The Chained Man
2023-2024
Joanne Hoffner is a college graduate eager to start her job as an analyst for the U.S. government. But the posting never mentioned a genie named Bob who was bound to a magic ring.
Tom and Jerry are two young genies on a quest to free their uncle from this ring. It’s their first time on Earth, and once Joanne introduces them to boba tea, sushi, and Aerosmith, they think Earth’s alright.
When Jerry tries to steal the ring, a spell meant to protect government property starts erasing his memory. Only Bob can undo the spell because he once cast it for a wish. But one thing stands in the way — the ring. It has strict instructions to block contact between Bob and other genies. Lucky for them all, Joanne is not a genie.
To rescue her strange new friend, Joanne and Tom must take the ring to a renowned genie who can undo its magic. Slight problem: this genie is in another universe.
Project History
I began this project because I had just finished reading A Dead Djinn in Cairo and thought to myself: what if the government used these genies instead of just…you know, wisely stowing their vessels away? Before I knew it, an entire secret U.S. government department dedicated to studying genies—replete with scientists, mathematicians, linguists (basically, the smartest people money and intrigue can buy)—had sprung into existence.
And then came Bob and the ensemble of silly genies who were essentially immortal clowns (because if you were extremely powerful and invincible, what was there to be grumpy about?) Somewhere along the way, Joanne made herself known—bright, young, and the perfect straight man to the constant foolishness that was these genies; somehow, the youngest member of the cast is the most “mature”. And I made her Vietnamese, too, because why not?
As for the plot, I didn’t know what to do with it at first until I finally decided to address the question that had been nagging at me: where the hell do these genies come from? Well, obviously, they’re from another universe, filled with weird architecture, sentient things that shouldn’t be sentient, and monsters that are the stuff of the most twisted nightmares. Then I chucked my characters in there…and more clowning ensued.
