I want to end 2020 by reading more novellas. My goal is at least two a month especially since I have a few from Tor.com that I NEED to read! The Black God’s Drums is one of the ones that was on my TBR. And I did it! Keep reading this book review to see what I thought about one of Djèlí Clark’s earlier novellas.
Summary
Creeper, a scrappy young teen, is done living on the streets of New Orleans. Instead, she wants to soar, and her sights are set on securing passage aboard the smuggler airship Midnight Robber. Her ticket: earning Captain Ann-Marie’s trust using a secret about a kidnapped Haitian scientist and a mysterious weapon he calls The Black God’s Drums.
But Creeper keeps another secret close to heart–Oya, the African orisha of the wind and storms, who speaks inside her head and grants her divine powers. And Oya has her own priorities concerning Creeper and Ann-Marie…
Review
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
The Black God’s Drums is a story about the power and bargains made by the gods. This alternate history novella immediately transports you to a world of steamships, new borders, and intolerance. So much of The Black God’s Drums is detailed and rich. I loved the way the folklore came alive on the pages. The fear, respect, and power of the gods. At the same time, Creeper’s character is clever, resourceful, and compassionate. She just wants to see the world, and she’s prepared to use all her skills to leave.
You know those stories where you would read whole books about the side characters? That’s how I felt while reading The Black God’s Drums. Every one of Djèlí Clark’s novellas have these unique ideas and endings that could spawn so many fantastic sequels. I just want them all okay? It’s a story about the friendships we make for the right reasons, and the ways we become attached to a place without knowing it.
Find The Black God’s Drums on Goodreads, Amazon, Indiebound, Bookshop.org & The Book Depository.