The Doctrines of Fire

Edinburgh, 1779. An academic rivalry turns deadly.



George Stephens is a lousy medical student. Lacking the social and financial resources to succeed in Edinburgh's elite medical school, his dream of becoming a physician appears over before it began.



Then George comes to the attention of two famous professors, William Cullen and Joseph Black. Medical students are dying mysteriously - the professors suspect a disgraced former student is to blame - and they need George's help uncovering the truth. Believing the partnership will bolster his academic standing, George agrees.



Their investigation pulls them into the murkiest, most dangerous corners of Enlightenment Edinburgh. The professors are secret wielders of fire magic, but others are courting even darker forces. With violence threatening to erupt, and George struggling to navigate this confusing city, getting justice for the dead will be harder than he imagined.



Ninth House meets A Declaration of the Rights of Magicians in this thrilling fantasy debut from CL Jarvis.