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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

Naomi Novik's Scholomance series meets Plain Bad Heroines in this sapphic dark academia fantasy by instant national and international bestselling author Emily Tesh, winner of the Hugo and World Fantasy Awards.

"Look at you, eating magic like you're one of us."

Doctor 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. And it’s possible the entity Walden most needs to keep her school safe from—is herself.

A Macmillan Audio production from Tor Books.

©2025 Emily Tesh (P)2025 Macmillan Audio
Contemporary Editors Select Epic Fantasy Literature & Fiction Paranormal & Urban Science Fiction & Fantasy Magic Users
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Critic reviews

"A searingly brilliant fantasy. This is magical school with teeth. Warm-hearted, terrifying and clever, Tesh's examination of magical school through the eyes of an unforgettable—and properly grown up—heroine is an unmissable read."—Tasha Suri, award-winning author of The Jasmine Throne

"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. Part competency porn for teachers, part harrowing tale of flirtation with your colleagues, part heartwarming demon infestation. A wholly perfect book."―Olivie Blake, New York Times bestselling author of The Atlas Six

"The Incandescent is the grown-up answer to the magical boarding school tale, a glorious shout of vindication for anyone who has ever worked in education. Every book Emily Tesh writes is a magic trick, and this is no exception. Fantastic in every sense of the word."—Freya Marske, bestselling author of The Last Binding trilogy

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 favorite 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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