First book of the year

[bironic]

Finished Sorcerer to the Crown by Zen Cho. Overall charming, although as I was saying to one of you a few days ago, it took a while for me to realize I'd been mixing it up with The Goblin Emperor (still on the to-read list). Lovely to read another recent SF/F book with non-white, non-aristocratic protagonists, who, through intention or accident, upend societal norms regarding race and class and gender against opposing powers; and whose themes, although set in a fictionalized past era, apply just as much here and now. I enjoyed the little moments when Zacharias found himself outmaneuvered by a lady or otherwise developed a crack in his composure. Damerell had some great lines toward the end, too.

Also, it taught me some new words, as well as a smidgeon of history about the Kingdom of Mysore and the siege of Seringapatam. Yay learning!

bombazine: a twilled fabric with silk warp and worsted filling / a silk fabric in twill weave dyed black

redound: to have an effect, for good or ill

repine: to feel or express dejection or discontent; to long for something

froward: habitually disposed to disobedience and opposition

entente: an international understanding providing for a common course of action

stoicheiotical: pertaining to magic

goety: black magic or witchcraft in which the assistance of evil spirits is invoked

sonsy: buxom, comely

creese: a short sword or heavy dagger with a wavy blade, used by the Malays

negus: used as a title of the sovereign of Ethiopia

spencer: a short waist-length jacket

trumpery: worthless nonsense

slubberdegullion: a dirty rascal/scoundrel/wretch

Next up, The Three-Body Problem, spurred on by this month's book club selection.

Comments

[grammarwoman]

Ooo, thanks for the vocab list! I just read SttC last month and remember stumbling over "stoicheiotical" with a thought to look it up later, and never did.

[bironic]

Heh. I jotted down the unfamiliar words on a sticky note that doubled as a bookmark, which let me keep reading but still remember stuff to look up later. Glad to share!