Sorcerer to the Crown by Zen Cho

Sorcerer to the Crown (Sorcerer to the Crown, #1)

by Zen Cho

Shortlisted for the 2016 Locus First Novel Award & the British Fantasy Society Award for Best Novel and Best Newcomer

The fate of English magic lies in their hands. . .

In Regency London, Zacharias Wythe is England's first African Sorcerer Royal. He leads the eminent Royal Society of Unnatural Philosophers, but a malicious faction seeks to remove him by fair means or foul. Meanwhile, the Society is failing its vital duty - to keep stable the levels of magic within His Majesty's lands. The Fairy Court is blocking its supply, straining England's dangerously declining magical stores. And now the government is demanding to use this scarce resource in its war with France.

Ambitious orphan Prunella Gentleman is desperate to escape the school where she's drudged all her life, and a visit by the beleaguered Sorcerer Royal seems the perfect opportunity. For Prunella has just stumbled upon English magic's greatest discovery in centuries - and she intends to make the most of it.

At his wits' end, the last thing Zachariah needs is a female magical prodigy! But together, they might just change the nature of sorcery, in Britain and beyond.

Reviewed by MurderByDeath on

4 of 5 stars

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Thanks go to Kaethe for taking the time to review this book; I'd have never found it otherwise.

The two covers for this book, while both beautiful, would lend the impression that this is a story that takes itself seriously.  The back cover blurb comparing it to Georgette Heyer comes closer to the truth though; in spite of the author's laser focus on the inequalities of race, gender and class in Great Britain during the time of the Napoleonic war, the story overall remains light and humorous.  Prunella is a classic Heyer heroine: she goes along her way, creating her own reality, rather than waiting for anyone to create it for her.

Zacharias is not, however, a typical Heyer hero.  He's a typical beta male, thrust into an alpha role with little hope of an escape that does not include his death.  He is purely ethical and naive, but also intelligent and brave.  He didn't work for me so much; I prefer my heroes to have some alpha qualities.  I didn't dislike him, and I was cheering him on all the way, but he didn't inspire any great attachment from me either.

The plot was interesting and clever although the pacing was slow for me.  It's strange to like a book but feel like it needs to be over at the same time.  Tighter pacing could have shorted the story a little bit and kept it more consistently interesting. 

Overall it was a fun read all around.  I'm not sure if it's meant to be YA or not, but it would definitely appeal to a younger fan of fantasy that isn't daunted by a 350+ page read, and there's nothing here that would cause parental concern.

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 16 September, 2016: Finished reading
  • 16 September, 2016: Reviewed