I have no problem with swears whatsoever and frequently read things that have pretty wildly colorful diction. No holds barred is my usual take.

This audio book has some chosen swears that are vulgar and crass in such a manner that I won’t be repeating them for the sake of the review. Inappropriate and offensive. The narrator has great inflection and the sound effects used are similar to a graphic audio production but the actual writing of this story was very clearly not for me. I cannot in good conscience recommend this.

This is a very well-produced audiobook, with sound effects, music, an echoing AI voice and a full cast of characters. I can tell the author worked hard on this and likely over a number of years. There is interesting world-building and good visual descriptions throughout.
However, it just didn’t work for me. Some of the gratuitous swearing seemed like it was meant to engage younger readers with how “adult” they are. In several places, “vocabulary words” were used then explained. Then there was the impromptu break dancing. Some of the aliens and their voices were fun, but we couldn’t enjoy it on our own - the main character had to respond or reflect on the exchange so we’d know it was ok to laugh. For all these reasons it has a strong YA (+ cursing and name-calling) vibe that left me cold. Is there any reason off the playground to call someone a f*cktard?
In addition, the plot wasn’t easy to follow. I made it to 57% and didn’t really have a good sense of what was happening, so I finished it at 2x. Giving it 2 stars (and a bar of soap!) for the production quality and world building. If the author works more on plot and storytelling, he could be quite good. And to be clear, I don’t have a problem with swearing to define a character or in reaction to a situation, like Ari in the old HBO show Entourage. This was different.
My thanks to the author, publisher, producer, and #NetGalley for early access to the audiobook of #TabulaRasa for review purposes. Publication date: 28 Jan 2025.

I listened to the audiobook for this review. Thank you to NetGalley, Paul Centeno and the publishers for the chance to review this nobel.

First of all, massive kudos to both the author and the whole team for production on the audiobook for my experience with this book. The sound effects, voice effects, accents done by the narrators made this experience so enjoyable in a way Im glad I chose audiobook instead of my own internal narrator. I listened to a 36 hour audiobook two years ago and now I read books in an old British guy’s voice and I simply cannot get rid of him. I need narrators to keep me sane lately.

Im not usually a scifi reader. You go into sci-fi books a lot of the time assuming, “we’re probably gonna get robots, and aliens, maybe some weapons of mass destruction” and I wont spoil it, but Tabula Rasa gives you sci-fi but times ten, and in a way readers who specialize more in fantasy (romantasy too) will love.

This book is funny, maybe without trying. But I had at least seven laugh out loud moments in each chapter. Of course as it gets more intense Im clinging to the edge of my seat whiteknuckled (I really dont want to spoil it for anybody) but the whole time, Im just like “I fucking love this world…” I wanted to hear more of it and get into more drama and more conflict just to see where it’d take me and what the main character would grumble about.

Centeno’s character presentation throughout the whole novel is so… simultaneously surprising and refreshing, because I’ve needed sci-fi characters out of the humdrum you always get (if you know what I mean, you know what I mean). A complicated, morally questionable main character and his snarky robot friend, having couple’s banter the whole time. From probably paragraph one (the first two minutes of the audiobook) I was hooked. It was extreme self control that prevented me from rating the book 5 stars before I even got to chapter 5.

Redemption arc, check, humor, check, world building, check. Sound effects, check. Grumpy sunshine, check. Love this novel and audiobook. Highly recommend to people who need something refreshing after burning out on dragons and shadow daddies.

Ordulis Cavo is a convicted for his war crimes. He must fight a power hungry sorceress. This will be a journey and an adventure. Can he redeem himself and set himself a new destiny..

Well written and narrated (I listened to the audiobook). Varied characters in this fast paced novel, which has audio effects not just narration. There will be adventures, danger, battles, heroes and villains but who will win in the end.

2.75

Very well narrated audiobook with background sounds etc that was very much like a graphic audiobook. That was the best part.

The story is character driven but is action packed - which I do enjoy , however sometimes the action scenes felt rushed with the MC just overcoming things rather without difficulty. The overall story also felt predictable. The characters also a little one dimensional and lacked complexity, not to mention that the romance felt forced.

The world building took me a while to really sink into but once that was solidified, it was great. 😊

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC

Review 26/01/2025
3,5 ⭐

Tabula Rasa by Paul L. Centeno is a real adventure through multiple planets and universes full of magic and technology. Drawn into this quest, you are introduced to Ordulis Cavo and his epic journey against evil.

This audiobook is full of music and background sounds that made it feel like a movie and you are along with all the adventurers and individuals Cavo encounters on his journey.

Whereas at times I myself seemed a little lost in the world building and all the places, I found the magic system just a little less grandly developed. Whereas I don't quite know how I feel about the protagonist and antagonist yet, I quickly found that I was totally a fan of the side characters! I especially liked the great variety in these.

Despite this being one of my first really Comic fantasy reads, I really enjoyed the humor woven into this book. Especially with the way our main character sometimes doesn't want to believe it all himself and reacts like a normal human would.

One of the lesser points is that the MC seemed a bit too overpowered at times in my opinion. Some battles seemed to be just a little too easily won over and over again, only to have others happen again and again through yet another escape. Always just a little too easy if you asked me.

I also found the romance a little too forced, after all, for me it didn't even need to be in there! In fact, I think I would have liked it more without it.

The narration was very interesting. It had background sounds that made it more immersive. I did not enjoy the music between chapters much though. It was a little too loud and messed up the flow in my opinion.

As for the story itself, I enjoyed the scifi elements a lot. Atlas was very interesting as a character.

Loved most of the characters (especially Atlas), except the antagonist I found her too 2-d for my tastes.

Loved the scifi elements, I could have read a whole book just on our MC's past, it'd make for a great space opera.

I didn't enjoy the circus scene, it felt superfluous but the break dancing bit was a lot of fun.

Sadly I didn't really enjoy the fantasy side of this novel, which is a shame cause fantasy is my bread and butter. For me it just felt too stereotypical and I don't mean in the sense that nothing felt new or different, I mean in the sense that it felt like we'd been dumped in a facsimile of a world rather than a real one.

I wouldn't read this book again but I would read another by the same author, especially if it was scifi.

Very interesting science fiction style fantasy book, Definitely keeps you interested. It is captivating and addicting. The audiobook has background sounds. Almost like a graphic audio, It is done very well.