Sorcerer To the Crown by Zen Cho

Sorcerer to the Crown is the debut novel from Malaysian born and London based author Zen Cho and is a must for fans of Susanna Clarke and Jane Austen blending as it does elements of regency romance and urban fantasy. Zacharias Wythe was freed from slavery and adopted by Sir Stephen Wythe and raised as a gentleman magician. Now with Sir Stephen’s untimely death clouded with suspicion many in the society of Unnatural Philosophers are working against Zacharias to oppose his appointment as Sorcerer Royal believing that his dark skin makes him unworthy to lead them. Meanwhile Prunella Gentleman is a talented sorceress desperate to practise her gift and break out of the confines of the school for Gentlewitches where she has grown up not quite a servant not quite a lady, her dark skin and uncertain parentage ensuring she doesn’t belong anywhere. Well aware of the rules of society Prunella is determined to use them and break them to suit her own ends and when she makes a magical discovery that could make her fortune she uses the visit of the Sorcerer Royal as an opportunity to escape. Zen Cho has assembled a large cast of characters with this book, the first of a planned trilogy and the action is fun and furious. The plot may seem light-hearted but the themes Cho deals with; racism, sexism, class divisions, imperialism, slavery, are dealt with in a clever and candid way. Thoroughly enjoyable. 

Available in hardback and trade paperback now from Pan Books the paperback is published in July.

This review originally appeared on We Love This Book check it out HERE