A Master of Djinn By P. Djèlí Clark Signed Numbered + Rights Subterranean Press

Dust jacket and interior illustrations by Kevin Hong.

We’re pleased to present an oversized, signed limited edition of P. Djèlí Clark’s debut novel, A Master of Djinn. Our edition will be printed in two colors, and include an original introduction, a novella, novelette, and short story in addition to the novel proper.

Kevin Hong has contributed a full color dust jacket, full-color endsheets (different images for the front and back of the book) a full-page black-and-white illustration for each story, as well as a full-color gatefold.

About the Book:

Cairo, 1912. 

Over forty years have passed since al-Jahiz—mystic and inventor, genius or madman—sent magic and djinn pouring back into the world. Cairo has become a place of the supernatural and mechanical wonders, of airships and automatons. In this volume are four stories set in this world.  

A Dead Djinn in Cairo introduces Agent Fatma el-Sha’arawi, of the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments and Supernatural Entities. What starts as an odd suicide case inevitably takes her through the city’s underbelly, revealing a plot that could unravel time itself. 

In The Angel of Khan el-Khalili, a factoryworker Aliaa has come to the souk seeking a miracle—from the clockwork angel said to reside there. But as she will learn, receiving a miracle is no simple task and exacts a price. 

The Haunting of Tram Car 015 features Ministry agents Hamed and Onsi—on the bizarre case of a possessed tram car that may be more than it seems. 

In the novel A Master of Djinn, Agent Fatma must confront the possible return of none other than al-Jahiz. Or someone claiming his name. Racing against time, she must unravel the mystery behind this imposter—or face the possibility he could be exactly who he seems. 

Lettered: 26 signed, specially bound copies, housed in a custom traycase

Limited: 400 signed numbered hardcover copies

From Publishers Weekly (Starred Review):

“Returning to the bustling streets of the alternate 1912 Cairo first visited in the novella A Dead Djinn in Cairo, Clark’s stunning full-length debut follows the adventures of Fatma el-Sha’arawi, a special investigator with the Egyptian Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments, and Supernatural Entities… With this fantastic feat of postcolonial imagination, Clark reconfigures history with a keen, critical eye toward gender, class, and imperialism. Meanwhile, the colorful prose and thorough worldbuilding allow readers to truly enter this imagined world. An epic tale of magic and mystery, this is sure to wow.”

From Library Journal (Starred Review):

“The fantastical worldbuilding highlights the thematic issue of colonialism, spirituality, and race relations, while Clark’s prose provides a cinematic lens to issues of gender and class viewed through Agent Fatma’s investigations and relationships.”

From Booklist (Starred Review):

“Clark deftly explores colonialism and the history of Cairo with an immersive setting that acts as another character in this delightful combination of mystery, fantasy, and romance. Give this to alternate history enthusiasts and mystery readers who enjoy a dose of the magical.” 

From Locus:

“The best way to describe A Master of Djinn is probably absolute gonzo pulp. Anti-colonial, anti-racist pulp (so very unlike old-style pulp), with a thoughtful heart and a deep appreciation for weird and bonkers world building elements… A Master of Djinn is one part mystery story, one part political thriller, and five parts action-adventure…”