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A Master of Djinn cover art

A Master of Djinn

Written by: P. Djèlí Clark
Narrated by: Suehyla El-Attar
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Publisher's Summary

2021 NYPL Best Books of the Year

2022 Nebula Awards - Winner

"[Narrator Suehyla] El-Attar expertly creates a vibrant version of Cairo that captures a heady blend of the cosmopolitan and the supernatural that will win many new fans." (AudioFile Magazine)

Nebula, Locus, and Alex Award-winner P. Djèlí Clark returns to his popular alternate Cairo universe for his fantasy novel debut, A Master of Djinn

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 40 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....

A Master of Djinn is poised to launch P. Djèlí Clark’s SFF career to new heights as the highly-anticipated debut listeners are clamoring for.

Novellas by P. Djèlí Clark
The Black God's Drums
The Haunting of Tram Car 015
Ring Shout

A Macmillan Audio production from Tordotcom

"Listeners will be charmed by dashing, bowler-hat-wearing, janbiya-carrying Fatma el-Sha’arawi in book one of Clark’s Dead Djinn Universe series.... At times wry, often witty, [Suehyla] El-Attar’s delivery is an anchoring force from which a multitude of mortal and mystical characters emerge." (Booklist)

©2021 P. Djèlí Clark (P)2021 Macmillan Audio

What the critics say

“A clever, wickedly fun steampunk mystery with an excellent balance of humor and heart. I loved it.” (S. A. Charkaborty, internationally best-selling author of The City of Brass)

“A delightful whodunnit full of sly commentary and a wonderfully lived-in steampunk Cairo. The perfect read when I needed a break from this world to enjoy one wholly made from Clark's enviable imagination.” (Rebecca Roanhorse, Hugo and Nebula Award winner, author of Trail of Lightning and Star Wars: Resistance Reborn)

A Master of Djinn has all the tricky twists I want in a police procedural and all the djinns, magic and wonder I want from fantasy.” (Mary Robinette Kowal, Hugo and Nebula award-winning author of The Calculating Stars)

What listeners say about A Master of Djinn

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    5 out of 5 stars

So good. Can’t wait for more.

Highly recommended! This is stem-punk meets Middle Eastern mythic creatures done well. Awesome characters, an intriguing setting and a solid detective story.

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Highly recommended!

For those who haven't read the previous novellas, they aren't strictly necessary to enjoy this book. Since I'm a true fan of this world, I highly recommend them, though.

This book expands the world of the Djinn while returning us to beloved characters and introducing more intriguing characters to love. The queer relationship hinted at in A Dead Djinn in Cairo returns here fully formed and I am so here for it! I love the dynamic between the two women, the trust and the teasing and the tentative steps they take toward a more secure future.

I can't wait to reread this to pick up more of the nuance. On the first pass, I'm already enjoying the deeper look into women's suffrage, racism, and religion. The magic system is such a wonderful mix of myth and technology. I especially loved the way the author drew on aspects of history and twisted them to fit his setting. The history of the 40 Leopards, for instance, closely mirrors that of a historical 18th-20th c. British gang called the 40 Elephants.

I admit, I (correctly) guessed the main mystery plot early on, but there's no much more about this book to love that I'm not disappointed in its transparency in that regard. That twist might not have come as a surprise, but there was another that certainly did!

All in all, I unreservedly recommend this book to lovers of steampunk, alternate history, and fantasy.

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Masterfully Executed World Building

February 2021 | 4.5/5
A beautifully reimagined steampunk Cairo where magic has been reintroduced to the world and supernatural entities live alongside the human population.

The world draws you in, and despite a fairly standard narrative, continually entertains and inspires.

This is my third title in the Dead Djinn Universe, and the first time I'm reading something from Clark in a longer format.

I will read everything in this world, it's so cool - with angels, shape shifting djinn, airships and eunuch automatons. The way magic has been embraced by some countries (now global powers) allowing huge leaps in technologies, while others that scorn magic have suffered.

A Master Of Djinn felt long at times, but then a new piece of the world would be introduced, and you'd be sucked back in as Agents Fatma and Hadia attempt to unravel the murder of a secret brotherhood dedicated to the memory of al-Jahiz.

If you enjoy strong female characters in your reads, this is a book for you!!

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I enjoyed this

The narrator was really good. The story was really unique and interesting. I loved how it referenced real religious texts about the various types of Djinn. I loved the portrayal of the snooty British characters. The world building was amazing. Although the actual plot was fairly simplistic, the rich character development and detailed descriptions of the setting seemed to make up for it. I'd listen to this author and narrator again. I listened to the prequel to this book, A dead djinn in Cairo, and thoroughly enjoyed it. This was very similar.

It's what I wished the City of Brass had been more like.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Difficult time distinguishing voices

Sometimes having trouble distinguishinh who is speaking making it hard to follow. Couldn't finish listening to the audiobook. Quit with six hours remaining.

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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very overrated

Based on the reviews I was excited for this book but it just disappointed me at every turn. The story was fragmented and unfocused, with many moving parts that did not seem to contribute to moving the story forward. On top of that, it was very predictable with every "twist" obvious from early on.

The characters constantly infuriate by missing obvious details and asking questions with painfully obvious solutions.

I cannot recommend this book

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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not my cup of mint tea

meandering, too long, predictable plot twist. the frequency and detail of cllothing descriptions became extremely irritating.

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