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A Master of Djinn

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A Master of Djinn

By: P. Djèlí Clark
Narrated by: Suehyla El-Attar
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About this listen

WINNER OF THE NEBULA AWARD FOR BEST NOVEL, 2022

WINNER OF THE LOCUS AWARD FOR BEST FIRST NOVEL

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 50 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 the winner of the Nebula, Locus and Alex Awards and has been shortlisted for the Hugo Award.

©2021 P. Djèlí Clark (P)2021 Hachette Audio UK Action & Adventure Crime Dragons & Mythical Creatures Fantasy Fiction Mythology Murder Middle East Paranormal

Critic Reviews

Clever, wickedly fun . . . with an excellent balance of humour and heart. I loved it (S. A. Chakraborty, author of CITY OF BRASS)
A magical voice with a brilliantly unique setting, it will keep you completely enthralled (Ben Aaronovitch, author of RIVERS OF LONDON)
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)
All stars
Most relevant  
A richly told story, set in an alternative Cairo filled with magic and automatons. A progressive female lead plotline and love interests. The narrator does a fantastic job navigating the various accents and situating the action in place. Some of the major plot points are typical fantasy tropes - an underground magic scene & magic agent investigators etc however this didn't stop me enjoying it and there was more than enough diversity in other areas to keep it interesting. Dying to go visit Cairo myself now.

Excellent and Vibrant

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A great story involving some actual history but through a setting where magical beings have returned to the world and the power balance has shifted. So great to read a story using references to magical beings from different cultures. Narration was clear, easy to distinguish characters but not overly acted.

Fun alternative reality fantasy

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Superb narration and the most well executed Egyptian lesbian supernatural detective story I have ever read! A pleasure to listen to

Absolutely wonderful!

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Loved this! Well-performed, nuanced characters and world. Highly recommend. A refreshing take on the urban fantasy concept.

Read for fun and complexity!

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This book was so surprising, so beautifully written and such a wonderful evocative tale. Lots of strong women, set in Egypt, a bit of mystery, a bit of magic, it is absolutely delightful

An unexpected delight

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this isn't something i usually would've picked out for myself but i'm really glad i did! well narrated and a captivating story, i really enjoyed this.

amazing read

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One of my favourite fantasy settings is the magical Victorian era, usually sprinkled with mystery and nefarious crimes. I thought I would expand my horizons by listening to "A Master of Djinn", set in a magical Egypt in the early 1900s. The author wonderfully describes an alternate Egypt that has risen to power after magic is released into the world. I bought into the djinn but had trouble with the idea that single women would be allowed to work alongside men in this culture. I dutifully suspended my disbelief.

Unfortunately, the protagonist is a mediocre detective, and the mystery isn't very mysterious, but it's a fun ride, and the crimes are pretty nefarious.

A fun adventure in an alternate Egypt

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There is nothing about this story I would change. A beautifully realised world with engaging characters and a narrative that sweeps you along. My only disappointment is that there are not 10 more books set in this world for me to listen to immediately!

The perfect magical historical mystery

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this book is written by someone who uses words like patriarchy and colonisers. be warned.

trigger warnings

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And this one was stillborn by about a quarter of the way in. I felt as though the narrator was reading a children's book. Everything was so hammed up, overly theatrical that I could no longer listen. I wouldn't have a clue about how good the story was because it was massacred by poor narration.

Audiobooks live & die by the quality of narration

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