King Perry (The Lost and Founds #1) by Edmond Manning
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Recommended to Kynthos-the-Archer by: Cdmr9816 (LGBT Fantasy Fiction - May 2014 Pick-it-for-me Challenge)
Recommended for: Give it a go if you love poetry with your M/M romance, unconventional ending and a dash of purple.
Read from May 03 to 14, 2014 — I own a copy, read count: 1
I love it and I hate it with equal vigour. Yet why 4 Stars?
After finishing this book I felt like I have just visited San Fransisco and wanting to physically visit San Fransisco. The book could give the best San Fransisco tourist guide book a run for the money.
I wish for a crazy guide like Vin to take me around but I don't want to be in his head though. His wandering mind annoys me mighty since he is the narrator and the sole POV throughout the story. I know he says the most brilliant thing from time to time but his ever loud mind is a big disturbance to the flow of the story. His out of focus ramblings was highly distracting!
Enigmatic, eccentric Vin is baffling, surprising, cryptic, charming, brilliant, annoying and a total asshole. He has been a dick to Perry, then a tender lover, then back to number one asshole, then the sweetest most romantic guy ever and back to controlling freak! Only, you can't hate him for all those shits he laid on Perry because it is all for the return of "the one true king."
The story goes like this -- Perry met the White Rabbit in the city. While chasing it he fell into the rabbit hole ala Alice minus the voluminous petticoat and full skirt. I am not exactly sure if Vin is that hurrying waistcoated rabbit or if he is the Mad Hatter himself. Cheshire cat is another potential candidate for Vin's true identity. Along the adventure Perry met some Lost Kings and Queens then found himself in front of the Mirror of Forgiveness.
Truthfully I have a love-hate feeling towards this book. They are brilliant parts, unfortunately it was also marred by absolutely draggy and naggy parts. I nearly died of undue frustrations and impatience while wishing for the pace to pick up and the confounding fog to lift before I give up on it. The story did quite a number of twists, twirls and turns which latched onto my curiosity and in turn keeping me interested. I did dozed off a couple of times during the Vin ramblings. Vin, Vin is the most manipulative character I've ever known YET I could fall for a guy like him despite only knowing him for like two full days. I have a thing for the eccentric types as they are a work of art -- they are very much like surrealism art. Nonconformity is exciting to me.
King Perry is not an easy book to devour you have got to have mountainous patience and of course enough sleep to stay alert for better 'read between the lines' processing. There are times when I actually though I am reading a piece of poetry instead of a M/M fiction with enough hot sex to satisfy any horny readers. You have to read it to believe it. I am not pulling anyone's leg here.
This has to be the TALLEST tale I have ever read and I mean it in a good way. A daring and adventurous self-discovery journey to unlock a man's heart to trust and love again. To return a Lost King to the land of the Found Kings is a journey for the brave ones because forgiveness is an act of supreme braveness.
By the way, I adore the ending. Yes it was bittersweet but sweeter than it was bitter really. Fits the story well like a comforting glove, a warm hand guiding your heart to the right place. I can't say this isn't romance for there are certainly quality of excitement and mystery associated with love. Besides that, Vin was truly courting Perry and gave him all the love he could. So you tell me, what is romance?
I am giving this book a 4 stars as I have greatly enjoyed the tour of beautiful San Franscisco and the tour of two vulnerable men's heart.
*SIDE NOTE: I read this book for the LGBT Fantasy Fiction - May 2014 Pick-it-for-me Challenge. Someone picked it for me but don't ask me why I am reading this book for a fantasy fiction group for I have no idea on that as well. It did screw up my expectation a little since I really thought the story has fantasy elements in it.
BOOK DETAILS:
Title: King Perry
Author: Edmond Manning
Publication Date: February 27th, 2012
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Genre: M/M Contemporary Romance Fiction
Type: Novel, approximately 106,158 words
Type: Novel, approximately 106,158 words
Main Characters: Vin Vanbly & Perry Mangin
Location/Setting: California, San Fransisco, Sausalito
Tags/Keywords: gay romance, enigmatic character, messiah/god complex, self-re-discovery, adventure
Description:
In a trendy San Francisco art gallery, out-of-towner Vin Vanbly witnesses an act of compassion that compels him to make investment banker Perry Mangin a mysterious offer: in exchange for a weekend of complete submission, Vin will restore Perry's "kingship" and transform him into the man he was always meant to be.
Despite intense reservations, Perry agrees, setting in motion a chain of events that will test the limits of his body, seduce his senses, and fray his every nerve, (perhaps occasionally breaking the law) while Vin guides him toward his destiny as "the one true king."
Even as Perry rediscovers old grief and new joys within himself, Vin and his shadowy motivations remain enigmas: who is this offbeat stranger guiding them from danger to hilarity to danger? To emerge triumphant, Perry must overcome the greatest challenge alone: embracing his devastating past. But can he succeed by Sunday's sunrise deadline? How can he possibly evolve from an ordinary man into King Perry?
A Bittersweet Dreams title: It's an unfortunate truth: love doesn't always conquer all. Regardless of its strength, sometimes fate intervenes, tragedy strikes, or forces conspire against it. These stories of romance do not offer a traditional happy ending, but the strong and enduring love will still touch your heart and maybe move you to tears.
WHERE TO PURCHASE:
* Reviewed on May 16th, 2014
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