Audio Books - What are you listening to?
Discussion
Anyone else into audio books?
It's been years since I had time to read. I joined Audible a few months ago, thinking I'd use the free credit and cancel - but since then have bought an increasing stream of more and more credits. I'm addicted
My 2 hours a day of sitting in traffic struggling with god-awful radio has been transformed.
So far, I've listened to:
- A Song of Ice and Fire books 1-5, plus 'A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms'. All fantastic, couldn't put them down for a minute. I haven't seen Game of Thrones so can't comment how the books are compared to the TV series, but the books are great and exceptionally well read by Roy Dotrice.
- World War Z. I nearly didn't, because the movie was pants. But I'm really glad I did and would 100% recommend it. You really get into the story and feel for the characters.
- David Attenborough - Life on Air. Some great stories and really interesting background on early wildlife filming. And of course you get to listen to David Attenborough's voice for hour after hour
- Pretty much everything Bill Bryson has ever written. I'd already read most of them, but couldn't resist hearing them again. Bryson's voice can be a little grating, but you get used to it and there's so much more passion when he is telling his own stories, so I'd recommend the versions he narrated himself.
- The Martian. As with WWZ, the movie was a bit pants, but the book is 100% better. You get to experience all of the thought processes behind each decision, and the main character is so much more cheery with a far better sense of humour than Matt Damon's character. Also there are loads more obstacles to overcome in the book, more twists, more... everything. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
I'm currently getting through the Harry Potter books. Stephen Fry's narration is great and makes them really easy to listen to. I keep thinking though that someone should re-write the books for adults. I don't need to be told what to feel, I'm an adult with fully matured emotional responses. For example:
[i]*evil character does devastating thing which is really bad for all main characters*
"... which made Harry feel very sad indeed."[/i]
or
[i]*Harry wins the big Quiddich game*
"... which made Harry feel happier than he had felt in a very long time"[/i]
... yeah, I get it, human emotions
Other than that, they're still enjoyable stories.
It's been years since I had time to read. I joined Audible a few months ago, thinking I'd use the free credit and cancel - but since then have bought an increasing stream of more and more credits. I'm addicted
My 2 hours a day of sitting in traffic struggling with god-awful radio has been transformed.
So far, I've listened to:
- A Song of Ice and Fire books 1-5, plus 'A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms'. All fantastic, couldn't put them down for a minute. I haven't seen Game of Thrones so can't comment how the books are compared to the TV series, but the books are great and exceptionally well read by Roy Dotrice.
- World War Z. I nearly didn't, because the movie was pants. But I'm really glad I did and would 100% recommend it. You really get into the story and feel for the characters.
- David Attenborough - Life on Air. Some great stories and really interesting background on early wildlife filming. And of course you get to listen to David Attenborough's voice for hour after hour
- Pretty much everything Bill Bryson has ever written. I'd already read most of them, but couldn't resist hearing them again. Bryson's voice can be a little grating, but you get used to it and there's so much more passion when he is telling his own stories, so I'd recommend the versions he narrated himself.
- The Martian. As with WWZ, the movie was a bit pants, but the book is 100% better. You get to experience all of the thought processes behind each decision, and the main character is so much more cheery with a far better sense of humour than Matt Damon's character. Also there are loads more obstacles to overcome in the book, more twists, more... everything. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
I'm currently getting through the Harry Potter books. Stephen Fry's narration is great and makes them really easy to listen to. I keep thinking though that someone should re-write the books for adults. I don't need to be told what to feel, I'm an adult with fully matured emotional responses. For example:
[i]*evil character does devastating thing which is really bad for all main characters*
"... which made Harry feel very sad indeed."[/i]
or
[i]*Harry wins the big Quiddich game*
"... which made Harry feel happier than he had felt in a very long time"[/i]
... yeah, I get it, human emotions
Other than that, they're still enjoyable stories.
Bone Rat said:
Has a peculiar tendency to give almost forensic details of card games & golf though.
I thought the same of the 'A Song of Ice and Fire' series, regarding food. I occasionally had to zone out for a 10 minute detailed description of every aspect of the characters' meals. Never write on an empty stomach 
Just finished the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings trilogy read by Rob Inglis. FANTASTIC!
I can't say the movies ever interested me so much, although I'm keen to watch them again now. But the books are pretty much perfect, and Rob Inglis's reading makes it all very engaging. My only complaint is that 4 books wasn't enough.
IMO (although I've Googled it and not everyone agrees) there's an obvious obvious theme of PTSD towards the later parts of the trilogy and I found it engrossing, you can tell Tolkien is writing from experience.
I can't say the movies ever interested me so much, although I'm keen to watch them again now. But the books are pretty much perfect, and Rob Inglis's reading makes it all very engaging. My only complaint is that 4 books wasn't enough.
IMO (although I've Googled it and not everyone agrees) there's an obvious obvious theme of PTSD towards the later parts of the trilogy and I found it engrossing, you can tell Tolkien is writing from experience.
Mr2Mike said:
a said:
Just finished the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings trilogy read by Rob Inglis. FANTASTIC!
The last novel I listened to was around 10 hours long, the full LOTR trilogy must be a good weeks continuous listening 
- checks audible account*
It didn't seem long enough. Now the 'Song of Ice and Fire' series... that took some time
Also, I've never used it, but heard great things about https://www.overdrive.com/
It's a system for "borrowing" audio books from libraries. Many libraries are members, so check your local ones.
It's a system for "borrowing" audio books from libraries. Many libraries are members, so check your local ones.
48Valves said:
Just got to book 4 of Song of Ice and Fire and the reader has changed the accents for the characters. Which is bloody annoying
and he keeps changing for the remainder. It's quite off putting at first, but you get used to it.And it's going to get worse as it'll be a different narrator for future books...
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