What do you think?
Rate this book
The Lost and Founds #2
King Mai
Adopted from Thailand and never one to fit in with the local bubbas, life has been rough around the edges for Mai Kearns, even before he came out of the closet. Now, almost ten years past the torture of high school, Mai still can't catch a break: he and his parents stand to lose their beloved farm.
How will a “King Weekend” help change Mai’s fate? What has narrator Vin Vanbly been up to for the four weeks he’s been sneaking around Mai’s hometown? At the urging of a ransom note from ‘The Lost Kings,’ Mai embarks on an impossible treasure hunt chasing mystic poetry, Fibonacci Hopscotch, ancient prophecy, the letter ‘x,’ and a confounding, penguin-marching army.
The stakes are high: if Mai fails, the Lost Kings will permanently claim him as their own. Finding the treasure may unlock the secret to saving his family farm. But can this angry farmer risk opening his broken heart before the weekend is over? Mai Kearns has 40 hours to get very, very curious in this second installment of The Lost and Founds.
How will a “King Weekend” help change Mai’s fate? What has narrator Vin Vanbly been up to for the four weeks he’s been sneaking around Mai’s hometown? At the urging of a ransom note from ‘The Lost Kings,’ Mai embarks on an impossible treasure hunt chasing mystic poetry, Fibonacci Hopscotch, ancient prophecy, the letter ‘x,’ and a confounding, penguin-marching army.
The stakes are high: if Mai fails, the Lost Kings will permanently claim him as their own. Finding the treasure may unlock the secret to saving his family farm. But can this angry farmer risk opening his broken heart before the weekend is over? Mai Kearns has 40 hours to get very, very curious in this second installment of The Lost and Founds.
350 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 13, 2013
4 people are currently reading
299 people want to read
About the author
Edmond Manning
15 books166 followersEdmond Manning has always been fascinated by fiction: how ordinary words could be sculpted into heartfelt emotions, how heartfelt emotions could leave an imprint inside you stronger than the real world. Mr. Manning never felt worthy to seek publication until recently, when he accidentally stumbled into his own writer’s voice that fit perfectly, like his favorite skull-print, fuzzy jammies. He finally realized that he didn’t have to write like Charles Dickens or Armistead Maupin, two author heroes, and that perhaps his own fiction was juuuuuuust right, because it was his true voice, so he looked around the scrappy word kingdom that he created for himself and shouted, “I’M HOME!” He is now a writer.
In addition to fiction, Edmond enjoys writing non-fiction on his blog, www.edmondmanning.com. When not writing, he can be found either picking raspberries in the back yard or eating panang curry in an overstuffed chair upstairs, reading comic books.
In addition to fiction, Edmond enjoys writing non-fiction on his blog, www.edmondmanning.com. When not writing, he can be found either picking raspberries in the back yard or eating panang curry in an overstuffed chair upstairs, reading comic books.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews
August 16, 2015
MANNING 1, GENAO 0, OT FINAL.
I held it together all the way through.
i got this.
All. The way. Through.
i got this—
Until the pictures on the pump.
—shit.
Pain and pleasure at once—grief and joy—and isn't that always how it is, anyway?
not this again.
I put the book down.
just breathe, dude—it'll pass.
Not too bad, this time. With the blubbering.
thaaaaat's it—just like that—keep breathing.
It was like lightning: there... and then not.
i bet chris pine doesn't cry over heartwarming crap like this.
I recovered quickly.
mmm. chris pine.
Renewed, I took up this book once more.
not today, manning.
A sense of triumph mounted in me. I was almost thrumming with it.
in yo face, you crafty little shit.
I swept through the final three pages wearing a grimly determined smile, my loins girded for war. I was going to make it.
i told you. i got this.
And I did—
ohfuck.
—until the very last line.
fuckfuckfuck.
Which hit me like a fist in the throat.
fuuuuuuuuuuuuu
Which was—unlike my loins—insufficiently girded.
uuuuuuuuuuuuuu
Evidently.
uuuuuuuuuuuuck.
So: the works.
damn you, manning.
With the sniveling and the sobbing and the whatever.
damn you to hell.
Which, you know, on balance, I probably should have anticipated.
one of these days, asshole—i will defeat you.
Given that the previous book left me so dehydrated from the weeping that I looked like a naked Ringwraith.
on that fine day, sir, i will not be moved.
Which was pretty fucking intense, you know?
I will not feel pain. I will not feel joy.
All these different emotions.
i will most certainly under no circumstances be made to laugh.
All at once. A feelzy sneak-attack, like my own little Emo Pearl Harbor. I was laid waste.
and it wasn't the fucking whiskey, either, because I only had one little shot, like, three hours ago.
By the convergence of all these little details—objects—snatches of dialogue—images.
i'm not your bitch, manning.
Beautiful, heartbreaking, uplifting images. My distress was inevitable.
i mean it—one day, i'm gonna win this shit.
Ah, well.
i totally will.
Maybe next time.
you watch.
Maybe next time I'll manage to get through an entire Edmond Manning book without some kind of breakdown.
one of these days.
One of these days, right?
jerkface!
Just not today.
I held it together all the way through.
i got this.
All. The way. Through.
i got this—
Until the pictures on the pump.
—shit.
Pain and pleasure at once—grief and joy—and isn't that always how it is, anyway?
not this again.
I put the book down.
just breathe, dude—it'll pass.
Not too bad, this time. With the blubbering.
thaaaaat's it—just like that—keep breathing.
It was like lightning: there... and then not.
i bet chris pine doesn't cry over heartwarming crap like this.
I recovered quickly.
mmm. chris pine.
Renewed, I took up this book once more.
not today, manning.
A sense of triumph mounted in me. I was almost thrumming with it.
in yo face, you crafty little shit.
I swept through the final three pages wearing a grimly determined smile, my loins girded for war. I was going to make it.
i told you. i got this.
And I did—
ohfuck.
—until the very last line.
fuckfuckfuck.
Which hit me like a fist in the throat.
fuuuuuuuuuuuuu
Which was—unlike my loins—insufficiently girded.
uuuuuuuuuuuuuu
Evidently.
uuuuuuuuuuuuck.
So: the works.
damn you, manning.
With the sniveling and the sobbing and the whatever.
damn you to hell.
Which, you know, on balance, I probably should have anticipated.
one of these days, asshole—i will defeat you.
Given that the previous book left me so dehydrated from the weeping that I looked like a naked Ringwraith.
on that fine day, sir, i will not be moved.
Which was pretty fucking intense, you know?
I will not feel pain. I will not feel joy.
All these different emotions.
i will most certainly under no circumstances be made to laugh.
All at once. A feelzy sneak-attack, like my own little Emo Pearl Harbor. I was laid waste.
and it wasn't the fucking whiskey, either, because I only had one little shot, like, three hours ago.
By the convergence of all these little details—objects—snatches of dialogue—images.
i'm not your bitch, manning.
Beautiful, heartbreaking, uplifting images. My distress was inevitable.
i mean it—one day, i'm gonna win this shit.
Ah, well.
i totally will.
Maybe next time.
you watch.
Maybe next time I'll manage to get through an entire Edmond Manning book without some kind of breakdown.
one of these days.
One of these days, right?
jerkface!
Just not today.
August 7, 2013
I think Edmond Manning is a genius.
Honestly, there is no other explanation. How does he come up with these fantastical, hilarious, heartbreaking, complicated stories that come together so perfectly in the end? HOW!? That or magic. He possibly sold his soul to make this story work out so beautifully. And it really did. It was an amazing story.
This book reminds me a lot of Melina Marchetta's writing in that little details that don't seem important, weave together to become this huge, cosmic masterpiece. Edmond Manning has a true way with words. I liked this book even more than "King Perry", which came before it (which I recommend you read before you read this one).
How can I describe this book? It is like a fairytale that combines erotica, humor, poignancy, mystery and adventure. Like with the first, I had no idea what was going to happen next. However, in this book (because I knew that I was going to be clueless going into it), I just sat back and enjoyed the journey.
I think I also liked Mai better than Perry. Mai was one feisty bastard. He was hurt and had all of these walls up and it took a lot of effort on Vin's part to break him down. Mai was so interesting and strong. I loved him and felt like I knew him well. Vin... don't even get me started on Vin. I don't think I have ever been so curious about a character in my life. Edmond Manning inserts these little snippets that give us tiny hints about Vin's past. I was like a little chipmunk, collecting and storing facts to try to piece together the mystery that is Vin. He is an enigma wrapped in a conundrum. I need to know more about him. I want his story. Like now. Please, don't make me beg Mr. Manning.
What really sold me on this one was that as emotional and difficult this book could be at times, it was simultaneously hilarious. Like so freaking witty. For example, Mai and Vin have this easy banter between them that involves calling each other "Mary" and "Mare" like from Mary Tyler Moore. The inserts of Mare/Mary were so perfect.
"Now that is one helluva man's kiss."
"Thanks, Mare," he says softly.
"Ewwwww." I push him away. "Not while kissing."
Lots of other moments were so funny in a you-had-to-be-there kind of way. But they broke up the book when it got to be too confusing or too intense. And this book was intense. The reader is incredibly connected to Vin and Mai and personally invested in their stories.
This series has limitless possibilities. Will the experience of reading about a "King's Weekend" ever get old? Maybe. But I'm confident that Edmond Manning will find new and brilliant ways to keep this series interesting. He is just that good.
**Copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review**
Honestly, there is no other explanation. How does he come up with these fantastical, hilarious, heartbreaking, complicated stories that come together so perfectly in the end? HOW!? That or magic. He possibly sold his soul to make this story work out so beautifully. And it really did. It was an amazing story.
This book reminds me a lot of Melina Marchetta's writing in that little details that don't seem important, weave together to become this huge, cosmic masterpiece. Edmond Manning has a true way with words. I liked this book even more than "King Perry", which came before it (which I recommend you read before you read this one).
How can I describe this book? It is like a fairytale that combines erotica, humor, poignancy, mystery and adventure. Like with the first, I had no idea what was going to happen next. However, in this book (because I knew that I was going to be clueless going into it), I just sat back and enjoyed the journey.
I think I also liked Mai better than Perry. Mai was one feisty bastard. He was hurt and had all of these walls up and it took a lot of effort on Vin's part to break him down. Mai was so interesting and strong. I loved him and felt like I knew him well. Vin... don't even get me started on Vin. I don't think I have ever been so curious about a character in my life. Edmond Manning inserts these little snippets that give us tiny hints about Vin's past. I was like a little chipmunk, collecting and storing facts to try to piece together the mystery that is Vin. He is an enigma wrapped in a conundrum. I need to know more about him. I want his story. Like now. Please, don't make me beg Mr. Manning.
What really sold me on this one was that as emotional and difficult this book could be at times, it was simultaneously hilarious. Like so freaking witty. For example, Mai and Vin have this easy banter between them that involves calling each other "Mary" and "Mare" like from Mary Tyler Moore. The inserts of Mare/Mary were so perfect.
"Now that is one helluva man's kiss."
"Thanks, Mare," he says softly.
"Ewwwww." I push him away. "Not while kissing."
Lots of other moments were so funny in a you-had-to-be-there kind of way. But they broke up the book when it got to be too confusing or too intense. And this book was intense. The reader is incredibly connected to Vin and Mai and personally invested in their stories.
This series has limitless possibilities. Will the experience of reading about a "King's Weekend" ever get old? Maybe. But I'm confident that Edmond Manning will find new and brilliant ways to keep this series interesting. He is just that good.
**Copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review**
June 23, 2013
King Mai is a wonderful book, in quite a different way from King Perry, the book that comes before it. It took me about two chapters to realize what a good thing that is.
King Perry is not a story that could be told over and over. For all the title, King Perry is really not about Perry, but about Vin Vanbly, the narrator. Even though it's told from Vin's POV, it's cagey, slowly revealing Vin in increments. King Perry is a magic show, sucker-punching the laughs out of the reader in bursts of incredulous absurdity. It is also lovely and full of wonder, but the heart of King Perry is the growing discovery of who and what Vin is. That discovery is far from complete by the end of Book 1, but there is enough lifting of the curtain to give you a feel for the magician. Some of Vin's methods and his history become known by the time that shifting kaleidescope of a book is done.
So when King Mai opens, there is a moment of almost disappointment. The reader knows too much about Vin to experience that same wonder. Of course he has that prepared, and no wonder there are water bottles there. That's how Vin operates. It's cool, but, like watching a magic show after the tricks have been explained, that sense of startled wonder is gone.
It took me a few pages to realize that I was simply experiencing this book differently, more deeply and emotionally. That doesn't mean there aren't surprises, and humor. I laughed out loud over and over. But it was a warmer softer laughter, and at the same time, I cared more. Both about Vin and about Mai.
In King Perry, I liked Perry, but I didn't care deeply about him. And while I was fascinated by Vin, getting to know him, and therefore to become invested in him, was slow. My response to Vin was constantly revised and derailed by the shifts and plot-twists, as he changed form and intention based on the clues at hand. By the end of King Perry, I wished Perry well, but didn't have a burning desire to know what became of him. And I had just come to some kind of stable picture of Vin, and to feel some of his depth. The book was a tour-de-force of the mind and the senses, but not yet of the heart.
In this second book, I came fairly quickly to care about Mai. There was a vulnerable strength to this Midwestern farmer that was palpable, and admirable. I cared about his threatened farm, and his lost first love, and all the things that hurt him. And because I had already decided that Vin is a complicated man, with a wealth of personal pain and history underneath the choices he makes, I cared about him too. So this book was more like watching a painting, rather than a magic show. There were lovely colors, and tender brush-strokes. I didn't know what the end product would be, but I trusted the artist and was fascinated by the process. For this book, I did really care what became of Mai down the road, and loved the little epilogue at the end. Just perfect.
This is still not a gay romance. This is one more saga in the story of Vin Vanbly, enigma, magician, lost child and brilliant manipulator, as he makes his way through the world. He affects other lives, while looking for the truths that will impact his own. There is a happy ending again, but not a HEA or even an HFN. But it's a journey well worth making, and I trust this writer to bring us home safely in the end... by book 6. Ah, hell, four more years?? Well, it will be worth the wait, and the journey along the way promises to be spectacular.
Highly recommended, but read Book 1, King Perry, first. (Chronologically, this book happens to be set earlier in time, but it absolutely is second in the sequence, and there is no flash-back feel to it.)
I received a free advance copy of this from the author - it was unconditional, but how could I resist writing a review?
King Perry is not a story that could be told over and over. For all the title, King Perry is really not about Perry, but about Vin Vanbly, the narrator. Even though it's told from Vin's POV, it's cagey, slowly revealing Vin in increments. King Perry is a magic show, sucker-punching the laughs out of the reader in bursts of incredulous absurdity. It is also lovely and full of wonder, but the heart of King Perry is the growing discovery of who and what Vin is. That discovery is far from complete by the end of Book 1, but there is enough lifting of the curtain to give you a feel for the magician. Some of Vin's methods and his history become known by the time that shifting kaleidescope of a book is done.
So when King Mai opens, there is a moment of almost disappointment. The reader knows too much about Vin to experience that same wonder. Of course he has that prepared, and no wonder there are water bottles there. That's how Vin operates. It's cool, but, like watching a magic show after the tricks have been explained, that sense of startled wonder is gone.
It took me a few pages to realize that I was simply experiencing this book differently, more deeply and emotionally. That doesn't mean there aren't surprises, and humor. I laughed out loud over and over. But it was a warmer softer laughter, and at the same time, I cared more. Both about Vin and about Mai.
In King Perry, I liked Perry, but I didn't care deeply about him. And while I was fascinated by Vin, getting to know him, and therefore to become invested in him, was slow. My response to Vin was constantly revised and derailed by the shifts and plot-twists, as he changed form and intention based on the clues at hand. By the end of King Perry, I wished Perry well, but didn't have a burning desire to know what became of him. And I had just come to some kind of stable picture of Vin, and to feel some of his depth. The book was a tour-de-force of the mind and the senses, but not yet of the heart.
In this second book, I came fairly quickly to care about Mai. There was a vulnerable strength to this Midwestern farmer that was palpable, and admirable. I cared about his threatened farm, and his lost first love, and all the things that hurt him. And because I had already decided that Vin is a complicated man, with a wealth of personal pain and history underneath the choices he makes, I cared about him too. So this book was more like watching a painting, rather than a magic show. There were lovely colors, and tender brush-strokes. I didn't know what the end product would be, but I trusted the artist and was fascinated by the process. For this book, I did really care what became of Mai down the road, and loved the little epilogue at the end. Just perfect.
This is still not a gay romance. This is one more saga in the story of Vin Vanbly, enigma, magician, lost child and brilliant manipulator, as he makes his way through the world. He affects other lives, while looking for the truths that will impact his own. There is a happy ending again, but not a HEA or even an HFN. But it's a journey well worth making, and I trust this writer to bring us home safely in the end... by book 6. Ah, hell, four more years?? Well, it will be worth the wait, and the journey along the way promises to be spectacular.
Highly recommended, but read Book 1, King Perry, first. (Chronologically, this book happens to be set earlier in time, but it absolutely is second in the sequence, and there is no flash-back feel to it.)
I received a free advance copy of this from the author - it was unconditional, but how could I resist writing a review?
April 20, 2016
Screw percolating, gonna lance it.
My second king weekend, and if I thought the first was difficult then I underestimated how much pain knowing what is coming causes. Ended this one numb. Not because it was anything I didn't expect, but more because it was painful in its bare honesty. It isn't that anyone likes to lie, but the truth hurts.
Vin comes to DeKalb, a university/farming town to king Mai. There is a special backstory of kinging and though one can certainly read this story without it's predecessor, I think the experience is enriched by having already taken a trip with Vin. It allows you to concentrate less on the process, the wild twists and turns, and focus on Mai and how he's dealing with it.
Kinging isn't a ceremony; it's a trial.
There is so much stark honesty: pain, disappointment, fear, anger, love radiating through the story that it is exhausting, overwhelming, and leaves you shell-shocked. I read ridiculously fast, but I had to stop several times while reading this because it was so intense.
It takes that knife, stabs you, twists, and then kisses the wound. Even though that wound heals with the kiss, you still feel it. Like a ghost. It's fucking traumatizing.
Interspersed throughout is absolute moments of hilarity, laughing out loud, even as you drag the pieces of yourself back together again, and Krazy glue them. There are unpretentious moments of eroticism. Earthly pleasure that takes your breath away in their delight not of perfection of form or performance, but rather the purity of the characters investment in each other and that moment.
King Mai might be the most magnificent king there is for it is his gift of curiosity that reveals more of Vin.
Vin, the elusive manipulator with a heart so big and accepting of others. I lied to myself while reading this so I wouldn't be upset since I had suspected things that were revealed about Vin. Too close. I desperately want to read the next book, but I need to push back regroup. Wait for the ripples to settle down.
Overall, a love story that's not just one man for another, but a love story for one's self.
Favorite quote:
A Found King understands that asking for help isn’t a weakness—it’s an opportunity. We all want to be invited.
My second king weekend, and if I thought the first was difficult then I underestimated how much pain knowing what is coming causes. Ended this one numb. Not because it was anything I didn't expect, but more because it was painful in its bare honesty. It isn't that anyone likes to lie, but the truth hurts.
Vin comes to DeKalb, a university/farming town to king Mai. There is a special backstory of kinging and though one can certainly read this story without it's predecessor, I think the experience is enriched by having already taken a trip with Vin. It allows you to concentrate less on the process, the wild twists and turns, and focus on Mai and how he's dealing with it.
Kinging isn't a ceremony; it's a trial.
There is so much stark honesty: pain, disappointment, fear, anger, love radiating through the story that it is exhausting, overwhelming, and leaves you shell-shocked. I read ridiculously fast, but I had to stop several times while reading this because it was so intense.
It takes that knife, stabs you, twists, and then kisses the wound. Even though that wound heals with the kiss, you still feel it. Like a ghost. It's fucking traumatizing.
Interspersed throughout is absolute moments of hilarity, laughing out loud, even as you drag the pieces of yourself back together again, and Krazy glue them. There are unpretentious moments of eroticism. Earthly pleasure that takes your breath away in their delight not of perfection of form or performance, but rather the purity of the characters investment in each other and that moment.
King Mai might be the most magnificent king there is for it is his gift of curiosity that reveals more of Vin.
Vin, the elusive manipulator with a heart so big and accepting of others. I lied to myself while reading this so I wouldn't be upset since I had suspected things that were revealed about Vin. Too close. I desperately want to read the next book, but I need to push back regroup. Wait for the ripples to settle down.
Overall, a love story that's not just one man for another, but a love story for one's self.
Favorite quote:
"You surrender to grief and failure and inevitable death. With whatever time remains, you play."
October 5, 2023
5/10/2023: Re-read. Still ⭐️5⭐️ a decade later.
Original 2013 review :
Reading a book by Edmond Manning is an experience like no other. When I read King Perry just under three weeks ago I was totally blown away by just how different and unique it was, and by the sheer brilliance of Edmonds ability to take what could have been just another m/m romance and turn it into one of the most innovative love stories I think I've ever read, and in my opinion even though they could never be classed as classic romances I still see them as love stories in all senses of the word. King Perry left me in a state of awe and wanting more so when I realised that I only had a few weeks to wait before king Mai, - book two of the Lost &Founds - was released I was really excited.
I knew it was going to be awesome because it was another chance to reconnect with Vin Vanbly one of the most enigmatic characters ever invented, I had already fallen in love with him big time and this book just reinforced my love .Plus its written by a man who could write the phonebook and make it a 5 star read! But I wasn't sure that Mai's story could have had the same gut punching impact because having read Perry's amazing off the wall journey with Vin, and knowing the ins and outs of the Kinging process which was so surprising the first time round, my thought was " How the hell can he really follow that? " .... HAH! Did I really say I knew all the ins and outs of the process? .... Well colour me stupid because boy was I wrong!
King Mai might have the same concept as before but honestly it couldn't be more different. This book is set in 1996 three years before Vin ' Kings ' Perry so the Vin we meet here isn't as confident that this weekend with Mai, who is much harder to manipulate and certainly no pushover, will actually succeed. There are a few sticky moments when Mai ( who I grew to adore ) has Vin backed into a corner and unsure that he can keep their treasure hunt through the fields of corn and the small midwestern town of DeKalb on track but in true Vin style he turns it back his way by being his own sneaky, manipulative but endearing self and before you know it once again you're reading, open mouthed, wide eyed with your heart beating fast enough to give you palpitations as he leads Mai on his quest to becoming the king of Curiousity.
Another thing I loved about King Mai were the odd almost magical visions of the future brought on them both because of hallucinating in the corn rows, some linking to Perry (and of course at this point in the story Vin doesnt know Perry exists) and some I think that will actually occur in stories yet to come and thats why the series must be read in order. We're given mere snippets into Vins past but each one leads to the realisation that this is only the tip of the iceberg as far as this enchanting mysterious man is concerned and as more is revealed its becoming more obvious why- sadly- he can he never maintain a long term relationship with any of his beloved kings yet, even though he truly falls in love with them and they with him. He's a complex damaged individual but he's far from gloomy or maudlin. Larger than life, he oozes character. This is a man with a big personality and a huge heart and that's why everyone falls in love with him including us as readers. This is truly clever writing!
Unusual, Exciting, heartbreaking, funny, crazy, exasperating, sexy, unpredictable, bizarre, poignant,... this episode is all that and much more. I laughed at Vin and Mai's wacky banter, giggled and snorted at Vins sense of humour which is both ultra sharp AND really goofy. Had countless weepy moments at the poignancy that is never far from the surface in Mai's journey and sobbed at the beautiful epilogue in which Mai pays homage to Vin and touched me on a very deep level. Then I went back to the prologue with its quirky little poem and finally understanding its true meaning ...sobbed again!
There are so many things I feel I want to mention but that would mean this review would just meander on forever! Like all books that leave you feeling so strongly effected, its hard to truly put into words how amazing, stories like these make you feel and I don't think I could ever really do it the justice I personally feel it deserves but I do know that I'm in for the whole journey now, however many ' Kinging's ' it takes before Vin meets the one who will finally heal him.
I also think I highlighted almost half the book because Edmonds writing style is sublime. One of my favourite parts being a moment involving Mai, butterflies and the most beautiful way of saying thank you without saying any words at all..... And yes I cried! Just awesome.
Original 2013 review :
Reading a book by Edmond Manning is an experience like no other. When I read King Perry just under three weeks ago I was totally blown away by just how different and unique it was, and by the sheer brilliance of Edmonds ability to take what could have been just another m/m romance and turn it into one of the most innovative love stories I think I've ever read, and in my opinion even though they could never be classed as classic romances I still see them as love stories in all senses of the word. King Perry left me in a state of awe and wanting more so when I realised that I only had a few weeks to wait before king Mai, - book two of the Lost &Founds - was released I was really excited.
I knew it was going to be awesome because it was another chance to reconnect with Vin Vanbly one of the most enigmatic characters ever invented, I had already fallen in love with him big time and this book just reinforced my love .Plus its written by a man who could write the phonebook and make it a 5 star read! But I wasn't sure that Mai's story could have had the same gut punching impact because having read Perry's amazing off the wall journey with Vin, and knowing the ins and outs of the Kinging process which was so surprising the first time round, my thought was " How the hell can he really follow that? " .... HAH! Did I really say I knew all the ins and outs of the process? .... Well colour me stupid because boy was I wrong!
King Mai might have the same concept as before but honestly it couldn't be more different. This book is set in 1996 three years before Vin ' Kings ' Perry so the Vin we meet here isn't as confident that this weekend with Mai, who is much harder to manipulate and certainly no pushover, will actually succeed. There are a few sticky moments when Mai ( who I grew to adore ) has Vin backed into a corner and unsure that he can keep their treasure hunt through the fields of corn and the small midwestern town of DeKalb on track but in true Vin style he turns it back his way by being his own sneaky, manipulative but endearing self and before you know it once again you're reading, open mouthed, wide eyed with your heart beating fast enough to give you palpitations as he leads Mai on his quest to becoming the king of Curiousity.
Another thing I loved about King Mai were the odd almost magical visions of the future brought on them both because of hallucinating in the corn rows, some linking to Perry (and of course at this point in the story Vin doesnt know Perry exists) and some I think that will actually occur in stories yet to come and thats why the series must be read in order. We're given mere snippets into Vins past but each one leads to the realisation that this is only the tip of the iceberg as far as this enchanting mysterious man is concerned and as more is revealed its becoming more obvious why- sadly- he can he never maintain a long term relationship with any of his beloved kings yet, even though he truly falls in love with them and they with him. He's a complex damaged individual but he's far from gloomy or maudlin. Larger than life, he oozes character. This is a man with a big personality and a huge heart and that's why everyone falls in love with him including us as readers. This is truly clever writing!
Unusual, Exciting, heartbreaking, funny, crazy, exasperating, sexy, unpredictable, bizarre, poignant,... this episode is all that and much more. I laughed at Vin and Mai's wacky banter, giggled and snorted at Vins sense of humour which is both ultra sharp AND really goofy. Had countless weepy moments at the poignancy that is never far from the surface in Mai's journey and sobbed at the beautiful epilogue in which Mai pays homage to Vin and touched me on a very deep level. Then I went back to the prologue with its quirky little poem and finally understanding its true meaning ...sobbed again!
There are so many things I feel I want to mention but that would mean this review would just meander on forever! Like all books that leave you feeling so strongly effected, its hard to truly put into words how amazing, stories like these make you feel and I don't think I could ever really do it the justice I personally feel it deserves but I do know that I'm in for the whole journey now, however many ' Kinging's ' it takes before Vin meets the one who will finally heal him.
I also think I highlighted almost half the book because Edmonds writing style is sublime. One of my favourite parts being a moment involving Mai, butterflies and the most beautiful way of saying thank you without saying any words at all..... And yes I cried! Just awesome.
July 25, 2013
It's hard to know what to say to do this series justice. These books are like none other I've ever read. I was a teeny bit worried I wouldn't love King Mai as much as King Perry, but it was every bit as enchanting, surprising, humorous and moving as the first. Mai is a fabulous character, and Vin is still as fascinating mystery.
I still don't know how Edmond manages to write books that are so profound, funny, sexy and surreal all at once, but which remain utterly grounded in reality. You can really feel the corn all around you while reading this. I was spellbound.
Also, I cried pretty much continuously through the epilogue. It wasn't sad, so much as beautifully moving, despite the sadness several key characters reveal throughout the book.
Reading King Perry had a definite effect on the way I live my life, leading me to accept and treasure a part of myself I've pretty much kept squashed out of sight for many years. It sounds a little trite to call a book life-changing, but this series honestly was for me.
I think everyone should read these books. I'm going to buy them in paperback and lend them to friends. And then I'll have to go and buy more, because I bet they'll lend them to other friends in turn and I'll never see them again :)
Edmond, I hope you're busy writing the next book!
I still don't know how Edmond manages to write books that are so profound, funny, sexy and surreal all at once, but which remain utterly grounded in reality. You can really feel the corn all around you while reading this. I was spellbound.
Also, I cried pretty much continuously through the epilogue. It wasn't sad, so much as beautifully moving, despite the sadness several key characters reveal throughout the book.
Reading King Perry had a definite effect on the way I live my life, leading me to accept and treasure a part of myself I've pretty much kept squashed out of sight for many years. It sounds a little trite to call a book life-changing, but this series honestly was for me.
I think everyone should read these books. I'm going to buy them in paperback and lend them to friends. And then I'll have to go and buy more, because I bet they'll lend them to other friends in turn and I'll never see them again :)
Edmond, I hope you're busy writing the next book!
November 7, 2014
Manning's voice welcomed me and enveloped me like a warm blanket. With King Mai, we continue with our story about finding our way back to love, through love. I know this is fiction but most of the time it does not feel like that, it feels like a metaphor of our lives and if I let go of the anger and surrender and cry, then I too will be on my way back.
Like Perry, I love Mai but my heart bleeds for Vin, he breaks my heart and I cry for him. He is less polished here than in King Perry and gives us more pieces of himself, offering them up as if afraid that we will not treat them with care and trample them in the dust. So that act of offering takes so much more courage.
In old Maltese the word Kalb means heart so to me the choice of setting this story in DeKalb is more than fitting. He takes my heart, puts it through the wringer and when it comes out its different. It has been touched. Mr Manning does not know me, I follow him on social media but that is the extent of our contact. But Mr Manning writes for me, he is able to finger bits of me that I keep well protected.
July 15, 2013
I absolutely loved book one in this series, King Perry, so I have been dying to read this. King Mai takes place three years before. Why that seems odd, it makes perfect sense for Vin's character to not tell his story in order. Where is the fun in that? I have a feeling that at the end of this six book series the pieces of this mysterious kaleidoscope that is Vin's story will finally click together to create a final, beautiful image.
But getting there is not going to be easy.
Mai is so completely different than Perry. Stubborn, analytical, very much a born leader - he makes everything about the king weekend more difficult than it has to be. But that is, of course, what makes this book so much fun. I mean, how many cornfields can you run through looking for clues before you go completely crazy? Mai, and the reader, are often in turns both frustrated and charmed with Vin and his methods. But - stay with it through the end as Mai's adventure unfolds. This is truly a beautiful book. I still get teary when I think about the tiny prologue that made no sense until it suddenly....did.
These stories are definitely not your traditional m/m HEA romance. I mean I *love* reading these. I want the picket fence, interviews with surrogates - EVERYTHING. I love the fairy tale. But this is a fairy tale too, just not in the usual way I am used to reading them. Someone shows you, I mean *really* shows you how to open your heart? Break through what is pushing you under water every day? If that is not a love story, then I don't know what is.
"We are all destined for Spring."
Can't wait to read book three.
But getting there is not going to be easy.
Mai is so completely different than Perry. Stubborn, analytical, very much a born leader - he makes everything about the king weekend more difficult than it has to be. But that is, of course, what makes this book so much fun. I mean, how many cornfields can you run through looking for clues before you go completely crazy? Mai, and the reader, are often in turns both frustrated and charmed with Vin and his methods. But - stay with it through the end as Mai's adventure unfolds. This is truly a beautiful book. I still get teary when I think about the tiny prologue that made no sense until it suddenly....did.
These stories are definitely not your traditional m/m HEA romance. I mean I *love* reading these. I want the picket fence, interviews with surrogates - EVERYTHING. I love the fairy tale. But this is a fairy tale too, just not in the usual way I am used to reading them. Someone shows you, I mean *really* shows you how to open your heart? Break through what is pushing you under water every day? If that is not a love story, then I don't know what is.
"We are all destined for Spring."
Can't wait to read book three.
October 20, 2014
Things happen in a cornfield. Life begins again. Farmers know this. But you have to love the corn for the magic to work. All your love, no holding back.
Edmond Manning is an amazing storyteller. To witness a playful ease, with that he flirts, juggles with words, phrases and expressions is H-Y-P-N-O-T-I-C. He blew me away with King Perry. It was an unforgettable read, nothing compare with, different from everything I've read before. I enjoyed every single line in it. I LOVED King Perry. King Mai was Okay.
Until the ending.
As I see, I'm in a tiny minority here, but let me explain WHY I didn't experience the same exhilaration with King Mai as I felt during reading King Perry. Believe me - I wanted it. But I didn't.
Until the ending.
Maybe one of the main reasons WHY I like it less is the special concept of the story - in King Mai I knew already the rules and I knew how the game should be played. The surprising effect, the WOW-WTF-WHAT'S GOING ON effect, that was the most important part of the game in the first book was lost. Even if I still have a lot of questions about Vin Vanbly, I knew already more about him when I started King Mai. The whole King story appeared in a totally new light.
A magical shine around the story has faded.
The magic of the beautiful words and writing remained.
But it is not always ONLY about the writing, isn't it?
Edmond Manning plans 6 installments. Some more King Weekends before Vin meets his love? 4 x 3 days more before a REAL spark between him and one of the Lost Kings will ignite? But is it about King Perry, King Mai or what ever King will come about? Is it not always ONLY about the Lost King Vin?
Back to King Mai.
I couldn't really feel with him. He is not my favourite Lost and Found King. I loved Perry's background story much much more than of Mai. What Vin achieved with his King Weekend with Perry was from the emotional intensity for me not to compare with his King Weekend with Mai. I don't mean the ending, but up to the moment before they parted and before
The location of the story.
Vin in DeKalb.
Mai in a cornfield.
Alice in Wonderland.
The endless FARM landscapes with an old FARMland and financial worries about the FARM and the night's running in cornfields surrounding the FARM. Well, let me say I prefer giving second chances to homeless starfish to treasure hunt.
San Francisco via DeKalb. San Francisco won.
And then came the ending. The most beautiful, the most mesmerizing part of the book. HEARTBREAKING. EMOTIONAL. I resisted but he got me. With the ending. It deserves alone many many many shining stars!!
Edmond Manning can write an outstanding ending. Yes, it is true, not a lot of authors can do it on this strong emotional chord. HE CAN!! You read the last chapter, the last paragraph, the last sentence, the last line, the last word and....you think...no, you can't think at all. YOU.ARE.SPEECHLESS. AGAIN. WOW...FUCK, IT WAS STUNNING!!!!!
But it is not always only about the ending, isn't it?
Please forgive me, but I LOVED KING PERRY MORE. .
I will wait WITH ALL MY PATIENCE for a next book!!!!
P.S I'd recommend NOT to read this book directly after King Perry. Wait for a while, let your feelings calm down. Maybe you can understand it and enjoy it much better. For sure a book to love more by the second read.
July 10, 2013
Reviewed on Hearts On Fire.. http://heartsonfirereviews.com/
I think that this may be the best book that I've read this year and I would give it six stars if I could. For those who read Mr. Manning's first book, King Perry, this book far surpasses its predecessor. King Perry spent a lot of time introducing Vin Vably, the Found King maker. In King Mai we get to see Vin weave his magical and often mind numbing manipulating of people. Vin Vably is a manipulating bastard using everything at his disposal to crown his Found King and that is meant as a compliment.
King Mai introduces us to Mai Kearns, a young loner living in DeKald, IL. and helping to work his family's soon to be foreclosed on farm. He loves farming but has never fit into DeKalb or it's farming community. His first and only love left him alone and somehow Mai lost his zest for life. He has been chatting online with Vin Vably for six months in an AO chat room. Vin offers Kai a King weekend and Mai accepts. We are taken on a wild ride over a weekend of deception, manipulation, laughs, love and some outright lies as Vin tries to crown the Found King of Curiosity.
This is not a romance story even though Vin and the angry, frustrated Mai love each other. It is a beautifully written story of self-rediscovery that had me laughing and crying at its sweet perfection. Written from Vin's POV, the story flows extremely well even with all of Vin's crazy stories and antics. I in awe of the way Mr. Manning pulled emotions from me so easily. At least it seemed easy to me as the reader. I was touched at how much love, hard work and planning Vin put into making Mai's weekend a success. The mantra "I Love The Corn" brought a smile to my face as Mai ever so slowly fell under Vin's spell. The story is an easy almost lyrical read that I couldn't put down once I started it. The unique HEA ending blew me away and left me with tears of happiness filling my eyes. It would help a new reader to read King Perry first but I do not believe that it is entirely necessary. I can guarantee though that after reading King Mai you will want to read King Perry. I cannot recommend this feel good book strongly enough.
I think that this may be the best book that I've read this year and I would give it six stars if I could. For those who read Mr. Manning's first book, King Perry, this book far surpasses its predecessor. King Perry spent a lot of time introducing Vin Vably, the Found King maker. In King Mai we get to see Vin weave his magical and often mind numbing manipulating of people. Vin Vably is a manipulating bastard using everything at his disposal to crown his Found King and that is meant as a compliment.
King Mai introduces us to Mai Kearns, a young loner living in DeKald, IL. and helping to work his family's soon to be foreclosed on farm. He loves farming but has never fit into DeKalb or it's farming community. His first and only love left him alone and somehow Mai lost his zest for life. He has been chatting online with Vin Vably for six months in an AO chat room. Vin offers Kai a King weekend and Mai accepts. We are taken on a wild ride over a weekend of deception, manipulation, laughs, love and some outright lies as Vin tries to crown the Found King of Curiosity.
This is not a romance story even though Vin and the angry, frustrated Mai love each other. It is a beautifully written story of self-rediscovery that had me laughing and crying at its sweet perfection. Written from Vin's POV, the story flows extremely well even with all of Vin's crazy stories and antics. I in awe of the way Mr. Manning pulled emotions from me so easily. At least it seemed easy to me as the reader. I was touched at how much love, hard work and planning Vin put into making Mai's weekend a success. The mantra "I Love The Corn" brought a smile to my face as Mai ever so slowly fell under Vin's spell. The story is an easy almost lyrical read that I couldn't put down once I started it. The unique HEA ending blew me away and left me with tears of happiness filling my eyes. It would help a new reader to read King Perry first but I do not believe that it is entirely necessary. I can guarantee though that after reading King Mai you will want to read King Perry. I cannot recommend this feel good book strongly enough.
July 21, 2013
I can't stress enough how much I loved King Perry so I was a little worried about this second book. Maybe it wouldn't have the same magic, the same awe, the same complete and utter confusion for me because I know Vin now and I know about King Weekends. Wrong! I realised when I started reading that what I know amounts to the tiniest, teeniest tip of the Vin Vanbly iceberg. He continues to perplex and bamboozle the reader at every turn while offering tantalising glimpses of himself in the process.
People will argue that the books in this series are not true romances because they don't follow conventional patterns and end with traditional HEAs but, for me, these are the best kind of beautiful love stories filled with joy and sorrow and true love. My heart was completely committed to the journey with Mai and Vin and I laughed and cried and loved as they did.
I can't wait for the series to continue so that I can learn more about Vin. I know what I hope will happen at the end of the final book but I am putting that to one side so that I can enjoy what promises to be one hell of a ride.
If you haven't read this series all I can say is why not?
People will argue that the books in this series are not true romances because they don't follow conventional patterns and end with traditional HEAs but, for me, these are the best kind of beautiful love stories filled with joy and sorrow and true love. My heart was completely committed to the journey with Mai and Vin and I laughed and cried and loved as they did.
I can't wait for the series to continue so that I can learn more about Vin. I know what I hope will happen at the end of the final book but I am putting that to one side so that I can enjoy what promises to be one hell of a ride.
If you haven't read this series all I can say is why not?
January 26, 2015
This is going to be a very short review because I’m still reliving Cookie Night.
I loved King Perry but this book … I loved it even more.
Because Mai is feisty and tough and sharp and challenges Vin relentlessly.
Because Vin is not as experienced and confident as in King Perry and watching him struggle to keep in the moment made me care for him more.
Because, even though the reasons why Mai had become a Lost King are no less heartbreaking than Perry’s, this book is so much fun – I laughed so hard at Vin’s shenanigans and goofiness.
Because what King Mai does for the Lost King Vin is the most precious gift one could give.
Because it made me realize how glad I am that I am a curious person.
Favourite quotes:
”Compassion where there is no cause for kindness defines the Found Ones.”
“People can be pretty wonderful when they are their ordinary best.”
“He loves the corn.
I love the corn.
Two very short sentences but still wasteful by farmer standards, as all the important words are jammed into the first half.”
ETA: So I read chapters 4 to 7 from King Daniel and now that I know where Vin is 1993 I’m dying to read The Butterfly King. But I’m going to try and restrain my curiosity and save it for the holidays.
July 18, 2013
I loved Edmond Manning's first book, King Perry. I loved it so much that although I was really excited about the release of this book, I was a little nervous, too. I think a good first book, especially when it's also the first in a series, puts a huge burden on the author. They set the bar so high it almost seems inevitable that they will fail to follow it up. As a reader, I have come to know that I have to manage my expectations, especially as there is always a selfish part of me that wants more, that wants the next book to be even better.
I can't say that King Mai is better than King Perry. I can say that it's as least as good as King Perry. I can say that I read it with wide eyes, sometimes gasping at Vin Vanbly's audacity, sometimes grinding my teeth in sympathetic frustration with Mai Kearns. I can say that it made me cry and it made me laugh out loud. I can say that even when I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about it. I resisted the temptation to race through it, instead savouring it a little at a time, forcing myself to put it down and do something else while I digested what I had just read.
King Mai is set a few years before King Perry. The Vin Vanbly we meet is less experienced and, although he hides them well from Mai, we are allowed to see his doubts, the little mistakes he makes. Vin is still an enigma; we get very little of his background until the very end of the book, when he tells Mai a heart-wrenching tale to illustrate why the world needs a King of Curiosity. Mai is a very different protagonist to Perry. He's full of anger and sees adversity everywhere, even when it doesn't exist. Mai is a man under siege.
Mai struggled so much with everything that Vin asked of him. This is so vividly portrayed that I really expected him to tell Vin to piss off, even when I was telling myself that he couldn't, because if he did there wouldn't be a book about him. I couldn't see how Vin was going to convince him, but he does, and convincingly, too.
While King Mai felt like a different flavour to King Perry, it has many of the same ingredients. Joy, sorrow, grief, magic, manipulation, craziness, all bound together with love. Vin's love for Mai leaps off every page. It is a kind of tough love; he knows that the process will hurt Mai but, ultimately, Mai will be better for it. It is a selfless love, because Vin knows that when there weekend is over he will leave, as he always does. Vin spares himself nothing, he offers his heart without reservation because Mai is a King and deserves no less.
When I read King Perry, I knew I was reading something special. It was so utterly and refreshingly different to anything else I'd read. It filled me with a sense of wonder that I hadn't experienced in a long time. I thought of it as a modern fairy tale. I am filled with the same sense of wonder by King Mai, but am more inclined think of these books as modern mythology. Fantastical tales of ordinary men transformed by epic battles with monsters and saving their world.
Last, but not least, the writing. The writing is gorgeous. I don't know enough about it to tell you what is good or why it is good. What I can say is that I'm not a visual person, but I see the things that Vin and Mai see. I can hear the corn rustling and smell the dirt. There's a singer I particularly like, James Vincent McMorrow. I love his voice, soft and husky. When I listen to him, it always feels like he's singing just to me. Edmond Manning's writing makes me feel the same way. Like he's sitting with me, spinning his story just for me. I can almost see his hands move as he talks. I'm beginning to think that Edmond Manning could publish his shopping list and it would be a pleasure to read.
I can't say that King Mai is better than King Perry. I can say that it's as least as good as King Perry. I can say that I read it with wide eyes, sometimes gasping at Vin Vanbly's audacity, sometimes grinding my teeth in sympathetic frustration with Mai Kearns. I can say that it made me cry and it made me laugh out loud. I can say that even when I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about it. I resisted the temptation to race through it, instead savouring it a little at a time, forcing myself to put it down and do something else while I digested what I had just read.
King Mai is set a few years before King Perry. The Vin Vanbly we meet is less experienced and, although he hides them well from Mai, we are allowed to see his doubts, the little mistakes he makes. Vin is still an enigma; we get very little of his background until the very end of the book, when he tells Mai a heart-wrenching tale to illustrate why the world needs a King of Curiosity. Mai is a very different protagonist to Perry. He's full of anger and sees adversity everywhere, even when it doesn't exist. Mai is a man under siege.
Mai struggled so much with everything that Vin asked of him. This is so vividly portrayed that I really expected him to tell Vin to piss off, even when I was telling myself that he couldn't, because if he did there wouldn't be a book about him. I couldn't see how Vin was going to convince him, but he does, and convincingly, too.
While King Mai felt like a different flavour to King Perry, it has many of the same ingredients. Joy, sorrow, grief, magic, manipulation, craziness, all bound together with love. Vin's love for Mai leaps off every page. It is a kind of tough love; he knows that the process will hurt Mai but, ultimately, Mai will be better for it. It is a selfless love, because Vin knows that when there weekend is over he will leave, as he always does. Vin spares himself nothing, he offers his heart without reservation because Mai is a King and deserves no less.
When I read King Perry, I knew I was reading something special. It was so utterly and refreshingly different to anything else I'd read. It filled me with a sense of wonder that I hadn't experienced in a long time. I thought of it as a modern fairy tale. I am filled with the same sense of wonder by King Mai, but am more inclined think of these books as modern mythology. Fantastical tales of ordinary men transformed by epic battles with monsters and saving their world.
Last, but not least, the writing. The writing is gorgeous. I don't know enough about it to tell you what is good or why it is good. What I can say is that I'm not a visual person, but I see the things that Vin and Mai see. I can hear the corn rustling and smell the dirt. There's a singer I particularly like, James Vincent McMorrow. I love his voice, soft and husky. When I listen to him, it always feels like he's singing just to me. Edmond Manning's writing makes me feel the same way. Like he's sitting with me, spinning his story just for me. I can almost see his hands move as he talks. I'm beginning to think that Edmond Manning could publish his shopping list and it would be a pleasure to read.
October 24, 2014
Fiction at its exhilarating, revealing and heart-pounding finest.
Thank you, Edmond, for sharing your dreams…
This story felt restrained, contained, and in all good ways. Mai is the personification of that need for restraint, containment. At least in his mind. This is in beautiful contrast to his true need but current inability to be completely free with his heart. Enter: Vin Vanbly.
Mai has a pretty healthy and active BS detector when it comes to Vin, though. This makes for naturally recurring stand-offs, of varying levels. As a result, we get to know more about each of them, what is between them, what is beyond the both of them and how it can all lead to possibly being found.
There is a line in chapter three that boldly displays what Vin himself is looking for, even if he hasn’t quite yet been able to allow himself to try… that we know of. Mai is instrumental in creaking open the doorway to this life’s desire of Vin’s. I too believe in the “big green”.
”I believe in the rich, green love which binds us all. I find myself outside that connection most days, but I recognize it. I appreciate it, and want it for my life!”
This speaks both to what Vin is searching for and the fact that Mai is a good match, a foil, a support for Vin in his endeavor. This story feels it is as much about Vin’s struggles as it is about Mai’s. I love this. It’s a skeptical, humorous, painful, sexy and tender metaphorical and emotional boxing match. There be ducking and weaving, y’all, ducking and weaving. And exploratory examination. And celebratory joy.
It takes heart to write like this, with no barriers between the words and the reader, me. You have to be able to look into the hearts of others, but more importantly, into your own. That’s not always easy. It’s the only path that comes with a taste of a guarantee that the connection will be made, that readers will understand, and implore for more. Yet at the same time that I feel that ghost touch to my soul, it’s all too much. I dart back and forth between the never ending need for more, while placing my foot on the breaks, screeching to an emotional halt.
There’s no way for me to prove this, but it feels like this author’s heart is on display here, openly. His own heart.
If I’m breaking it down to the level of individual words themselves, you’ll get to sip, drink, gulp and dribble those very words. Imbibe with impunity. I did.
There is humor, of course: clever connections, clumsy laughter and more fun with words. Yes! (Though, even this is subject to some self-examination and revelation on Vin’s part.) I had more than one “HA!” moment, with several heh’s for excellent measure.
This story will make you take a look at yourself. Well, at least it did that to me. I was essentially already in that place, unexpectedly and reluctantly, to examine my own life, my heart. Until you’re found, even when you’re found, it’s a life-long project to remain found. Both Mai and Vin are working through all of the difficult issues that can keep that “found” existence from becoming a reality.
Vin, I want you to be found.
It feels like I haven’t spoken too much about “book detail”, but so much of it would feel spoiler-ish. I want you to meet everyone for the first time on your own, i.e. supporting characters that all play important roles in revealing truths by turning expectation on its head. You know about the two main characters (wow, they feel like ‘more’ than that) and you know (because I told you!) the writing is … well, there aren’t enough superlatives. Pick one. G’head, say one inside your head, or even out loud, and you’ll hear me telling you, yes, that’s right.
Towards the end of reading this book, I suddenly realized my heart was beating faster than usual, continuously, and that I was a bit lightheaded. It felt like things were slowing down in my head, an attempt to compensate for the increase in speed taking place in those invisible yet very real parts of my heart.
If you’re on the fence, make this one of those times you take the leap of faith. It’ll be frightening and exhilarating, but I promise it’ll all be worth it once you eventually land. I haven’t yet, just FYI. Yup, I’m still flying through the corn, and it feels like home and a brand new place to explore all at once.
Anyone can and should read this book. Family, heartache, assumptions, misinterpretations, hope, failure, fear, love, loss, forgiveness, understanding and eating cookies (or not) at 2:00 AM all await you. Everyone can relate to every single one of these things. You know, universal.
I would recommend you first read King Perry, then read King Mai, then turn right around and re-read King Perry – I’m about halfway through doing that very thing at the time I’m posting this. KP is even more fulfilling the second time around. A rare and fist-pump worthy experience.
Bonus: I now have two, count ‘em, TWO all-time favorite cornfield scenes. Yes, it is a thing.
Thank you, Edmond, for letting us see a part of the king inside of you.
Thank you, Edmond, for sharing your dreams…
This story felt restrained, contained, and in all good ways. Mai is the personification of that need for restraint, containment. At least in his mind. This is in beautiful contrast to his true need but current inability to be completely free with his heart. Enter: Vin Vanbly.
Mai has a pretty healthy and active BS detector when it comes to Vin, though. This makes for naturally recurring stand-offs, of varying levels. As a result, we get to know more about each of them, what is between them, what is beyond the both of them and how it can all lead to possibly being found.
There is a line in chapter three that boldly displays what Vin himself is looking for, even if he hasn’t quite yet been able to allow himself to try… that we know of. Mai is instrumental in creaking open the doorway to this life’s desire of Vin’s. I too believe in the “big green”.
”I believe in the rich, green love which binds us all. I find myself outside that connection most days, but I recognize it. I appreciate it, and want it for my life!”
This speaks both to what Vin is searching for and the fact that Mai is a good match, a foil, a support for Vin in his endeavor. This story feels it is as much about Vin’s struggles as it is about Mai’s. I love this. It’s a skeptical, humorous, painful, sexy and tender metaphorical and emotional boxing match. There be ducking and weaving, y’all, ducking and weaving. And exploratory examination. And celebratory joy.
It takes heart to write like this, with no barriers between the words and the reader, me. You have to be able to look into the hearts of others, but more importantly, into your own. That’s not always easy. It’s the only path that comes with a taste of a guarantee that the connection will be made, that readers will understand, and implore for more. Yet at the same time that I feel that ghost touch to my soul, it’s all too much. I dart back and forth between the never ending need for more, while placing my foot on the breaks, screeching to an emotional halt.
There’s no way for me to prove this, but it feels like this author’s heart is on display here, openly. His own heart.
If I’m breaking it down to the level of individual words themselves, you’ll get to sip, drink, gulp and dribble those very words. Imbibe with impunity. I did.
There is humor, of course: clever connections, clumsy laughter and more fun with words. Yes! (Though, even this is subject to some self-examination and revelation on Vin’s part.) I had more than one “HA!” moment, with several heh’s for excellent measure.
This story will make you take a look at yourself. Well, at least it did that to me. I was essentially already in that place, unexpectedly and reluctantly, to examine my own life, my heart. Until you’re found, even when you’re found, it’s a life-long project to remain found. Both Mai and Vin are working through all of the difficult issues that can keep that “found” existence from becoming a reality.
Vin, I want you to be found.
It feels like I haven’t spoken too much about “book detail”, but so much of it would feel spoiler-ish. I want you to meet everyone for the first time on your own, i.e. supporting characters that all play important roles in revealing truths by turning expectation on its head. You know about the two main characters (wow, they feel like ‘more’ than that) and you know (because I told you!) the writing is … well, there aren’t enough superlatives. Pick one. G’head, say one inside your head, or even out loud, and you’ll hear me telling you, yes, that’s right.
Towards the end of reading this book, I suddenly realized my heart was beating faster than usual, continuously, and that I was a bit lightheaded. It felt like things were slowing down in my head, an attempt to compensate for the increase in speed taking place in those invisible yet very real parts of my heart.
If you’re on the fence, make this one of those times you take the leap of faith. It’ll be frightening and exhilarating, but I promise it’ll all be worth it once you eventually land. I haven’t yet, just FYI. Yup, I’m still flying through the corn, and it feels like home and a brand new place to explore all at once.
Anyone can and should read this book. Family, heartache, assumptions, misinterpretations, hope, failure, fear, love, loss, forgiveness, understanding and eating cookies (or not) at 2:00 AM all await you. Everyone can relate to every single one of these things. You know, universal.
I would recommend you first read King Perry, then read King Mai, then turn right around and re-read King Perry – I’m about halfway through doing that very thing at the time I’m posting this. KP is even more fulfilling the second time around. A rare and fist-pump worthy experience.
Bonus: I now have two, count ‘em, TWO all-time favorite cornfield scenes. Yes, it is a thing.
Thank you, Edmond, for letting us see a part of the king inside of you.
July 12, 2013
Well there was never any doubt that I would give 5 stars to the wonderful King Mai, however to be appropriate they should be 5 ears of corn. Or maybe 5 butterflies. :) Once you read the book you'll understand.
I was given an advance copy of King Mai and I was so excited -- excited to step once again into the magical, fairytale world of the Lost and Founds and Vin Vanbly.
I loved King Perry but I really really loved the character of Mai in this second book. Mai is a no-nonsense midwestern farmer. The big difference between this book and Perry is that Perry was completely clueless to Vin, to the Lost and Found King stories. Mai has been chatting with Vin for months online and already knows of some of the King stories form Vin's webpage, and this was one of my favorite joys of the book. Because Mai is excited and thrilled to go on a King Weekend with VIn and we get to go right along the ride with him--we get to experience his exuberance and wonder and curiosity as he takes his journey with Vin. Of course it is not all fun and games, Mai gets very frustrated at times and I loved seeing him get angry at Vin. As all King's do, Mai's journey is tough and emotional and many times he wants to give up. But the transformation we get to see Mai go through is uplifting and he accepts the mantle of King very well.
Vin -- This book takes place three years before King Perry, and we see a slightly different Vin than we did in Perry. It is subtle, but he is more together, more focused on the King weekend. In Perry he let slip a lot of information about himself, he was fraying a bit at the edges. In the end, though, we do learn one very tough, very tragic thing about Vin's past, another puzzle block in figuring out just who he is and why he does what he does.
The tale Edmond has spun for us in book two of this series is both humorous and beautiful, heartbreaking and magical. And I will never look at corn the same way again. :)
I was given an advance copy of King Mai and I was so excited -- excited to step once again into the magical, fairytale world of the Lost and Founds and Vin Vanbly.
I loved King Perry but I really really loved the character of Mai in this second book. Mai is a no-nonsense midwestern farmer. The big difference between this book and Perry is that Perry was completely clueless to Vin, to the Lost and Found King stories. Mai has been chatting with Vin for months online and already knows of some of the King stories form Vin's webpage, and this was one of my favorite joys of the book. Because Mai is excited and thrilled to go on a King Weekend with VIn and we get to go right along the ride with him--we get to experience his exuberance and wonder and curiosity as he takes his journey with Vin. Of course it is not all fun and games, Mai gets very frustrated at times and I loved seeing him get angry at Vin. As all King's do, Mai's journey is tough and emotional and many times he wants to give up. But the transformation we get to see Mai go through is uplifting and he accepts the mantle of King very well.
Vin -- This book takes place three years before King Perry, and we see a slightly different Vin than we did in Perry. It is subtle, but he is more together, more focused on the King weekend. In Perry he let slip a lot of information about himself, he was fraying a bit at the edges. In the end, though, we do learn one very tough, very tragic thing about Vin's past, another puzzle block in figuring out just who he is and why he does what he does.
The tale Edmond has spun for us in book two of this series is both humorous and beautiful, heartbreaking and magical. And I will never look at corn the same way again. :)
May 24, 2016
As someone who competes in scavenger hunts for adults, the quest to find the painted corn appeals to me. This series is centered around an interesting concept that focuses on personal development through time pressured challenges, adversity, and sleep deprivation. It's kind of like Project Runway, but with sex.
I have lots of questions about this whole king weekend thing, and no doubt some will be answered when I carry on with the series. Still, if anyone has answers to my questions (speculative or known fact) please share.
Are there other king makers out there besides Vin?
How did Vin become a king maker?
How ofter does a king weekend go down the growler?
Are there heterosexual kings?
Does a king weekend always involve sex?
If the previous 2 questions are yes, do het kings get female king makers?
Are women ever kinged?
I have lots of questions about this whole king weekend thing, and no doubt some will be answered when I carry on with the series. Still, if anyone has answers to my questions (speculative or known fact) please share.
Are there other king makers out there besides Vin?
How did Vin become a king maker?
How ofter does a king weekend go down the growler?
Are there heterosexual kings?
Does a king weekend always involve sex?
If the previous 2 questions are yes, do het kings get female king makers?
Are women ever kinged?
September 27, 2013
On re-read (aka the reason i was book-drunk yesterday): everything i said in my original review remains true. But i am going to with-hold further judgment irt vin's backstory. Mr Manning, i trust you. I am going to be more open when reading your future books, and trust that you know what you're doing. All my love.
If you've read King Perry, you might have an expectation out of this book. I read them back to back, so I was comparing them pretty closely.
The prose in King Mai is a little more mundane. The adventure is a little more wholesome.
It's also funnier, and I think Manning got some things right with comedic timing in King Mai to make it more of a fun read.
I did have a moment in this story I *really* disliked-- but for the most part found the story enchanting and really fun to read.
I will say this--the food in this book grossed me out. I can't handle the corndog in the back pocket thing or corn dogs in general, and the . So to save my sanity, I just started looking at all the food references as farce, and that made the book even funnier. Well done, Manning, you grossed me into laughing.
But, the real gift in this story is Cookie Night. Cookie Night made me bawl like a baby.
If you've read King Perry, you might have an expectation out of this book. I read them back to back, so I was comparing them pretty closely.
The prose in King Mai is a little more mundane. The adventure is a little more wholesome.
It's also funnier, and I think Manning got some things right with comedic timing in King Mai to make it more of a fun read.
I did have a moment in this story I *really* disliked-- but for the most part found the story enchanting and really fun to read.
I will say this--the food in this book grossed me out. I can't handle the corndog in the back pocket thing or corn dogs in general, and the . So to save my sanity, I just started looking at all the food references as farce, and that made the book even funnier. Well done, Manning, you grossed me into laughing.
But, the real gift in this story is Cookie Night. Cookie Night made me bawl like a baby.
July 27, 2013
He is the manipulator and the instigator; he is the King of Evasion; he is the King of Subterfuge, the King of Truth and the King of Fabrication. He is pain and he is pleasure. He is the King of Destiny, the Director King. He is the algorithm and the fulcrum. He is the enigma. He is the Destroyer King and the Restorer King. He is the Weaver King who knits the threads of the Lost Kings into the intricate tapestry of the Found. He is the King of the Lost waiting to be discovered. He is the outsider. He is the Human Ghost who sacrifices for the sake of loving with all his love. He is the King of Provocation. He is the paradox.
This is only part of what Lisa had to say about this book. To see the full review click the link and check it out over at The Novel Approach
http://thenovelapproachreviews.com/20...
This is only part of what Lisa had to say about this book. To see the full review click the link and check it out over at The Novel Approach
http://thenovelapproachreviews.com/20...
September 5, 2013
Review can also be found at Under the Covers Book Blog
Excedrin….someone please pass me the Excedrin! That is exactly what I need after finished KING MAI. When I smile, laugh and/or cry too much, I get headaches. Well, I did all three of those things, especially the former and the latter, and now I need some relief. Of course, reading KING MAI was worth every ounce of that pain, so I’m not complaining.
To sum it up, KING MAI was A-FRICKING-MAZING!! I absolutely loved KING PERRY, the first book in Edmond Manning’s The Lost and Founds series, so I knew that I had wonderful things to look forward to in KING MAI, but never in a million years did I suspect that I would end up loving it as much as, if not more, than its predecessor. Oh but I did. KING MAI was all that and a bag of chips!!
Like KING PERRY, we find Vin Vanbly about to begin a kinging weekend. In this installment in the series, however, Manning has taken the reader back to 1996, and unlike KING PERRY, where he only met his Lost King right before the kinging weekend, we find that Vin and Mai have known each other for about six months via AOL and internet chatting. Mai Kearns is a twenty-something farmer in DeKalb. He is of Thai descent, was adopted as a baby, and he is gay. Due to many negative experiences, usually related to being a different race from those surrounding him in Small Town, USA, and being gay, he has felt ostracized, ridiculed, and hurt. Adding salt to the wound, Mai has never completely gotten over the sudden and hurtful loss of his first true love. Nevertheless, he loves DeKalb, and he loves being a farmer.
Unfortunately, Mai’s parents’ farm is in foreclosure. They have been struggling for awhile, but now the loss of the farm is imminent. Rather than allowing his various wounds over the years to heal, however, Mai only covered them with a band-aid, and his band-aid of choice is generally in the form of anger. When pressed with an unsavory situation, he often lashes out. This trait of his, however, does not deplete his strength of character, his compassion, nor the profound love he has within him ~ for that of his parents, their farm, or for others. It only masks it. But not to Vin. Vin has an amazing talent in reading people, and he sees that strength with certain clarity. In addition, he sees that Mai has a gift ~ a gift of curiosity. And it is this very special trait that leads him through a treasure-hunting kinging weekend full of highs, lows, and everything in between.
Once again, Manning has written a novel that I cannot praise high enough. My words cannot do it justice. To put it succinctly, KING MAI is simply amazing. Manning has weaved such an imaginative and well-written book, I recommend it to everyone. Like KING PERRY, KING MAI truly is a literary work of art. The characters Manning writes are ones I don’t want to leave after I’m done with the book. I want to read more, discover more, and find out what else might happen to them afterward. I love these characters. They make me laugh, and they make me cry. And with both, it’s a good guarantee that I am doing them while smiling. These characters are like a comfort food for me ~ they warm my soul.
Mai is a bit prickly at first. Like I said, he is quick to anger and lashes out when things are not easy or when he hears or sees something he doesn’t like. But after Vin scratches through his rough exterior, we see the compassionate, caring, and loving soul that Mai is. He’s been hurt, and as a result, he’s put up walls, and he focuses all of his energy into the one thing he loves so deeply ~ his parents’ farm. And while he lashes out at Vin several times, Vin stays the course of the weekend, and he provides Mai with what he needs to help him remember the man he is.
And then there is Vin. Ah, Vin. Although it seems as though he does, Vin doesn’t actually work magic. Rather, he puts forth so much effort into his kinging weekends, his selflessness and his deep love for the Lost King ~ in this case, Mai ~ just exudes off the page. He doesn’t make things easy, but everything he does, he does with immense love. The story is told through Vin’s eyes and words, and so much of that is focused on Mai. Throughout the book, though, we also get introspective glimpses about himself, ones that make me sad actually. While Vin fulfills his role so beautifully in kinging Mai ~ through his selflessness, compassion, and love ~ he doesn’t seem to see himself in a positive light. Rather, he has rather grim thoughts about who he is and where he is in life. Oh Vin ~ you have very quirky ways, but you have a beautiful soul that is as brilliant as your mind. I look so forward watching your story unfold with each successive book.
Together Vin and Mai are actually magical. They don’t always agree, and even when Mai lashes out at Vin, there is love there between them. As their weekend unfolds, the reader is taken on an adventure with these lovely characters whose chemistry and personalities work so well together. Their passion is raw, but it is doused in love and served with a side of seriously sexy lust. And as they make it through the weekend, the reader is led to the same epiphanies as Mai, monumental moments that are awakening and often beautiful. So many times I wept along with Mai as he reached these moments. Be sure to have your tissues at the ready.
So now I’ve taken my Excedrin, and my headache has dissipated. It didn’t last long, but like I said, it was completely worth it. Besides, Excedrin is a great word, isn’t it? Ex-ce-drrrrinnnnnn. It just rolls off the tongue so well, and bonus! It has an “x” in it. Yeah, I need some of that. Don’t know what I mean? Read KING MAI to find out. ;)
*Review copy provided by author
Excedrin….someone please pass me the Excedrin! That is exactly what I need after finished KING MAI. When I smile, laugh and/or cry too much, I get headaches. Well, I did all three of those things, especially the former and the latter, and now I need some relief. Of course, reading KING MAI was worth every ounce of that pain, so I’m not complaining.
To sum it up, KING MAI was A-FRICKING-MAZING!! I absolutely loved KING PERRY, the first book in Edmond Manning’s The Lost and Founds series, so I knew that I had wonderful things to look forward to in KING MAI, but never in a million years did I suspect that I would end up loving it as much as, if not more, than its predecessor. Oh but I did. KING MAI was all that and a bag of chips!!
Like KING PERRY, we find Vin Vanbly about to begin a kinging weekend. In this installment in the series, however, Manning has taken the reader back to 1996, and unlike KING PERRY, where he only met his Lost King right before the kinging weekend, we find that Vin and Mai have known each other for about six months via AOL and internet chatting. Mai Kearns is a twenty-something farmer in DeKalb. He is of Thai descent, was adopted as a baby, and he is gay. Due to many negative experiences, usually related to being a different race from those surrounding him in Small Town, USA, and being gay, he has felt ostracized, ridiculed, and hurt. Adding salt to the wound, Mai has never completely gotten over the sudden and hurtful loss of his first true love. Nevertheless, he loves DeKalb, and he loves being a farmer.
Unfortunately, Mai’s parents’ farm is in foreclosure. They have been struggling for awhile, but now the loss of the farm is imminent. Rather than allowing his various wounds over the years to heal, however, Mai only covered them with a band-aid, and his band-aid of choice is generally in the form of anger. When pressed with an unsavory situation, he often lashes out. This trait of his, however, does not deplete his strength of character, his compassion, nor the profound love he has within him ~ for that of his parents, their farm, or for others. It only masks it. But not to Vin. Vin has an amazing talent in reading people, and he sees that strength with certain clarity. In addition, he sees that Mai has a gift ~ a gift of curiosity. And it is this very special trait that leads him through a treasure-hunting kinging weekend full of highs, lows, and everything in between.
Once again, Manning has written a novel that I cannot praise high enough. My words cannot do it justice. To put it succinctly, KING MAI is simply amazing. Manning has weaved such an imaginative and well-written book, I recommend it to everyone. Like KING PERRY, KING MAI truly is a literary work of art. The characters Manning writes are ones I don’t want to leave after I’m done with the book. I want to read more, discover more, and find out what else might happen to them afterward. I love these characters. They make me laugh, and they make me cry. And with both, it’s a good guarantee that I am doing them while smiling. These characters are like a comfort food for me ~ they warm my soul.
Mai is a bit prickly at first. Like I said, he is quick to anger and lashes out when things are not easy or when he hears or sees something he doesn’t like. But after Vin scratches through his rough exterior, we see the compassionate, caring, and loving soul that Mai is. He’s been hurt, and as a result, he’s put up walls, and he focuses all of his energy into the one thing he loves so deeply ~ his parents’ farm. And while he lashes out at Vin several times, Vin stays the course of the weekend, and he provides Mai with what he needs to help him remember the man he is.
And then there is Vin. Ah, Vin. Although it seems as though he does, Vin doesn’t actually work magic. Rather, he puts forth so much effort into his kinging weekends, his selflessness and his deep love for the Lost King ~ in this case, Mai ~ just exudes off the page. He doesn’t make things easy, but everything he does, he does with immense love. The story is told through Vin’s eyes and words, and so much of that is focused on Mai. Throughout the book, though, we also get introspective glimpses about himself, ones that make me sad actually. While Vin fulfills his role so beautifully in kinging Mai ~ through his selflessness, compassion, and love ~ he doesn’t seem to see himself in a positive light. Rather, he has rather grim thoughts about who he is and where he is in life. Oh Vin ~ you have very quirky ways, but you have a beautiful soul that is as brilliant as your mind. I look so forward watching your story unfold with each successive book.
Together Vin and Mai are actually magical. They don’t always agree, and even when Mai lashes out at Vin, there is love there between them. As their weekend unfolds, the reader is taken on an adventure with these lovely characters whose chemistry and personalities work so well together. Their passion is raw, but it is doused in love and served with a side of seriously sexy lust. And as they make it through the weekend, the reader is led to the same epiphanies as Mai, monumental moments that are awakening and often beautiful. So many times I wept along with Mai as he reached these moments. Be sure to have your tissues at the ready.
So now I’ve taken my Excedrin, and my headache has dissipated. It didn’t last long, but like I said, it was completely worth it. Besides, Excedrin is a great word, isn’t it? Ex-ce-drrrrinnnnnn. It just rolls off the tongue so well, and bonus! It has an “x” in it. Yeah, I need some of that. Don’t know what I mean? Read KING MAI to find out. ;)
*Review copy provided by author
April 17, 2014
Edmond Manning has suggested to me that there are several more Vin Vanbly stories in the lost-and-founds series. If I could buy all of them right now, I would.
Even as I read this book, inexpressibly moved by the laughable, heartbreaking shenanigans that Vin and Mai Kearns get up to, I was also aware that not everyone is going to “get” this series. Vin’s shaggy-dog narratives about the history of the Found Kings is something of a distraction; only when you realize that this is intentional can you fully appreciate the author’s gift. As was the case in King Perry, Vin is manipulating the reader exactly as he is manipulating Mai Kearns. You never know what’s going to happen next, in spite of Vin’s conspiratorial voice speaking directly to you throughout.
And while generally part of the larger umbrella of “m/m fiction,” with its large female audience, it feels to me that this book is really written for men. There’s no other way to explain the effect of Manning’s story on me. Not that women readers won’t like it—far from it—but I have rarely felt so fully targeted by a novel’s premise. We are all lost and found at some time in our lives. This existential truth is not appealing to everyone, but if you’re open to it: wow.
King Mai is the second of the lost-and-founds books, but its setting predates King Perry by three years, set in 1996. Nominally it is the picaresque tale of the mysterious Vin Vanbly saving the heart and soul of a twenty-four-year-old adopted Thai-born Illinois farmer. But at the core of Mai’s tale is Vin’s own story, of which we only learn harrowing fragments in each of the two books. Although Mai is the focus of both Vin’s attention and the novel’s premise, it is really Vin’s own unrevealed history that is the driving force. Vin is a Lost King, and that is why he must make Found Kings.
What surprised and gratified me most about King Mai, is that it is so entirely different from the first novel. The general structure of the story is the same: a weekend from Friday evening to Sunday noon over which Vin must achieve his goal and for which he has carefully prepared in advance. But beyond that, everything is different. Mai Kearns is a young farmer on the verge of losing his farm. Picked on for being different (both Asian and gay) as he was growing up, he feels friendless and embattled.
But he loves the corn. And Vin’s job is to open Mai’s heart to that love and all the potential it will reveal for his life.
Vin is very explicit in his denial of anything magic; he’s no angel from heaven or superhero in disguise. He’s just a tall blond bear from Minnesota with a very messy past. But the feeling of magical realism that pervades the tale made me feel, as I read it, that I had tapped into some universal truth that, if I would just let it, would change my life.
I write this just as Donna Tartt’s The Goldfinch has won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction. I read that book for my (all male mostly straight) book club earlier this year. I liked it, grudgingly. But I will always be resentful, lost king that I am sometimes, that the mainstream (i.e. straight male) world of contemporary fiction will probably never open its heart to writers like Manning and the wonders they work. Too bad for them.
Even as I read this book, inexpressibly moved by the laughable, heartbreaking shenanigans that Vin and Mai Kearns get up to, I was also aware that not everyone is going to “get” this series. Vin’s shaggy-dog narratives about the history of the Found Kings is something of a distraction; only when you realize that this is intentional can you fully appreciate the author’s gift. As was the case in King Perry, Vin is manipulating the reader exactly as he is manipulating Mai Kearns. You never know what’s going to happen next, in spite of Vin’s conspiratorial voice speaking directly to you throughout.
And while generally part of the larger umbrella of “m/m fiction,” with its large female audience, it feels to me that this book is really written for men. There’s no other way to explain the effect of Manning’s story on me. Not that women readers won’t like it—far from it—but I have rarely felt so fully targeted by a novel’s premise. We are all lost and found at some time in our lives. This existential truth is not appealing to everyone, but if you’re open to it: wow.
King Mai is the second of the lost-and-founds books, but its setting predates King Perry by three years, set in 1996. Nominally it is the picaresque tale of the mysterious Vin Vanbly saving the heart and soul of a twenty-four-year-old adopted Thai-born Illinois farmer. But at the core of Mai’s tale is Vin’s own story, of which we only learn harrowing fragments in each of the two books. Although Mai is the focus of both Vin’s attention and the novel’s premise, it is really Vin’s own unrevealed history that is the driving force. Vin is a Lost King, and that is why he must make Found Kings.
What surprised and gratified me most about King Mai, is that it is so entirely different from the first novel. The general structure of the story is the same: a weekend from Friday evening to Sunday noon over which Vin must achieve his goal and for which he has carefully prepared in advance. But beyond that, everything is different. Mai Kearns is a young farmer on the verge of losing his farm. Picked on for being different (both Asian and gay) as he was growing up, he feels friendless and embattled.
But he loves the corn. And Vin’s job is to open Mai’s heart to that love and all the potential it will reveal for his life.
Vin is very explicit in his denial of anything magic; he’s no angel from heaven or superhero in disguise. He’s just a tall blond bear from Minnesota with a very messy past. But the feeling of magical realism that pervades the tale made me feel, as I read it, that I had tapped into some universal truth that, if I would just let it, would change my life.
I write this just as Donna Tartt’s The Goldfinch has won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction. I read that book for my (all male mostly straight) book club earlier this year. I liked it, grudgingly. But I will always be resentful, lost king that I am sometimes, that the mainstream (i.e. straight male) world of contemporary fiction will probably never open its heart to writers like Manning and the wonders they work. Too bad for them.
July 15, 2013
I absolutely loved Edmond Manning’s King Perry (review: http://mrsconditreadsbooks.com/index.php/?p=3191). I expected to love King Mai as much or more, and I almost did.
There is a big difference in the sequel compared to the original, and therein lies a problem for readers such as myself who may have expected more discovery of the enigmatic Vin Vanbly. Instead, the assumption appears to be that we already know the mystery and mystique of Vin and are ready to move on, so the book’s main POV is that of Vin’s next man who needs to be crowned as his own kingness, Main Kearns.
And, as with King Perry, this is a book written by a man for men. I thought I worked my way into King Perry and understood what was going on but when Vin Vanbly and his machinations are taken to the next level it would appear that I’m not quite there yet. Women are welcome as voyeurs (not in the sexual sense) but I think to really “get” King Mai you need to be a man, perhaps a gay man who came of age at the end of the last century.
King Mai is beautifully written and the character of Mai is well developed but I just couldn’t develop an attachment to either Mai or Vin, and the blame is entirely on me, not the author. Perhaps a re-reading of the book will help, or a different day, a different mood… who knows? I do recommend this book as an exploration of what it means to be a gay man and will leave it at that. Please leave a comment after you have read King Mai and let me know your thoughts.
Becky's 4 sweet pea review appears at http://mrsconditreadsbooks.com/index....
There is a big difference in the sequel compared to the original, and therein lies a problem for readers such as myself who may have expected more discovery of the enigmatic Vin Vanbly. Instead, the assumption appears to be that we already know the mystery and mystique of Vin and are ready to move on, so the book’s main POV is that of Vin’s next man who needs to be crowned as his own kingness, Main Kearns.
And, as with King Perry, this is a book written by a man for men. I thought I worked my way into King Perry and understood what was going on but when Vin Vanbly and his machinations are taken to the next level it would appear that I’m not quite there yet. Women are welcome as voyeurs (not in the sexual sense) but I think to really “get” King Mai you need to be a man, perhaps a gay man who came of age at the end of the last century.
King Mai is beautifully written and the character of Mai is well developed but I just couldn’t develop an attachment to either Mai or Vin, and the blame is entirely on me, not the author. Perhaps a re-reading of the book will help, or a different day, a different mood… who knows? I do recommend this book as an exploration of what it means to be a gay man and will leave it at that. Please leave a comment after you have read King Mai and let me know your thoughts.
Becky's 4 sweet pea review appears at http://mrsconditreadsbooks.com/index....
November 10, 2013
When I read King Perry, I wrote that I liked it, but I didn't love it. My problem was with Vin. But, King Mai I loved. And Vin has won me over.
Although this is the second book in the serries, it takes place three years before the evernts in King Perry. Vin is less experienced in this kinging affair, less self-assured, more doubtful. He feels like the Vin he is yet to become - still manipulative, audacious and wicked - but more human and easier to identify with. His loneliness broke my heart in pieces. I wondered HOW am I going to wait for his own book. It's years away, YEARS... But, I realized that I would have to take a leaf out of Mai's book and practice some... curiosity.
Mai, oh, Mai. Perry was a King, but you are The King. I knew your anger - born of disappointment and broken dreams, fear, your own misconceptions and sheer circumstances. Mai fights Vin every step of the way, but, when he surrenders, it's a victory for both of them. Such a beautiful soul - Mai. Showing him the way to friendships was Vin's greatest gift, I think. I laughed out loud during their upward battle and I cried, oh did I cried... The story Vin tells Mai in the end and the epilogue undid me.
This is a treasure hunt - in everyday life, in people and beauty that surround us, in dreams lost and fulfilled. Vin follows and leads these men through their self-discovery and one only hopes that Manning is the King of Lightning-fast Writing and that he will follow and lead Vin to his own kinging... soon. So, we can jump on that ship.
Although this is the second book in the serries, it takes place three years before the evernts in King Perry. Vin is less experienced in this kinging affair, less self-assured, more doubtful. He feels like the Vin he is yet to become - still manipulative, audacious and wicked - but more human and easier to identify with. His loneliness broke my heart in pieces. I wondered HOW am I going to wait for his own book. It's years away, YEARS... But, I realized that I would have to take a leaf out of Mai's book and practice some... curiosity.
Mai, oh, Mai. Perry was a King, but you are The King. I knew your anger - born of disappointment and broken dreams, fear, your own misconceptions and sheer circumstances. Mai fights Vin every step of the way, but, when he surrenders, it's a victory for both of them. Such a beautiful soul - Mai. Showing him the way to friendships was Vin's greatest gift, I think. I laughed out loud during their upward battle and I cried, oh did I cried... The story Vin tells Mai in the end and the epilogue undid me.
This is a treasure hunt - in everyday life, in people and beauty that surround us, in dreams lost and fulfilled. Vin follows and leads these men through their self-discovery and one only hopes that Manning is the King of Lightning-fast Writing and that he will follow and lead Vin to his own kinging... soon. So, we can jump on that ship.
December 17, 2013
Even though this wasn't my first time at the Edmond Manning rodeo, I don't really feel any better equipped to review King Mai than I did to review King Perry. LOL And, at the risk of feeling like I'm just reiterating my review of King Perry, I do have to use many of the same words. AMAZING. BEAUTIFUL. BREATH-TAKING. UNIQUE. BRILLIANT.
This is another completely gorgeous work of art. I fell even further in love with Vin, and fell head over heels for Mai as well. He is such a strong, compassionate, no bullshit kind of guy. A perfect match for Vin really...which once again makes it heartbreaking down the home stretch.
I loved that this was set years before King Perry. We got a little glimpse of Vin in his earlier kinging days, and got some really great insight into his methods, and preparation for one of these weekends. I absolutely CANNOT WAIT for the next book in the Lost and Founds. I am SO hooked.
This is another completely gorgeous work of art. I fell even further in love with Vin, and fell head over heels for Mai as well. He is such a strong, compassionate, no bullshit kind of guy. A perfect match for Vin really...which once again makes it heartbreaking down the home stretch.
I loved that this was set years before King Perry. We got a little glimpse of Vin in his earlier kinging days, and got some really great insight into his methods, and preparation for one of these weekends. I absolutely CANNOT WAIT for the next book in the Lost and Founds. I am SO hooked.
August 18, 2013
5+ stars
I often like to quote an author’s work in my reviews, after all, they have taken the time and care to put their thoughts down for me to read so, in turn, it seems fitting to highlight a passage or phrase I liked best. I cannot do that with King Mai by Edmond Manning. I would be quoting three-fourths of the novel and then some. The choice to pick just one or two little gems to share was, well, staggering, much like the novel itself.
First, let me remind you that this is the second installment in a series that is promising six novels as a whole. More than one person has asked me if the first book, King Perry, should be read prior to this one. My answer is most definitely yes, even though King Mai actually takes place prior to King Perry. Why, especially since King Mai appears to be a prequel of sorts? Because to understand the impact Mai has and the way in which it takes us further into the inner workings of Vin Vanbly you must meet the man he is becoming in the future to understand and appreciate his past. Its like meeting a new boss…you see their success, where they are now, but the real story, the real “boss” is the one that sold subscriptions to the local newspaper years before he became its editor in chief.
In the world this author envisions, we are all kings and queens, but some of us have gotten “lost” along the way, the pull of the world, the constant struggle of how to remain “found” weighs heavily on kings and, unfortunately, once lost they often need help in finding their way again. Enter Vin Vanbly. It is hard to explain exactly who Vin is, but the glimpses we see of him here indicate many things about him. We come to find out his work finding lost kings” is funded by another source—perhaps more than one. We know he began this work on his own, before any help with funding, Vin paid for it on his own. We know Vin is a mechanic and a good one with customers who return. In some pivotal scenes, we come to find out that Vin is a “lost king” himself and it grieves him that he must expose this flaw to the men whom he leads back to their rightful place in the world.
Along the way, we meet Mai Kearns, who is of Thai descent, adopted by a couple form DeKalb, Indiana—farmers who could not have children of their own. We glimpse at the painful events that shaped Mai and made him “lost”. We “run the corn” with Mai and Vin and rediscover what it means to truly love something—to have it burrow so deeply into your heart and soul that is it a part of you and to lose it would be akin to severing a limb or tearing out one’s own heart. We watch as Mai is broken and rebuilt, reborn so that he can recognize that the love and courage he needs to be a king was within him all along, he only had to let go of the winter in his heart and remember we are all “destined for spring”.
Yes, this is an allegory of sorts. Yes, this is a story that may indeed make you alternately want to pull your hair out in frustration, laugh at its silliness and cry over its staggering sadness. But, at it’s heart, King Mai is a rebirth of all that is good and loving inside a young man who felt he was at the end of a life he often hated but loved with such a fierceness that he would sacrifice anything to continue living it. And through it all, Vin is there. Arguing with himself, sacrificing his own happiness and loving—oh my—loving with such intensity that you feel shaken to the very core by the beauty of it all.
Author Edmond Manning paints entire masterpieces with words, and creates whole symphonies with simple plot points. His words dance and sing, drawing you into their mystery and empowering you with their beauty. I found myself looking at cornfields and wondering if I could ever run them. I found myself looking within and wondered if my heart could ever love as Mr. Manning’s characters love—selflessly, whole heartedly, unconditionally. The sign of a good novel is its ability to capture your attention for a while and give you a sense of satisfaction at the end. The mark of a great novel is how it clings to your very marrow and shakes you to your core and changes the way you think and how you feel about issues that may have never before really impacted your thoughts. King Mai is a great novel.
At the beginning of this review, I said that I could not give you a quote. Well, I lied. Shame on me! There is one piece of this story that completely shattered me…it will not make much sense to you unless you read this novel—something you should do as a gift to yourself. But I want to leave it with you, for I believe it sums up why Vin always finishes, despite how painful it may be for him, what he sets out to do—find lost kings. Taken out of context it may mean very little, this quote, so I will give you just a glimpse of the setting surrounding this line of text. A small boy, abandoned in a gas station, sits by the gas pump for days…waiting. Now, I want to encourage you to pick up what I believe to be one of the finest novels of this year 2013. King Mai by Edmond Manning is an outstanding novel of hope and love and the idea that all who are lost can be found if we love deeply. Now that quote:
“Nobody was curious about me.”
I often like to quote an author’s work in my reviews, after all, they have taken the time and care to put their thoughts down for me to read so, in turn, it seems fitting to highlight a passage or phrase I liked best. I cannot do that with King Mai by Edmond Manning. I would be quoting three-fourths of the novel and then some. The choice to pick just one or two little gems to share was, well, staggering, much like the novel itself.
First, let me remind you that this is the second installment in a series that is promising six novels as a whole. More than one person has asked me if the first book, King Perry, should be read prior to this one. My answer is most definitely yes, even though King Mai actually takes place prior to King Perry. Why, especially since King Mai appears to be a prequel of sorts? Because to understand the impact Mai has and the way in which it takes us further into the inner workings of Vin Vanbly you must meet the man he is becoming in the future to understand and appreciate his past. Its like meeting a new boss…you see their success, where they are now, but the real story, the real “boss” is the one that sold subscriptions to the local newspaper years before he became its editor in chief.
In the world this author envisions, we are all kings and queens, but some of us have gotten “lost” along the way, the pull of the world, the constant struggle of how to remain “found” weighs heavily on kings and, unfortunately, once lost they often need help in finding their way again. Enter Vin Vanbly. It is hard to explain exactly who Vin is, but the glimpses we see of him here indicate many things about him. We come to find out his work finding lost kings” is funded by another source—perhaps more than one. We know he began this work on his own, before any help with funding, Vin paid for it on his own. We know Vin is a mechanic and a good one with customers who return. In some pivotal scenes, we come to find out that Vin is a “lost king” himself and it grieves him that he must expose this flaw to the men whom he leads back to their rightful place in the world.
Along the way, we meet Mai Kearns, who is of Thai descent, adopted by a couple form DeKalb, Indiana—farmers who could not have children of their own. We glimpse at the painful events that shaped Mai and made him “lost”. We “run the corn” with Mai and Vin and rediscover what it means to truly love something—to have it burrow so deeply into your heart and soul that is it a part of you and to lose it would be akin to severing a limb or tearing out one’s own heart. We watch as Mai is broken and rebuilt, reborn so that he can recognize that the love and courage he needs to be a king was within him all along, he only had to let go of the winter in his heart and remember we are all “destined for spring”.
Yes, this is an allegory of sorts. Yes, this is a story that may indeed make you alternately want to pull your hair out in frustration, laugh at its silliness and cry over its staggering sadness. But, at it’s heart, King Mai is a rebirth of all that is good and loving inside a young man who felt he was at the end of a life he often hated but loved with such a fierceness that he would sacrifice anything to continue living it. And through it all, Vin is there. Arguing with himself, sacrificing his own happiness and loving—oh my—loving with such intensity that you feel shaken to the very core by the beauty of it all.
Author Edmond Manning paints entire masterpieces with words, and creates whole symphonies with simple plot points. His words dance and sing, drawing you into their mystery and empowering you with their beauty. I found myself looking at cornfields and wondering if I could ever run them. I found myself looking within and wondered if my heart could ever love as Mr. Manning’s characters love—selflessly, whole heartedly, unconditionally. The sign of a good novel is its ability to capture your attention for a while and give you a sense of satisfaction at the end. The mark of a great novel is how it clings to your very marrow and shakes you to your core and changes the way you think and how you feel about issues that may have never before really impacted your thoughts. King Mai is a great novel.
At the beginning of this review, I said that I could not give you a quote. Well, I lied. Shame on me! There is one piece of this story that completely shattered me…it will not make much sense to you unless you read this novel—something you should do as a gift to yourself. But I want to leave it with you, for I believe it sums up why Vin always finishes, despite how painful it may be for him, what he sets out to do—find lost kings. Taken out of context it may mean very little, this quote, so I will give you just a glimpse of the setting surrounding this line of text. A small boy, abandoned in a gas station, sits by the gas pump for days…waiting. Now, I want to encourage you to pick up what I believe to be one of the finest novels of this year 2013. King Mai by Edmond Manning is an outstanding novel of hope and love and the idea that all who are lost can be found if we love deeply. Now that quote:
“Nobody was curious about me.”
September 20, 2013
Vin is back in time, having a King Weekend with Mai, a farmer living near De Kalb, IL, during the '90s when many small farms were in trouble. Mai was mentioned in King Perry. Those who want to know more about Vin and Mai and Lost and Found Kings will wish to look here.
It is not a traditional romance, which those who read King Perry will know. There is sex and a brief but very deep relationship between these characters, with a non-traditional Happy Ending. This may seem less appealing to some, but what can be more beautiful than going along on a fantastical journey with the sometimes manipulative, sometimes infuriating, but ultimately sympathetic and lovable, enigmatic Vin, with his hints of a very dark past-- as he tries to change Mai's life for the better.
Yes, we are going back in time with Vin, but we want to follow that thread which might lead to more revelations about him, and the past is important for that. And we want to know about Mai. We are Kings of Curiosity! And we are on the trail of enlightenment along with all Lost Kings. There is nothing preachy, here, or simple. But it is just too sad and beautiful and crazy to not love. Even though it is not our King Weekend, we can live along vicariously, greet the dawn, and give all our love.
This will make no sense to anyone who hasn't read KING PERRY, so what are you waiting for? Be adventurous and find out what it's all about!
It is not a traditional romance, which those who read King Perry will know. There is sex and a brief but very deep relationship between these characters, with a non-traditional Happy Ending. This may seem less appealing to some, but what can be more beautiful than going along on a fantastical journey with the sometimes manipulative, sometimes infuriating, but ultimately sympathetic and lovable, enigmatic Vin, with his hints of a very dark past-- as he tries to change Mai's life for the better.
Yes, we are going back in time with Vin, but we want to follow that thread which might lead to more revelations about him, and the past is important for that. And we want to know about Mai. We are Kings of Curiosity! And we are on the trail of enlightenment along with all Lost Kings. There is nothing preachy, here, or simple. But it is just too sad and beautiful and crazy to not love. Even though it is not our King Weekend, we can live along vicariously, greet the dawn, and give all our love.
This will make no sense to anyone who hasn't read KING PERRY, so what are you waiting for? Be adventurous and find out what it's all about!
January 20, 2014
More beautiful writing. Suffers only in comparison to my enjoyment of King Perry. In part because the concept was no longer new so it didn't pack quite the same wallop and partly because I didn't enjoy the farmland setting as much as the locations in the first book. I don't think there was as much of the goofy, joyful Vin that I loved in Perry here either. I think I liked him because of what I knew of him from that book, and not so much from what's on page in this one.
I am intrigued about why we went backward in time and I enjoyed seeing a Vin who screws up a little bit. He's not quite as sure-footed as he was with Perry, and Mai was angrier too.
I was hoping to learn more about Vin's past, because in spite of the focus on the new king in each book, he's the one I'm ultimately interested in. But I have confidence that all will be revealed and I am definitely along for the ride until then.
I am intrigued about why we went backward in time and I enjoyed seeing a Vin who screws up a little bit. He's not quite as sure-footed as he was with Perry, and Mai was angrier too.
I was hoping to learn more about Vin's past, because in spite of the focus on the new king in each book, he's the one I'm ultimately interested in. But I have confidence that all will be revealed and I am definitely along for the ride until then.
August 22, 2018
“You are always welcome in my kingdom, Vin. Always. I hope this cap serves you some day on a King Weekend, maybe for a man who wants to quit. You might invite him to find a little more curiosity.”
One of the beautiful series of books I am sure to ever read. My copy is filled with highlights and none of them do this journey justice.
June 2, 2014
The best the best thebestthebestthebest...
i adore Edmond, and cannot wait for the next in the series. After only two, my heart...ah, it beats for what this talented, lovely man writes.
i adore Edmond, and cannot wait for the next in the series. After only two, my heart...ah, it beats for what this talented, lovely man writes.
September 26, 2014
What to say about Mai?
*sigh*
NGL. He was competing with Vin for biggest asshole there at first. And seeing as how I kinda love Vin, he wasn't my favorite person in the world for a while. But Vin worked his magic and pushed and pulled, and before long, I fell in love with Mai, too. His journey is so different from Perry's and going through two king weekends gives you a better understanding of them. Tho I still can't explain exactly what they are!
Mai's treasure hunt forces him to deal with issues of anger and lost love and makes him see things that were staring him in the face for years that he never really saw.
Once again, Edmond's descriptions are rich and vibrant. He made me fall even more in love with Vin by showing Vin's own demons and how he struggles with them. Vin's capacity to love, especially so fully and completely and generously, blows me away and I feel like we've only scratched the surface on his past.
I cried. Like a baby in some parts. Love this series. Do yourself a favor and read!
*sigh*
NGL. He was competing with Vin for biggest asshole there at first. And seeing as how I kinda love Vin, he wasn't my favorite person in the world for a while. But Vin worked his magic and pushed and pulled, and before long, I fell in love with Mai, too. His journey is so different from Perry's and going through two king weekends gives you a better understanding of them. Tho I still can't explain exactly what they are!
Mai's treasure hunt forces him to deal with issues of anger and lost love and makes him see things that were staring him in the face for years that he never really saw.
Once again, Edmond's descriptions are rich and vibrant. He made me fall even more in love with Vin by showing Vin's own demons and how he struggles with them. Vin's capacity to love, especially so fully and completely and generously, blows me away and I feel like we've only scratched the surface on his past.
I cried. Like a baby in some parts. Love this series. Do yourself a favor and read!
August 1, 2013
I'm wavering between 4 & 5 stars. As much as I enjoyed King Perry, King Mai actually held my attention more & I sailed through it. On one hand I liked Perry's background better, but on the other was glad to get a glimpse into Vin's history & Mai's future. I just didn't connect as well with Mai's Lost King story & thought the his path to Kingdom was kind of heavy handed & less believable than Perry's adventure. That said, I adored experiencing Mai's eventual exuberance & thought the Bubba portion was beautiful.
EM is a master writer. This book is a definite recommend.
EM is a master writer. This book is a definite recommend.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews