The Saint’s Magic Power is Omnipotent Volume 1 Audiobook Review (Spoiler‑Free)

Who amongst us hasn’t thought about how cool it’d be to have a book read to them by Ash Ketchum? Well, that call has finally been answered. Among Seven Seas’ burgeoning library of audiobooks (or would they be audiolightnovels? Either way, you get the point) is Veronica Taylor reading The Saint’s Magic Power is Omnipotent (henceforth referred to as Saint). As of time of writing, Taylor has read nine volumes of the series, but this review is solely for volume one. Also worth noting, is that I haven’t watched the anime, nor had I previously read this light novel; this was my first exposure to it, but I love audiobooks. I listen to them quite often, and I think it’s great that we’re seeing light novels get them. So with both my mind and ears opened, I listened to Veronica Taylor read this inaugural volume of Saint.

First, a brief plot synopsis

Sei Takanashi’s ordinary life as an office worker abruptly ends when, without warning, she’s isekai’d to a magical world called Salutania. She’s told that she might be a supremely powerful being called a Saint—well, it’s her or the other girl that’s also been isekai’d—who’s meant to help save Salutania. Sei soon joins the Medicinal Flora Research Institute, where she learns pharmaceutical practices such as making potions. As it turns out, she’s really good at it, too—perhaps, good enough that it might prove that she really is the Saint.

So, how is the book itself?

Although it’s pretty refreshing to see a female-led isekai, it’s instantly neutralized by how the protagonist is a textbook example of a Mary Sue: beloved by everyone, simultaneously a normal looking girl but also totally gorgeous, and great at everything she does. I understand the idea is that she’s the Saint—so obviously people are going to treat her nicely, and she has a lot of magical power. She’s summoned because whether she realizes it or not, she’s special. But it’s so hamfisted to the extent that at times (especially when people’s outfits/accessories are being described in detail) it’s almost reminiscent of one Ebony Dark’ness Dementia Raven Way—and I don’t mean that as a compliment (although maybe if you go into it with the right mind set, it could be sort of fun as an unintentional comedy).

The exhaustion that Sei leaves me with is further emphasized by how the book itself is formatted. More or less every chapter is Sei tapping into another latent skill she didn’t know she had, and coming to realize that she’s really good at it. Everyone else notices, and they beg Sei to help them out, cause Sei is just too charismatic and cool, but also, simultaneously she’s totally normal and relatable.  Suffice to say, this first volume is very character driven; the broader story about the peril within Salutania and why the Saint(s) was summoned in the first place, while it doesn’t go completely unexplored, definitely takes a backseat to Sei’s new daily routine. And I wouldn’t necessarily think this is a negative thing, if only the story gave me a better reason to like/care about Sei.

In so many words: I didn’t particularly enjoy the book itself. But this isn’t so much a review of the book itself, as much as it is the audiobook-ness of it all; so, how is it as an audiobook?

But how is it as an audiobook?

Veronica Taylor is, of course, a wonderful and deeply iconic voice actress. I’ve been jokingly referring to her as “Ash Ketchum”, but while I think you’d be hard-pressed to find a role that she’s more widely known for, it’s still incredibly reductive to act as though that’s all she’s known for. Among countless other roles, she’s been Sailor Pluto in Sailor Moon, Amelia in Slayers, April O’Neil in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and even if it’s considerably more niche than anything else I just mentioned, I feel the need to bring up her wonderfully sassy performance as Tsukasa Okino in 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim.

Unsurprisingly, Taylor makes for a wonderful audiobook narrator. Her reading is clear and well-paced, and perhaps best of all, she’s a voice actor. It breathes so much life into an audiobook when the narrator is also willing and able to be an actor—to emote as they imagine the characters are, and to give them different voices. Naturally, Taylor also rises to this challenge and does this throughout the entire book—which is narrated by Sei, whose character Taylor only leaves to pick up another. Many of the character voices sound pretty similar (and especially if you’re familiar with Taylor’s work, you’ll likely run into multiple points where you’re listening and think, “Oh hey, there’s [insert Taylor character here]”), though oftentimes it feels as though Taylor is also conscious of this and attempts to instead differentiate characters with similar voices with different tones, different cadences, and so on. Admittedly, this works better for some characters than others, but the overall effect is there.

Verdict:

If you like listening to audiobooks and you were interested in getting into this series, this is a perfectly good way of giving it a try. I personally didn’t enjoy the book itself very much, but that’s no fault of the audiobook format.

I love that more and more light novels are getting audiobooks. Not only does it make them more accessible to more people, but also, there’s something to be said about the fun of listening to an audiobook while you’re doing chores, while you’re grinding in a video game, when you’re on your commute, and so on. If anything, the fact that Veronica Taylor was reading this light novel to me probably made it easier for me to bear.

If you liked The Saint’s Magic Power is Omnipotent, you might also enjoy:

• Ascendance of a Bookworm
• My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom!
• Snow White with the Red Hair

Credits:

Written by: Yuka Tachibana
Translated by: Julie Goniwich
Art by: Yasuyuki Syuri
Narrated by: Veronica Taylor
Published by: Seven Seas Entertainment (Siren Imprint)

A special thank you to Seven Seas Entertainment for allowing us the opportunity to review this title. Receiving a review copy has in no way altered the opinions expressed in this article.