This is brilliant. I think chances are good that this will become one of my all-time favourites. There isn’t anything that I would change about this story. A Master of Djinn is smart, sapphic and compelling. And it ruthlessly trolls the foreigners in the story, especially the English – who come to Cairo, believing they are above Egyptians and just.. fail. Apart from being a great story, it deals with colonialism, its repercussions and the arrogance resulting from it, and it does so incredibly well.

Historical fantasy is one of my favourite genres at the moment, and this seamlessly weaves together a historical fantasy tale with a procedural murder mystery and added djinn. Never boring, A Master of Djinn is both well-written and compelling throughout. I loved the use of djinn-lore, the many kinds that are present in stories. It’s getting to the point where I really need to read up on them after such great adaptations of them in fantasy.

This also features fantastic characters. Fatma is such an amazing badass and I want to be more like her. She is not the only great one, but she is the one that stands out to me. She has impressive respect for the social structures she is part of, while being truly her own person, acting in ways that seem contradictory to her surroundings. Fatma is a role model to us all, and her relationship with Siti is so cute. I stan.

I highly suggest you keep an eye out for this one, especially if you like smart fantasy that draws on important issues.

2.5 stars, rounded up

A Master of Djinn seemed destined to be my new favourite book; it had all the components of stories I have loved in the past with enough key differences to be new and exciting. Unfortunately, though the whole cyberpunk mythopoeia setting with badass female agents trying to keep everything under control may sound super appealing, the outcome was inherently lacklustre.

I have no problem reading a predictable book; it's all about the experience and the narrative, even if we all know what will happen in the end. A Master of Djinn, though, was so predictable it made the protagonists look dumb because they took so long to figure it out. ***spoiler*** It's painfully obvious that Abigail is the mystery villain, not Alexander, from super early in the book. Fatma and Hadia never consider her as anything other than a weak, obnoxious woman. *** With the emphasis placed on Fatma and Hadia being the Ministry's only female agents, their attitude towards other women was disheartening at times; ***spoiler*** their inability to discover the identity of the villain *** is the most obvious example of the misogyny that they're promoting, not fighting. With all that said, Hadia was a more interesting and less judgmental character, and I think I would have enjoyed the story more from her perspective.

I probably could've gotten past all of that and gotten lost in the story, though, if I had gone in knowing that this wasn't actually the first book in the series, just the first novel-length instalment. There are so many references to the previous short stories/novellas involving these characters that I felt out of the loop and totally lost. Some of the relationships introduced are already fully formed from previous adventures, and I was left playing catch up.

I think A Master of Djinn had the potential to be a four-star book if I had read the previous instalments in the series, regardless of how short they may be. Too much of the plot assumed that I already knew the history of this world and these characters. Instead of feeling lost and confused, I could have enjoyed the police work, magical creatures, and great action scenes. Instead of being immersed in the world, though, I felt left out in the cold.

P. Djelli Clark is one of my favorite authors right now. I had loved the world created and explored in the earlier novellas, The Haunting of Tram 015 and A Dead Djinn in Cairo, so I was eager for this full length novel. It did not disappoint. I recommend reading the novellas and then diving into this engaging novel.

I devoured the first two novellas, and this full-length novel lived up to my expectations. I want to just luxuriate in the world Clark has built. Fatma is an excellent protagonist -- competent, but not too perfect -- and it was gratifying to see other characters return. The plot was rich with mythology and Clark seamless weaves non-English words and customs, as well as diversity, into the book without calling attention to it in an othering way. I can't wait to read more set in this world. Thank ya al-Jahiz.

There are so many amazing elements to this book that I was excited about and they all did not disappoint. Set in an alternate Cairo Agent Agent Fatma is called onto a case of murder. The story is exciting to read and I loved the steampunk elements, magic, and characters.

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Omar

In a Master of Djinn, Agent Fatma el-Sha’arawi’s job at the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments and Supernatural Entities is never boring. After dealing with some young men that tried to bargain some wishes of off a trapped Marid, and it went wrong, Agent Fatma is called upon a murder scene in Giza where a wealthy Englishmen and his secret brotherhood were killed in a strange way.

Lord Alistair Worthington created the Hermetic Brotherhood of Al-Jahiz, the mystic that 40 years ago changed the world when he succeeded with his theory of world spheres and opened a door to the realm of Djinns, returning to this world. After that great event, Al-Jahiz disappeared but the world was never the same. In the following years, Egypt grew in power due to the many Djinns making it their home with the government giving them citizenship. The night of the murder, the order’s secret meeting was crashed into by an individual dressed in black wearing a golden masked, claiming to be Al-Jahiz returned. Instead of rejoicing with his followers, the imposter Al-Jahiz kills them with fire that only burns their flesh but not their clothes.

As Agent Fatma and her new partner try to find who killed the Brotherhood, they learn of the imposter of Al-Jahiz who is performing greater acts of magic. But after a couple of encounters with the imposter, Agent Fatma comes to the conclusion that the imposter is controlling Djinns, something nobody should be able to do.

Now the agents of the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments and Supernatural Entities and the Egyptian police are running out of time to solve the mystery of who the imposter truly is and how he is controlling Djinns.

I like this world of a Dead Djinn Universe series. It is a great blend of alternate timeline with magic and entities that live among humans. At first, as a reader, the story gives the impression that Djinns are the only supernatural creatures that walked among the humans, but as we continue to read the story we meet with followers of old gods, angels, ghouls, and even goblins. It seems that the great event that Al-Jahiz made not only brought back the Djinns but also gave other creatures the opportunity to pop-up in the world.

Agent Fatma became my favorite character in the series. While being the youngest member of the Ministry, she is still capable of doing her job, and knows how to dress for it. She is smart and understands that the new beings have their place in society and while she might still be learning about them like anybody else, she has an open mind to them and the powers they use. I would like in future stories to know more about her family and past, maybe about her days training to be an agent.

A Master of Djinn was a rich story with many characters. Siti and the new Agent Hadia were a good addition to Fatma’s team. Siti, a believer of the old Gods and maybe Fatma’s girlfriend, had many good scenes in this story and helped in many battles with her metal claws. Agent Hadia, the second woman agent in the Ministry office of Cairo, had a good time in her first case. While at first Fatma was not happy with having a partner, she comes to realize that she needs help from time to time and Hadia can protect herself and bring support.

The Djinns and Angels are powerful creatures living in this world tend to influence it after they show themselves. I liked the interaction that Agent Fatma had with the Angels, across the story a previous interaction between Agent Fatma and an Angel is mentioned, which tried to destroy the world. I would like to know more about what the Angels are hiding and who they truly are.

Al-Jahiz is a very interesting character, the legends about his deeds and his disappearance are the best. While there is an imposter, it was nice to have learned a bit of the history about him and how he is compared to other mystics of the past. I hope we are able to meet him in future works or at least know what happened to him, and why he opened the door for magic and the Djinns to return.

I liked A Master of Djinn. There are other short stories from anthologies that look interesting and I’m going to read them in the meantime as I hope we get future books in this series.

If you are a fan of P. Djèlí Clark and his work, then I recommend you, A Master of Djinn. In this similar but strange world, there is magic, beings of immense power, and it’s the job of Agent Fatma and the Ministry to uphold the law and keep everyone safe, as many individuals seek to control the world.

An alternate history / fantasy / mystery in early 1900s Cairo, Egypt. The author yanks us into a fantastically written world that includes characters from his novellas. This could *probably* be read as a standalone, but I would recommend meeting the Ministry of Alchemy agents in A Dead Djinn in Cairo and the Haunting of Tram Car 015 first.

This story is fast-paced and all over the place with politics, murder and mayhem, and other shenanigans; it will keep you guessing whodunit/who is doing it. I enjoyed many of the secondary characters and the great pairing between Fatma and Hadia. I look forward to seeing more in this series.

I'm so happy that I've discovered P. Djeli Clark because he has fast become a favourite author; everything I've read by him has been amazing and A Master of Djinn, his debut novel, is no exception. I love his magical version of Cairo in the early 1900's and can't wait to visit it again (I'm really hoping this is the first of many novels). This is action packed, funny, romantic, and really makes me interested in reading more about Egypt during this time period. Fatma is one of my new favourite badass literary ladies and oh how I love Siti. Definitely one of my favourite reads of 2021.

I loved the short story and novella in this series but was worried about how they would translate into a full-length novel. - I needn't have been! This book is a fun take on the detective story.

A fantastic mystery alternative history steam punk novel! There is romance, adventure and so much more. It is delicious.
Wonderful read.

Before I even review this book, let’s talk about how this is the first book in the Dead Djinn Universe. I was a little confused at first because when I looked into the Dead Djinn Universe, there seemed to be 3 other works already published in this world. Book 0.5 – 0.7 are all novellas that other readers have said you don’t need to read to fully enjoy the first full book in the series.

With that said, this is a fun mix of mystery and fantasy. Set in Egypt in an alternate reality where Djinn and magic have been reintroduced into the world we follow Fatma el-Shara’awi as she investigates the mysterious death of a prominent English businessman. As she begins to investigate into the murder, she discovers that al-Jahiz, on of the world’s most famous men and the man who brought djinn back into the world, has returned from the dead.

This book has a little bit of everything. It discusses colonialism, has fabulous characters, a unique magic system, wonderful world building and an intriguing mystery. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and can’t wait for the next book.



A Master of Djinn come is out now. Huge thank you to Tor Books for my advanced copy for my honest review. If you liked this review please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my Instagram @speakingof_books.

P. Djèlí Clark is the author of last year's acclaimed novel Ring Shout, and has built a steady resume of fantastical stories over the years. Several of his stories take place in the world of his Dead Djinn series, and now they culminate in his first full length novel in the world - A Master of Djinn. The alternate-history novel has elements of steampunk, urban fantasy, and is rife with magical beings beyond comprehension. But what struck me most about this novel, was how incredibly fun and adventurous it was. It is fast-paced and exciting, with gorgeous prose and a refreshing perspective on the world. Let's take a deeper look at A Master of Djinn by P. Djèlí Clark, and find out why this title should be on your fantasy reading lists.

A Master of Djinn takes place in Cairo in 1912. Egypt is one of the leading world powers, partially due to their newfound grasp of old magics. In this alternate history, a mythical figure known as Al-Jahiz broke open the barrier between the human world and the worlds of magical beings. Djinn live amongst humans and create wonders. There are goblins riding around on the shoulders of German dignitaries. There are also beings of immense power and mystery who call themselves Angels. And there are ancient gods slumbering in tombs, ready to awaken in the heart of a worthy follower. The story plays around with mythology in way that feels real and grounded. It also embraces the extremely fantastical, and often surreal nature of these magical beings.

The novel opens in the middle of the action, at a tipping point for the world at large and the characters involved. There is history to the world that feels lived in. The grand event that brought the djinn into the world has already happened. We enter at a point in this timeline where magic has become commonplace. The protagonist Agent Fatma works for the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments, and Supernatural Entities. We first meet her negotiating with a powerful djinn who has been awoken from his ancient slumber. She must bargain with him in order to prevent a magical incident.

From the beginning, Fatma is shown to be clever, intuitive, bold, and a force to be reckoned with. And she must be, as one of the few women who works for the Ministry. She has always had to be better at her job than anyone else. When she is a given a partner in the form of another young woman - Hadia - who looks up to her, Fatma is resistant. She refuses to rely on anyone else, always going it alone. But part of the character growth that is so powerful to see is the way Fatma learns to work with and trust other people.

Hadia remains primarily a foil for Fatma throughout the book. But we do slowly get to know her and understand her as Fatma does. In contrast, there is the character of Siti. I know that there are several prequel short stories written by P. Djèlí Clark set in this world that further expands on the origin of this relationship. But going into this book, I had not read them. And refreshingly, I didn't need to read them to pick up the thread of the interpersonal relationship between these two women.

Siti and Fatma have worked together on cases in the past, although Siti is not involved with the Ministry directly. It is clear that the two of them had a pre-existing relationship that is easy to slip into and understand. Their relationship is very closely tied to the larger story, and themes of acceptance and understanding. Of revealing your true self to others, and hoping you'll be accepted. And the tenderness and sweetness of their romance provides an emotional core for the book that is extremely compelling.

I have read a number of fantasy books in recent years that stem from the mythology of the Djinn. There is almost an entire subgenre dedicated to the stories in The One Thousand And One Nights (a text that is a key part of the plot in A Master of Djinn). And there is good reason for that, there are many stories and lore to draw upon. And the creatures are magical beings that have become part of the cultural consciousness. Every fantasy fan has some passing knowledge of Djinn, Ifrit, Golems, and others from mythology.

The magical creatures themselves are of course incredibly surreal and fantastical. But they are also not dissimilar to humans. Their passions are extreme, sometimes turning obsessive and harmful. Their magic is powerful, able to change people's perceptions of reality itself. And of course they are feared, but it is clear by the end of the book that the majority of them just want to live peacefully. They don't want war, or to dominate the human race, or to use their fire to burn and destroy the cities they have helped build. They just want to live in a world free from slavery, and domination by others who only want to exploit their power. It is a powerful message to take to heart.

The resurgence of non-western folklore in fantasy is largely thanks to the talented new wave of writers of color working in genre fiction. Authors who are exploring their own stories and magic on the page. P. Djèlí Clark is a notable member of this movement. He has long been vocal about the importance of telling diverse stories. Giving perspectives that are different from what most people are reading. And he succeeds beautifully at this in A Master of Djinn. In seeing this world through Fatma's eyes, we are given ample opportunity to empathize with her and understand her worldview.

As a reader, I understand Fatma's frustration with white English saviors who are always trying to 'civilize' her people. Who treat her as an oddity and an exotic specimen when she shows up in a tailored suit, speaking perfect English. I can feel her distaste and unease about the referenced Americans who are so fearful of magic, and who condemn it as evil. That's not at all out of character for America in this type of alternate history. Through these characters we can see a point of view that might be unfamiliar or uncomfortable for some readers. But it is so much a part of the world and people's identities, that it is vital to see and understand.

It might sound like this is a heavy book, because of the deep philosophical themes that run throughout. But it was actually one of the most fun books that I've read in quite some time. There are some genuinely funny moments that occur throughout, and the banter between the characters is spectacular. The emotional moments are well-earned. And the tight pace consistently delivers action and surprises. Everybody in this book is endearing, from the smart and savvy women at the center to the ensemble cast of supporting characters.

This is an excellent beginning to a new series from P. Djèlí Clark. And I can't wait to dive into the other stories like A Dead Djinn in Cairo and The Haunting of Tram Car 015 to get to know these characters better. We definitely look forward to the next installment of this series by P. Djèlí Clark. And we highly recommend A Master of Djinn for fans of Black Sun, and Son of the Storm.

I liked this book better than I thought would. While it wasn't an easy read and wasn't one that I could recommend to a lot of readers, I enjoyed the story quite a bit.

One of the co-hosts of the Put A Blurb On It podcast really enjoyed this book. It gets discussed on season 5 episode 3.

Before I start my gushing about this world and characters in this review, I would highly, highly encourage you to read the prequel story A Dead Djinn in Cairo. It is a great introduction to the world and our main character. And everything that happens in that story comes back into this one. So I think it would highly improve your enjoyment of this book.

Now that is out of the way, onto the gushing.

A Master of Djinn is the first full novel set in this alternate Egypt world and I was not dissapointed. We follow Fatma, from the very first prequel story. In this story however she gets a partner. She is not pleased as she prefers to work alone. But her partner is also a female agent, and those are still very new in the ministry for Alchemy, Enchantments and Supernatural Entities. I think adding in a (female) partner to Fatma was a wise choice as it changes some of the dynamics. Fatma has the reevaluate her own priviledges and prejudices. And Haida as a character on her own was a great asset because she brought a different perspective to the table.

Not only was there that but there was a lot of social commentary. About being light skinned black versus dark skinned black, about various beliefs in gods and religions, how things affect the poorer parts of Cairo, the infestation of European and especially British citizens to Cairo and their appropiation. And so on. There is so much to be found here.

And then there was Siti again, a character Fatma meets in the prequel story. They have a relationship that they are slowly exploring with one another. I thought that was great to see as it shows a different side to both of them. A more gentle side. And my suspicion of Siti was confirmed. I knew it.

One could say that the plot in itself is a bit messy but that in no way took away from my enjoyment of this book, this world or these characters. It is a whole experience!

I enjoyed the previous novellas set in this alt world - djinns and humans living side by side and colonization in Africa was thwarted because of the djinns - so I was really looking forward to the full length novel. Fatma is a fun lead character, she's competent (but not perfect) and her style is impeccable. Yeah, I think it's a nice touch, her fashion sense. And so much girl power here, especially since she got herself a partner, Hadia, who's also a competent agent, very handy with the sword and her wide network. I love reading about female partnership (in work place especially) since it is rare in the usual SFF works I read. Do let me know if you find another good one.

The book's a rollercoaster ride, but it is also packed with lots of background, not just culture - I assume most of them like food are real - but also some history. I haven't brushed up my 1912 world history knowledge but what do I know that in the real world, it was a troubled time and a prelude of the First World War. So, like the suffrage movement in the one of the previous novellas, there were some politics in play here, intertwined with the action-packed scenes of insane djinn (and whatnots) magic. I think it'll make a good TV show or movie, who knows.

A little steampunk, a lot police procedural. I felt like this was mostly your typical crime drama wrapped in a thin layer of steampunk with a dash of the supernatural.
I spent a lot of time confused by words that I couldn't tell if they were actual Egyptian words or made up for the book. The words weren't often given enough context to decipher them until the fourth or fifth time they were used.
Fans of typical steampunk will probably find this lacking. There are some airships and robots but that seemed to be the extent of it.
Fans of historical fiction and modern crime drama may enjoy the mix.
Mostly this one just wasn't for me.

I received an ARC from Netgalley and am leaving this review voluntarily...

My only regret when I finished this book was that I did not the previous books in the series. Thankfully, I hopped on over to Amazon and went on a minor shopping spree of this author's books. In case the previous sentence did not spell it out clearly enough, I loved this book.
Firstly I loved how clearly the setting of this story shone through its pages just by reading the descriptions the author dropped in so skillfully. I immediately was transported to a steampunk version of Egypt and even now as I write this review, I can still clearly remember the world the author created especially the many varieties of djinn.
I loved Fatma, the main character. I immediately loved her style of clothing and strength of character. Hadia, her new partner at work, impressed me as much as she did Fatma and I would love to follow up on their work adventures. Fatma's gay and the chemistry between her and Siti was clear for everyone to see. My favorite character, however, would be Ahmad, an informant for Fatma. He provided a nice touch of comedy. I also loved the fact that the author made sure to include Egyptian mythology.
With this example of what I can expect from this author, I would definitely be reading more of his work.
There were some disturbing scenes within this book so I would suggest that younger children not be allowed to read this book.

a master of djinn is the first full-length novel set in p. djèlí clark’s alternate cairo. the world changed when the mysterious al-jahiz opened the veil between realms and magic reentered ours. with the aid of the djinn, egypt forced out the british colonists and established itself as a world power. fifty years later, fatma el-sha’arawi is one of a handful of female agents at the ministry of alchemy, enchantments, and supernatural entities. sent to investigate the mass murder of a cult with the new partner she definitely didn’t ask for, fatma quickly finds herself entangled in a much larger plot.

clark’s world building is just as vibrant and creative here as it is in his shorter works; i love how he interweaves magic with political and social issues and a really intriguing murder mystery (with a very satisfying conclusion).

my real struggle was with fatma, who i adored in a dead djinn in cairo. i was so excited to see her relationship with siti explored further, but fatma and her relationship ended up being my least favorite aspects of the book—and i can’t fully enjoy a story if i’m rolling my eyes at the main character every few pages. in clark’s shorter works, fatma is clever and capable; here she mostly comes off as an unintentional joke obsessed with her suits and oblivious to very obvious clues. i did enjoy a lot of the supporting characters (hadia in particular was just delightful!) but i needed more competence from a supposedly brilliant agent like fatma.

overall a solid addition to this universe.

A Master of Djinn is P. Djeli Clark’s first novel in the world he’s created in several short stories and a novella, and it’s clear that the setting and its characters can easily handle the expanded length, making for an exciting plot combined with some sharp social criticism.

The novel, and the other works, are set in the early 1900’s, three decades after the scholar/mage al-Jahiz opened a portal between our world and another, bringing an influx of magical/fantastical creatures across, with the djinn not only settling relatively smoothly into Egypt and other countries, but also helping expel the Western imperialists, shrinking their empires and their ability to exploit non-Western cultures for growth, labor, materials, and prosperity, Thus, Egypt is now a “great power” while Britain, for instance, is a pale shadow of the empire they successfully created in our world’s timeline.

The main character, whom we’ve seen before, is Fatma, an agent at the Egyptian Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments, and Supernatural Entities. In the bang of an opening, a cult formed by mostly white Europeans obsessed with Jahiz (the mystic had disappeared in 1873) are mysteriously burned to death (well, mysteriously to authorities, not the reader), and Fatma is called in to investigate. Much to her dismay, it turns out she’s been assigned a young, fresh-faced (i.e. not jaded yet) and eager partner (Hadia Abdel Hafez), who like Fatma herself has become one of the very rare women agents. As the two investigate the cultists murders, obstacles are thrown up due to how closely the case touches a prominent British noble and his two children. Meanwhile, a masked figure claiming to be al-Jahiz returned is inciting the lower classes to violence, threatening to upset a delicate treaty negotiation amongst world leaders/diplomats assembling in Cairo, and even threatening the agency itself. Into this heady mix you can add the unpredictable and powerfully magical Siti, Fatma’s sometimes lover and worshiper of an ancient goddess, along with the odd creatures known as “Angels”, who may or may not be involved, some of the old gods who may or may not be taking a hand in the events,

The mystery itself is well paced, interesting in its own right, and as all good mysteries do, creates more questions even as the investigation learns more answers. And while there is villainy at work, things are shaded more grey than simple black and white. One complaint is that I felt the identity of the masked figure was pretty clear very early on, which was a minor issue itself, but was more problematic given how keen an investigator Fatma is supposed to be. It seemed to me she should have figured things out long before the big reveal. Two other relatively minor issues were a far-too-convenient and illogical moment in the big battle scene that helped save the day and another moment that had too strong an echo for me of a scene in a Marvel film. But again, these were small annoyances and didn’t detract much from my enjoyment of the story. Meanwhile, the solid plot is set against a background of in-depth exploration of social, economic, and political issues that enhance the basic storyline with a measure of depth and seriousness.

As one might expect, colonialism/imperialism is one of the areas explored. Beyond the actual politics involved, for instance, we also get a character bent on “proving his theory that Egypt’s ancient rulers were truly flaxen-haired relatives to the Anglo-Saxons, who held sway over the darker hordes of their realm,” because of course Egypt’s own people couldn’t have created such a great ancient civilization and such a powerful modern nation. Another characters lectures how America’s natives “still need taming.” But Clark, here and elsewhere, does writes with a nuanced sophistication. This is no simple “West bad, others good” formula.
For all its joining the stage of world powers, Egypt is no utopia. The reason the masked figure is so easily and quickly able to inflame the populace is because there is in fact clear inequity and injustice in this society.

Race also comes under Clark’s sharp eye, as when Fatma and Hadia interview a wealthy and influential Egyptian women who uses a slur for the dark-skinned Siti and refuses her entry into the house. And while America has no role to play here in the plot, we do see Americans in the form of a group of African American jazz players who left the US because of Jim Crow but note that Egypt is hardly free of racism itself. America also offers up a means for Clark to once again work in more nuanced mode, by having Hadia, who is lighter skinned than either Siti or Fatma, explain how “When I was in America, everything was about color. Where you could eat. Where you had to ride . . . When I got back to Egypt, I couldn’t believe I’d not noticed it before . . . In the Alexandria EFS, none of the officers were darker than me. At our protests, Nubian and Sudanese woman marched in the back . . . Maybe we aren’t so different than America after all.”

Meanwhile, beyond the references to Fatma’s struggles in achieving her position as a woman, mirrored by Hadia’s own same, we also get references to the Suffragist movement, the EFS (Egyptian Feminist Sisterhood), and some other criticisms, some more overt than others, of the patriarchal system in place across most of the world.

Clark has created a rich universe to play in and filled it with engaging and three-dimensional characters (I didn’t even mention one of my favorite characters, an acolyte of the crocodile god, whose portrayal is full of depth, poignancy, loss, and deep questions of worship and selfhood). While this storyline is resolves, it opens up a lot of questions about players in this world, and I certainly look forward to future stories of any length Clark chooses to share with us.