Fortunate Son by Melinda Mitchell (Not A Pipe Publishing, November 25, 2025)

This book will be available everywhere November 25, 2025 and is now on preorder. I had the pleasure and privilege of copyediting the manuscript, so I got an early look.

Fortunate Son is a retelling of the David story, part of the Stardust and Ashes series of biblical retellings set in the Euphrates Spiral Galaxy.

Love will save them. But their love will destroy the kingdom.

Armas dreams of life beyond the family farm but doesn’t aspire to be the king. Kyla longs to fight for her kingdom but is sidelined by her father and must forge her own path. Jon is in line for the throne but has fallen for the one person he can’t have.

My Review:

If you’re looking for a juicy, action-packed space opera based on the Biblical story of King Saul, his son and heir Jonathan, and his protégé David, look no further! Those who know the source materials will enjoy finding clever parallels and Easter eggs. Those who don’t will still get sucked into this tragic drama rich with court intrigue, mech battles, narrow escapes, galaxy-spanning adventure, and forbidden love.

While there’s a ton of plot in this book, I was especially drawn to the characters, all of whom come to full, complicated life. Even the cruel king is sympathetic, though he causes most of the trouble. I was particularly pleased with how Mitchell handled Princess Kyla, who is granted more agency and heroism than her biblical counterpart. I’m already looking forward to the next book in this series.

Order in paperback or hardcover from the Not a Pipe Publishing store HERE.

Order Fortunate Son from Amazon in paperback, hardcover, or Kindle edition HERE.

Order Fortunate Son in paperback or hardcover editions through Barnes & Noble HERE.