Ardulum: First Don (Volume 1)

Listener Reviews

1. 5.0(1)

   now THIS is a tale well told

   So OK, so I was drawn in to give this a listen, as I always am, by the always stellar work of narrator ☆LYNN NORRIS☆, who never fails to bring warmth, intelligence, flawless pacing, and characters delineated with the input of an excellent ear and a strong, thoughtful take on each personality and how they all factor into the action. That said, sometimes I've felt that the material she's had to work with in the past fell a bit short of her prodigious gifts to bring it to vivid life — a windfall for that author, but mildly disappointing to me when the story didn't give her the richest chance to show what she can clearly do.

   And then: ARDULUM. At long last, a story giving Lynn Norris some real red meat, with deep, rich characters; spectacularly detailed (but fully accessible) and clearly knowledge-based science that challenges religious superstition but potentially enhances and informs spirituality (Dancing Wu-Li Masters, anyone?); a moral universe that provokes thought and aspiration but never proselytizes or gives easy answers; fully realized cultures to relish; gender fluidity (including coined pronouns for those who don't fit into the more rigidly conservative constructs of some Terran mentalities of our time, though here, new genders are unequivocal genotypes); no overt romance (so far), leaving one's imagination free to take telepathic connection into a still more intimate realm; and action and suspense aplenty, always in service of the excellently paced plot.

   Ms. Norris does her magical thing in spades here, creating delicious accents and/or intonations for the various sentient species, within which framework individuals are still miraculously discrete; handling the scientific jargon like a pro; bringing just the right emotional tone and muscularity to each scene, encompassing everything from tender vulnerability to life experience-based indecision to occasional shameless relish in violence (particularly of the vendetta variety). I was in the hands of a master. And especially with material this good, that is a fine place to be.

   This is the first of a series, apparently, and I am thrilled at the prospect of more, as the combo of J.S. Fields and Lynn Norris is a dynamic synergy that knocks my socks off. The story's breathless and contemplative by turns, and introduces us to a universe that is chock-full of mysteries great and small, some resolved here, but some of which I predict will be unraveled in the books to come.

   I can't wait.

   Candace Mccullough · August 3, 2018

2. 4.0(1)

   Wow just Wow!

   This book is awesome! I felt as if I was in the book living through the experiences of the characters. The author has a great imagination and a way of telling a story that I found wonderful. The narrator does an excellent job of distinguishing between the characters. I can’t wait for the next book in the series to come out to find out what happens. I highly recommend this book!

   Jane Fountain · July 28, 2018