Soh Kam Yung reviewed A Dead Djinn in Cairo by P. Djèlí Clark (Dead Djinn Universe, #0.1)
A good read and intro to the author's version of a Steampunk Egypt with Djinn
4 stars
A fascinating story about an investigator looking into the death of a djinn in a steampunk version of Cairo. The investigation would lead her to conversations with an 'angel', fighting off ghouls and eventually meeting the old gods that the djinn worship from the beginning.
In this story, Cairo has become the heart of its own empire, made possible when a connection was formed with another dimension where djinn and various other spiritual denizens live. Through it, the djinn came, repelled the English and helped set up Cairo as the centre of a steampunk-ish nation with technology and magic.
But as in all tales involving djinn and magic, there is a darker side that is explored by the investigator, but it is only with the help of her wits can she possibly save the world from the hunger of old gods eager to devour mortals.
