Rising science fiction and fantasy star P. Djèlà Clark brings an alternate New Orleans of orisha, airships, and adventure to life in his immersive debut novella The Black God’s Drums. Alex Award Winner! In an alternate New Orleans caught in the tangle of the American Civil War, the wall-scaling girl named Creeper yearns to escape the streets for the air–in particular, by earning a spot … air–in particular, by earning a spot on-board the airship Midnight Robber. Creeper plans to earn Captain Ann-Marie’s trust with information she discovers about a Haitian scientist and a mysterious weapon he calls The Black God’s Drums.
But Creeper also has a secret herself: Oya, the African orisha of the wind and storms, speaks inside her head, and may have her own ulterior motivations.
Soon, Creeper, Oya, and the crew of the Midnight Robber are pulled into a perilous mission aimed to stop the Black God’s Drums from being unleashed and wiping out the entirety of New Orleans.
“A sinewy mosaic of Haitian sky pirates, wily street urchins, and orisha magic. Beguiling and bombastic!”–New York Times bestselling author Scott Westerfeld
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A mesmerizing, sprawling alternate history brimming with authenticity and voice. You’ll be bitterly disappointed when it’s over. Clark’s novella will leave you ravenous for more.
P. Djeli Clark has this incredible ability to pack an amazing amount into just a few pages. I’m not one to buy short adult books, but I have made 2 exceptions. One was the Binti Trilogy by Nnedi Okorafor, and the other is The Black God’s Drums by Clark.
Clark knows how to do just enough character development and world building to create a richly layered narrative, but there’s is no doubt that for him, the story is king. It doesn’t stop for a moment, even during times of inner monologue, there is also observation that continues to move the account forward.
There is also a spiritual aspect to the book with the inclusion of Oya and Oshun, orisha or goddesses of storm and water. These characters bring a sense of passion and mischief to the telling.
The most important and unexpected occurrence for me, though, was the development of the city of New Orleans into a character of its own. In the end, the city and the desire of the two main characters to protect it, was the driving force of the action.
This is the second book I have read by P. Djeli Clark, and I look forward to reading more.
An entertaining novella! Nice world building and an interesting take on post-colonial New Orleans!
Steampunk and New Orleans magic blend in this fantastic alternate-universe tale. Young, intrepid Creeper talks her way off the streets and onto an airship crew. The secret she carries might kill her or stop a war… or both.
There is a whole lot of awesome packed into this novella. The world building and characterization are rich and compelling. The voice is so strong and lyrical, every sentence sings. The writing is a work of art. I really hope there are more stories set in this amazing magical alternate history.
Read for 2019 Hugos.
This was the best parts of New Orleans, old gods, vodou, steampunk, and excellent characters all wrapped up into one. Clark does an amazing job pressing so much worldbuilding into this story, and makes the characters jump out of the page. I’ll need to look into reading his other stories.
One thing about having a Kindle, it gets easy to load it up with a lot of eBooks. The Black God’s Drums by P. Djeli Clark has been on my Kindle app for awhile. Also, I attempted to read it twice before I finally got down to finishing it.
A teenager girl named Creeper is tired of living on the streets of late 1800s New Orleans and wants a new direction in her life. She overhears that a famed Haitian scientist will be kidnapped and brought on an airship named Midnight Robber. The scientist has a created a weapon called The Black God’s Drums that can change the course of history if secured by the proper hands.
Also, Creeper has a connection to the African god, Oya who speaks to her telepathically and grants her divine powers. Well, Oya has her own ideas for Creeper’s life and they come into conflict with the teenager’s desire to get aboard the airship.
Clark writes a fast-paced and colorful novella (it is 108 pages long) of New Orleans that was interesting to read. New Orleans is an excellent setting for a fantasy novel and I’m surprised that a lot more fantasy authors have not used the Crescent City as a setting for their novels.
The Black God’s Drums is worth reading, and it seems to be a beginning novella of a series. Clark brings a much-need diversity not only terms of ethnicity but of setting, culture, and religion. If you are looking for a quick summer read, then I would recommend this novella as you can read it in a few hours. I’m looking forward to seeing what Clark writes next.
Such a great book! I picked it up before the Hugo nominations went out and wow, this story totally earns that nomination. Incredible characters, terrific world building, sucked me in and kept me going all the way through. I finished and sat there breathless. It took me a day or so before I could read something else because I was still so deep in this story.
Highly recommend this one!
Creeper is a teenage girl living on the streets of New Orleans in a world where the Civil War came to a messy truce and airships rule the skies. She overhears a plot by Confederate soldiers who have not let go of the war to capture a Haitian scientist who can weaponize storms. Creeper seeks out the captain of an airship to enlist her aid in stopping this plot. Great steampunk and alternate history that captures both the excitement and dark sides of the Crescent City.
The Black God’s Drums by P. Djeli Clark is a fascinating alternative history/world where there is more steampunk but also tribal gods are real. A truly unique world. Wonderful well developed characters that came alive on the pages! The world building was outstanding especially since this was such a short novel. The author put so much into so little space and it turned out great! I will be looking for more books by this author. I got this book from the library.
A superb and elegant blend of alternate history, top-shelf worldbuilding, magic, and steampunk adventure with a unique voice to tie it all together. I can’t wait for more tales in this setting!
Whether you’re new to orisha magic or seasoned in the lore, Clark’s retro-afrofuturistic tale will keep you engrossed in a world of airships, New Orleans, alternative history, and renegade scientists. The language and setting is so authentic you’ll taste the gumbo.
P. Djeli Clark’s novella sunk its teeth into me from the first page, with a narrative voice that perfectly captures the spirit of The Crescent City. It chilled me to the bone, warmed my heart, and had me laughing out loud―sometimes all at once.
This mashup of history and culture has been perfectly distilled into a world fully realized and authentic. AU-THEN-TIC. Down to the sounds and tastes. Clark is a griot of the first order and The Black God’s Drums is a call from the ancestors, an invitation to join in with them to celebrate story.
International intrigue involving the Confederacy, strange science, and hoodoo magic!
Definitely do not miss this lightning fast romp through the steampunk bayous of an alternate New Orleans. Clark’s story bleeds with style, elaborate language, and unforgettable characters who are pulled by the undercurrents of hidden gods.