The Haunting of Tram Car 015

, #0.3

Paperback, 130 pages

English language

Published Feb. 19, 2019 by Tor.

ISBN:
978-1-250-29480-7
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4 stars (51 reviews)

The Haunting of Tram Car 015 returns to the alternate Cairo of Clark's short fiction, where humans live and work alongside otherworldly beings; the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments and Supernatural Entities handles the issues that can arise between the magical and the mundane. Senior Agent Hamed al-Nasr shows his new partner Agent Onsi the ropes of investigation when they are called to subdue a dangerous, possessed tram car. What starts off as a simple matter of exorcism, however, becomes more complicated as the origins of the demon inside are revealed.

2 editions

reviewed The Haunting of Tram Car 015 by P. Djèlí Clark (Dead Djinn Universe, #0.3)

Review of 'The Haunting of Tram Car 015' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

Wanted something short, and remembered this novella set in 1900s Cairo but with djinn and magic, and I loved how atmospheric it was with the setting, and how the plot was perfect for the size, also the author mixed "real" life subject matters with the fantasy and it was well done^^

Review of 'The Haunting of Tram Car 015' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

God, this was such a fun little romp. It was somehow Alternate History, Science Fiction, Fantasy and a little bit of Horror all at the same time, with an amusing buddy-cop dynamic laid on top of it. All in 130 pages!

Unsurprisingly it was pretty reminiscent of the only other book by this author that I've read, [b:Ring Shout|49247242|Ring Shout|P. Djèlí Clark|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1580134382l/49247242.SY75.jpg|74693559]. Completely different setting and era and vibe, but what they had in common was a desire to tell a story quickly, and leave out anything that wasn't necessary. Sure, there was maybe a paragraph or two of exposition here and there to flesh out the worldbuilding (which I was wholly enraptured with by the way; I haven't enjoyed a setting this much since I read [b:Noor|57632292|Noor|Nnedi Okorafor|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1618407986l/57632292.SY75.jpg|90269668]), but it was never so long as to affect the pace of the story. The personable protagonist, …

Two Agents against a haunted tram car. What could go wrong?

4 stars

Another fascinating story set in the same setting (but after the events) of the author's story, "A Dead Djinn in Cairo", this one has two agents of the Egyptian Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments and Supernatural Entities looking into the possible haunting of an aerial tram car. But what starts off as a possible 'simple' possession by a djinn evolves into something much darker, as further investigations start to reveal the true nature of the spirit occupying the tram car.

Woven into the tale is a background of female emancipation with a vote to be taken to give women the vote, which would give the agents more food for thought in the involvement of women in their work in the future. Quite a number of interesting secondary women characters are in the story, providing some humour and alternative viewpoints.

In the end, the agents solve the case, but not without some …

reviewed The Haunting of Tram Car 015 by P. Djèlí Clark (Dead Djinn Universe, #0.3)

Review of 'The Haunting of Tram Car 015' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

I was surprised by how funny and engaging I found this brief paranormal mystery to be for such a short read. I loved how much culture, history, and fantastical world building was integrated into the story while also telling a captivating story. All of the characters were lovable and quirky in their own unique ways. While not exactly believable, I loved how the story was paced and how dialogue was written. I do think the book benefited from being so short as I don't think the charm of the characters would have lasted for a full length novel. Not sure who would like this kind of book as its a sort of mix between urban fantasy, paranormal, and crime mystery, but I definitely enjoyed it!

reviewed The Haunting of Tram Car 015 by P. Djèlí Clark (Dead Djinn Universe, #0.3)

Review of 'The Haunting of Tram Car 015' on 'Goodreads'

3 stars

I am really starting to like Clark’s writing, at least with each installment of the Dead Djinn Universe that I read. My issue with the first one I read was that it was a tad short and felt it could’ve been further developed; this is exactly what I get in The Haunting of Tram Car 015. We follow two agents this time, Hamed and Onsi, as they work to investigate a rather mundane task (for them): a spirit haunting a tram car. Now, as a person who loves public transit, I found this particularly exciting—I mean, aerial tram cars! How steampunky and cool is that?

With the longer length, Clark also managed to give us more exposition on the characters and the world. As usual, the world is expertly crafted and feels very lived in. Both Hamed and Onsi’s personalities were clear and strong; I especially enjoyed Onsi and …

Review of 'The Haunting of Tram Car 015' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

There is nothing more refreshing than a book that is truly completely new. And this is: Clark imagines a Cairo in which the late industrial revolution was marked by the emergence of djinn and magic. And rather than handle this as a fantastical event, the world simply adapts to this as a newfangled technology: you know, kids run off to the continent to take "alchemical classes" and in my day, high-bred kids just took Latin. And by the way, the steampunk aerial trams are also powered by magic.

Mix this with a strong sense of place: Cairo here is presented as a melting pot of Western Asian, Middle East and African cultures. (Me: Is it Afrofuturism if it's set in Egypt? Jon: Is it about either Cairo or Alexandria being the best in Africa at something? Me: Cairo is the hub of the African dirigible system...so...yes). And then add in …

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