The KJV of James 2:14 is unfortunate: "What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he have faith, and have not works? Can faith save him?"
But, in the Greek, there is an article before the second "faith" (ἡ πίστις) so the correct rendering is: "What use is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him?"
The article, "that," makes all the difference. Had it been included in the KJV, it undoubtedly would have blunted much of the supposed contradiction between Paul and James. James is in no way saying faith does not save. He is saying that a faith that does not result in works, that faith does not save. Paul and James agree:
"For it is not the hearers of the Law who are just before God, but the doers of the Law will be justified" - Rom. 2:13.
James and Paul both say that it is not merely the hearers of the Word who are saved, but those who hear and do. Saving faith is not inert. Saving faith is active and living and it always results in works.
As it has been said, we are saved by faith alone, but saving faith is never alone.