The Ancients are free, and all bets are off.With the rise of the primordial creators of Under everything has changed. Our world is no longer the same, and neither is Aon.I learned his dark secret the moment the sun peeked over the horizon for the first time in thousands of years. Every king and queen in Under used to be human—even Edu. But not Aon. He’s the only soul ever made by the Ancients, … by the Ancients, their firstborn and only son.
Now that they’ve been set free, he has no choice but to obey his makers and do what he has been created to do. Rule.
Aon, the King of Shadows, was a madman and a warlock. But he no longer exists. In his place is someone—something—far worse.
The King of All.
more
There are dark authors, then there are authors that are dark enough they make you fall in love with the Antagonist… for they are the protagonist all along, or at least one of them. Kingsley is one such author, though the term ‘dark’ may not be the best label to apply. Aon is the supreme anti-hero/villian, and somehow, someway, there is something so appealing and addictive about his broken psychosis. He’s twisted, he’s wrong, he’s diabolical… and I love him.
I also love Lydia and what she has become. Her inner strength is truly what is making this world shine brighter, even as the past sweep forward and things change.
This book is intense, it’s painful, yet through it all – there is a feeling of desperate hope, the kind edged with an aura of dread.
I just got back from a weeklong vacation and I am still in catch-up mode, so this review will be neither long nor overly detailed. Needless to say, I am still very much enjoying this series. However, this was probably my least favorite book so far. Chalk it up to me being frustrated with the back-and-forth pace of Aon and Lydia’s relationship. Chalk it up to me not loving certain events that took place in this book. Chalk it up to me not being a fan of one couple’s story being dragged out over so many books. Chalk it up to me finding Lydia and her “I don’t know how I feel” attitude annoying. Just little things here and there made it less enjoyable for me.
That said, I adored Edu in this book. We thankfully get limited Kamira (who annoyed me SO much in the previous book). The writing, plot, character development, all remain top notch.So yea, I am still enjoying the series overall, but I will admit I am happy that the next book is the last. I am ready for “this” story to end and see what this author has up her sleeve for us next!
This story has kept me coming back for more. Not a genre I typically read, but so glad I gave it a try. I am enjoying this a lot!
After how we left the previous book, I was more than ready to jump back into all that is Under.
Here Aon is a very different version of the Warlock Lydia originally fell for and Lydia had now metamorphed into what she always was meant to the mother of monsters.
In a bizarre turnabout of events, Edu is now one of Lydia’s most staunchest allies and Aon seems to be a power-hungry despot with a god complex.
Aon’s most earnest wish along with the ancients is that Lydia takes her place at his side as his Queen.
All he remembers from his five thousand years as the mad warlock is his connection to Lydia and how much he still adores her.
I raced through this and there were times I just felt so sorry for Aon.
His actions were despicable and those of a tyrant but he really just lacked the ability to connect to others in this instalment he was a much more ancient and colder version of himself.
I also found that the heat factor was cranked up slightly here and I for one really appreciated that.
The King of None is very much a battle of wills between Lydia and Aon and they went head to head often throughout this.
I am looking forward to finally reaching their end game in the final volume to come.
This was so well written and engaging as expected.
I am very much ready now for them to arrive at there final destination.
I voluntary reviewed a copy of King of None (The Masks of Under #5).
Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/9460945-bex-beckie-bookworm
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“Isn’t that such the nature of life? To not know what you have, until the moment it is gone?”
I tried to be very careful not to write any spoilers
In the previous episode Under had finally been restored to its full beauty. There was hope, cause for celebration ~ until once again our newest Queen was viewed as less than.
Aon in his grief and anger at the betrayal against his sweet Lydia sought vengeance. He would show no mercy. No thought to the consequences of his actions. Justice would be served by his hand.
In doing so he destroyed the one being that held Unders darkest evils in chains, dooming Under once again to be nothing more than the playground of the Ancients and its inhabitants reduced to nothing but fodder to be tossed about and discarded.
And so the King has risen with one goal – to acquire his Queen
(Not sure how well that is working out for him)
I’m a bit torn. I understand the ancients are not all there mentally. But really what do they hope to gain with their actions? If you break all your toys you have nothing …
Aon has undergone some changes … He is still the same sadistic ruler though now slightly more? How can he not understand that if he follows through with his plan it will not be HIS Lydia that stands at his side?
Lydia… I know not where her strength comes from though I do understand her drive. Why lie to yourself when the truth is just as painful, maybe even less? She knows there is always a choice, maybe not the easiest or with the preferred results but it is still HER choice. The problem is can she survive long enough to find a way to fix this?
I need to know how this ends.
It took me a bit to fix the review (it is hard to type when you can’t breath) – The weight on my chest has eased some though I am still haunted by the losses and the choices that lie ahead … I do not see any as a win
This is the fifth book in a series of six –
No, they are not standalone –
Yes, they are a must-read series!
Once again, Lydia, the heroine, finds love can be a deadly thing. She’s faced unbelievable, unimaginable odds and circumstances since we first met her in book 1, King of Flames. Now the heat is really turned up, as she has to do battle with a cold, calculating, seemingly unbeatable adversary who seems destined to love her to death. It looks like Lydia will have to dig deep into her own bag of paranormal abilities and tricks to prove love truly can conquer even the most savage beast. With a never give up, never surrender attitude, this always stays true to herself heroine proves you can’t keep a good woman down. She’s also proven time and time again she’ll sacrifice herself for the good of others.
Aon, the hero, is in rare form here, folks. To say he’s not himself is quite an understatement. According to this self proclaimed King of everything, he’s right as rain and now reigns over every nook, cranny, living and even undead creature in the land of Under. He’s feared by everyone, even those courageous enough to attempt to stand up against him. Lydia is helping lead the charge in this dangerous rebellion, all while desperately wanting to destroy and save Aon at the same time.
Lydia is looking and feeling quite differently herself, my fellow fans of The Masks of Under series. She’s shifted in a powerful makeover of her own enabling her to face off and down a man claiming to love her for eternity and beyond. But there are some big, ancient problems standing in the way of this main couple’s HEA.
It was quite shocking to see this resurrected version of Aon of old up close and personal. Better brace yourself because unexpected, gruesome murder and mayhem come as easy to him as breathing. I kinda sorta hated him at times. You just have to keep in mind there is a lot of history and elements into play here that put an unexpected spin on things. My heart broke but at the same time was filled with hope at a glimpse we were given that someone was still fighting to break free and make things right.
Here’s to hoping all this turmoil will be ancient history when the Ancients get their just rewards. Yeah, I can’t wait for the clock to run out on them and a great reckoning kicks in. I think that would be a great wrap up to this completely captivating series. There’s one more book yet to be released to find out how it all actually ends.
P.S. If you hurry, you can read this series as part of Kindle Unlimited.
Title: King of None, Series: The Masks of Under (Book 5), Author: Kathryn Ann Kingsley, Pages: 214, not a stand-alone, must read all books in order, graphic/at times very gruesome fight scenes, no love triangle, no OW/OM drama, not together as a couple in this book.
Book 1 – King of Flames
Book 2 – King of Shadows
Book 3 – Queen of Dreams
Book 4 – King of Blood
Book 5 – King of None
(One more book to come!)
(I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I was not given any payment or compensation for this review. There is no affiliation or relationship between this reviewer and the author/publisher/PR firm).