does her best to approach things with good intentions. She had done so much research and work and had spoken to so many people about this book and the topics that she wanted to address with it, and I’m so incredibly proud of her for all that she’s managed to do. A novel is a hard thing to write to completion, and I am so so enormously honored to both have gotten the opportunities to read this novel in it’s early drafts, and to offer my opinions and thoughts about the direction she took it in.
I’m honored to have her as a friend, and I’m honored to have been able to read such a wonderfully delightful book written by such an amazing and charming person.
June 29, 2025
My favorite book as a kid was Stephen King's IT, which taught me the vivid truth of knowing to fear clowns. Now older and wiser, I've been lucky enough to read an early copy of The Fool, which has taught me to love them.
There's a lot to love in this book. It's a wonderful meditation on family and siblinghood, for starters--falling in love with the protagonist was synonymous with viewing his journey of reconnecting with his estranged siblings and the way they all cope with the collective grief of family loss. It's magic system is evocative and fascinating, and the world changes in dramatic and interesting ways that leave me thirsting for the sequel.
But at its core what really got to me about The Fool were its themes of social performance and the necessary insincerities that society requires of us as people. The titular Fool is the obvious performer, but the most stressful thing the title of King does to our protagonist is put him in a position of nearly always having to outwardly display a public image that he doesn't really feel inside and which requires him to bottle up intense and difficult emotions constantly.
Even his relationships with his family members are put to the test in this respect, and it is in this framework that the romance narrative between the King and the Fool truly comes alive. The Fool's unique nature as someone who can be trusted to tell the King what it thinks--as derogatory and trolly as it may be--is exactly the reason why it becomes someone the King can trust with his most private and innermost self.
This is a fascinating look into the way that social power can isolate individuals even as it magnifies the impact of their decisions, turning them into more anxious, lonely, worsened versions of themselves--and the special kind of power that being able to fully trust someone else to share your thoughts and give you their own can have for people as a result.
It is also, on top of all this, just really really funny.
Give the Fool a shot. Embrace the inner clown in you.
There's a lot to love in this book. It's a wonderful meditation on family and siblinghood, for starters--falling in love with the protagonist was synonymous with viewing his journey of reconnecting with his estranged siblings and the way they all cope with the collective grief of family loss. It's magic system is evocative and fascinating, and the world changes in dramatic and interesting ways that leave me thirsting for the sequel.
But at its core what really got to me about The Fool were its themes of social performance and the necessary insincerities that society requires of us as people. The titular Fool is the obvious performer, but the most stressful thing the title of King does to our protagonist is put him in a position of nearly always having to outwardly display a public image that he doesn't really feel inside and which requires him to bottle up intense and difficult emotions constantly.
Even his relationships with his family members are put to the test in this respect, and it is in this framework that the romance narrative between the King and the Fool truly comes alive. The Fool's unique nature as someone who can be trusted to tell the King what it thinks--as derogatory and trolly as it may be--is exactly the reason why it becomes someone the King can trust with his most private and innermost self.
This is a fascinating look into the way that social power can isolate individuals even as it magnifies the impact of their decisions, turning them into more anxious, lonely, worsened versions of themselves--and the special kind of power that being able to fully trust someone else to share your thoughts and give you their own can have for people as a result.
It is also, on top of all this, just really really funny.
Give the Fool a shot. Embrace the inner clown in you.
June 27, 2025
Many thanks to the author for providing me an ARC to read!
This book was a magical ride! I loved the unique take on a fantasy setting; I’d never read a fantasy of the magical royalty kind that was inspired by Aus before so as an Aussie it was neat to be able to relate to that!
The tropes!! Love me some secret identity and queer enemies-to-lovers shenanigans. It was very amusing how the relationship between Leo and the fool plays out but also very satisfying and sweet. I do wish there had been more of their moments but I basically wish that for every fictional relationship I like. (That’s what fanfiction is for right??)
But mostly I loved the characters! I didn’t quite agree with some of them all the time (Ada, girl, be nicer to your bro. Gotta love siblings lmao) but I appreciated the fact they all had very distinct personalities. The fool was my favourite but Leo was not far behind; he definitely grew on me a lot over the course of the book. The dynamics between the siblings was very fun to read, which you wouldn’t think, given their trauma and circumstances, but I guess that just made them stronger or more united!
Anyway, I quite enjoyed this book and would love a sequel to explore some of the stuff that wasn't quite resolved.
This book was a magical ride! I loved the unique take on a fantasy setting; I’d never read a fantasy of the magical royalty kind that was inspired by Aus before so as an Aussie it was neat to be able to relate to that!
The tropes!! Love me some secret identity and queer enemies-to-lovers shenanigans. It was very amusing how the relationship between Leo and the fool plays out but also very satisfying and sweet. I do wish there had been more of their moments but I basically wish that for every fictional relationship I like. (That’s what fanfiction is for right??)
But mostly I loved the characters! I didn’t quite agree with some of them all the time (Ada, girl, be nicer to your bro. Gotta love siblings lmao) but I appreciated the fact they all had very distinct personalities. The fool was my favourite but Leo was not far behind; he definitely grew on me a lot over the course of the book. The dynamics between the siblings was very fun to read, which you wouldn’t think, given their trauma and circumstances, but I guess that just made them stronger or more united!
Anyway, I quite enjoyed this book and would love a sequel to explore some of the stuff that wasn't quite resolved.
February 25, 2026
This book was such a pleasure to experience. Laura does an incredible job with the loving yet challenging sibling dynamic it made me reminisce on my own childhood, and how much I love my own siblings individual strengths and quirks, even the maddening ones. The magic in this book felt very tangible and close to the magic that we have in this world. Healing magic being better preformed when you know how bones heal, and ligaments link together-furniture restoration magic more accurate and durable with a knowledge on fabrics and woods, etc. was a very thoughtful. Of course I loved the romance as well. The main character so wrapped up in the dramatics of his own life falls for a charming and dreamy mystery man who allows him the sanctuary he desperately needs to open up about his grief and anxieties. There is so much to love about this book I feel I could go on and on, thank you for the wonderful time spent here! Can’t wait to see what is to come!
January 20, 2026
This is rather extraordinary. It seemed like one thing - a simple fantasy royalty romance - and then kept deepening. I loved the world building, the banter and the sibling relationships. Also, there’s a description of a joyful midsommer that is so pleasant that it felt a bit like a vacation reading it. Plus, I loved the Fool’s take on gender, switching between he, she and it. The book in the end though is less about the titular fool and more about the complexities of family, what being a local leader is really like (committees and financial headaches more than glamour) and learning to see the truth behind the myths that make up your world. I definitely want to revisit this world.
January 24, 2026
What a great story. There are just a few places where it seems to meander a bit, but goodness, what an inventive tale told via a great personality! I followed the author on amazon so I'll be notified when she publishes something next. I'm very impressed, not just with the quality of the story, including attentiveness to sensitive matters such as race and responsibilities and inequalities, but also how well it's edited. It's a pleasure to read. Highly recommended.
September 3, 2025
I read this a few months ago before it was published since Laura is a friend and she sent it to us a while back. So since it was published and I got my signed physical copy the other week, I can now tag it as a 'read' book this year!
This is a sweet story, with romance and actions, a couple of twists and room for more adventures in following books. Looking forward to seeing more come out - support your local writers and read it!
This is a sweet story, with romance and actions, a couple of twists and room for more adventures in following books. Looking forward to seeing more come out - support your local writers and read it!
July 31, 2025
Some books you devour; others you savour, taking your time to enjoy all the different flavours. This amazing debut was one of those books.
I felt a special connection to this book - a fantasy book set in land like Australia! I didn’t realise until I got a bit teary reading about the uniquely Aussie flora and fauna alongside castles and magic that this was something I really wanted.
Leo is unexpectedly king of his small country following by the death of his parents and twin brother. As he struggles to come to terms with his new role, he must also endure the biting wit of the fool. At the same time, he and his siblings must acknowledge the abusive nature of their father and the damage he did to them and the country.
The writing and humour in this story is amazing. I kept highlighting witty turns of phrase that caught me by surprise. I loved the characters and the rich relationships between the siblings in this story. This is a queernormative world with at least one gender fluid character.
I really appreciated the integration of the Indigenous issues into the plot - similar to European fantasies mimicking European issues, this Australian fantasy highlights the privilege of white colonists and the power imbalances experienced by the Indigenous population. I was particularly glad to see the role local Elders played in advising the author on cultural sensitivity.
Steam-wise - there’s some discussions and grown-up hugs, but everything else is closed door. The issues surrounding parental neglect and abuse may make this book difficult for some to read.
This is the first story in a series and I am so excited to see where things go. If you want a southern hemisphere fantasy experience, read this. You won’t regret it.
I felt a special connection to this book - a fantasy book set in land like Australia! I didn’t realise until I got a bit teary reading about the uniquely Aussie flora and fauna alongside castles and magic that this was something I really wanted.
Leo is unexpectedly king of his small country following by the death of his parents and twin brother. As he struggles to come to terms with his new role, he must also endure the biting wit of the fool. At the same time, he and his siblings must acknowledge the abusive nature of their father and the damage he did to them and the country.
The writing and humour in this story is amazing. I kept highlighting witty turns of phrase that caught me by surprise. I loved the characters and the rich relationships between the siblings in this story. This is a queernormative world with at least one gender fluid character.
I really appreciated the integration of the Indigenous issues into the plot - similar to European fantasies mimicking European issues, this Australian fantasy highlights the privilege of white colonists and the power imbalances experienced by the Indigenous population. I was particularly glad to see the role local Elders played in advising the author on cultural sensitivity.
Steam-wise - there’s some discussions and grown-up hugs, but everything else is closed door. The issues surrounding parental neglect and abuse may make this book difficult for some to read.
This is the first story in a series and I am so excited to see where things go. If you want a southern hemisphere fantasy experience, read this. You won’t regret it.
June 29, 2025
This is a sweet, low-spice fantasy romance that’s just as much about grief, family dynamics, and social performance as it is about romantic love. Set in a fantasy version of Australia (yes, kangaroos make an appearance), The Fool follows Leo, a grief-stricken, woefully unprepared king, as he navigates politics, trauma, and unexpected affection from the one person who isn’t afraid to call him out: his castle fool. It reminded me a bit of Katherine Addison's The Goblin Emperor.
I really loved the focus on family here. Watching Leo reconnect with his siblings, each of them handling collective grief and complicated feelings about their late parents in their own messy ways, was one of my favorite parts. This book will resonate hard with anyone who’s lost someone complicated, where grief and anger coexist. I also loved the central romance between Leo and the Fool, which is tender and refreshingly unique. That said, I’ll admit the fart and trolling humor wasn’t my vibe. The Fool worked best for me when he stepped out of the slapstick persona and let us see the person underneath.
The prose itself is super contemporary, which makes this really accessible, especially for readers newer to fantasy. The world-building isn’t super deep, but it is really interesting. This is very much a character- and relationship-driven story, with subtle but impactful themes about identity, leadership, and the roles we perform for others. This is an emotionally earnest queer romantasy with a big heart.
Thanks so much to the lovely author for reaching out about her book and for the complimentary copy. This absolutely was right up my alley! This review is voluntary, and all opinions are my own.
I really loved the focus on family here. Watching Leo reconnect with his siblings, each of them handling collective grief and complicated feelings about their late parents in their own messy ways, was one of my favorite parts. This book will resonate hard with anyone who’s lost someone complicated, where grief and anger coexist. I also loved the central romance between Leo and the Fool, which is tender and refreshingly unique. That said, I’ll admit the fart and trolling humor wasn’t my vibe. The Fool worked best for me when he stepped out of the slapstick persona and let us see the person underneath.
The prose itself is super contemporary, which makes this really accessible, especially for readers newer to fantasy. The world-building isn’t super deep, but it is really interesting. This is very much a character- and relationship-driven story, with subtle but impactful themes about identity, leadership, and the roles we perform for others. This is an emotionally earnest queer romantasy with a big heart.
Thanks so much to the lovely author for reaching out about her book and for the complimentary copy. This absolutely was right up my alley! This review is voluntary, and all opinions are my own.
August 1, 2025
Incredible characterisation and immersive world-building. A joy to read from start to finish!
July 15, 2025
The Fool is a great fantasy read, with a queer romance!
🃏Fantasy and political intrigue take the centre stage in The Fool. Leo is trying to figure out his responsibilities as King, including navigating marriage alliance proposals, who killed his parents and brother, and this mystery man who pops up when he least expects it (this is a low spice book 1 - romance takes a back seat here). It’s fast paced - except when eg we take a little break from all the politicking with a short trip to the town of Ziegbourne (without notifying the royal guards or Shields first 🤫), and it was nice to see other parts of the Continent.
🪄 There is also magic on the Continent - but only for the ruling classes, who are descended from the Empress (a divine goddess who brought her descendants to the Continent and colonised it - much like Australia; there’s commentary on colonialism and the adverse impacts throughout, which I thought was skilfully woven into the story. I love that in the acknowledgments, there’s mention of discussion with the Chief of Culture, Public Relations and Engagement at the Ballarat and District Aboriginal Co-op.). There’s a lot of world building in this book, setting up the politics and magic system, but also some familiar (Australian) things.
Read it if you’re looking for a fantasy story with a dash of Australiana, a hint of a gay romance, and plenty of action and political drama.
Thank you to the author for reaching out, and sending me a copy of the eARC! 💕
🃏Fantasy and political intrigue take the centre stage in The Fool. Leo is trying to figure out his responsibilities as King, including navigating marriage alliance proposals, who killed his parents and brother, and this mystery man who pops up when he least expects it (this is a low spice book 1 - romance takes a back seat here). It’s fast paced - except when eg we take a little break from all the politicking with a short trip to the town of Ziegbourne (without notifying the royal guards or Shields first 🤫), and it was nice to see other parts of the Continent.
🪄 There is also magic on the Continent - but only for the ruling classes, who are descended from the Empress (a divine goddess who brought her descendants to the Continent and colonised it - much like Australia; there’s commentary on colonialism and the adverse impacts throughout, which I thought was skilfully woven into the story. I love that in the acknowledgments, there’s mention of discussion with the Chief of Culture, Public Relations and Engagement at the Ballarat and District Aboriginal Co-op.). There’s a lot of world building in this book, setting up the politics and magic system, but also some familiar (Australian) things.
Read it if you’re looking for a fantasy story with a dash of Australiana, a hint of a gay romance, and plenty of action and political drama.
Thank you to the author for reaching out, and sending me a copy of the eARC! 💕
August 8, 2025
I really enjoyed this! Yes I liked the romance aspect, but what really got me was the refreshing story and the delightful sibling relationships. The siblings individually were great (especially Con, what a joy!) but their interactions were also both fun and heartwarming, and felt very honest.
September 11, 2025
★ ★ ★ ✩ ✩ Engagement
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Insight
★ ★ ★ ★ ✩ Readability
★ ★ ★ ✩ ✩ Pacing
★ ★ ★ ★ ✩ Impact
What I Loved
The dialogue is the biggest strength of this book, so natural and vivid that I could clearly imagine the characters talking. It carried the world building in a really clever way. The sibling bonds were another highlight, especially Leo’s connection with his 7 year old brother brother Max (and I have a son named Max the same age, so that hit me in a soft spot).
But what really stood out was the emotional depth. I may be projecting here, but I saw a lot of my own life mirrored in Leo’s journey. The Fool felt like a metaphor for disability - disruptive, inescapable, sometimes humiliating, but also impossible to separate from yourself. Leo’s grief for family was moving, especially the grief for his twin which actually made me cry, and I rarely cry while reading. To me, it represented grieving the version of yourself you thought you’d grow into. Leo’s intergenerational trauma, shame, imposter syndrome, and people pleasing were also painfully real to me.
And the romance? Perfection. The romance worked on two levels, both as a heartwarming relationship and as a metaphor for self acceptance. Those scenes were vivid, tender, and my favourites in the whole book.
What I Didn’t Love
I’m a plot driven reader, and this is very much a character study. That pushed me out of my comfort zone. The start felt slow, there was a lot of dialogue heavy standing around scenes. Then the plot heavy ending felt rushed. After all that build up, I wanted the final action to have more space.
Sometimes I also wished for more description to balance all the dialogue. The descriptive writing was strong (especially in the romance scenes), which made me wish there had been more of it elsewhere. And the political storylines… honestly, I always get lost in those, so that’s more of a me thing than the book.
Overall Thoughts
This book felt clever, layered, and emotionally meaningful. For me, it was less about the plot and more about what it stirred up emotionally: grief, shame, disability, trauma, family bonds, and the messy, inconvenient work of self acceptance. Reading Leo’s journey made me reflect on my own life, which is something I don’t often get from fantasy, making this an unexpectedly powerful read.
Would I Recommend It?
Yes, if you love dialogue heavy character studies, family dynamics, or stories where romance doubles as self love. If you’re plot driven like me, you might find the pacing uneven, but if you’re willing to go on a journey with the characters, there’s a lot to connect with here.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Insight
★ ★ ★ ★ ✩ Readability
★ ★ ★ ✩ ✩ Pacing
★ ★ ★ ★ ✩ Impact
What I Loved
The dialogue is the biggest strength of this book, so natural and vivid that I could clearly imagine the characters talking. It carried the world building in a really clever way. The sibling bonds were another highlight, especially Leo’s connection with his 7 year old brother brother Max (and I have a son named Max the same age, so that hit me in a soft spot).
But what really stood out was the emotional depth. I may be projecting here, but I saw a lot of my own life mirrored in Leo’s journey. The Fool felt like a metaphor for disability - disruptive, inescapable, sometimes humiliating, but also impossible to separate from yourself. Leo’s grief for family was moving, especially the grief for his twin which actually made me cry, and I rarely cry while reading. To me, it represented grieving the version of yourself you thought you’d grow into. Leo’s intergenerational trauma, shame, imposter syndrome, and people pleasing were also painfully real to me.
And the romance? Perfection. The romance worked on two levels, both as a heartwarming relationship and as a metaphor for self acceptance. Those scenes were vivid, tender, and my favourites in the whole book.
What I Didn’t Love
I’m a plot driven reader, and this is very much a character study. That pushed me out of my comfort zone. The start felt slow, there was a lot of dialogue heavy standing around scenes. Then the plot heavy ending felt rushed. After all that build up, I wanted the final action to have more space.
Sometimes I also wished for more description to balance all the dialogue. The descriptive writing was strong (especially in the romance scenes), which made me wish there had been more of it elsewhere. And the political storylines… honestly, I always get lost in those, so that’s more of a me thing than the book.
Overall Thoughts
This book felt clever, layered, and emotionally meaningful. For me, it was less about the plot and more about what it stirred up emotionally: grief, shame, disability, trauma, family bonds, and the messy, inconvenient work of self acceptance. Reading Leo’s journey made me reflect on my own life, which is something I don’t often get from fantasy, making this an unexpectedly powerful read.
Would I Recommend It?
Yes, if you love dialogue heavy character studies, family dynamics, or stories where romance doubles as self love. If you’re plot driven like me, you might find the pacing uneven, but if you’re willing to go on a journey with the characters, there’s a lot to connect with here.
January 18, 2026
Quite enjoyable royal fantasy set in an alt-Australia, which is a refreshing change from all the alt-Europe stuff we usually get. We follow Leopold (Leo), who never expected to take the throne, but some murderous rebels took out his father and older brother just before the books starts, so he doesn't have much choice. Side note: magic in this world derives from ancestry; legitimate children of royal blood get it.
There is a strong romance subplot, and it doesn't take much for the reader to figure out who Leo's mystery man is, but the primary plot revolves around a group conspiring to take magic away from the royals and distribute it equally to the people. Well, those are the stated goals. It's not surprising at all when we find out that the main leaders just wanted to take the power for themselves, though their followers bought into the equality business.
Plot-wise, my only real complaint is that I would have liked to see more of the "prevenient" people [can't call them indigenous and cast doubt on the Empress's claim that the continent was made for her, now, can we...]. Hopefully they'll show up more in any sequels, and, now that , maybe we'll find out they have their own magic, or know ?
So, there are two primary reasons this wasn't 5 stars for me, and they are both nitpicky.
(1) Transitions between chapters are often awkward, particularly if there's a time jump involved. Any one chapter would hold together just fine. But there was often nothing done to connect to the next chapter in a way that felt natural. Simple things like, "Leo wondered about X", then put something about "Two weeks later, Leo [understood|had forgotten about|no longer cared about] X" to just get some flow between the chapters would have helped immensely.
(2) This feels like high-fantasy, and includes quite a few invented words for the word-building, but then just uses so much modern slang and expletives in a way that made me wince at points. YMMV. Funnily enough, the occasional F-bombs didn't bother me, as they were at moments where they made perfect sense for the characters.
Recommended, and I look forward to the sequel.
There is a strong romance subplot, and it doesn't take much for the reader to figure out who Leo's mystery man is, but the primary plot revolves around a group conspiring to take magic away from the royals and distribute it equally to the people. Well, those are the stated goals. It's not surprising at all when we find out that the main leaders just wanted to take the power for themselves, though their followers bought into the equality business.
Plot-wise, my only real complaint is that I would have liked to see more of the "prevenient" people [can't call them indigenous and cast doubt on the Empress's claim that the continent was made for her, now, can we...]. Hopefully they'll show up more in any sequels, and, now that , maybe we'll find out they have their own magic, or know ?
So, there are two primary reasons this wasn't 5 stars for me, and they are both nitpicky.
(1) Transitions between chapters are often awkward, particularly if there's a time jump involved. Any one chapter would hold together just fine. But there was often nothing done to connect to the next chapter in a way that felt natural. Simple things like, "Leo wondered about X", then put something about "Two weeks later, Leo [understood|had forgotten about|no longer cared about] X" to just get some flow between the chapters would have helped immensely.
(2) This feels like high-fantasy, and includes quite a few invented words for the word-building, but then just uses so much modern slang and expletives in a way that made me wince at points. YMMV. Funnily enough, the occasional F-bombs didn't bother me, as they were at moments where they made perfect sense for the characters.
Recommended, and I look forward to the sequel.
July 30, 2025
I received an ARC for this book in exchange for an honest review.
3.75 stars.
I signed up for the ARC of The Fool after reading it described as "Aussie fantasy with kangaroos."
This book was unapologetically itself - novel, humorous, queer-normative, deeply Aussie (not in an ocker way), with a strong author voice, and fundamentally about the characters and their bonds with one another.
We follow Leo - unexpectedly made king when key members of his family are assassinated. Leo is a reluctant king, lacking confidence and with a sadboi, but wry, inner monologue. We follow Leo as he re-connects with his family and learns to King, all the while the royal Fool torments him as he goes. Meanwhile, a mysterious but handsome stranger shows up from time to time, offering reprieve and comfort from Leo's kingly duties...but doesn't reveals his identity... 👀
I am probably not the intended audience for this as I am not a romantasy reader. As such, I found aspects of the plot and world were second fiddle to the characters. The characters all have a strong presence and are well drawn, particularly Leo's siblings. Leo himself is a refreshing picture of what it is to be a man, and the queer normative setting is great.
With accessible prose and contemporary language, I hope this book finds its audience because it's a fun, lovable romantasy about family bonds that will appeal to many!
3.75 stars.
I signed up for the ARC of The Fool after reading it described as "Aussie fantasy with kangaroos."
This book was unapologetically itself - novel, humorous, queer-normative, deeply Aussie (not in an ocker way), with a strong author voice, and fundamentally about the characters and their bonds with one another.
We follow Leo - unexpectedly made king when key members of his family are assassinated. Leo is a reluctant king, lacking confidence and with a sadboi, but wry, inner monologue. We follow Leo as he re-connects with his family and learns to King, all the while the royal Fool torments him as he goes. Meanwhile, a mysterious but handsome stranger shows up from time to time, offering reprieve and comfort from Leo's kingly duties...but doesn't reveals his identity... 👀
I am probably not the intended audience for this as I am not a romantasy reader. As such, I found aspects of the plot and world were second fiddle to the characters. The characters all have a strong presence and are well drawn, particularly Leo's siblings. Leo himself is a refreshing picture of what it is to be a man, and the queer normative setting is great.
With accessible prose and contemporary language, I hope this book finds its audience because it's a fun, lovable romantasy about family bonds that will appeal to many!
October 19, 2025
t took me a while to get into this. I do love me a fantasy action book, but romance isn't what I'm primarily after in my reading. I'm a cis bi straight leaning married man who loves golf and pro wrestling; I'm not always in the mood for clown flirting. What I do love is sibling bickering, and brother, do we got it in spades. I adore the family dynamic between our main cast, there's something incredibly realistic about sometimes gentle and not so gentle teases/tough love that I don't see very often. And what action scenes there are fucking incredibly fun. I am going to give this 4 hats, because even though I really enjoyed the world surrounding it, the main romance storyline wasn't for me; but I think that's a me problem as I am a curmudgeonly miser who hates love.
August 28, 2025
The Fool is perfect for anyone who enjoys light, fun, low spice romantasy. It is charming, the plot well crafted, and each character lovable in their own unique way. I adored this book, and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a very well crafted fantasy novel!
December 26, 2025
I really enjoyed this. The reluctant king was such a great character and I loved his relationship with his siblings, and the world building was so good.
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