Future Treasures: A Master of Djinn by P. Djèlí Clark
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A Dead Jinn in Cairo (Tor.com, 2016), The Haunting of Tram Car 015 (Tor.com, 2019),
and A Master of Djinn (Tor.com, 2021). Cover art by Kevin Hong (left) and Stephan Martiniere (right two)
I get a lot of email from Black Gate readers. Stuff like, “Hey John, I’m boarding a five hour flight to LA , what should I put on my Kindle?” Seriously? Come on, people. I have a life. I don’t have time to drop everything to be your personal librarian.
Ha-ha-ha-ha. I know, right? Like I have a life, outside of being your personal librarian. So let’s get to this. Got five hours? Here’s what you do: You download P. Djèlí Clark’s novelette “A Dead Djinn in Cairo,” (originally published at Tor.com), and his Locus, Nebula, and Hugo-nominated novella The Haunting of Tram Car 015, set in the same alternate fantasy Cairo.
And then when you land, you can pre-order the next book in the series, Clark’s debut novel A Master of Djinn, on sale from Tor.com on Tuesday. Here’s the details.
Cairo, 1912: Though Fatma el-Sha’arawi is the youngest woman working for the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments and Supernatural Entities, she’s certainly not a rookie, especially after preventing the destruction of the universe last summer.
So when someone murders a secret brotherhood dedicated to one of the most famous men in history, al-Jahiz, Agent Fatma is called onto the case. Al-Jahiz transformed the world forty years ago when he opened up the veil between the magical and mundane realms, before vanishing into the unknown. This murderer claims to be al-Jahiz, returned to condemn the modern age for its social oppressions. His dangerous magical abilities instigate unrest in the streets of Cairo that threaten to spill over onto the global stage.
Alongside her Ministry colleagues and a familiar person from her past, Agent Fatma must unravel the mystery behind this imposter to restore peace to the city — or face the possibility he could be exactly who he seems…
P. Djèlí Clark is also the author of The Black God’s Drums and the Hugo and Nebula nominee Ring Shout.
A Master of Djinn will be published by Tor.com on May 11, 2021. It is 400 pages, priced at $27.99 in hardcover and $14.99 in digital formats. The cover is by Stephan Martiniere. Read more details here.
See all our coverage of the best upcoming SF and fantasy here.
Very interesting! I actually live in the Middle East (my wife is a native), and my perception has been that there’s an increase in sci fi and fantasy set in the region. I don’t know if it’s just me or if other people share that perception.
Dan — I think so as well. I think it’s broader than that. I’m finally starting to see more interest in world SF and fantasy of all kinds in the US.
It’s a small but noticeable shift. The large majority of genre fiction here is still US-focused…. but it’s not as large a majority as it used to be. 🙂
I absolutely need to get these books. I know Djeli from his works at Heroic Fantasy Quarterly. I heave a bittersweet sigh. Check them out: http://www.heroicfantasyquarterly.com//?x=0&y=0&s=Djeli