Audio Books--Do you buy them? Loan them from your local library? Or are you solely a reader of the written word?
I received an email from a reader who brought it to my attention about providing the availability of audio books from our fabulous authors. Believe me, I didn’t mean to overlook this popular source of media; it just didn’t occur to me….my bad.
I must admit that I don’t do a lot of audio books. In fact, I can count on one hand how many I’ve actually listened to. It’s just not something that I can fit in my life. The times that I HAVE listened are when I am traveling via car on a long trip. Then, I love to listen to my favorite authors.
So, what makes a great audio book? Is the actual book? Or is it a combination of the book, and how the narrarator interprets the book? Do you prefer a male voice for the male characters? Female voice for the female characters?
And just how does one listen to these great books if they’re not driving down the road in their car? I really, REALLY would love to hear from you about this…because I am always looking for different ways to get my fix of books.
That being said—here are a few of my fave audio books that I have listened to:
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Also, here is a sample of audio for your listening enjoyment from the book, THIRD GRAVE DEAD AHEAD, written by Darynda Jones and narrated by Lorelei King.
Don't forget to leave me a comment--What is your favorite audio book and why?--I'd love to hear from you!
I just started using audio books for road trips. I've listened to 3 so far. Hounded by Kevin Hearne is AMAZING! The book/content is great, but the narrator Luke Daniel's is phenomenal. Also the book has many fae words I can't pronounce, so hearing them said properly is a great bonus to the audio over the paperback.
ReplyDeleteVanessa,
DeleteI have Hounded and Hexed in my TBR pile and I really, really want to get to them. But I have like 3 more books to catch up on for reviews first.
Maybe I'll do the audio for them...hmmmm
I was sent a free audio book a few months ago to review and I listened to it and now know it's just not for me at all. The narrator spoke all the parts which threw me off a bit. i just couldn't get into it because in my head while I'm reading when a woman is talking I hear a woman's voice and when I man is speaking I hear a man...maybe I'm weird, I don't know but audio books are not for me.
ReplyDeleteThe first audio book I did was The Thirteeth Tale which I do not suggest. It almost put me to sleep and I was DRIVING.However, the book IS good.
DeleteI listen to books only in the car, because of the type of books I read aren't exactly appropriate for my little ones. And yes...I find my ADHD mind wandering too much, lol
I've tried listening to a few audio books (both fiction and non-fiction), thinking they'd be good for the gym or the drive home, but I hated them. It's like badly cast movie, where the narrator doesn't match 'your' voice, and where the characters don't sound 'right'.
ReplyDeleteMore than that, I've always been a quick reader, and I found myself impatient with the narration - I just wanted to shake the MP3 player and tell the faceless soul to hurry the hell up and move on! :)
Bob--If only I exercises...GAH....that would be a good time to forget about the self-torture, no?
DeleteAnd I totally agree about the impatience...I too, read pretty fast and it gets frustrating.
I love audiobooks. If it weren't for audiobooks I wouldn't get through half of the books I do. I read them on my commute (45 mins each way), when I'm cleaning the house, cooking dinner, walking the dogs, doing ab work. I sneak them in whenever I'm doing an otherwise tedious task.
ReplyDeleteThey are a learned skill however. At least they were for me. In the beginning I had to really retrain my brain to stay focused on the book while doing something else. Now it's second nature.
BARKLESSWAGMORE~
DeleteThanks for stopping by and leaving a comment. I am sure that audio books are great for your commute. Mine is like a hop, skip, and a jump from my bed to my laptop, lol.
Maybe I need to consider purchasing a iPod to listen to some audio?
I absolutely love audio books ... I listen to on average about 3 a week.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite series of books is Suzanne Brockmann's Troubleshooter/SEAL Team 16 books. The first 6 are read by various narrators but from book 7 to 16 they are read by Patrick Lawlor (who is an audio god!) and Renee Raudman or Melanie Ewbank.
Suzanne writes in what she calls 'deep POV' where you not only have the character speaking but you are way in their thoughts. Also each scene is from one characters point of view. In the case of the later audio books, Patrick reads all of the scenes from the male POV (including female roles in that scene) and Renee or Melanie read all of the scenes from the female POV (again including male roles in that scene).
You can find snippets of Patricks work online. Believe me when I say he is the best. I have actually listened to books I normally wouldn't have just because he is reading them. He is truly an artist.
OMG!!Mimi--you have ruined me, lol.
DeleteI am a huge fan of Brockmann's Troubleshooters...I have read every book and some more than once.
Now I am gonna be listening to them. I have to listen to a sample of this.
GAH--so excited!!
And I must know--who is your fave TS?
Mine is of course, SAM, followed by Julian and Izzy.
Izzy is my fiction boyfriend ... even when he is being well Izzy he can do no wrong with me!
DeleteI love Jules and Robin as a couple because even tho they are a m/m couple, that is not what defines them. They are 2 people in love first, gay second (or third, fourth etc) In Brockmann's world the fact that these 2 characters are gay is the same as the fact that Jules is an FBI agent and Robin is an actor. It is just who they are.
If you are interested, Suzanne is hosting Patrick on her FB page next Tuesday.
Quoting Suz here:
Mark your calendars! On Tuesday, 2/28/12, audiobook narrator Patrick Lawlor (aka the inspiration for the voice of Izzy) will be visiting this page -- www.facebook.com/SuzanneBrockmannBooks -- for a chat! Drop by to say hi and ask questions from 7 - 8 p.m. EST. (Sorry to make it so early, west coasters, but Patrick's currently in rehearsal for a show!)
Check this out, you might like it!
And here is a link to listen to Patrick read the scene in the beginning of Into The Fire (Murphy's story) where Izzy meets Eden for the first time at the Bug.
http://www.brillianceaudio.com/library/clips/intothefir831.mp3
To me, this shows why Patrick is an audio god!
I will definitely check out this link and thank you so much.
DeleteIzzy just does something to me; can't put my finger on it, but since his first introduction I was like, "Oh, man...he is just...GAH"...the fact that he sings all the time sends shivers down my spine.
SWOONS------
And yesh, Julian and Robin's side romance swept me away. When J pushes him against the hotel wall and lays one on R...***fans self. Totally smoking.
I sobbed out loud when I read Suzanne's acknowledement in her book, All Through The Night, when she talks about her son.
I wish that I had the time to re-read EVERY SINGLE one of her books again...all in a row...sigh.
My dear, that is where audio comes in ... I listen to them in order wherever and whenever ... of course it helps that I work outside in a toll booth and I can listen to what I want ... tho the Lara Adrian I'm listening to now is, as you say,GAH sexy! ... never have had to hit the pause button so much in a book ... but I'm still listening ;)
DeleteAnother note re: Patrick and therefore Izzy ... either Suzanne or Patrick had talked about in the past about when Patrick reads Izzy and he gets to a scene where Izzy is singing that due to copyright/royalty etc, that Patrick CAN'T sing the song he just has to say the lyrics. Patrick is so good that even when he just says the lyrics you can still hear the song!
DeleteAlso, Patrick doesn't read All Through The Night, Michael Holland does. Suzanne asked he specifically to read this book as Michael's is the voice she hears when she hears Jules!
GAH---now have to listen to Michael to "hear" Jules....man, oh, mah---you are making me wanna re-read the whole damn series :)
Deleteand that is a bad thing ? ;)
ReplyDelete