Jane Austen meets Magic

Sorcerer to the Crown: A Sorcerer Royal Novel

By Zen Cho

Series: A Sorcerer Royal Novel

Hardcover: 384 pages

Publisher: Ace (September 1, 2015)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0425283372

ISBN-13: 978-0425283370

Approximate Lexile: 1260

 

Publisher’s Blurb:

The Royal Society of Unnatural Philosophers, one of the most respected organizations throughout all of England, has long been tasked with maintaining magic within His Majesty’s lands. But lately, the once proper institute has fallen into disgrace, naming an altogether unsuitable gentleman—a freed slave who doesn’t even have a familiar—as their Sorcerer Royal, and allowing England’s once profuse stores of magic to slowly bleed dry. At least they haven’t stooped so low as to allow women to practice what is obviously a man’s profession…

At his wit’s end, Zacharias Wythe, Sorcerer Royal of the Unnatural Philosophers and eminently proficient magician, ventures to the border of Fairyland to discover why England’s magical stocks are drying up. But when his adventure brings him in contact with a most unusual comrade, a woman with immense power and an unfathomable gift, he sets on a path which will alter the nature of sorcery in all of Britain—and the world at large…

My Thoughts:

As I began this book, I found it pretentious. It seemed to be trying too hard to be Jane Austen meets sword and sorcery—with commentary on racial prejudices of the Regency era thrown in for a bonus. I put it aside for a while, and when I returned, it only took me a couple of chapters to start really having fun. It might have been around the time Prunella comes on the scene.

By the end, I was thoroughly enjoying myself.

The author does a good job of slowly revealing important knowledge—what happened to Leofric, who Prunella’s mother is, and so forth, and she reveals them at the right time for the story—not in a way that seems contrived, but when it’s important to the plot.

I enjoyed Zacharias’ reluctance to use his power, but, once he had it, he was determined to use it wisely and well. Prunella’s original goal—an advantageous marriage—gets sidetracked, but in a very beneficial way indeed!

Possible objectionable material:

If you don’t like magic, don’t read this. There is some minor violence and injury from magical attacks. No cursing or sex—this is just as clean as any Jane Austen novel.

Who would like this book:

Lovers of Jane Austen, fantasy, or both. This has only mild moments of romance, so if you’re in it for the romance, this might not be the book for you. Because of the Regency-era style, there are some more elevated vocabulary words and more complex sentences, so I’d say strong middle graders on up. I think boys can enjoy this just as much as girls, even if they aren’t Jane Austen fans!

Thank you, NetGalley for the Advanced Reader ebook. I’ll be looking for the other books in this series as they come.