There has been a lot of speculation whether SJM is going to favor us with book/novella about Manon Blackbeak and Dorian Havilliard, recently I saw some fans doubting it, so here’s a list of logical reasons why it’s happening.
1. It’s SJM
This woman writes two 500+ pages books per year, for her it would be a piece of cake.
2. There have already been books focused on side characters
a) Chaol and Yrene - Chaol was one of the most unpopular characters before Tower of Dawn (which made me love him hehe) and she still wrote a 600+ pages long book about him, just imagine what she’d do with the most popular character (Manon) and one of the most popular ones (Dorian).
b)Nesta and Cassian - this is ship is the closest to Manorian equivalent in ACOTAR series, aka starting from a physical relationship that develops into a sentimental one. Also 6th ACOTAR book will be focused on a new characters (most probably Elain)
3. Favoritism
SJM has talked multiple times about her love for these two. When asked about her favorite TOG character, she said Aelin, but Manon was a close second place and she said that she absolutely loves writing her.
In another interview, when asked who she would go on a book tour with and a few similar questions, she answered Dorian.
Now, I haven’t seen all of her interviews ever and I’m not sure how much she loves Nessian and Cahorene (seems to love Nessian a hella lot tho), but it’s definite that Manorian are some of her favorite characters and it’s just logical that she would write about them.
4. Unfinished story/Unresolved feelings
Ships at the end of TOG:
Rowaelin - married
Elorcan- engaged
Lysaedion- engaged
Chaorene- married with a baby on the way
Nestaq- engaged
Manorian- hug and “we’ll see”
All the ships basically got engaged in the last chapter (it’s not like I didn’t like it hehe) and their stories, romantic-wise, were pretty much finished and they have no unresolved tension between them. Manorian on the other hand, have enough of it for all the ships lol.
KOA spoilers ahead!
Keep in mind, Manorian relationship was mostly a sexual one, and they don’t quite yet have a way of communicating their feelings properly. So there is a lot of unaddressed between them, even though they obviously care a lot about each other.
The unresolved things between Manon and Dorian:
““And if I asked you to stay?” / “I’d need a very convincing reason, I suppose.” / “Because I don’t want you to go.” -they just fucked and Dorian left for Morath later, which impacted Manon a lot but they haven’t discussed it
"I even care about you.” - Manon got up and left
“There is only one witch who will be my queen.” - Manon doesn’t know about this
Manon saved Dorian from Valg demon even when Aelin couldn’t. It was the worst thing to happen to Dorian and he still bears scars from it, yet he didn’t have an appropriate situation to thank Manon for it
Dorian knows that Erawan lusted after Manon, which got him pissed of course, and he didn’t have a chance nor time to ask Manon about it. It might be nothing, but if I were Dorain and my girlfriend who doesn’t show feelings was locked up with a crazy guy who has a thing for her, and have seen the way he treats women, I’d be concerned. Erawan was a Valg king, a tough opponent even for Manon. Ifhe had done something to her, and he had plenty of means and opportunities and wish to do so, Manon would never openly tell anyone (maybe Asterin) about it, because it would imply opening up and being weak, which is Manon’s worst fear. Again, SJM, as the Queen of Foreshadowing, wouldn’t just randomly throw in the main villain having a thing for an important character, everything in her books always has a meaning and purpose.
“Would you miss me if I didn’t [come back]?” - Manon didn’t reply
This is how SJM described Manorian marriage: “She would be his wife, his queen. She was already his equal, his match, mirror in so many ways. And with their union, the world would know it.” - and you’re telling me it’s not deserving of its own book? Not just that, Manon asked Dorian for marriage and they, again, just had sex, with Dorian loving the idea but deep down knowing that Manon would feel caged in a marriage. And that attitude won’t just change out of the blue. It takes time and development which is something SJM writes amazingly.
With the Thirteen gone, beside Abraxos Dorian is the only creature Manon cares about.
Dorian’s mortality (although as you’ll see in point #6 I’m sure he’s not human)
The dreaded “You could just marry each other.”/“We’ll see.” (Thanks Yrene :)
5. Foreshadowing
Listen here, SJM IS THE QUEEN OF FORESHADOWING. She thought of a detail (Dorian’s dad’s name) in the first book that would matter in the lastbook. Of course, there are many many many more examples of that, but if we got “We’ll see.” then we’ll fucking see it happen.
6. Unresolved things about Manon and Dorian as individual characters.
Manon and Dorian and both pretty broken at the end of KOA.
Manon lost the Thirteen, the only people she cared about. That is a huge trauma that needs to be addressed, especially with someone so reluctant to show feelings and heal like Manon.
Dorian can’t be human?? He has fae abilities due to his relation to Gavin and Elena even though he’s not even called a demi-fae. He possesses powers no one else does, phantom hands for example, which he didn’t steal like shape-shifting. And Maeve pointed out that due to his father being possessed by Valg when Dorian was sired, it’s possible he got some of the Valg abilities. (Also she said that he’s stronger than Aelin) The main villain, especially written by Queen of Foreshadowing, wouldn’t just let drop it there and that’s it. Also not to mention Dorian’s own struggle with depression and self-worth.
They have both just become rulers of their kingdoms, completely new to it. Dorian has spent a big part of KOA imagining what kind of a king he wants to be (one that will have a witch queen hehe) and it was a major point of his character. And addition to that affecting them as characters, the future of Adarlan and Witch Kingdom could make a good plotline.
7. Other TOG characters
Although pretty much all the readers would die to see Chaorene baby, Lorcan in Perranth, Aelin and Rowan ruling Terrasen, Lysandra and Adeion officially adopting Evangeline, Nesryn and Sartaq becoming Khagan and Empress of Antica, all of these don’t make enough of a plot on its own. They are great side-plots.
We know all of these characters love each other and are happy together, there isn’t that much to be added to their personal stories other than kids. (same way Feyre and Rhys got a baby in Nessian book) Manorian however, they haven’t even kissedwithout it leading to sex, they hugged at the end of KOA and it was the pique of their relationship. Their relationship is merely at the beginning, whereas others have pretty much reached their ultimatum (ofc SJM can decide to add some drama with betrayal, kidnapping, pregnancy etc. but for now everyone is good and settled beside Manorian)
Not to mention the way other relationships would affect them. Chaol, Dorian’s brother, and Yrene, Manon’s wannabe bestie and Manorian shipper, would bring their baby to meet his/her uncle Dorian and aunt Manon, and imagine Manon with a baby lol.
SJM loves Aelin and other characters way too much not to give us an insight on them as married couples, but since her books are huge and it’s her, it needs a plot with drama, addressing traumas, repressed feelings, worldbuilding, and sex, and Manorian’s got all of that.
8. Abraxos
We need more Abraxos, that’s just a fact.
Wow that was a long one. Anyways, in conclusion, we’re getting that Manorian book. Pretty sure it’s gonna a book rather than a novella (TOD was also planned as a novella but then guess what) because there is just SO MUCH possible content.
Aelin Ashryver Galathynius; the Fire-breathing queen.
This is a remake of one of the first fanart pieces I posted here. I wanted to see how much I’d grown in a year of working on my digital painting skills :D
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The full sleeve art for the Barnes & Noble edition of Kingdom of Ash!
I was honored to be involved in the final installment, both Sarah and the series definitely shaped my life a little bit. Hope you all enjoy the final book!
