The Black God's Drums
A novella.
Rising SFF star P. Djèlí Clark brings an alternate New Orleans of orisha, airships, and adventure to life in his immersive debut novella The Black God's Drums
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 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!” ― Scott Westerfeld, New York Times bestselling author
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P. Djèlí Clark
P. Djèlí Clark’s stories pulse with the energy of the fantastical, weaving together history, magic, and the profound complexities of culture and identity. A voice that stands out in speculative fiction, Clark’s work blurs the boundaries of genres, often blending elements of alternate history, steampunk, and Afrofuturism. His world-building is immersive and rich, creating spaces where the past and future collide in ways that challenge our perceptions of both.
Born in New York and raised by the vibrant storytelling traditions of his family, Clark's imagination has always been fueled by the histories and myths of his heritage. This grounding in history and culture provides a unique lens through which he views the speculative genre, leading to his groundbreaking novels and short stories that resonate with both fantasy and literary audiences. His narratives often draw from African, Caribbean, and African American traditions, embedding them in imaginative settings where the stakes are high, and the characters are as multifaceted as the worlds they inhabit.
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