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The TextAloud software itself is in need of a facelift (they say they are developing a v4, but don't seem to be in a hurry to get it out), but v3 works well (for me), and the cost (of the software itself) is low ... with, as you point out, the premium price ratchet to buy additional voices (which, in my opinion, you would want to do to get the best out of it).
It's worth pointing out that the additional - per voice - cost is (at least partly) because the premium voices come from other companies. I liked the Nuance voices best, but I see the cost has gone up considerably since I bought mine. For the software and one or two premium voices the price, I think, is pretty reasonable - but if you wanted to buy lots of voices then the price would climb fast.
I imagine some open-source or free variation of this capability may arrive eventually ... or maybe it already has, I haven't gone looking recently.
One curious possibility this sort of thing opens up would be the ability to create the relevant adjustments to your source text (refining emphasis, pronunciation and so on), and then let people select whichever voice(s) they prefer for their copy of the audio book.
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