A universe brings together books set in one world by different authors: whole series, single books and the order of events.
A universe takes in whole series, sub-series included, and single books. One name means one universe across the whole library: the word “universe” is ignored when names are compared.
The order inside is the timeline: each book has its place among the events. “Next” follows it — the book that starts after the one you finished.
A book counts as done if you finished listening to it or read it outside the app. Universes are free; with Pro sync they travel to your other devices.
01/11
Where universes live
Universes sit in the library above the series.
In the Library tap “series” in the grouping strip.
The first section is “Universes · N”, with “Series · N” below it.
A universe row shows the authors, the series, the length, how many books are done and a timeline strip: a filled square is a book that is done, an outlined one is the book you are listening to.
While there are no universes, the section holds a “Build a universe” row; touch and hold it for “Hide”.
02/11
Create a universe
The easiest start is a series: the universe takes its name.
On the series page tap the “Universe” row → “New universe…”.
Adjust the name and tap “Create”. The series joins in full, sub-series included.
“Universe “…” created” appears at the bottom; “Open” takes you to it.
A universe can also be created with “＋” in the Universes section, the “Universe” section of a book’s “Metadata”, “Add to Universe…” in a book’s menu and bulk editing. It never appears by itself: import puts a folder name with the word “universe” into a series.
03/11
What goes in
Series and books are added through sheets and removed from a row’s menu.
On the universe page tap “•••” → “Add series…” or “Add books…”, tick what you need and confirm.
A series from another universe sits in the “In other universes” section: “Move here” tells you how many books will leave that timeline.
To remove, touch and hold a row: “Remove from universe” for a book, “Remove series from universe” for a series. Made a mistake? “Restore”.
A series can be in only one universe, a book in several. A book that is not in the library is added with “•••” → “Book Without Media…”. Removed books keep their places.
04/11
The universe page
The whole world on one page: authors, books and what is already done.
The main button names the book: “Continue the Timeline” or “Start the Timeline”.
Views: “Timeline”, “Series”, “Authors”, “Year”; each universe remembers the one you picked.
In “Timeline” the next book is marked “next”; books without a place are under “Off the timeline”.
“•••” → “Show in Library” opens the universe’s books in the library. A universe with more than thirty books has a search field that pulls down from the top.
05/11
The timeline
The timeline is the order of events, not of publication, and you are the one who sets it.
“•••” → “Arrange Timeline”. To avoid starting from scratch, “More” → “Fill by Series”: the series line up in blocks, by number within each.
Drag a book by ≡ or open the row’s menu: “Move Up”, “Move Down”, “To the Start”, “To the End”, “Place After…”.
Tap “Done”. Changed your mind? “Restore” at the bottom of the page.
A moved book lands between its neighbours — between 2 and 3 it gets 2.5 — and the other places stay as they are; whole places in order come from “More” → “Renumber 1, 2, 3…”. A single book’s place is typed as a number: “Timeline position…” in the row’s menu on the page, or the “Universe” section of the book’s “Metadata”.
06/11
Next on the timeline
A finished book is followed by the next one on the timeline that is not done yet.
The player shows the “Next on the timeline of “…”” banner: “Universe” opens the page, “Volume N “…”” plays the series’ next volume instead — just this once.
On the Now tab the same book sits under “Next in the universe “…””; “Why this book” opens the “Next follows the timeline” switch.
Turn it off in “•••” → “Edit”, and the books of this universe go on by their series.
The master switch is Settings → “Playback” → “Next Book Automatically”. A book without a place goes on through its own series.
07/11
The next one has no audio
Autoplay does not silently skip a book with no audio: skipping it would break the order.
The “Autoplay Stopped” sheet appears.
“Already Read…” records where you read it and starts the next one with audio.
“Play the Next One with Audio” skips it just this time; “Open “…”” opens its card.
08/11
Looks like a universe
A series with the same name by three or more authors is noticed by the app itself, but the decision is yours.
In the “series” grouping tap “Sort out” on the “Looks Like a Universe” banner.
The sheet shows the authors, their books and numbers. Pick “Make a Universe”, “Merge into One Series” or “Leave As Is” — under the answer it says what will happen.
Confirm with the button at the bottom. Changed your mind? “Cancel”.
For a single author the hint comes when the series name contains the word “universe”: that is how import files folders like “Author - Arcadia Universe - Title”. “Not Now” hides the banner until the next launch, “Leave As Is” for good.
09/11
A shared series
When a cycle has many authors but is still one series, mark it as shared.
On the series page turn on “Shared Series”.
The sheet ticks same-named series by other authors — they will merge into this one. Sub-series of other series and series from other universes are not ticked: merging them would pull them out of that series or mix worlds.
Tap “Mark” or “Mark and Merge”.
New volumes with this name by any author go into this series. Without your answer the app merges nothing.
10/11
Find and filter
A universe turns up in search and works as a filter.
In Search, universes have a section of their own; a book is also found by its universe’s name, and a dotted acronym by the whole word too.
In the library’s Filters sheet open the “Universes” section: the first tap keeps the universe’s books, the second hides them.
The bookmark button above the list saves the selection as a shelf; the shelf editor has a “Universe” condition.
Such a shelf works on your other devices too.
11/11
Edit, merge, delete
The name, cover and description are changed in “Edit”; merging and deleting live in “•••”.
“•••” → “Edit”: the name, the cover, “About the universe”, the original work and “Next follows the timeline”.
A name that is taken is not accepted: under the field come “Merge…” and “Open “…””.
“•••” → “Merge with…”: which one to “Keep” and which to “Merge in”; the merged one’s places go after the kept one’s. A merge cannot be undone.
“•••” → “Delete universe”: the books and series stay in the library, and “Restore” follows right after.
Empty universes show up in Settings → “Maintenance” → “Clean up catalog”; “Delete all” leaves them alone.
What universes do not have
Reference lists from the internet: you set the make-up and the timeline yourself.
Automation: only a person creates a universe.
A universe inside a universe, or several timelines in one universe.
In-world dates next to a place — “M41”, “32 BBY”.
Universes in CarPlay, widgets and Spotlight; the next book on the timeline still plays in the car.
An empty universe on another device: a universe travels together with its books.