The skies of nineteenth century Oxford are aflame the night Edgar Jones comes into the world: clearly this porter’s son, born in a humble cottage, is no ordinary boy. While his mother is apprehensive about her curious baby, to his father William his birth seems to promise greatness. As the years pass, it becomes ever more apparent that although Edgar is not the scholar his father hoped, he has a unique talent: Edgar is a born inventor, and his gift for making is matched by a fierce will that may be a blessing, or a curse.
Apprenticed to a blacksmith, Edgar must learn hard lessons in the soot and heat of the forge. Yet it is not long before his ingenuity leads him on a journey of adventure through the eccentric and mystifying world of the University. His skill brings him to the attention of a maverick professor, a bone collector with plans for a museum of Natural History - a controversial project. Finally Edgar has the opportunity to showcase his gifts, but his prominence is fraught with dangers, both for himself, and for his family.
