Ardulum: Mirrors of Andal

by J.S. Fields

“A masterful blend of space opera tropes and hard science fiction concepts…”
- Seanan McGuire, author of Every Heart a Doorway
Praise for First Don

The planet Ardulum has died and taken with it every last andal tree, and piece of andal cellulose tech—dissolving the Alpha Plane down to lightspeed travel and archaic communication. Yet Ardulum’s consciousness still lives, unwelcome, inside Atalant’s body. But two consciousnesses cannot share one host—especially not when one is a former planet.

Amidst the remains of a shattered galaxy, Guard Four and the Keft scrapper Bell chance a return to the Neek homeworld, where andal is still rumored to grow. A stable forest of andal could power the Cell-Tal technology to save Eld Atalant's life. Instead, Guard Four and Bell find a populace grappling with the aftershocks of Ardulum's death, and find Ardulum’s genetic influence is wider than they thought.

What remains of Ardulum demands a new body of its own, and transport to a mysterious world of Thesby, where a stable bridgeway to another dimension is rumored to exist. Emn, desperate to save Atalant, promises to aid Ardulum in return for healing her wife's battered body. If Emn can avoid Chartered Systems assassins long enough to get to Thesby, she stands to not only be reunited with Atalant, but to rid the galaxy of Ardulum, forever. If she fails, the Charted Systems will remain in the dark ages of space travel, and Eld Atalant of Ardulum, and her vision for the Neek people, will die.

Read the sixth book in the bestselling Ardulum series, by J.S. Fields!

Ardulum (Space Opera, Romance, LGBT):
Book 1: First Don
Book 2: Second Don
Book 3: Third Don
Book 4: Tales from Ardulum
Book 5: The Battle for Pruitcu

Space Opera / Science Fiction / Romance / LGBT Sapphic Lesbian Non Binary

Adult and New Adult

332 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 10, 2025

Reviews

[Paul Shen-Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

I devoured this book way faster than I usually manage. It was extra engrossing, though I don’t want to ruin it with spoilers. Presumably if you’re reading this, you are already familiar with the series. If not, you need to read the earlier books or you won’t appreciate — much less understand — this one.

Somehow the Void has to be plugged before it spreads and becomes unstoppable. Everyone wants Ardulum dead, but killing it without taking out Atalant in the process won’t be easy. Then there’s Bell and Guard Four, and the vague, squishy feelings growing between them, in spite of how very different people they are. Spark or fizzle? Read and find out. It’s fun peeking in on their angst and uncertainties, and how their relationship grows and evolves.

This is a writer who has depth and nuance, on top of keeping you on the edge of your seat. Even throwaway characters who are only around for a scene or two have been thought through. No cardboard characters, no cartoon villains or marble-statue heroes.

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ardulum has died taking the last andal tree with it along with the tech that it supplied. Ardulum still lives but lives inside Atalant and is kind of driving her crazy. What remains wants a body of it own. Emn is desperate to save Atlant and will do almost anything to save her. If Emn can avoid the Chartered systems assassins jut long enough to Thesby there is a chance that they can be reunited .
This is the 6th book in the series . The characters just keep becoming more and more complex. There is such a special relationship between Emn and Atalant. You see such a sweetness and a tenderness between them . We also get to see some ooey gooey sweet emotions from Bell and Guard four . We don't know what it really is but they are so cute together. You can't help but caring for these characters . They are fun to read and fall for .
This book didn't take me as long to read as book 5 . It read faster and the characters jump out at you. This author is thorough with the story line and the character . No character feels less than the man characters. This is a series that has your head in outer space and your heart wit the character. I suggest you add this series to your fall reading list .

[Vervada · Rating 5 out of 5]

The "Ardulum" series has been among my favourites for quite some time now and this new book is the best one yet, in my opinion. The only minor complaint I have is that I wish Emn and Atalant had spent some more time together, but, even apart, the love they felt for each other was palpable. I actually really enjoyed all the povs, though I was looking forward to one in particular since Ardulum's pov was extremely fascinating. Another reason I loved this book so much is that a lot of questions were answered, even some I hadn't known I'd had. The world has been progressively getting crazier since the first book, but in a "wow, this is awesome!" way and never in a way that felt like too much. And the ending was a cliffhanger, just like the one in the previous book, but it was a slightly less mean, slightly more hopeful one. Still, I am so looking forward to the next book!

Phenomenal.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been reading this series since the beginning and with the addition of each book, it becomes more complex and more fulfilling. This latest in the series is no exception. This is a masterfully done piece of worldbuilding with so many interconnected themes and on top of it all, the love story between Emn and Atalant. What does it mean to truly love someone? How much time and how much of yourself do you sacrifice? I wish I could say more without spoiling the book. All I can recommend is to read this series yourself from beginning to its masterful conclusion.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.