Audio Book Poll

[Julius Caesar]

If you already read a printed book or an ebook from cover to cover, would you still buy the audio book version? If you have a favorite narrator, who is he or she?

[tubemonkey]

No; but I might check it out from the library.

[BeccaPrice]

I have certain few authors that I collect in audio and print, and of that few, there's a smaller subset that I'll also get in eformat. It's a very short list, however. I find that listening to books, I'll catch things that I glossed over in the reading, and vice versa - plus, a really good narrator can add depth to the book.

[Catlady]

Of course. The first audiobooks I purchased were all books I already owned and had read, sometimes multiple times. The audiobook versions gave me a different experience.

Narrators--I don't know, I haven't run into one I disliked.

[usuallee]

Don't tend to re-read books a lot, but if I were to re-read a favorite, I might consider the audiobook version. For example, next time I read Harry Potter, I'd like to listen to the Stephen Fry narrations.

[wawasteele]

I voted "no". However, the answer for me really should be "highly unlikely". I don't normally reread books. I just have too many books I want to read or listen to (and the list keeps growing) that I will never get them all read in my lifetime. But there are a few books that I have reread and I probably will again. So, someday, I might be in the mood to reread a book and decide to do it in audio just so it's a bit different.

[ApK]

Not as a matter of routine, though if I had access to both formats (library, friend, special Audible/Amazon deal), and if I was going to reread in any case, I might choose to try the other format the second time.

I can only think of one book off the top of my head that I actually have both eye-read and ear-read, and that was Jurassic Park. Barely counts because I think the audio version was abridged.

My current two favorite narrators are Susan Ericksen and Grover Gardner.

[Apache]

I used to travel a lot for a living, both driving and flying. On long drives I would buy the audio books of my favorite reads. I found them much better at keeping me awake than playing music. Now I do not travel as much and I listen to my favorite pod casts. They are mostly cooking, Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me and Car Talk.
Apache

[gabby98]

If it's a story I really liked then I will still get the audio. Audiobooks allow you to keep doing other things while you "read" so I can re-read something and not have to carve out special time to do so.

ETA: I said "Yes" but probably should have put depends

[ApK]

Originally Posted by Catlady

Narrators--I don't know, I haven't run into one I disliked.

Lucky!

[dreams]

I chose "Depends", as I do like to reread and revisiting the story in the other format is entertaining for me. I listen to stories as I work in the yard and house to make the time pass quicker and the work doesn't seem like work when I am entertained.

I do have an absolute favorite for short listening times: Oscar Wilde - The Importance of Being Earnest - performed by L. A. Theatre Works. It was a freebie from Audible and I have found it hilarious to listen to and cheer me up when doing boring, repetitious chores.

So far, I haven't found a narrator that I absolutely hated. I usually listen to a sample before downloading, just to make sure I do like the narrator and how it is being read.

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by Catlady

Of course. The first audiobooks I purchased were all books I already owned and had read, sometimes multiple times. The audiobook versions gave me a different experience.

Narrators--I don't know, I haven't run into one I disliked.

Totally agree. Most audiobooks that I have, I also have the ebook (or paper book) version. Listening to an audiobook is a different experience and frequently gives me a totally different read on the story.

There are a number of readers that I really like.

[AlbertaCowboy]

It depends for me as well.
"The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings" narrated by Rob Inglis are absolutely spectacular. It gets to the point that one can differentiate each character just by the different voice and inflections that are used by the narrator.
I also love "The Dresden Files" as read by James Marsters.

[jgaiser]

Another depends.

I'm a big fan of Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey and Maturin Series. I own all the ebooks, a few of the pbooks and I'm slowly adding the Audible books. There are two releases of those books. One read by Simon Vance and one read by Patrick Tull. Simon Vance is my favorite.

Also I've read and have the Audible books for Joe Abercrombie's The First Law Series read by Steven Pacey who's another of my favorites.

[Dhevi]

Originally Posted by AlbertaCowboy

It depends for me as well.
"The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings" narrated by Rob Inglis are absolutely spectacular. It gets to the point that one can differentiate each character just by the different voice and inflections that are used by the narrator.
I also love "The Dresden Files" as read by James Marsters.

Pretty much the words ... out of my mouth.

I don't often purchase audiobooks on novels I've already read unless the Narrator reallys draws me in with their performance.

I'm also not too keen on audiobooks that include a lot of sound effects, much like the company Graphic Audio does in their releases. I feel it distracts and sometimes drowns out the narrator on some pieces.