The City of Dreaming Books - Plot

Plot

Optimus Yarnspinner (Hildegunst von Mythenmetz in the original version) is a Lindworm (dinosaur) who inherits his authorial godfather's possessions, including a perfect story written by an unknown author. An aspiring author himself, he travels to Bookholm, the city of dreaming books, in search of the unknown writer. Upon arrival, Yarnspinner falls in love with the city because of its literary appreciation. But beneath Bookholm stretch vast labyrinthine catacombs in which many valuable books lie hidden – but also dangers of unimaginable sorts: Various kinds of monstrous insects and other inconceivable horrors, the deadly Toxicotomes – books which can injure and kill anyone who touches them, blood-thirsty book hunters, and worst of all, the Shadow King.

Yarnspinner is hoping this city of literature can fulfill his hunger for inspiration and help him solve the riddle of the mystery writer and his amazing story. Unfortunately the first real spark of hope gets a shower of questions when he is inexplicably warned for lurking danger and given the advice to flee while he still can. He comes into contact with a publisher in a cafe who directs him to Pfistomel Smyke, an antiquarian bookseller who possesses most of the most valuable books on the market. Smyke happens to control the entire book trade in Bookholm as well as much of the trade throughout Zamonia, using musical hypnosis. When Yarnspinner travels to his house on 333 Darkman Street, Smyke reveals his plan to completely eradicate all forms of art in Zamonia. Then Yarnspinner is tricked into picking up a poisoned book and falls unconscious. He awakes in the famous catacombs of Bookholm, one of the most dangerous places in Zamonia.

Waking up in an unknown place, he makes his way to the surface, but falls victim to a Bookhunter's trap, collapsing part of the catacombs. He finds himself in Unholm, the monster-infested rubbish dump of the catacombs. Wandering out, he falls victim to a Spinxxx, a spider-like monster with many legs, but is rescued by a Bookhunter, who then tricks him into coming to his hideout, where he tries to eat Yarnspinner, but is skilled by an unknown force. Yarnspinner then finds his way to the home of the Fiercesome Booklings, friendly gnomes who live on reading, and are devoted to memorizing the work of their namesake author.

The Booklings home, where they are tending to the dying Colophonius Regenschein, the only good Bookhunter, is attacked by an army of evil Bookhunters, led by Regenschein's mortal enemy, Rongkong Koma. With the Bookling's library in flames, Yarnspinner escapes on the Rusty Gnomes expressway, which takes him to Shadowhall Castle, home of the Shadow King. The Shadow King is the mystery author (his real name never given), a human surgically altered by Smyke, to be taller, stronger, and with impenetrable paper for skin that bursts into flame in contact with sun or moonlight. The Shadow King tutors Yarnspinner in the art of writing, but then decides to take him to Yarnspinner to the surface. After the Shadow King frees the Bookling's library and gains entrance to Smyke's personal library, they are ambushed by the Bookhunters, who are hypnotized into killing each other by the Booklings. After the Booklings leave with their newest addition, named after Yarnspinner, Yarnspinner and the Shadow King head to Smkye's bookshop. The Shadow King kill Smyke by exposing himself to sunlight, and envelopes Smyke in flame, lighting up the shop. Yarnspinner, having fled with the Bloody Book, a Golden list item, strides away from the flaming city, having finally attained the Orm, the universal source of great creativity.