The Black God’s Drums

The Black God's Drums is a fantasy novella by P. Djèlí Clark set in an alternate-history New Orleans, a free and neutral city in a version of America reshaped by war. Creeper is a scrappy young teenager who survives on the city's streets and dreams of escaping them. Her best hope is a place on the Midnight Robber, the smuggling airship captained by the formidable Ann-Marie. When Creeper overhears talk of a dangerous weapon and a plot that could threaten New Orleans, she sees a chance to earn that place, and a much bigger adventure begins. Blending airships, gods drawn from West African and Caribbean traditions and a vivid sense of place, the story mixes steampunk adventure with fantasy and alternate history. It was a 2019 Hugo Award finalist for Best Novella.