We interviewed P. Djèlí Clark in Episode 428 of The Skiffy and Fanty Show.

This was our second interview with Phenderson, who is a brilliant guest and a brilliant writer. A Master of Djinn was one of my favorites from that year!

This is such an intelligent historical fantasy that you can tell is very well-researched. It took a while to get going, and I felt like there could have been more character depth, but a great read overall.

Thoroughly enjoyable alt-hist romp - djinnpunk?? It's wonderful, anyway, and much funnier than I was expecting. Not a bad thing at all, I just think the preceding novellas took themselves more seriously; this one is definitely lighter in tone. Look forward to spending more time in this universe.

The first full-length novel in this world is terrific, with more development of the characters previously introduced in the short story (A Dead Djinn in Cairo) and novella (The Hunting of Tram Car 015), as well as the world they live in. An immersive and unique reading experience.

A fantastic read. The world's was truly unique and well-developed, and the plot was exciting. I loved the characters.

I am so sad to say that I did not LOVE this book in the way that I've loved all of PDC's other work. I do appreciate it though. As usual, PDC proves himself to be an excellent world builder, and in that respect this book did not disappoint. As personal preference, I feel like I would have much preferred to experience this story visually (movie, series, graphic novel). There were a number of times where the book seemed drawn out to me, specifically when historical context was being explained. All things considered though, this might have just been because of my ignorance of Egyptian history and folklore. Apart from that, it just felt like this book took too long to end. As a side note, I felt like there was a lot of repetition (mostly concerning the mechanics of how this new world came to be, who the characters are, what they are capable of).

I did not hate the story. There was a lot to enjoy. I really do wish it is something that I can experience in a different format one day.

'A Master of Djinn' by P. Djeli Clark is an urban fantasy set in an alternate Cairo where magic creatures exist.

Fatma el-Sha'arawi is a young but seasoned investigator in Cairo's Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments and Supernatural Entities. She dresses sharp and really doesn't want a partner, but when a mysterious man in a gold mask shows up and seemingly commands the cities many Djinn, she just might need the help.

While I found the mystery a bit easy to unravel, the motivation and method as well as the lush world-building made it a fun journey. The varied characters are interesting and well rounded also.

I received a review copy of this ebook from Macmillan-Tor/Forge and NetGalley. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.

Nebula, Locus, and Alex Award-winner P. Djèlí Clark goes full-length for the first time in his dazzling debut novel: A Master of Djinn (Tordotcom, 2021).

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..

Wow! This one really blew me away. Absolutely loved everything about this. I've only read Tram Car 015 but I loved that so I knew this would be a win for me.

Entertaining murder mystery with Djinn magic in an exotic setting. Featuring lesbian characters. Stand alone but same character from one of his previous novellas.

It was an obvious first novel. The mystery and clues were easyish to anticipate and twist was obvious before big reveal. Lots of the ideas were obviously recycled and climax was too tidy and convienent. Subplots and themes were superficial and lacked layers or complexity- a lost opportunity.

However, the world absorbed you and story was easy to read and enjoy. The above flaws were present but disnt ruin it for me. Would recommend.

A Master of Djinn was an intriguing book with excellent world-building. The character development was lacking and the plot felt unnecessarily drawn out but I'd consider continuing the series.

Thanks so much to Netgalley and the publisher.

P. Djeli Clark is one of those authors you need to be watching, His story and world crafting is so unique and visceral. Months go by and I can still see the imagery he provides, and A Master of Djinn will be no exception. In the first novel within this series, Clark brings together strong characters, page turning mystery, and heartfelt insight to a steampunk-esque Egypt and a brilliant detective. I highly recommend reading the novella and short story in this series before diving into this novel, but whatever route you take, just make sure you read it.

Great blend of the past and futuristic elements. We need mire books about djinn. Interesting concept about djinn being invasive on human culture since they usually are portrayed as being captured or summoned.

Great steampunk novel with a well crafted world and compelling characters. Enjoyed this and cant wait to read the associated novellas.

After reading all his novellas set in this world full of Djinns, I was so excited to finally get a full novel in it! I loved seeing the characters cross each other's paths, and that we get this novel from Fatma's POV. Despite the fantasy setting, this reads like a mystery detective story. I may have seen the ending a bit coming, there were many twists and turns that kept me engaged the whole time. I lied the adding of a new character that gave a bit more contextual information about the time and gave this story a feminist layer.

Really enjoyed A Master of Djinn and would recommend reading the novellas before to have the full experience. Can't wait to read P. Djeli Clark's next novel.

Having read the novellas set in this wonderful world (I would definitely recommend people read these before they pick this one up) I was really looking forward to diving back into another adventure with Fatma. The beginning of the novel was a little slow, giving people a chance to get used to the world and the character dynamics, and then the plot really kicks up a gear in the second half. I love the characters here, both those familiar from the novellas and new additions (LOVED AHMAD!) and the world is truly fabulous. I did find some of the plot elements a little bit predictable, but overall, this was a very enjoyable book and I hope we get more books in this world in future.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

3.5 stars

This book hadn't really been on my radar until one of the bookstagrammers I follow was talking about the prequel novellas and seeing their glowing recommend I had to try the first novella. I loved this reimagined historic Egypt with this steampunk feel, with magic, myths and inventions. However it was our main character Fatma that really hooked me in that novella, she is strong minded and comfortable in her skin. She is never at loss for a quip even in the unusual and often dangerous situations she finds herself in as a Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments and Supernatural Entities agent.

This book follows Fatma as she called upon to investigate the supernatural death of Lord Worthington and his brotherhood. And although I was so happy to see Fatma in her investigative role along side some of the other characters we were introduced to in the novella. I feel like although I enjoyed this book and all the twists and turns of the instigation it was a bit long, and slowly loosing my engagement, because of that first novella remains my favorite part of this series so far

Fatma el-Sha’arawi might be the youngest woman working for the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantment and Supernatural Entities but, she’s a celebrity among her peers. She’s known for her impeccable taste in fashion – no one is ever going to see her in anything less than an immaculate suit – but, more than her style, a few months ago she prevented the end of the world. It’s no surprise then that when the head of the Al-Jahiz Secret Brotherhood is murdered, Fatma is the one assigned to the case.

I have been raving about the Dead Djinn universe stories for months now and I’m a huge fan of Clark’s works in general – Ring Shout is probably the best horror novella I’ve ever read. So, when I heard that Clark was finally releasing a full-length story set in his alternate 1910’s Cairo, I was beyond excited for it. I wanted more Fatma, more magic and more djinns and Clark delivered.

I don’t think you have to have read A Dead Djinn in Cairo or The Haunting of Tram Car 015 in order to understand this novel but, you definitely should! They’re awesome, super short and they give a ton of context for the novel.

A Master of Djinn beautifully expands on the world, I very much enjoyed how Clark discussed how the magic reshaped the power dynamics in this alternate world. Cairo is now the center of the world and the European countries that used to have a lot of influences over Egypt are now seen as obsolete and very behind. They are more than happy to use the murder of a rich Englishman as an excuse to meddle again in Egypt’s affairs.

The murder mystery was fun even if I guessed who the culprit was pretty early on. If you have read a few of Clark’s stories, you know most characters aren’t who they appear to be at first. When you know that, it’s easier to know who to look at.

The only thing that prevented me from completely loving the book was that it felt like a debut. The pacing dragged, especially in the second act of the book. If some parts had been edited out, then the whole story would have felt more cohesive and less episodic.

However, don’t take my criticism too harshly, I had a great time reading this book. I feel like I am rediscovering my love for series. There is something very comforting in reading a sequel from a series you love. Reading about Clark’s magical Cairo is always a great time, the world is magical and the characters are memorable. I love Fatma (even if she is annoying sometimes), Siti is a complete badass and Hamed is also great in his own ways (though I have to say that my favorites are the djinns, nobody writes about djinns as well as P. Djéli Clark!).

Even if A Master of Djinn wasn’t as immaculate as Fatma’s suits, I enjoyed it a lot and I can’t wait to read more adventures set in this world!

⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. My thanks to Netgalley and Tordotcom for the ARC.

Ah the cover totally got me to read this. No Lie.
This is an alternate 1910s Egypt with a steampunk flavour, but in all honesty, I thought that mentions of the magical tech were too few – I would have loved to get much more detail on it; the balance between fantasy and police procedural is weighted a little too far towards the latter for me, though it evens up in the second half. The action is fast-paced and the mystery unfolds nicely, so even though this is a relatively chunky book, it’s easy to keep turning pages thinking ‘just one more chapter’. Highly recommend if you haven't read these stories yet!

I've begun to count Djeli Clark as one of my favourite authors, this story only builds on the fantastic world they've already created in their richly world-built novellas and short stories.

Come and enter an Egypt where djinn and magic are very much the real deal!