A Master of Djinn — P. Djèlí Clark

A Master of Djinn -- P. Djèlí ClarkThe fourth book in the Dead Djinn Universe and carrying straight on from where The Haunting of Tram Car 015 left off, with all our favourite characters involved, this really is some great writing.

This trilogy has been my first taste of Djèlí’s writing and i’m very impressed.   His imagination is excellent and his ability to put that imagination into words for all us avid readers is simply marvellous.   I’m certainly going to be reading more of his work in the future: i’m hooked.

All in all, a wonderful blend of steampunk, fantasy and folklore all thrown into an alternative history in Cairo with lots of shenanigans mixed will in.   And it’s great to have main protagonists who are strong women, from different religions, who also happen to be in a same sex relationship.

P. Djèlí Clark’s Page

#fantasy #steampunk #lgbtq #pdjeliclark

The Haunting of Tram Car 015 — P. Djèlí Clark

The Haunting of Tram Car 015 -- P. Djèlí ClarkThe third book in the Dead Djinn Universe, and is very similar to A Dead Djinn in Cairo, although with mostly different characters and a lot more pages to enjoy.

Once again, wonderfully written, keeps on a moving, interesting characters, great descriptions.

The only thing left to do is to read A Master of Djinn, which is a rather good length novel that i’m so looking forward to devouring.

P. Djèlí Clark’s Page

#fantasy #steampunk #pdjeliclark

The Secret Lives of the Nine Negro Teeth of George Washington — P. Djèlí Clark

The Secret Lives of the Nine Negro Teeth of George Washington -- P. Djèlí ClarkIn the anthology, The Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of the Year: Vol 13.

Nine short chapters, each one a comment on each one of Washington’s false teeth that were taken from the mouths of dead slaves, with a nice touch of Djèlí style fantasy added to each.

I wonder how many people actually know that Washington was an avid enslaver of other human beings and owned over 577 slaves during his lifetime?   These things should be told as they should never, ever, be forgotten and Washington’s name should always be associated with the evil he truly embodied in his actions and attitudes towards other human beings throughout his life.

P. Djèlí Clark’s Page

#fantasy #pdjeliclark

A Dead Djinn in Cairo — P. Djèlí Clark

A Dead Djinn in Cairo -- P. Djèlí ClarkThe first book in the Dead Djinn Universe, and what a good start it was.   While it’s only a short story, 36 pages, it’s a very good short story and is packed with great hints as to what the rest of the series is going to be like in this alternative fantasy/steampunk Cairo.

The title gives the beginning away in that a Dead Djinn is found in Cairo by its lover.   A special investigator from the “Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments, and Supernatural Entities” is brought in with a police inspector to investigate and then it’s just non stop until the end.

Then once you’re at the end of this i can’t imagine that any reader wouldn’t want to dive straight into The Angel of Khan el-Khalili, which is the next book in the series.

Great writing, great characters and just plain good stuff for those who like their fantasy mixed up with steampunk elements.

P. Djèlí Clark’s Page

#fantasy #steampunk #pdjeliclark

Ring Shout — P. Djèlí Clark

Ring Shout -- P. Djèlí ClarkA reimagining of a most sickening and horrific history in that supernatural, fantastical, Djèlí style.

This book really made me feel deeply for people who have been — and still are being — treated in such barbaric ways simply for the colour of their skin.   Racism cannot ever be allowed to succeed.

What struck me in this book is the end, where Maryse is sent back out their to cut down the next outbreak of racism.   It reminded me of the United Kingdom, we stood up and beat down the National Front and the BNP and other vile racist groups back in the 20th century, and here we are in the 21st century with more of these sick and twisted fuckheads sprouting ever more groups to spread their hatred.   But, as Djèlí says in the writing of this book, we cannot meet hatred with hatred, if we lower ourselves to their level we become exactly what they want us to be.   We are better than that, we are better than them.

Djèlí’s writing is superb throughout and it’s hardly any wonder that it received the following accolades:

A 2021 Nebula Award Winner
A 2021 Locus Award Winner
 
A New York Times Editor’s Choice Pick!
A Booklist Editor’s Choice Pick!
 
A 2021 Hugo Award Finalist
A 2021 World Fantasy Award Finalist
A 2021 Ignyte Award Finalist
A 2021 Shirley Jackson Award Finalist
A 2021 AAMBC Literary Award Finalist
A 2021 British Fantasy Award Finalist
A 2021 Hurston/Wright Foundation Legacy Award Nominee
A 2020 SIBA Award Finalist
A Goodreads Choice Award Finalist
 
Named a Best of 2020 Pick for NPR | Library Journal | Book Riot | LitReactor | Bustle | Polygon | Washington Post

And now i only have one of Djèlí’s books left to read, and that is If the Martians Have Magic from 2021.

P. Djèlí Clark’s Page

#fantasy #pdjeliclark

Stability — Philip K. Dick

Stability -- Philip K. DickMy aim is to read all of Philip’s books in order, not all at once, but occasionally when i feel the urge to have my head done in a little bit.   And this, my blog/review readers, is Philip’s very first.

While it’s only a little short story, it quite an entertaining one set in a dystopian future with a time machine screwing with people’s heads.

A great beginning to a great writer’s bibliography.

Available in The Collected Stories: Volume 1.

Philip’s Page

#scifi #philipkdick

Private Universe — Seth Rain

Private Universe -- Seth RainAnd so we finally come to the end of this rather enjoyable series.

It’s been pretty much full gas all the way and all the way through you really don’t get much of an idea who is on whose side and what their actual agendas really are until they suddenly reveal themselves and off we go again in a completely new direction.   It’s certainly been an interesting roller coaster ride.

And what a lovely ending, Seth isn’t afraid to kill lots of people that we like along with the ones we don’t: which we always like, don’t we?

I’m certainly looking forward to reading more from Seth in the future.   10 out of 10.

Seth’s Page

#scifi #cyberpunk #sethrain

Nova Igniter — Joseph R. Lallo

Nova Igniter -- Joseph R. LalloYet another good read in the Big Sigma series.

I did feel, however, that this one just fell a little short of the usual fun and shenanigans that we’re used to in this series, and the temporal stuff was a little mind bending at times (but then temporal stuff usually is).   All in all, it felt like a bit of an inbetweeny while we wait for an update on Lex’s love life and racing career.   Still a good read though, and we’ve now ended up with yet another version of Ma permanently in existence: which can’t be all bad.

Roll on the next episode.

Joseph’s Page

#scifi #josephrlallo

Android State — Seth Rain

Android State -- Seth RainWe begin immediately after the events of Messiah Online with Cardinal, having declared the UK an android state, telling all humans to leave the country or die.

Our protagonists, Blake (The Postman) and Lola, are determined to stop him, but how?   Has Cardinal become too powerful?

Once again, super good stuff and it’ll keep you reading until the end and, like me, you’ll go jumping straight into the last book in the tetralogy, Private Universe.

Seth’s Page

#scifi #cyberpunk #sethrain

Wabi Sabi — Sosuke Takahashi

Wabi Sabi -- Sosuke TakahashiIt’s such a shame that a book that is telling us about the things that this book is telling us about could have been translated so poorly.

Or was Sosuke deliberately trying to make this book full of imperfection in some weird sense of ironic humour that i just don’t understand?   Maybe even that’s lost in the translation.

Seriously, if you are going to write books in a language, be sure to have a complete grasp of that language before doing so, if not, then write in your own language and get someone who has a complete grasp and understanding of the language you want the book in to translate it for you.

The content has a lot of good stuff for the reader to consider, but it’s presentation through the woeful English writing just ruins everything this book talks about and makes one think that this writer does no practice what he preaches.

Sosuke’s Page

#japan #wabisabi #sosuketakahashi