Beasts of Tabat

The Tabat Quartet, Book 1

By: Cat Rambo

Narrated by: Devon Enyedy

When countryboy Teo arrives in the coastal city of Tabat, he finds it a hostile place, particularly to a boy hiding an enormous secret. It’s also a city in turmoil, thanks to an ancient accord to change governments and the rising demands of Beasts, the Unicorns, Dryads, Minotaurs, and other magical creature on whose labor and bodies Tabat depends. And worst of all, it’s a city dedicated to killing Shifters, the race whose blood Teo bears. When his fate becomes woven with that of Tabat’s most famous gladiator, Bella Kanto, his existence becomes even more imperiled. Kanto’s magical battle determines the weather each year, and the wealthy merchants are tired of the long winters she’s brought. Can Teo and Bella save each other from the plots that are closing in on them from all sides?

"A fascinating world of magic, intrigue, and revolution." (Publisher’s Weekly)

©2015 Catherine Rambo (P)2019 WordFire Press, LLC

Three stars

The story was a decent enough tale of an interesting fantasy world but lacked any semblance of action that I enjoy in tales from this genre. It seemed more of a day-to-day diary of life in the city rather than any real adventures of a boy escaping servitude and a great gladiator. I felt like it was more the efforts of the narrator, Devon Enyedy, that kept me reading than the story itself. As I was listening, I got the feeling that something more was going to happen, but not much ever did. While there were plenty of interesting creatures and a fantasy world ready for almost anything, this story ultimately was a simple tale of what goes around comes around. This one left me feeling the story was decent enough, but wishing there had been more than what the author delivered.