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The Lost and Founds #6
King Daniel
After discovering a blog revealing a mighty tribe where “every man was the one true king and every woman was the one true queen…” thirty-five-year-old, unemployed Daniel realizes he’s tired of being a Lost King. He wants more. But more what?
His quest to uncover the secret will drag him beyond his comfortable seclusion, into the cornfields of DeKalb and thunderous, chaotic New York City. After a hotel hookup with a sensual Englishman, the murderous rage Daniel fought to repress is finally unleashed.
In the final story arc in The Lost and Founds series, Daniel faces the ultimate choice: what would you risk to become a Found King? His fate depends on a seedy escort named Fitch, benevolence from the mysterious king named DC, and love from the elusive Vin Vanbly, who may—or may not be—dead.
This is the end.
But is it the end for Daniel?
His quest to uncover the secret will drag him beyond his comfortable seclusion, into the cornfields of DeKalb and thunderous, chaotic New York City. After a hotel hookup with a sensual Englishman, the murderous rage Daniel fought to repress is finally unleashed.
In the final story arc in The Lost and Founds series, Daniel faces the ultimate choice: what would you risk to become a Found King? His fate depends on a seedy escort named Fitch, benevolence from the mysterious king named DC, and love from the elusive Vin Vanbly, who may—or may not be—dead.
This is the end.
But is it the end for Daniel?
225 pages, ebook
First published December 1, 2017
2 people are currently reading
44 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.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
January 5, 2018
*4.5 stars*
King Daniel caps off an unforgettable series on a high note, though it was a tough read for me, emotionally.
Before you decide to try this book, there are a few things you should know. First of all, the series must be read in order. Actually, if you want to be technical, there are a few orders you can read the book in (see the author, Edmond Manning's website for more info on that), but I recommend you read it in the order that they were published. I think you get the most out of it that way, and you know Vin on a deeper level. What you absolutely can't do is jump into this book with no context.
I think it is almost important to know that this story isn't romance. There is a romantic element, and certainly a sexual element, like all the stories in the series, but it is in no way a category romance. I would call it gay fiction above anything else.
Finally, and maybe most importantly, this particular story deals with disturbing and graphic depictions of childhood abuse. Fans of the series will know that Edmond isn't afraid to write stories about people with painful and damaged pasts, but the specifics of this story were really hard for me on a personal level. As a mother, reading some of the scenes in the book were like a knife in the heart. I managed to get through it, as the scenes are referenced and not told in flashback (which would have crossed the line for me), but it altered my feeling about the story overall, for sure.
If you liked Come Back To Me, you will most likely love King Daniel. Edmond Manning tells both stories in a similar-ish manner, so they reminded me of each other quite a bit. Also, there are some common themes throughout both of them.
I always say this, but The Lost and Founds series is really hard for me to describe. It isn't for everyone. It is a middle ground between contemporary and magical realism, and it straddles both lines very well. It also is a very compelling read, just bursting with excitement and with a very fast pace, and it hooked me in right away. Edmond never lets up with the surprises and twists and turns, and "King Daniel" was no different.
Okay, I vacillated back and forth about the harshness of some of the things Daniel was forced to go through, considering his background, but what do I know? I know nothing about abused children (or adults) and how they would react to certain situations. I do know that it warmed my heart and soul to see Daniel grow, make friendships, and move beyond what happened to him as a child.
Edmond is a lovely writer and King Daniel is a beautiful story for those who can't get enough of The Lost and Founds series. I'd encourage all readers to try out King Perry, the first in the series, as the journey that Edmond takes us on is not one I'll soon forget.
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
King Daniel caps off an unforgettable series on a high note, though it was a tough read for me, emotionally.
Before you decide to try this book, there are a few things you should know. First of all, the series must be read in order. Actually, if you want to be technical, there are a few orders you can read the book in (see the author, Edmond Manning's website for more info on that), but I recommend you read it in the order that they were published. I think you get the most out of it that way, and you know Vin on a deeper level. What you absolutely can't do is jump into this book with no context.
I think it is almost important to know that this story isn't romance. There is a romantic element, and certainly a sexual element, like all the stories in the series, but it is in no way a category romance. I would call it gay fiction above anything else.
Finally, and maybe most importantly, this particular story deals with disturbing and graphic depictions of childhood abuse. Fans of the series will know that Edmond isn't afraid to write stories about people with painful and damaged pasts, but the specifics of this story were really hard for me on a personal level. As a mother, reading some of the scenes in the book were like a knife in the heart. I managed to get through it, as the scenes are referenced and not told in flashback (which would have crossed the line for me), but it altered my feeling about the story overall, for sure.
If you liked Come Back To Me, you will most likely love King Daniel. Edmond Manning tells both stories in a similar-ish manner, so they reminded me of each other quite a bit. Also, there are some common themes throughout both of them.
I always say this, but The Lost and Founds series is really hard for me to describe. It isn't for everyone. It is a middle ground between contemporary and magical realism, and it straddles both lines very well. It also is a very compelling read, just bursting with excitement and with a very fast pace, and it hooked me in right away. Edmond never lets up with the surprises and twists and turns, and "King Daniel" was no different.
Okay, I vacillated back and forth about the harshness of some of the things Daniel was forced to go through, considering his background, but what do I know? I know nothing about abused children (or adults) and how they would react to certain situations. I do know that it warmed my heart and soul to see Daniel grow, make friendships, and move beyond what happened to him as a child.
Edmond is a lovely writer and King Daniel is a beautiful story for those who can't get enough of The Lost and Founds series. I'd encourage all readers to try out King Perry, the first in the series, as the journey that Edmond takes us on is not one I'll soon forget.
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
December 16, 2017
I am a little sad that the story of The Lost and Founds has come to an end. I fell in love with the story and the idea behind it with the first book. The story is a strange mix of fantasy, philosophy, psychology and love. I think most of all, I take with me the hope and possibility this story gave me. The hope and the idea that yes raising your head from the ground, freeing yourself from the shackles that life and you yourself have tied yourself with and living and loving is POSSIBLE. Just one second of courage and allowing yourself the idea of something different, of reaching out.
Five stars with gratitude for the possibility, for the hope.
King Daniel - this installment - I started reading Daniel's story when Edmond Manning started eking it out bit by bit. This Kinging was different as all the others where different. We got this from Daniel's angry, hurt perspective, with all his thoughts and anguish flying all over the place and little by little you begin to see the change, the rays of sunshine hitting him and him feeling them. I love it when he basks in the sun, yes I do.
Rating based on the whole series.
read with Maya
December 13, 2017
Every book in this series is a different gem, lovely, with its own distinct character and its own balance of strengths. This one has a slow emotional build that crept up on me and ambushed my heart somewhere around the middle. Daniel is a skeptic, a man who had such a rough childhood that he exists on the fringes of his own life. He's held back by his physical limitations, after severe leg trauma in his childhood. But he's also been held back by his fears and anger, and reluctance to open himself to being hurt again. While cruising the Internet, he comes across a brief story of King Perry and the Lost Kings. For some reason, it sticks in his mind. It can't be true. Or can it? Surely it's some kind of urban myth, or collective delusion.
Daniel can't resist digging, and scamming, and then traveling outside the comfort zone of his circumscribed life, trying to find out. Because he feels like a Lost King, even though he's sure there's no such thing. He's hungry for some kind of connection beyond the screen of his electronics. And he's just brave enough and curious enough and stubborn enough to take a chance on going out to look for it.
At first, I liked Daniel, but didn't take him to heart. He's an emotional mess, and his reactions bounce around, making it harder to settle into his POV. And the things that happen to him seem arbitrary despite knowing that in a King book they will no doubt come back to a deeper reveal. I did luxuriate in the language of one of Edmond's stories, less word-drunk than with Vin's POV, but still evocative and well-chosen. I enjoyed meeting old friends from previous books, so much. I laughed at the introduction of new ones, and at the twists of plot that still came unheralded, like little electric shocks and gut punches and gold-infused moments.
Then somewhere along the way - was it the dog? - I began to care about Daniel as I have cared for all the men Manning has written into this series. Daniel's bewilderment and sometimes anger, his moments of feeling betrayed, his pleasure when he accomplishes something he thought was beyond him, all began to matter. I read faster, following his path toward a fate that I knew, with this author, would be a good one. Of course, finding the answers to so many left-over King and Vin questions was part of the pleasure, but the characters were again the heart of the story.
If you've loved the series so far and want one more King, if you had questions you wanted to wring from that secretive bastard Vin, if you wished for another moment with several old friends - this book is for you. I think it will definitely read best to those who have watch the saga of the Lost and Found Kings develop through the other books. But, I do think that it could, in some ways, stand alone. Daniel, as an outsider coming into the story, fills in the questions a new reader might have. (If you read this first, be prepared to want to immediately plunge into King Perry, Alcatraz, and the cello, and the ducks... You won't be able to resist.) Recommended.
*disclaimer* - I received the near-finished version of this as a proofreader, then reread the final version.
*content warning for abuse history.
Daniel can't resist digging, and scamming, and then traveling outside the comfort zone of his circumscribed life, trying to find out. Because he feels like a Lost King, even though he's sure there's no such thing. He's hungry for some kind of connection beyond the screen of his electronics. And he's just brave enough and curious enough and stubborn enough to take a chance on going out to look for it.
At first, I liked Daniel, but didn't take him to heart. He's an emotional mess, and his reactions bounce around, making it harder to settle into his POV. And the things that happen to him seem arbitrary despite knowing that in a King book they will no doubt come back to a deeper reveal. I did luxuriate in the language of one of Edmond's stories, less word-drunk than with Vin's POV, but still evocative and well-chosen. I enjoyed meeting old friends from previous books, so much. I laughed at the introduction of new ones, and at the twists of plot that still came unheralded, like little electric shocks and gut punches and gold-infused moments.
Then somewhere along the way - was it the dog? - I began to care about Daniel as I have cared for all the men Manning has written into this series. Daniel's bewilderment and sometimes anger, his moments of feeling betrayed, his pleasure when he accomplishes something he thought was beyond him, all began to matter. I read faster, following his path toward a fate that I knew, with this author, would be a good one. Of course, finding the answers to so many left-over King and Vin questions was part of the pleasure, but the characters were again the heart of the story.
If you've loved the series so far and want one more King, if you had questions you wanted to wring from that secretive bastard Vin, if you wished for another moment with several old friends - this book is for you. I think it will definitely read best to those who have watch the saga of the Lost and Found Kings develop through the other books. But, I do think that it could, in some ways, stand alone. Daniel, as an outsider coming into the story, fills in the questions a new reader might have. (If you read this first, be prepared to want to immediately plunge into King Perry, Alcatraz, and the cello, and the ducks... You won't be able to resist.) Recommended.
*disclaimer* - I received the near-finished version of this as a proofreader, then reread the final version.
*content warning for abuse history.
Want to read
December 12, 2017Miiiiiiine, aaaaaaaall miiiiiiine.
Please let Vin come out ok on the other side........
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Pre-ordered! It's up on Amz for those of you who buy your books there.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Releasing Dec 12th!!!!! Aaaaaaaahhhhhhh!!
Please let Vin come out ok on the other side........
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Pre-ordered! It's up on Amz for those of you who buy your books there.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Releasing Dec 12th!!!!! Aaaaaaaahhhhhhh!!
December 20, 2017
I finished King Daniel three days ago, and I wish I were not the first person to review this book. A) I hate to be the first person with a critical opinion. B) It pains me to rate this book low because this series is/will be something special and King Perry (The Lost and Founds #1) remains one of my favorite book in the genre of all time.
I read the first book of the series three years ago. And almost at the same time I read an excerpt from King Daniel. I didn't see it as a clever promotion trick, but only as a graceful gift of Edmond Manning to his readers. He gave us the possibility of gaining a rare insight into King Daniel, the beginning of the last book. Since then I've been LONGINGLY waiting for this LAST installment.
Maybe my expectations were supernaturally high, but when I turned the last page of King Daniel, I knew that my expectations were not met.
The good things:
The idea of the series. The description of New York. The author’s warning at the beginning (very necessarily). HEA. The series reaches its final line.
My issues:
I really hope that they are just MY issues, and you’ll find many great things and will love the last book as much as I love the first book.
In spite of my admiring the idea of the whole series, its concept though couldn’t work forever. I thought about it continuously the last days, and I came to the conclusion that the previous book#5 perhaps ruined this one for me. The idea of kinging and while doing so lifting the veil of secrecy around the main leading operator of a King Weekend, Vin Vanbly, ended in the book 5, that tells us the Vin’s story and leaves almost nothing uncovered. I think that the initial plan for King Daniel was to bring together the last King and his creator. Maybe it is just my personal desire and has nothing to do with the author’s idea, but in regard to the development of the whole story-line through the series this scenario would be probably more convincing and logical. No, I don’t try to give the author a lesson in a creative writing, the series is his baby and his vision, and I am only a grateful reader who has to accept his course of the story. Daniel’s weekend is different from all Kings Weekends we know. Comparing to the other weekends that are full of actions, this weekend is full of conversations. A lot of talking. There are many detailed dialogues and comprehensive statements. And it is too crowded. I suppose it was thought as a final fireworks. I found this structure too theatrical and a bit boring. To be in Daniel’s head was exhausting. I normally love the first person POV, and I know that Edmond Manning can write it really good, but I was struggling with Daniel’s narrative. I feel awful to say it, because the background history of Daniel is tragic and heartbreaking and on the one hand I can totally understand why the author choose THIS way of telling. Without giving anything away- read carefully the warning in the preface. But this writing style was for me very difficult to follow: many many short sentences, steadily jumping from one point to another, and not the least, a lot of F*-words. Yes, Daniel is an emotional mess, he is insecure, fearful, lonely, broken, but...If I go. If he’s there-I should have finished the gun permit. No. Not funny. I can never make light of that. Because of this quest, I became my father. I hate Vin Vanbly. Always will.
It was a lot of parts like that.
I have a HUGE problem with the Vin’s plan to cure Daniel. A child abuse is a VERY difficult topic, and Daniel experienced the most severe abuse one can imagine. He is is stigmatized for the rest of its life. Vin has chosen a shocking therapy. As always. But even if everything ends in a HEA manner, the method of healing left an unpleasant aftertaste by me. It was somehow wrong to see, how this difficult case was treated. And I can’t buy this quick healing process at the end. Sorry.I hope sincerely that you’ll have more luck with this book, and that my opinion will remain an occasional critical voice in the minority.
January 18, 2022
I'm totally overwhelmed right now. This series is incredibly powerful, with intense emotions and a sublimely intricate story... my heart is full to bursting.
King Daniel is the sixth book in the series, and Edmond Manning has promised it's truly the last one. I've owned this book for over four years, and just couldn't bring myself to read it. I both didn't want to finish this gorgeous story, and knew Manning would gut me. And he did!
The story of the Lost and Found Kings is a magical journey, and worth every tear. If you haven't read this tremendous series yet, I highly recommend it. Simply beautiful.
King Daniel is the sixth book in the series, and Edmond Manning has promised it's truly the last one. I've owned this book for over four years, and just couldn't bring myself to read it. I both didn't want to finish this gorgeous story, and knew Manning would gut me. And he did!
The story of the Lost and Found Kings is a magical journey, and worth every tear. If you haven't read this tremendous series yet, I highly recommend it. Simply beautiful.
December 15, 2017
King Daniel
By Edmond Manning
Pickwick Ink Publishing, December 2017
Five stars
“I like misfortune. Not death or dismemberment, but disgraces and failures. It makes me feel better about myself.”
Reading Edmond Manning’s astonishing six-part epic romantic (but not romance) series about the Lost and Founds has been unforgettable. It’s been over a year since I’d read “Come Back to Me,” and I realized, about thirty pages into “King Daniel,” that it’s akin to reading Shakespeare: you’re reading along, maybe struggling to figure out what’s going on, and then, suddenly, you’re in. The story settles into focus; it all makes sense, and you’re caught up in the emotional and psychological rhythms that are this author’s unique signature.
I want each book to be a new experience. I don’t review the previous books or my reviews of them. I want to see how well my mind recalls the characters from the earlier volumes, how deeply they’ve locked themselves into my memory. I guess it’s a sort of test of the lasting impact of Manning’s writing. In “King Daniel,” I recognized the key players, but apparently had let some of the others slip my mind, and, like Daniel himself, had to just take them at face value. Some of the actors in the drama—byzantine in its complexity, although by now we Manning aficionados have a sense of how things work—emerged gradually from the depths of my cerebral c-drive. Bits of past stories started to flicker to life as I read the words. As the big picture began to dawn on me, I saw that this was promising to be a grand finale indeed.
And it was. Golly, it was.
Daniel Connors is possibly the most lost of the Lost Kings we’ve met along this strange winding road. At thirty-six, Daniel is a survivor of the worst sort of abuse that I’ve ever imagined. Even Vin Vanbly’s own nightmarish childhood seems a shade less appalling having met Daniel. Daniel lives alone in Columbus, Ohio. He walks with two arm-brace canes. He is very rich, has no friends, and is as unhappy a person as I’ve ever come to love.
Daniel’s adventure starts by accident, a desperate attempt to connect to vague stories he’s stumbled across on the internet about some mythical tribe of lost kings and queens. What Daniel doesn’t realize is that his appearance on the radar of the kings has unexpected consequences, both for him, and for the kings themselves. What ensues must simply be experienced. It can’t be described without destroying the inimitable magic with which Manning’s gift as a writer endows the improbable labyrinthine plot. What I have discovered is that, if I just let myself go and immerse myself in the words, that I begin to shiver with an internal sense of being a king myself. Sometimes lost, sometimes found. The idea of “kinghood” is preposterous if studied in a clear, cold light. But when I just stop thinking, it’s all there in me. I am in the story. In the moment. My own memories begin to shimmer in and out of Daniel’s quest. As I read this book, I was right there with Daniel every step of the way, worried—indeed sometimes terrified—but desperately wanting him to succeed and attain his deepest desire.
“Come Back to Me” felt like the end, because in a sense it was. “King Daniel” is a surprise, a vast banquet of a coda, a bonus, a painfully opulent add-on that completes Edmond Manning’s story of the Lost and Founds, while leaving open the sky-wide doors to endless possibilities that will live on in his readers’ hearts and minds.
By Edmond Manning
Pickwick Ink Publishing, December 2017
Five stars
“I like misfortune. Not death or dismemberment, but disgraces and failures. It makes me feel better about myself.”
Reading Edmond Manning’s astonishing six-part epic romantic (but not romance) series about the Lost and Founds has been unforgettable. It’s been over a year since I’d read “Come Back to Me,” and I realized, about thirty pages into “King Daniel,” that it’s akin to reading Shakespeare: you’re reading along, maybe struggling to figure out what’s going on, and then, suddenly, you’re in. The story settles into focus; it all makes sense, and you’re caught up in the emotional and psychological rhythms that are this author’s unique signature.
I want each book to be a new experience. I don’t review the previous books or my reviews of them. I want to see how well my mind recalls the characters from the earlier volumes, how deeply they’ve locked themselves into my memory. I guess it’s a sort of test of the lasting impact of Manning’s writing. In “King Daniel,” I recognized the key players, but apparently had let some of the others slip my mind, and, like Daniel himself, had to just take them at face value. Some of the actors in the drama—byzantine in its complexity, although by now we Manning aficionados have a sense of how things work—emerged gradually from the depths of my cerebral c-drive. Bits of past stories started to flicker to life as I read the words. As the big picture began to dawn on me, I saw that this was promising to be a grand finale indeed.
And it was. Golly, it was.
Daniel Connors is possibly the most lost of the Lost Kings we’ve met along this strange winding road. At thirty-six, Daniel is a survivor of the worst sort of abuse that I’ve ever imagined. Even Vin Vanbly’s own nightmarish childhood seems a shade less appalling having met Daniel. Daniel lives alone in Columbus, Ohio. He walks with two arm-brace canes. He is very rich, has no friends, and is as unhappy a person as I’ve ever come to love.
Daniel’s adventure starts by accident, a desperate attempt to connect to vague stories he’s stumbled across on the internet about some mythical tribe of lost kings and queens. What Daniel doesn’t realize is that his appearance on the radar of the kings has unexpected consequences, both for him, and for the kings themselves. What ensues must simply be experienced. It can’t be described without destroying the inimitable magic with which Manning’s gift as a writer endows the improbable labyrinthine plot. What I have discovered is that, if I just let myself go and immerse myself in the words, that I begin to shiver with an internal sense of being a king myself. Sometimes lost, sometimes found. The idea of “kinghood” is preposterous if studied in a clear, cold light. But when I just stop thinking, it’s all there in me. I am in the story. In the moment. My own memories begin to shimmer in and out of Daniel’s quest. As I read this book, I was right there with Daniel every step of the way, worried—indeed sometimes terrified—but desperately wanting him to succeed and attain his deepest desire.
“Come Back to Me” felt like the end, because in a sense it was. “King Daniel” is a surprise, a vast banquet of a coda, a bonus, a painfully opulent add-on that completes Edmond Manning’s story of the Lost and Founds, while leaving open the sky-wide doors to endless possibilities that will live on in his readers’ hearts and minds.
December 28, 2017
The final book of the Lost and Founds series, this is the icing on a very substantial literary cake. Even though this is number six, it’s as deliciously appropriate to begin here as to start with the first of the series. King Daniel is the ribbon that ties everything together. And what an enormously satisfactory binding it is.
It’s a clever and intelligent book, plotted with great care and full of wit. It's brimming with puzzles and riddles - it's a quest after all - but a story with such enormous heart. The same could be said of the rest of the series, of course, but here, somehow, it’s more distilled, more potent. Very satisfying, of course, but King Daniel is one of those rare books that left me a bit stunned as I finished. I can’t remember the last time a book left me so satisfactorily wrung out. A completely beautiful book that, as with the rest of the series, has become important to me.
There is one other thing that’s marvellous about theses books: they’re the best re-reads going. I’ve enjoyed them over and over again - and each time in not quite the same way. I think that’s because no matter how different the characters may be from the reader, the reader will find a way to connect. And of course, we’re never the same reader twice.
I couldn't recommend the book more highly.
It’s a clever and intelligent book, plotted with great care and full of wit. It's brimming with puzzles and riddles - it's a quest after all - but a story with such enormous heart. The same could be said of the rest of the series, of course, but here, somehow, it’s more distilled, more potent. Very satisfying, of course, but King Daniel is one of those rare books that left me a bit stunned as I finished. I can’t remember the last time a book left me so satisfactorily wrung out. A completely beautiful book that, as with the rest of the series, has become important to me.
There is one other thing that’s marvellous about theses books: they’re the best re-reads going. I’ve enjoyed them over and over again - and each time in not quite the same way. I think that’s because no matter how different the characters may be from the reader, the reader will find a way to connect. And of course, we’re never the same reader twice.
I couldn't recommend the book more highly.
December 26, 2018
★★★★★ ~ 5 Stars ~ ★★★★★ ~ 5 Star Series ~ 1st 5 Star Series in 8 Years on GR ~
Daniel survived a horrific childhood to endure a lonely adulthood until he starts researching the Lost and Found Kings in 2013. His life will never be the same and he touches many in his journey.
“Once there was a tribe of men,” I say in a strong voice, audible to none but him, “a tribe populated entirely of kings. Odd, you may think, and wonder how any work got done in such a society with everyone making rules. But these were not those kinds of kings.”
This is an amazing series and I would like to reread it. There was an exhaustive amount of research and I feel like I received an education along with reading the stories. The author used a very unique method of writing that made this an unforgettable, thought-provoking series of many characters that he brought to life. I even made a new shelf just for this series ~ Fantastical ~ (sounds like a Mark word, right?!).
The author notes at the end give various ways to read or reread and I think I'll try one of the alternative reading sequences in the reread.
Daniel survived a horrific childhood to endure a lonely adulthood until he starts researching the Lost and Found Kings in 2013. His life will never be the same and he touches many in his journey.
“Once there was a tribe of men,” I say in a strong voice, audible to none but him, “a tribe populated entirely of kings. Odd, you may think, and wonder how any work got done in such a society with everyone making rules. But these were not those kinds of kings.”
This is an amazing series and I would like to reread it. There was an exhaustive amount of research and I feel like I received an education along with reading the stories. The author used a very unique method of writing that made this an unforgettable, thought-provoking series of many characters that he brought to life. I even made a new shelf just for this series ~ Fantastical ~ (sounds like a Mark word, right?!).
The author notes at the end give various ways to read or reread and I think I'll try one of the alternative reading sequences in the reread.
September 8, 2018
Simply amazing. My heart is so full. Hate this has ended but I’m so pleased as well. Absolute love for these characters.
From the author...”Heightened Cliffhanger Sequence:
Designed to taunt and delight readers who want a little extra sriracha sauce splashed into their Vin Vanbly. I may be biased, since I wrote all the words, but for first-time readers, this is probably the best way to read the series. Seriously. Higher level of craziness and mystery.
1. King Perry
2. In King Daniel, read chapters 1-3
3. King Mai
4. In King Daniel, read chapters 4-7
5. The Butterfly King
6. In King Daniel, read chapters 8-10
7. King John
8. In King Daniel, read chapter 11
9. Come Back to Me 10. Finish reading King Daniel”
I honestly can’t imagine how different things would have been had I not taken on this sequence. Simply perfection!!
*Highly Recommended*
November 21, 2019
Rating:
This book - ★★★★★
The series as a whole - ★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★ (that's 5 for every book in the series)
Reading this whole series is an experience.
After I finished each of the books I wanted to write the reviews, but I just couldn't find the words that would truthfully communicate how touched I was by these stories. They were weird and lovely and intense and wonderful. I still can't find the right words but I wanted to say at least something, now that I read all of them.
I sincerely hope everyone will give this series a chance.
This book - ★★★★★
The series as a whole - ★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★ (that's 5 for every book in the series)
Reading this whole series is an experience.
After I finished each of the books I wanted to write the reviews, but I just couldn't find the words that would truthfully communicate how touched I was by these stories. They were weird and lovely and intense and wonderful. I still can't find the right words but I wanted to say at least something, now that I read all of them.
I sincerely hope everyone will give this series a chance.
February 6, 2018
Oh, dear reader, where to begin? King Daniel by Edmond Manning caps off an incredibly complex, frustrating, gorgeous, smart, powerful series that has kept me captivated from book one. This Lost and Founds series has followed one Vin Vanbly through some of the most unusual places, strangest activities and chaotic adventures one could imagine. Vin’s one mission in life was to find and bring home the lost kings of this world, men who were oftentimes broken down by the life handed to them, and who would have to be brought down even lower before realizing their own innate beauty and kingship.
In this last episode, we are unsure whether or not Vin is alive. Oh, we have an inkling, but the found kings are holding that truth close to their chests as we are introduced to Daniel, who is pursuing his own kingship even though he is quite certain he will never deserve it. Daniel has lived through a horrific life of physical and mental abuse at the hands of a man who should have loved him and been the father who would protect him. Instead, Daniel is now a permanent cripple due to his monster of a parent, and he bears the scars, both externally and internally, of his years spent in hell. The story that unfolds featuring this tormented, broken man is one that will test the limits of your patience. It will keep you slightly unhinged as you watch Daniel slowly unravel. You will begin to doubt your sanity just like Daniel does his own, as paranoia mounts and his anxiety increases. You will breathe deep in those few scattered moments of respite when a found king reaches out to Daniel only to end up drawing the noose around his neck that much tighter.
Finally, you will find out if Vin is indeed still alive, still kinging others, still the same manipulative, smartass, compassionate, loving rat bastard he has always been. And, in the end, you will see if Daniel crosses over—if he can accept being found, if he can endure the love that will be poured out on him, and if he can begin to accept that he was never deserving of the pain and anguish he was served daily as a child and teenager.
Daniel’s story nearly drove me mad. There were times when I swear I was as befuddled and confused as Daniel. This novel will reduce you to a blubbering mess, so much so that I had to stop reading for just a bit because I was overwhelmed by the sheer beauty of this lost king’s story. There is such an intense realness to this series of books. While it is hard to fathom the extent to which Vin must, and does, go to bring back his lost kings, there is never a moment that you don’t believe he is fully invested in reclaiming them.
This is the strength of Edmond Manning’s written word, the magical result of the many threads he weaves together to create amazing stories; stories that resonate with the tears, the love, and the pain this author must surely endure himself while carrying us through the life of those men he creates. I believe it is a given that in every novel you must be a willing participant to enter into the world an author creates. In Edmond Manning’s novels, you must give your heart and mind into his hands and trust he will treat them with respect and compassion. I can assure you he does, each and every time.
If there were enough descriptive words or phrases to describe how incredible this last book is, I would no doubt continue to wax prosaic. However, given my lack of imagination when it comes to sharing how greatly this book, this whole series, impacted me, I will leave this scant review with this last thought or two. What Daniel experiences is as foreign to me as is humanly possible, and yet, through the deft and masterful hand of Edmond Manning, I am able to step into Daniel’s world, share his pain, weep for and with him and then, blessedly, experience the emotions he has when that burden gets lifted. What this author does is remind us that we all carry scars of one sort or another and, if we can take just a moment to tap into that shared experience, we will find the lost king or queen within ourselves and others. For just a second or two, we can understand what it is to walk the path of another person and appreciate how hard their journey is, and see how it sometimes connects to our own. And that? That is beautiful, redemptive, inspiring and majestic.
It goes without saying that I highly recommend King Daniel. If you have not read this series, please do yourself a favor and do so as soon as possible. This is a journey you will not want to miss.
Reviewed by Sammy for The Novel Approach
In this last episode, we are unsure whether or not Vin is alive. Oh, we have an inkling, but the found kings are holding that truth close to their chests as we are introduced to Daniel, who is pursuing his own kingship even though he is quite certain he will never deserve it. Daniel has lived through a horrific life of physical and mental abuse at the hands of a man who should have loved him and been the father who would protect him. Instead, Daniel is now a permanent cripple due to his monster of a parent, and he bears the scars, both externally and internally, of his years spent in hell. The story that unfolds featuring this tormented, broken man is one that will test the limits of your patience. It will keep you slightly unhinged as you watch Daniel slowly unravel. You will begin to doubt your sanity just like Daniel does his own, as paranoia mounts and his anxiety increases. You will breathe deep in those few scattered moments of respite when a found king reaches out to Daniel only to end up drawing the noose around his neck that much tighter.
Finally, you will find out if Vin is indeed still alive, still kinging others, still the same manipulative, smartass, compassionate, loving rat bastard he has always been. And, in the end, you will see if Daniel crosses over—if he can accept being found, if he can endure the love that will be poured out on him, and if he can begin to accept that he was never deserving of the pain and anguish he was served daily as a child and teenager.
Daniel’s story nearly drove me mad. There were times when I swear I was as befuddled and confused as Daniel. This novel will reduce you to a blubbering mess, so much so that I had to stop reading for just a bit because I was overwhelmed by the sheer beauty of this lost king’s story. There is such an intense realness to this series of books. While it is hard to fathom the extent to which Vin must, and does, go to bring back his lost kings, there is never a moment that you don’t believe he is fully invested in reclaiming them.
This is the strength of Edmond Manning’s written word, the magical result of the many threads he weaves together to create amazing stories; stories that resonate with the tears, the love, and the pain this author must surely endure himself while carrying us through the life of those men he creates. I believe it is a given that in every novel you must be a willing participant to enter into the world an author creates. In Edmond Manning’s novels, you must give your heart and mind into his hands and trust he will treat them with respect and compassion. I can assure you he does, each and every time.
If there were enough descriptive words or phrases to describe how incredible this last book is, I would no doubt continue to wax prosaic. However, given my lack of imagination when it comes to sharing how greatly this book, this whole series, impacted me, I will leave this scant review with this last thought or two. What Daniel experiences is as foreign to me as is humanly possible, and yet, through the deft and masterful hand of Edmond Manning, I am able to step into Daniel’s world, share his pain, weep for and with him and then, blessedly, experience the emotions he has when that burden gets lifted. What this author does is remind us that we all carry scars of one sort or another and, if we can take just a moment to tap into that shared experience, we will find the lost king or queen within ourselves and others. For just a second or two, we can understand what it is to walk the path of another person and appreciate how hard their journey is, and see how it sometimes connects to our own. And that? That is beautiful, redemptive, inspiring and majestic.
It goes without saying that I highly recommend King Daniel. If you have not read this series, please do yourself a favor and do so as soon as possible. This is a journey you will not want to miss.
Reviewed by Sammy for The Novel Approach
December 15, 2017
It's kind of difficult to review the last book of a wonderful series. Especially when it follows the masterpiece that Come Back To Me was. But Edmond Manning knows what he's doing and as someone told me "trust the Manning". And he delivered. All the loose ends get tied together wonderfully, we get to check on previous kings, we get to see them love with all their love a lost king, and I'm crying happy tears after that last kinging. But is it really the last? Are we starting a new "era" of kingings with the Great Remembering upon us? We'll see. In the meantime, I'm trusting the Manning.
January 5, 2019
This series gave me life when i most needed it.
March 3, 2018
Review can be read at It's About The Book
King Daniel is the sixth and final book in the Lost and Founds series. Like the other books in the series, it can be read as a stand-alone, but in doing so the reader would miss a lot nuances and small moments that reference events in earlier books that mean so much more with a full knowledge of them.
One day Daniel Connors stumbled onto a blog. It weaved a tale of kings and queens, both Lost and Found, of how in a world full of kings and queens, each woman was the One True Queen and every man was the One True King. It spoke of King Weekends and life changing adventures and of events from a decade ago that proclaimed to prove that King Weekends really happened. And in the last post it demanded the reader (it demanded Daniel) to REMEMBER THE KING. Daniel was sceptical at the best of times, and these tales and declarations made him dismiss them nothing more than meat fairy stories. But. But, still he kept coming back to them. Kept being drawn in. Because what if there was truth in them. What if his life could be more than what it was; lonely and difficult, even with almost assured financial security for life. What if his memories of his childhood didn’t have to torment him, making him re-live his trauma with every nightmare. What if he were just Lost. If he were a Lost King, that would mean he could be Found and maybe his life would become not just bearable, but happy and fulfilling.
This is the story of Daniel’s quest to discover the truth, and in doing so, finding himself.
Daniel’s quest starts with first his interest caught by the recounting of a King Weekend that happened to a man named Perry. Then his curiosity sparked by the amazing story of a corn farmer in DeKalb, and his King Weekend. That curiosity sends him to New York to seek out the Butterfly King. Each step of his quest forces him to confront his childhood and to question how it has impacted his life, to examine his truths and if they are the reality, or only his reality.
It’s a hard and sometimes scary journey, and at points, just too much for Daniel. He is still a Lost King, and when he breaks (“A kinging ain’t pretty, Daniel. It’s wrestling demons into the mud and losing. Kings rise after men fall”), it is deeply shocking. I thought I knew this man, as damaged as he was. He was deeply flawed, but he was also remarkably insightful and self aware. That overwhelming, murderous rage terrified me. It felt even more terrifying, because as much as I knew Daniel had anger in him, he was more unconsciously kind than he was mean. It was hard to watch him breaking apart; his conflict, painful to witness. Yet there were such wonderful moments, too. The friendship between a Daniel and Horatio, a Mexican landscape gardener working on a project at Daniel’s complex, was just lovely. The ways they found to communicate and share brief friendship was heartbreakingly beautiful in its portrayal.
This is the only book in the series told entirely from the POV from someone other than Vin Vanbly. Which was fitting. We know Vin, we know his story and the man he is. As much as the previous books have been about the men being kinged, they are have also been telling Vin’s story. Now is the time of the Great Remembering. Now it is Daniel’s time and, therefore, his story to tell. The author has, once again, left me with as many questions to ponder as answers given. There were several times while reading where I paused to just sit with a thought for a while.
There was so much I loved about this book, as there was throughout each book in the Lost and Founds series, from the beautiful writing – each word chosen with care and love, to the amazing, multi-layered, so very human characters and the profound themes of how we choose the light and shadow in each of us to play out. I loved the subtle revisiting of each of the kings’ own kingings as part their introductions into Daniels quest. The name Daniel found at the end was completely unexpected, yet entirely perfect. Much like Daniel’s journey, and the entire series for that matter.
King Daniel is the sixth and final book in the Lost and Founds series. Like the other books in the series, it can be read as a stand-alone, but in doing so the reader would miss a lot nuances and small moments that reference events in earlier books that mean so much more with a full knowledge of them.
One day Daniel Connors stumbled onto a blog. It weaved a tale of kings and queens, both Lost and Found, of how in a world full of kings and queens, each woman was the One True Queen and every man was the One True King. It spoke of King Weekends and life changing adventures and of events from a decade ago that proclaimed to prove that King Weekends really happened. And in the last post it demanded the reader (it demanded Daniel) to REMEMBER THE KING. Daniel was sceptical at the best of times, and these tales and declarations made him dismiss them nothing more than meat fairy stories. But. But, still he kept coming back to them. Kept being drawn in. Because what if there was truth in them. What if his life could be more than what it was; lonely and difficult, even with almost assured financial security for life. What if his memories of his childhood didn’t have to torment him, making him re-live his trauma with every nightmare. What if he were just Lost. If he were a Lost King, that would mean he could be Found and maybe his life would become not just bearable, but happy and fulfilling.
This is the story of Daniel’s quest to discover the truth, and in doing so, finding himself.
Daniel’s quest starts with first his interest caught by the recounting of a King Weekend that happened to a man named Perry. Then his curiosity sparked by the amazing story of a corn farmer in DeKalb, and his King Weekend. That curiosity sends him to New York to seek out the Butterfly King. Each step of his quest forces him to confront his childhood and to question how it has impacted his life, to examine his truths and if they are the reality, or only his reality.
It’s a hard and sometimes scary journey, and at points, just too much for Daniel. He is still a Lost King, and when he breaks (“A kinging ain’t pretty, Daniel. It’s wrestling demons into the mud and losing. Kings rise after men fall”), it is deeply shocking. I thought I knew this man, as damaged as he was. He was deeply flawed, but he was also remarkably insightful and self aware. That overwhelming, murderous rage terrified me. It felt even more terrifying, because as much as I knew Daniel had anger in him, he was more unconsciously kind than he was mean. It was hard to watch him breaking apart; his conflict, painful to witness. Yet there were such wonderful moments, too. The friendship between a Daniel and Horatio, a Mexican landscape gardener working on a project at Daniel’s complex, was just lovely. The ways they found to communicate and share brief friendship was heartbreakingly beautiful in its portrayal.
This is the only book in the series told entirely from the POV from someone other than Vin Vanbly. Which was fitting. We know Vin, we know his story and the man he is. As much as the previous books have been about the men being kinged, they are have also been telling Vin’s story. Now is the time of the Great Remembering. Now it is Daniel’s time and, therefore, his story to tell. The author has, once again, left me with as many questions to ponder as answers given. There were several times while reading where I paused to just sit with a thought for a while.
There was so much I loved about this book, as there was throughout each book in the Lost and Founds series, from the beautiful writing – each word chosen with care and love, to the amazing, multi-layered, so very human characters and the profound themes of how we choose the light and shadow in each of us to play out. I loved the subtle revisiting of each of the kings’ own kingings as part their introductions into Daniels quest. The name Daniel found at the end was completely unexpected, yet entirely perfect. Much like Daniel’s journey, and the entire series for that matter.
April 8, 2025
King Daniel marks the end of a messy, uneven, but ultimately rewarding journey through the world of the Lost and Founds. I thought this was a welcome return to form for the series and a neat way to wrap up (most of) the series' lingering loose ends. I would love another 100 pages of Vin's and the gangs adventures but I'll take the preceding ~1,500 and gladly be on my way! Just a note: I read all the novels in the series following the enhanced cliffhanger order recommended by Manning, but I don't necessarily recommend it myself. I think the books need a bit of time to breathe in between and the suggested order encourages binging when flipping back and forth between King Daniel and the other novels.
Ok, spoiler time! This is just a summary of my thoughts on ALL the books in the series:
But all in all loved the series. Would read again
Ok, spoiler time! This is just a summary of my thoughts on ALL the books in the series:
But all in all loved the series. Would read again
August 21, 2018
After reading book 5, Come Back to Me, I was actually dreading this book. Not in a bad way, per se, but after reading the first 5, and seeing what everyone has went through, especially Vin, it's an emotional ride. And I was hoping Vin finally kept the peace and happiness he found. Then the other part of me definitely wanted to see how this played out. I will warn you, and so does the author, there are some triggers. A very abusive childhood for a MC and Vin’s history comes up again. So have a care please. This, by far, was the most emotional one of the series for me. Maybe for my own history…who knows. But it was also one of the most powerful. And Vin was at it again lol. This book, this series, is one of the best I've read in a while. And I've read a lot of good ones, believe me. But it pulls you in a way that is indescribable. So grab a box of tissues and get started. It's worth it.
Daniel has had about all of life he can stand. His past has forced his present and his future in a way he didn't want. He doesn't know if it's worth it anymore. He sees something one day, though, that sets him on a mission. He thinks he's a Lost King and wants to be found. He goes on one hell of a journey to try to find Vin only to be told he's dead. He doesn't know if what everyone has told him true or false, and if they are running a scam on him. He lives in fear every day of his past coming to him and doesn't know if all this will lead him back to those dark days. Surely all those people couldn't be lying to him. Doubts are rising to the point he can't breathe, but he has to go on. He has to find out the truth and if this is all real. And if it is, can he finally turn his life around.
It's so hard to know what to say here. I have to be so careful because I don't want to give anything away. If you've read the other five, which I hope you have, you know these stories can be intense. It drove me crazy to a point, because even if Vin is dead in this book, (and I'm not telling if he is or isn't), everything going on in Daniel's life for this King’s journey, is classic Vin. So either he's working beyond the grave, or everyone is finally in on his schemes. Something lol. And even knowing Vin’s story, he can be a little shit. Which he himself has said. This story, Daniel's story, needed some push, though. With all that he's been through, and everything going on in his mind he needed someone to push through his issues and get to the heart of the matter. And to do it was so not easy. It was disturbing, heartbreaking, etc. But the beauty of all that tragedy was someone so strong and loving. Someone with a heart, even when he didn't think he had one. Daniel's story was the hardest to read but to me, the most rewarding. And the surprise at the end???? Perfect.
Please pick this series up and read it, if you haven't. It will make you evaluate your own life. If it doesn't, you need a wake up call. It's an amazing series and I'm a bit sad it's over.
http://lovebytesreviews.com
Daniel has had about all of life he can stand. His past has forced his present and his future in a way he didn't want. He doesn't know if it's worth it anymore. He sees something one day, though, that sets him on a mission. He thinks he's a Lost King and wants to be found. He goes on one hell of a journey to try to find Vin only to be told he's dead. He doesn't know if what everyone has told him true or false, and if they are running a scam on him. He lives in fear every day of his past coming to him and doesn't know if all this will lead him back to those dark days. Surely all those people couldn't be lying to him. Doubts are rising to the point he can't breathe, but he has to go on. He has to find out the truth and if this is all real. And if it is, can he finally turn his life around.
It's so hard to know what to say here. I have to be so careful because I don't want to give anything away. If you've read the other five, which I hope you have, you know these stories can be intense. It drove me crazy to a point, because even if Vin is dead in this book, (and I'm not telling if he is or isn't), everything going on in Daniel's life for this King’s journey, is classic Vin. So either he's working beyond the grave, or everyone is finally in on his schemes. Something lol. And even knowing Vin’s story, he can be a little shit. Which he himself has said. This story, Daniel's story, needed some push, though. With all that he's been through, and everything going on in his mind he needed someone to push through his issues and get to the heart of the matter. And to do it was so not easy. It was disturbing, heartbreaking, etc. But the beauty of all that tragedy was someone so strong and loving. Someone with a heart, even when he didn't think he had one. Daniel's story was the hardest to read but to me, the most rewarding. And the surprise at the end???? Perfect.
Please pick this series up and read it, if you haven't. It will make you evaluate your own life. If it doesn't, you need a wake up call. It's an amazing series and I'm a bit sad it's over.
http://lovebytesreviews.com
January 7, 2019
4.5 Stars****
Every kinging gives off a different feeling. For this one, it was... power. Daniel is the strongest character in this series, in my opinion. This is the second time this series has made me cry, the first time being in King Mai. It took me a while to piece together what exactly I was feeling at that moment. It wasn't sadness, and it wasn't happiness, and it also wasn't something bittersweet. I finally realized it was because I felt so much power and strength from the situation.
I didn't like Daniel at first. However, his character development was spot on. There wasn't one moment where you can pinpoint "This is the moment he changed". It started slowly from the very first page and continued until the last.
Sadly, I can't help but mention the disappointment I felt toward the last few chapters. It almost felt rushed. We were given information in just small dabs and it feels incomplete. I also noticed a few scenes that could use some editing to become clearer. I really hope there will be another book one day, but only if the author allows themselves the time to do it in a way that feels complete. If there never is another book, I am okay with that. I am happy I was able to experience this series. I will never forget it.
Every kinging gives off a different feeling. For this one, it was... power. Daniel is the strongest character in this series, in my opinion. This is the second time this series has made me cry, the first time being in King Mai. It took me a while to piece together what exactly I was feeling at that moment. It wasn't sadness, and it wasn't happiness, and it also wasn't something bittersweet. I finally realized it was because I felt so much power and strength from the situation.
I didn't like Daniel at first. However, his character development was spot on. There wasn't one moment where you can pinpoint "This is the moment he changed". It started slowly from the very first page and continued until the last.
Sadly, I can't help but mention the disappointment I felt toward the last few chapters. It almost felt rushed. We were given information in just small dabs and it feels incomplete. I also noticed a few scenes that could use some editing to become clearer. I really hope there will be another book one day, but only if the author allows themselves the time to do it in a way that feels complete. If there never is another book, I am okay with that. I am happy I was able to experience this series. I will never forget it.
January 6, 2018
A very satisfying ending
Although I'm sad that this is the last book in the series, I'm so glad to know everything. I just love this series so much, and I've been waiting literally years to read it. It was amazing, and all of the cliffhanger questions are answered. Edmond Manning has the best words, and he does an incredible job putting them together, into a fantabulous story. I can't recommend highly enough that you read this series, in whatever order makes sense to you. I have no words for how much I loved this book, and this series. I suck at writing reviews, and I try to keep my reviews spoiler-free, so this is my best effort. Read this series, seriously. You are missing out on such great writing if you don't read it. Thank you Edmond Manning for such beauty and awesomeness.
Although I'm sad that this is the last book in the series, I'm so glad to know everything. I just love this series so much, and I've been waiting literally years to read it. It was amazing, and all of the cliffhanger questions are answered. Edmond Manning has the best words, and he does an incredible job putting them together, into a fantabulous story. I can't recommend highly enough that you read this series, in whatever order makes sense to you. I have no words for how much I loved this book, and this series. I suck at writing reviews, and I try to keep my reviews spoiler-free, so this is my best effort. Read this series, seriously. You are missing out on such great writing if you don't read it. Thank you Edmond Manning for such beauty and awesomeness.
March 5, 2018
4.5
I'm sad that the The Lost and Founds series ends, although it was inevitable. It took me a while to tackle the last book because I had wanted to reread the first 5 books before starting it and then I never managed to do it. I'm sure I'll find time for it in the future because this is indeed an amazing series.
Once more Edmond Manning managed to create something new in the frame of the kingings. The writing is excellent, the plot intricate, but we can see the different threads coming together in the end. The story is told from Daniel's POV and we experience all his feelings and confusion and heartbreak when he thinks he has been deceived. The missing half star is connected to some doubts about Vin's «therapy»for Daniel: what he has to go through in this book and about the result of it, a bit too sudden.
Warning: childhood abuse (in the past)
I'm sad that the The Lost and Founds series ends, although it was inevitable. It took me a while to tackle the last book because I had wanted to reread the first 5 books before starting it and then I never managed to do it. I'm sure I'll find time for it in the future because this is indeed an amazing series.
Once more Edmond Manning managed to create something new in the frame of the kingings. The writing is excellent, the plot intricate, but we can see the different threads coming together in the end. The story is told from Daniel's POV and we experience all his feelings and confusion and heartbreak when he thinks he has been deceived. The missing half star is connected to some doubts about Vin's «therapy»for Daniel: what he has to go through in this book and about the result of it, a bit too sudden.
Warning: childhood abuse (in the past)
October 14, 2024
Read 5+ times
Don't read the blurb if you want to read this book. It deserves the full surprise.
This modern fairy tale revolves around anger. This book reads as an epilogue, where most of the previous characters play a part. The narrator is one of the next kings, giving an interesting different POV than usual.
Despite some extremely dark details and a few longish inner thoughts, I really liked this story. It's one of my favorites in the series.
However, I have to admit that the very last chapter left me quite unsatisfied.
****
Most of my review for King Perry still stands for King Daniel:
This is not your usual romance. Don't expect this story to follow the usual development of standardized MM novels. Actually, you'll never guess what happens in the next pages.
This is a modern fairy tale. It takes you through every possible feelings in a crazy roller-coaster. However, as with a lot of old fairy tales there's a lot of love but also deep darkness sometimes.
For all these reasons, you're going to love or hate this book. I absolutely loved it.
I really liked everything in this book, but I especially enjoyed :
- the writing,
- the masculine touch of the writer,
- the way the dialogues ring true and bring the characters extremely close to me.
The 1st person present tense is not a big favorite of mine, but the story wouldn't work as well without it and I got used to it rather quickly.
This is an amazing book, but it's even better when you have already read the whole series. (You have to read the previous ones before this one!)
There's an evolution of the MC's personality and there are plenty of unseen details that make the whole work shine even more.
It's best to read these books in the published order for the first time.
What did I forget?
- If you're interested about the sexy parts, the whole series explores many fantasies,
- Once started I couldn't drop it,
- Read this book with an open mind and an open heart : it's only a fiction,
- On a personal note, each time I read this book I feel a bit healed.
Don't read the blurb if you want to read this book. It deserves the full surprise.
This modern fairy tale revolves around anger. This book reads as an epilogue, where most of the previous characters play a part. The narrator is one of the next kings, giving an interesting different POV than usual.
Despite some extremely dark details and a few longish inner thoughts, I really liked this story. It's one of my favorites in the series.
However, I have to admit that the very last chapter left me quite unsatisfied.
****
Most of my review for King Perry still stands for King Daniel:
This is not your usual romance. Don't expect this story to follow the usual development of standardized MM novels. Actually, you'll never guess what happens in the next pages.
This is a modern fairy tale. It takes you through every possible feelings in a crazy roller-coaster. However, as with a lot of old fairy tales there's a lot of love but also deep darkness sometimes.
For all these reasons, you're going to love or hate this book. I absolutely loved it.
I really liked everything in this book, but I especially enjoyed :
- the writing,
- the masculine touch of the writer,
- the way the dialogues ring true and bring the characters extremely close to me.
The 1st person present tense is not a big favorite of mine, but the story wouldn't work as well without it and I got used to it rather quickly.
This is an amazing book, but it's even better when you have already read the whole series. (You have to read the previous ones before this one!)
There's an evolution of the MC's personality and there are plenty of unseen details that make the whole work shine even more.
It's best to read these books in the published order for the first time.
What did I forget?
- If you're interested about the sexy parts, the whole series explores many fantasies,
- Once started I couldn't drop it,
- Read this book with an open mind and an open heart : it's only a fiction,
- On a personal note, each time I read this book I feel a bit healed.
March 31, 2025
Magnificent in every way
These series have been the most magnificent mindplay I have experienced in a while.
With every book I kept thinking ‘oh yeah, okay, I got it’ just to be caught out again, and again, and again!! King Daniel had me guessing and doubting myself all over again. Until the very last page, until the Epilogue! Who the heck manages to catch a reader out in an epilogue? Like seriously!!!! Well, Edmond Manning is.
Pure word wizardry. Magicals romanticals. DC and wagging tongues. Sparkling lights and colourful shirts. Magic everywhere.
Because maybe… in the words on Manning: “Maybe that’s the secret to kinging, to just believing yourself a Found King. Found Queen. Who cares if you’re not? What if I choose to live like a Found King, until one day it finally feels authentic and true?”
Keep believing, and happy kinging.
These series have been the most magnificent mindplay I have experienced in a while.
With every book I kept thinking ‘oh yeah, okay, I got it’ just to be caught out again, and again, and again!! King Daniel had me guessing and doubting myself all over again. Until the very last page, until the Epilogue! Who the heck manages to catch a reader out in an epilogue? Like seriously!!!! Well, Edmond Manning is.
Pure word wizardry. Magicals romanticals. DC and wagging tongues. Sparkling lights and colourful shirts. Magic everywhere.
Because maybe… in the words on Manning: “Maybe that’s the secret to kinging, to just believing yourself a Found King. Found Queen. Who cares if you’re not? What if I choose to live like a Found King, until one day it finally feels authentic and true?”
Keep believing, and happy kinging.
July 20, 2019
All good things must come to an end
I will miss this series. I feel as if I've had my own kinging, through this all. There is so much love, and so much sexy, here and in the preceding books. King Daniel was a fitting end.
I will miss this series. I feel as if I've had my own kinging, through this all. There is so much love, and so much sexy, here and in the preceding books. King Daniel was a fitting end.
August 29, 2023
I had binged through books 4, 5, and 6 because of the cliffhangers and the plot.
Reading this series was a fantastic experience. I reached King Perry via https://shepherd.com (a book recommendation site) and I am really glad I did.
Things I loved about this book: Daniel's love for Frank, his experiences in New York, his heart opening up bit by bit, his king name, and that this book was a perfect culmination for the series
Things I struggled with and and made me think: The way the Lost and Founds story proceeded, the way Vin's character seems to have developed (I really missed hearing the story from his perspective!!), and the way in which the concept of archetypes has been used in the series (some of the core aspects of kingings and people's experiences really resonated with me but the feminine/masculine nature of archetypes got kinda confusing...for example, what about nonbinary people?). Also, Mark's kinging story was a bit of a disappointment.
Thank you, author!! Through your writing, I felt like I was experiencing all the locations of the books in specific ways, which was a wonderful experience! The characters in the series really made me think, and Vin's love and compassion blew me away.
Reading this series was a fantastic experience. I reached King Perry via https://shepherd.com (a book recommendation site) and I am really glad I did.
Things I loved about this book: Daniel's love for Frank, his experiences in New York, his heart opening up bit by bit, his king name, and that this book was a perfect culmination for the series
Things I struggled with and and made me think: The way the Lost and Founds story proceeded, the way Vin's character seems to have developed (I really missed hearing the story from his perspective!!), and the way in which the concept of archetypes has been used in the series (some of the core aspects of kingings and people's experiences really resonated with me but the feminine/masculine nature of archetypes got kinda confusing...for example, what about nonbinary people?). Also, Mark's kinging story was a bit of a disappointment.
Thank you, author!! Through your writing, I felt like I was experiencing all the locations of the books in specific ways, which was a wonderful experience! The characters in the series really made me think, and Vin's love and compassion blew me away.
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