A Master of Djinn

A Master of Djinn by P. Djeli Clark is the first full novel in his Dead Djinn universe. Preceded by several short stories and novellas, the alternate history steampunk universe centers on Fatma el-Sha’arawi, an agent for Egypt’s Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments, and Supernatural Entities. In her position, she frequently deals with the magical beings living in this alternate version of Cairo in the early 1900s, including djinn and angels.

Published in 2021, the novel blends elements of steampunk, historical fiction, fantasy, dystopian, and detective fiction to tell a story about social justice and racial equality for djinn and humans that possesses relevance to readers in 21st-century America. A history professor at the University of Connecticut, Clark draws on his expertise in Atlantic slavery to portray inequality and white supremacy. Other works by this author include The Black God's Drums and Ring Shout.

This study guide uses the Kindle version of the novel.

Plot Summary

Lord Worthington, an English aristocrat in Giza, holds a meeting for his Hermetic Brotherhood of al-Jahiz, a group dedicated to fostering peace using the relics of their historical namesake. As they unveil the newest relic, the sword of al-Jahiz, a masked man enters the room, claiming to be the mystic himself returned to life.