 The story takes place in London, where Dr. Sabian Blake is sitting in his attic at the top of his house in Bloomsbury Square, looking out to space through his telescope, in search of a special star.He is told about this star by "The Nemorensis", an ancient book that holds many old and powerful secrets.It has predicted that the comet Wormwood (which was foretold in the book of Revelation) is hurtling towards the earth, and would spell certain doom for London and all other lands around her.