The Reading Bud

Welcome to the TRB Lounge. Today, we are featuring David Morabito for his latest release, The Lantern Man.

Book: The Lantern Man
Author: David Morabito
Publication Date: June 8, 2026
Publisher: Self-published on Amazon
Pages: 239
Genre: Fantasy, science-fiction, romance, suspense
Available in: Available in e-book and paperback formats
For Readers Who Enjoyed: Lord of the Rings, Wizard of Oz, Alice in Wonderland
Fun Fact/Info: A wild take-off of the ancient folklore involving ghostly apparitions appearing in the swamps and bogs in England

About the Book

A captivating story on the adventures and hardships of Frank Knightlite, a man who strives to illuminate darkness with his lantern in search of answers to life’s questions.

We explore the happiness and tragedies suffered by this ill-fated soul as he sojourns through life. He enters into a romantic relationship with Beth a girl whom he met as a child, who then becomes his fiancé in early adulthood. While exploring the swampy fen lands of England, he suffers a debilitating coma when encountering a mysterious blue orb, believed to be a lantern carried by a disembodied spirit according to ancient folklore.

After several months in a comatose state, Beth gives up on Frank believing he is all but dead. As a consequence, she forms a relationship with another man becoming pregnant by him.

A mysterious man arrives in England and exorcises Frank from his comatose state restoring him into a state of consciousness. Beth is informed of Frank’s recovery, and is confronted by Frank with much emotional spillage. As Frank is traumatized by Beth’s betrayal, she suffers great turmoil and regret followed by a miscarriage. She severs her relationship with the other man only to enter into a relationship with the man who freed Frank from his comatose state; one Raymond Mann, a rough and crusty character.

Frank continues his life heartbroken, and moves to the States in the suburban town of Lexicon. He takes on a job in its Hall of the City Fathers, a notorious criminal organization masquerading as a benevolent civics group. Feeling a need for deep purpose in life and to serve the community, he agrees to be a mole and secretly report on the nefarious activities of this organization only to get caught up in its intrigue.

The novel climaxes with a shocking admission made by Beth who is now confined inside a psychiatric ward after suffering a nervous breakdown.

You can find The Lantern Man here
Amazon | Goodreads

About the Author

David Morabito

David Morabito is a freelance writer who lives in the mountains and deserts of Southern California. He is also a retired engineer with over 50 years of scientific and engineering research experience.

You can find author Morabito here:
Website

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