Title: Dreamdark - Laini Taylor (I've also seen it listed as Faeries of Dreamdark, but the covers of the books just say Dreamdark)
Media: books
Approx length: 2 books: Blackbringer and Silksinger, both around 400 pages, but they're YA so larger print and hence shorter than that might sound.
Where to find it: Unfortunately, they are out of print. You might check libraries or I know you can still find copies on amazon or abebooks (and I assume similar sites).
What is it, in summary?: Long ago, the world was created from the dreams of 7 Djinn. Even after its creation, the Djinn were active, ruling from their temples and appointing champions who fought and imprisoned devils, who were believed to be created from the mistakes of the Djinn. Their prisons were sealed so that none could open them.
But one day, for unknown reasons, they destroyed their temples and disappeared. Since then, magic has slowly left the world and humans, who were not created by the Djinn, have appeared. Because they did not exist at the time the Djinn vanished, they can open these prisons and have repeatedly done so, releasing devils on a world no longer suited to fighting them.
Magpie Windwitch is an adolescent faerie with unusual talents (and who travels with a murder of crows who are also traveling actors - faeries are tiny in this world) who has dedicated herself to sealing the devils away once more. But this time, she needs help, which ends up revealing secrets about the world and beginning a new age.
What do you love about it?: I really love the setting: it manages to combine a lot of more familiar elements into something that feels new and different. It's fascinating and I love some of the details, like faerie trading caravans that use dragonflies instead of horses or camels. And the characters are great and I really came to care about them.
What sort of things are you likely to request for it?: Unfortunately, it is really clear that the author intended there to be more than 2 books. I have no idea why the others do not exist, but I suspect it's likely a rights issue? But this means I would love more. More worldbuilding would be fantastic: what was the relationship like between the various Djinn? Why did they hide themselves away? How many faeries now have access to their old magical abilities? What are some of the other cultures in the world like? How do birds like the crows fit into faerie society? Other faeries seem to frown on Magpie's relationship with them, but they don't seem to consider it unheard of, nor to find crow actors particularly strange. Or Magpie's parents are essentially anthropologists/archaeologists - tell me about some of their digs and discoveries.
I would also enjoy missing scenes between the characters. These are long journeys they're going on, even for flying creatures. Tell me about what they do to pass the time. Or what is it like to be a Djinn's champion? I'd be especially interested in this for Hirik, who worked so hard for it and yet is brand new to the experience.
Also there are some really obvious canon ships that are mostly only hinted at; I would enjoy seeing those developed.
Lastly, I would obviously love post-canon stuff that continues the story! (But also I promise I do not expect my yuletide author to be Laini Taylor nor to write me the next book.)
Are there sections of canon (rather than the whole canon) that can be consumed by themselves to fulfil your requests, or that showcase particular characters and relationships?: there's probably enough of the first book referenced in the second to get by just reading that one if you had to.
Content warnings (ie, rape, incest, racism, gore/violence): It's pretty violent at times
Dreamdark - Laini Taylor
Media: books
Approx length: 2 books: Blackbringer and Silksinger, both around 400 pages, but they're YA so larger print and hence shorter than that might sound.
Where to find it: Unfortunately, they are out of print. You might check libraries or I know you can still find copies on amazon or abebooks (and I assume similar sites).
What is it, in summary?: Long ago, the world was created from the dreams of 7 Djinn. Even after its creation, the Djinn were active, ruling from their temples and appointing champions who fought and imprisoned devils, who were believed to be created from the mistakes of the Djinn. Their prisons were sealed so that none could open them.
But one day, for unknown reasons, they destroyed their temples and disappeared. Since then, magic has slowly left the world and humans, who were not created by the Djinn, have appeared. Because they did not exist at the time the Djinn vanished, they can open these prisons and have repeatedly done so, releasing devils on a world no longer suited to fighting them.
Magpie Windwitch is an adolescent faerie with unusual talents (and who travels with a murder of crows who are also traveling actors - faeries are tiny in this world) who has dedicated herself to sealing the devils away once more. But this time, she needs help, which ends up revealing secrets about the world and beginning a new age.
What do you love about it?: I really love the setting: it manages to combine a lot of more familiar elements into something that feels new and different. It's fascinating and I love some of the details, like faerie trading caravans that use dragonflies instead of horses or camels. And the characters are great and I really came to care about them.
What sort of things are you likely to request for it?: Unfortunately, it is really clear that the author intended there to be more than 2 books. I have no idea why the others do not exist, but I suspect it's likely a rights issue? But this means I would love more. More worldbuilding would be fantastic: what was the relationship like between the various Djinn? Why did they hide themselves away? How many faeries now have access to their old magical abilities? What are some of the other cultures in the world like? How do birds like the crows fit into faerie society? Other faeries seem to frown on Magpie's relationship with them, but they don't seem to consider it unheard of, nor to find crow actors particularly strange. Or Magpie's parents are essentially anthropologists/archaeologists - tell me about some of their digs and discoveries.
I would also enjoy missing scenes between the characters. These are long journeys they're going on, even for flying creatures. Tell me about what they do to pass the time. Or what is it like to be a Djinn's champion? I'd be especially interested in this for Hirik, who worked so hard for it and yet is brand new to the experience.
Also there are some really obvious canon ships that are mostly only hinted at; I would enjoy seeing those developed.
Lastly, I would obviously love post-canon stuff that continues the story! (But also I promise I do not expect my yuletide author to be Laini Taylor nor to write me the next book.)
Are there sections of canon (rather than the whole canon) that can be consumed by themselves to fulfil your requests, or that showcase particular characters and relationships?: there's probably enough of the first book referenced in the second to get by just reading that one if you had to.
Content warnings (ie, rape, incest, racism, gore/violence): It's pretty violent at times