Genre: Science Fiction
Published: August 21, 2024
Pages: 368
In the far reaches of the future, where the once-majestic godlands are withering and the planet’s life force is being snuffed out, a tale of redemption and resilience unfolds. Meet antihero Ordulis Cavo, a convict shackled by the weight of war crimes beyond treason. As the world faces peril from a power-hungry sorceress seeking Anima—an arcane energy of unimaginable potential—enigmatic forces call upon Cavo to thwart her. With his motley crew of heroes, Cavo’s journey is more than a fight against external evils; it’s a voyage inward, challenging his own nature and the dark history that binds him. Every choice has the power to alter the course of existence, where even a villain might just be a hero in disguise. But evil begets evil. Can the convict rewrite his destiny, or is he fated to be the instrument of ultimate destruction?
I received the audiobook version of this through Netgalley. This is my honest review.
I apparently don't really know what Tabula Rasa is, but in my mind it seems mystical or magical, so based on the title, I was expecting a fantasy novel, and no, I didn't look past the title (also the cover used on Netgalley was different than this one). What I got from this book was moderately mystical science fiction. There were some magical feeling elements, but the primary focus was more space stuff it felt like.
I think my favorite character was the tree creature with the toddler mentality (and because I listened to the audiobook, I don't remember her name and wouldn't know how to spell it anyway). She was just very cutesy and fun and kind of reminded me of Groot from Guardians of the Galaxy.
The narration is where things really shine in this book. It had a full cast (or at least seemed to) for the different characters and also included sound effects for all sorts of things in the story, making it feel like having a show on t.v. for background noise.
Overall I give Tabula Rasa 3.0465 out of 5 stars. - Katie
Paul L. Centeno is an award-winning author and finalist for the 2022 Killer Nashville Claymore Award. Born and raised in New York City, he studied at Herbert H. Lehman College where he earned a BA in Philosophy and Creative Writing. After graduation, he worked with Gabriel Packard, Associate Director of the Creative Writing MFA Program at Hunter College, to improve his craft.
His fantasy novel, The Vagrant Chronicle, was critically acclaimed in Writer’s Digest Annual Indie Book Awards. Kirkus Reviews stated, “Centeno yearns to create something completely new, and if we immerse ourselves in his cosmos, we will be richly rewarded.” He recently won awards from Writers of the Future for his short stories, Steamwalker and Celestial Heights. And in 2023 he won another award in the Writer's Digest contest for best indie fantasy and science fiction.
Centeno lives in Florida and is currently working on his eleventh novel.
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