What are we listening to? (audiobooks)

[rjcchan]

I am working my way through the Alexandria Quartet. Fascinating and well read. The narrator really brings out the quality of the writing. He has a tendency to go over the top with his voices unfortunately. But I find I have gotten used to them

[Autonomous]

I've been reading and/or listening to the Amelia Peabody books by Elizabeth Peters as they become available from my library.

I’m going to be the dissenting voice on favored audio narrator for the series. I listened to O’Malley narrate Deeds of the Disturber and found it quite enjoyable. I picked up the Rosenblat narration for The Last Camel Died at Noon and – so far – prefer O’Malley’s more subtle narration. I know some listeners can’t abide listening to Amelia with anything other than the pronounced English accent of Rosenblat, but I find Rosenblat’s performance much more bombastic and full of smug condescension to the point that it drowns out the more temperate qualities of the characters and wry bits of humor. Rosenblat’s performance reminds me of a stage actor chewing up the scenery to engage the audience, whereas O’Malley’s reading style is less theatrical. Some listeners complained that O’Malley’s delivery is monotone. I didn’t find it that way at all. In fact, I felt the affection between Emerson and Amelia more easily shines through because it isn’t overacted. Rosenblat’s narration is also paced much slower due to all the dramatic posturing and pauses (e.g., TLCDaN is nearly 2.5 hours longer than the O'Malley recording).

[badgoodDeb]

Interesting review --- I haven't listened to either, but would probably side with you, so I'll tuck this info into my brain somewhere. (And then promptly forget where it's filed, but anyway.... )

[issybird]

I'm about three-fourths through Waiting for Snow in Havana, by Carlos Eire, his memoir of growing up in Cuba before and after the revolution and becoming a refugee in the US at the age of eleven as part of Operation Peter Pan. This is beautifully written and evocative; I find the prose dazzling although I see by reviews that some don't care for the way the author pursues associations and jumps around. At 16 hours, it's a little long for a childhood memoir and I probably would have broken it up with something else, except that I foolishly cut back my borrowing period at OverDrive and decided just to push through. That said, this is still the best memoir I've read in years and could bring me back to liking memoirs as a genre, as I had rather gone off them.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by issybird

I'm about three-fourths through Waiting for Snow in Havana, by Carlos Eire, his memoir of growing up in Cuba before and after the revolution and becoming a refugee in the US at the age of eleven as part of Operation Peter Pan. This is beautifully written and evocative; I find the prose dazzling although I see by reviews that some don't care for the way the author pursues associations and jumps around. At 16 hours, it's a little long for a childhood memoir and I probably would have broken it up with something else, except that I foolishly cut back my borrowing period at OverDrive and decided just to push through. That said, this is still the best memoir I've read in years and could bring me back to liking memoirs as a genre, as I had rather gone off them.

Done. Excellent. There's a sequel, but I'll wait a bit. In part because I like to break things up lest they stale on me, but also because I frequently find the first part of a childhood memoir the most evocative and I don't want to dim the lustre of this portion.

I've now started Sharpe's Trafalgar, read by Patrick Tull, and this clearly is going to be sheer pleasure.

[pwalker8]

Just finished Larry Correia's Swords of Exodus, read by Bronson Pinchot. IMPO, Pinchot is one of the top voice talents in audiobooks. If you like adventure novels, this one is a good one. Correia has a knack for story telling, but it's definitely not a book for someone looking to get in their happy place. Next, for a complete change of pace, Patrica Briggs Dead Heat.

Normally, I might follow such a book with either a light hearted book, or a young adult book, but at the moment, I don't have any such books on my to be listened to list, or my to be bought list. Brian Daley's Hobart Floyd books could be considered a bit more light hearted, and the Requiem for a Ruler of Worlds, the first of the trilogy, is queued up after Dead Heat.

A series that I think would be a lot of fun as audiobooks is Glen Cook's Garrett P.I. series. I wonder why none of them has been made into audiobooks yet. (one of the oddities with this series is that many of the book covers show Garrett dressed in typical 30's PI garb, i.e. coat and fedora, yet in the books, it's mentioned that Garrett never wears a hat, and is never described in such a get up. )

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by issybird

Done. Excellent. There's a sequel, but I'll wait a bit. In part because I like to break things up lest they stale on me, but also because I frequently find the first part of a childhood memoir the most evocative and I don't want to dim the lustre of this portion.

I've now started Sharpe's Trafalgar, read by Patrick Tull, and this clearly is going to be sheer pleasure.

Oh, yes. I really enjoyed this one. But hard not to with Patrick Tull reading. Heck, both readers for the Sharpe books are excellent.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by pwalker8

Just finished Larry Correia's Swords of Exodus, read by Bronson Pinchot. IMPO, Pinchot is one of the top voice talents in audiobooks.

I listened to his narration of Karl Marlantes' Matterhorn and he was terrific.

[booklover6]

I'm listening to Dragonbane by Sherrilyn Kenyon, narrated by Holter Graham. I love him.

[ApK]

I just finished "Recovery Man" my first taste of the Retrieval Artist series. Not overly impressed. Not bad, but too many loose ends. I prefer more subtle encouragement to continue a series.

I'm now listening to Ark Royal by Christopher Nuttall. Not bad so far. As a Navy guy it gets to start with some brownie points, so I'll see if it can hold it's own as I get farther into it.

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by ApK

I just finished "Recovery Man" my first taste of the Retrieval Artist series. Not overly impressed. Not bad, but too many loose ends. I prefer more subtle encouragement to continue a series.

I'm now listening to Ark Royal by Christopher Nuttall. Not bad so far. As a Navy guy it gets to start with some brownie points, so I'll see if it can hold it's own as I get farther into it.

I read the ebook for Ark Royal and have the audiobook in the to be listened to queue. Pleas, let us know how you liked the audiobook.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by issybird

I've now started Sharpe's Trafalgar, read by Patrick Tull, and this clearly is going to be sheer pleasure.

I've got to backtrack a bit. Cornwall's credibility has taken a huge hit, as he's committed one of my pet peeves. Despite his much vaunted research and knowledge, he gets titles wrong. For me, this is an unforgivable offense.

There's a character called Lord William Hale. This means he's the younger son of a duke or a marquis. But then he's referred to as a peer. Uh, no. If he were a peer, he'd be Lord Hale; Lord William is a courtesy title and he's a commoner. Then, Lord William's wife is referred to as Lady Grace. Again, no. Her title is Lady William. Lady Grace means that she's the daughter of an earl, marquis or duke. If Lord William were a peer and Lord Hale, she'd be Lady Hale. Sigh.

When an author gets the form of titles wrong, it takes me right out of the story. This isn't hard, and someone who has immersed himself in the period should have figured it out. Did I say I find this unforgivable?

I always wonder what happened in the editing process also, that it wasn't fixed.

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by issybird

I've got to backtrack a bit. Cornwall's credibility has taken a huge hit, as he's committed one of my pet peeves. Despite his much vaunted research and knowledge, he gets titles wrong. For me, this is an unforgivable offense.

There's a character called Lord William Hale. This means he's the younger son of a duke or a marquis. But then he's referred to as a peer. Uh, no. If he were a peer, he'd be Lord Hale; Lord William is a courtesy title and he's a commoner. Then, Lord William's wife is referred to as Lady Grace. Again, no. Her title is Lady William. Lady Grace means that she's the daughter of an earl, marquis or duke. If Lord William were a peer and Lord Hale, she'd be Lady Hale. Sigh.

When an author gets the form of titles wrong, it takes me right out of the story. This isn't hard, and someone who has immersed himself in the period should have figured it out. Did I say I find this unforgivable?

I always wonder what happened in the editing process also, that it wasn't fixed.

Just avoid modern Regency romances or your head will surely explode.

[FizzyWater]

Originally Posted by ApK

I just finished "Recovery Man" my first taste of the Retrieval Artist series. Not overly impressed. Not bad, but too many loose ends. I prefer more subtle encouragement to continue a series.

Probably not a good idea to read that series out of order. You started with the 6th book in the series. I generally don't like to read series out of order, even when I'm told them stand alone well. But that series does build on previous books and I'd think it would be easy to sense you don't have all the clues.

[ApK]

Originally Posted by FizzyWater

Probably not a good idea to read that series out of order. You started with the 6th book in the series. I generally don't like to read series out of order, even when I'm told them stand alone well. But that series does build on previous books and I'd think it would be easy to sense you don't have all the clues.

I may give "Disappeared" a shot if I find a good deal on it.

I used WfV for the first time with "Recovery Man," going between reading and listening. It's most interesting benefit was when the narrator said a line that didn't make any sense, I was able to quickly check it in the text. Turns out the narrator misread the line. Oh well, no one's perfect.