1. Chinspinner

    Chinspinner Contributor Contributor

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    Audio books

    Discussion in 'Entertainment' started by Chinspinner, Oct 27, 2015.

    I tried listening to an audio book a few days ago. It was on Youtube- and it was not that awful robotic voice- it was a genuine audio book narrated by a real, live human.

    How the hell do people listen to these?

    I wasn't paying attention. The thing had been prattling away in the background and my thoughts had wandered far, far away.

    I tried another- a short story I know and like- and with the same result.

    Sod that, back to books.
     
  2. BayView

    BayView Huh. Interesting. Contributor

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    That was my first experience with audiobooks, too, but I persevered (long commute) and now I love them.

    I worked my way into them by listening to light non-fiction. Jon Ronson, some of my favourite comedians, some celebrity bios. I had to sort of train myself to "read" through my ears.

    I still wouldn't want to listen to really dense, literary fiction, because I like the ability to read things like that at my own speed, re-reading special passages, etc. But for most genre fiction? If the narrator is good, I'm in. I love it.
     
  3. Chinspinner

    Chinspinner Contributor Contributor

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    I can happily have an interview, or documentary on sound only while I do something else; but with audio books... I can't explain it, but every misstep in the writing, every poorly worded sentence, every inappropriate timbre in the narrators voice was magnified a thousand fold.

    But yes, perhaps light fiction is the answer. Something dialogue heavy without lengthy prose.
     
  4. BayView

    BayView Huh. Interesting. Contributor

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    And getting a good narrator. I'll listen to pretty much anything Will Patton narrates, and there are a few other narrators I love as well. A bad narrator can definitely ruin a good book.
     
  5. ManOrAstroMan

    ManOrAstroMan Magical Space Detective Contributor

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    The narrator is key. You have to have a good storyteller. I have a very long commute, and go through an audiobook almost every week.
    Jim Dale did an excellent job with the Harry Potter books.
    James Marsden is very good with the Dresden Files
    Rebecca Soler did well with the Lunar Chronicles, though some character voices can be a bit shrill.
    Both Steven Briggs and Nigel Planer were great with the Discworld books.
    I love the Stephanie Plum and Lizzy & Diesel books read by Lorelei King. You might actually forget you're only listening to one person.
     
  6. Steerpike

    Steerpike Felis amatus Contributor

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    As long as the narrator is good, they're great. Light fiction, classics, whatever.
     
  7. GingerCoffee

    GingerCoffee Web Surfer Girl Contributor

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    It's harder for me to listen to audio books at home because I automatically multi-task and can't follow the book. I don't multi-task when reading a book, or if I do, the book doesn't move ahead without my attention.

    But in the car, audio books are fantastic.
     
    ManOrAstroMan likes this.

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