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The Incandescent

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The Incandescent

By: Emily Tesh
Narrated by: Zara Ramm
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About this listen

'A searingly brilliant fantasy. This is magical school with teeth . . . an unmissable read' Tasha Suri, author of The Jasmine Throne

'Fans of Naomi Novik's Scholomance series won't want to miss this' Publishers Weekly

Dr Walden is the Director of Magic at Chetwood School and one of the most powerful magicians in England. Her days consist of meetings, teaching A-Level Invocation to four talented, chaotic sixth formers, more meetings and securing the school's boundaries from demonic incursions.

Walden is good at her job - no, Walden is great at her job. But demons are masters of manipulation. It's her responsibility to keep her school with its six hundred students and centuries-old legacy safe. But it's possible the entity Walden most needs to keep her school safe from . . . is herself.

A Deadly Education meets Rivers of London in this captivating contemporary fantasy from Sunday Times bestselling author Emily Tesh, winner of the Hugo and World Fantasy Awards.

'Emily Tesh captivates me the way few authors can, and she can do it in any genre and any world. The Incandescent is a delight from start to finish - it bewitched me, body and soul . . . A wholly perfect book'
Olivie Blake, author of The Atlas Six

'The grown-up answer to the magical boarding school tale . . . Fantastic in every sense of the word'
Freya Marske, author of A Marvellous Light

'An absolute flex of a book, empathetic and passionate and deeply thoughtful'
Shelley Parker-Chan, author of She Who Became the Sun

©2025 Emily Tesh (P)2025 Hachette Audio UK
Editors Select Fantasy Heartfelt

Editorial Review

Magical schools: What about the teachers?
We at Audible already love Emily Tesh for her jaw-dropping sci-fi about a space cult, Some Desperate Glory. Now, I’m beyond excited that Tesh is exploring one of my favourite realms of fiction: magical schools. It’s from the perspective of the educator this time, and she’s really funny, practical and kind of a badass. In this world, demonic summoning is an important skill for every magician to learn, and Director Walden is one of the best. The only problem is, one of the biggest demons there is has come to torment her teenage students, who are very reckless, as most teenagers are. What ensues is Tesh’s razor-sharp observations about systems and the human condition, coupled with complex, reality-based characters. Narrator Zara Ramm invokes the presence of Director Walden’s many sides, and it’s a real treat of a listen. The Incandescent is not to be missed for any and all fantasy fans.—Melissa B., Audible Editor

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