This review first appeared on my blog in a modified form: http://www.rlhendrian.blogspot.com 
 Do you like Gail Carriger's steampunk novels, anything by Georgette Heyer, or Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell? If so, you might enjoy the whimsical Sorcerer to the Crown. Though it started off a bit slow, once the story got going, it really got going. The worldbuilding was great, and the prose was effervescent and full of witty, quotable lines. 
 So what were my three favorite things about Sorcerer to the Crown? 
 1. The aforementioned prose. Like Georgette Heyer and Jane Austen, Cho's prose is overflowing with laugh-out-loud humor. You'll have to stop reading to repeat phrases and quotes to anyone nearby. It's that kind of book. 
 2. Zacharias. A former slave who has become the reluctant leader of England's magicians, he's a studious, proper fellow and I loved him to pieces. I loved how Cho kept revealing his character through little bits - he's the reserved sort, and never one to brag, and you hardly realize the depth of both his courage and his ability until the end! 
 3. It was fun. In a sea of adult novels that are trying to be realistic, gritty, intellectual, or challenging, Sorcerer to the Crown just seems like a book the author wanted to write. Now I don't mean it's shallow, because it isn't! But, unlike most of the magicians in the book, it isn't pretentious. There are interesting observations on everything from colonial politics to women's positions in society, but they never distract you from the story. 
 Overall: 4 out of 5 stars. A delightful Regency fantasy with a touch of darkness, and plenty of material for sequels, Sorcerer to the Crown features a unique protagonist and a strong female lead. Zen Cho is an author I'd love to see more of.