Title: A Dead Djinn in Cairo (2016)
Author: P. Djèlí Clark
Pages: 45
Series: Fatma el-Sha’arawi #1 (Series Tracker)

P. Djèlí Clark’s short story tells a tale of an alternate Cairo filled with steampunk flourishes, supernatural oddities, and a deadly plot that could destroy the world. Clark packs a complete story into this vivid setting and it works splendidly. A considerable amount of time is spent on exposition, but it’s all fascinating and I imagine it makes this story a great primer for both his 2019 novella and his 2021 novel, which are set in the same world. I’ll surely be checking those out after this excellent start.

★★★★ out of 5