The Incandescent

· Macmillan Audio · Narrated by Zara Ramm
8 reviews
Audiobook
12 hr 26 min
Unabridged
Eligible
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About this audiobook

“Zara Ramm's narration is like watching a film, conjuring images of demons and humans alike. It's funny, it's dark, and it's some of Ramm's best work.” — AudioFile (Earphones Award Winner)

"Narrator [Zara] Ramm's sensible yet snarky performance immediately gives listeners a sense of Walden's personality — competent, knowledgeable, and professional, but never dull" — Library Journal (Starred Review)

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.

“Zara Ramm's narration is like watching a film, conjuring images of demons and humans alike. It's funny, it's dark, and it's some of Ramm's best work.” — AudioFile (Earphones Award Winner) "Narrator [Zara] Ramm's sensible yet snarky performance immediately gives listeners a sense of Walden's per...

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Ratings and reviews

8 reviews
Darcia Helle
June 11, 2025
This book was a struggle for me. The first 25% was incredibly slow. I almost gave up, but then a sudden flurry of activity got my attention. Unfortunately, this was how the story went throughout. Pacing was incredibly uneven. I never got a sense of what the magic meant beyond the school. Was magic part of mainstream society? Did people use it in everyday life? Was it restricted? Was it used in government? So many questions left unanswered. I found Walden, our MC, pretty dull, which was unfortunate since a great deal of the book is her exposition. Zara Ramm did a great job with the narration, but even that didn’t keep me engaged. My mind was constantly wandering. *Thanks to Macmillan Audio for the free audiobook download!*
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Nicole Falche
May 15, 2025
delightful read
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About the author

EMILY TESH is a UK-based author of science fiction and fantasy. Her debut novel, Some Desperate Glory, won the Hugo Award for Best Novel. Tesh is also a winner of the Astounding Award, and the author of the World Fantasy Award-winning Greenhollow duology.
EMILY TESH is a UK-based author of science fiction and fantasy. Her debut novel, Some Desperate Glory, won the Hugo Award for Best Novel. Tesh is also a winner of the Astounding Award, and the author of the World Fantasy Award-winning Greenhollow duology.

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