The Black God's Drums

The world-building in this novella is incredible. Set in an alternate New Orleans where the Civil War is still being fought and airships aid both sides with smuggling, this little book packs a huge punch. Follow a thief and a pilot as they battle dark forces to keep a deadly weapon out of enemy hands. I only wish this book was longer! Recommended By Bethany O., Powells.com

Rising science fiction and fantasy 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.

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 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 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.” Justina Ireland, author of Dread Nation

"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.” Daniel H. Wilson, bestselling author of Robopocalypse and The Clockwork Dynasty

“A sinewy mosaic of Haitian sky pirates, wily street urchins, and orisha magic. Beguiling and bombastic!” Scott Westerfeld, New York Times bestselling author

Born in New York and raised mostly in Houston, P. Djèlí Clark spent the formative years of his life in the homeland of his parents, Trinidad and Tobago. His writing has appeared in Daily Science Fiction, Heroic Fantasy Quarterly, Lightspeed, Tor.com, and in print anthologies including Griots I & II, Steamfunk, Myriad Lands, and Hidden Youth. The Black God's Drums is his debut novella.