Dreamdark:Blackbringer

How lovely, I am on vacation. Thus I am at liberty to read and write at my own leisure. However, an indiscretion in blocking a basketball shot caused my right little finger to swell at the first digit, adding inconvenience to my typing experience...

However it has not impaired my eyesight and reading faculties; I have had the pleasure of finishing Laini Taylor's first book in the Dreamdark series. In the Dawn days, the 7 Djinn dream-weaved The Tapestry into existence. This tapestry of magic was what held the world together and gave the world order. Something went wrong soon after - the tapestry was meddled with by a jealous entity known as Blackbringer. It was he who is the father of all devils and snags through his sabotage of the fabric of reality. Faeries were dreamed into existence to combat these mistakes Belletrix, the female champion of Maugruwen, the greatest of the seven Djinn. After the end of the Devil Wars, in which the djinn and their champions bottled up the rogue devils, the djinn deserted the world and Belletrix faded from memory. Unfortunately, mankind was overlooked as a threat, and the seals placed over the vessels did not protect against human meddling.

Enter Magpie Windwitch, granddaughter of the West Wind, and her seven crows. Together, they make it their self appointed task to hunt and recapture the devils who were set free by foolish "mannies", or humans. As the story opens, Magpie has already rebottled twenty-three of the vermin. Tipped off by the West Wind Magpie investigates an abandoned fishing skiff to check for any devil's involvement. She and her travelling family of crows are startled to discover no mess or footprints on the ship, the usual signs of devil's handiwork. Even more unusual, the bottle has been sealed by Maugruwen himself, something unmentioned in faerie history. It is the return of the Blackbringer, who is cloaked in darkness and whose nocturnal stalkings swallow all in its path. Magpie returns to the faerie capital, Dreamdark,to search for information on this mysterious horror whose existence was thought to be a legend. Magpie searches for Maugruwen, the ancient Djinn King, to warn him; the Blackbringer has a vendetta against the djinn -it already destroyed one of the weaker sleeping djinn.

In Dreamdark, other faeries with unusual talents and skills cross paths with Magpie. Poppy Manygreen, a childhood friend who can communicate with plants, and Talon Rathersting, a flightless prince of the guardian clan of Dreamdark. Talon's father and brothers are devoured by the darkness of the Blackbringer. Talon's talent is unprecendented in the history of faerie - he has the skill to knit skins for himself out of spidersilk. He is able to live out his dreams of flying through wearing the skin of a falchon. Previously, only Djinn and elementals like the Winds could fashion temporary flesh in which to roam the earth.

As Magpie and her companions learn more about the origin of the Blackbringer, they discover just how outmatched they are. If that is not enough, The Tapestry, woven by the seven Djinn is unraveling. Magpie, Talon, and Poppy can sense the fabric of reality rending, but what can the created possibly do to save their Creators who dreamed them into existence?

Overall, it is a creative book and I highly recommend it. It is a refreshing breath of air to me to know that there are young writers with the ability to shape words into a whole that sparks readers' minds to life. Laini Taylor, you have made my life that much brighter. Thank you and may your pen's ink never run dry!