What are we listening to? (audiobooks)

[SeaBookGuy]

Originally Posted by Catlady

Since we're in the midst of a pandemic, I perversely chose to listen to a novel that featured another pandemic--the Spanish flu of 1918: Wickett's Remedy by Myla Goldberg, read by the author.

This was weirdly compelling, with a protagonist--Lydia Wickett--who ends up working at a naval facility where doctors are experimenting on prisoners to try to stop the disease. That's the main story, and quite interesting, but it's the structure of the novel that's especially fascinating--with dead people commenting and correcting various points in the story and miscellanea that tell a secondary but connected storyline about a soda company. The audiobook uses sound effects to introduce the different types of miscellanea--typewriter keys clacking for news articles, various other musical cues. It was a little bit annoying at first, but then I settled into the pattern; in the e-book, typography is used to differentiate these bits and pieces.

I do not know exactly what message the author was trying to convey, or what message I received, but I plan to read more of Myla Goldberg's books.

I recall really liking her narration of her novel Bee Season. I also read Time's Magpie her book on Prague, which I believe was the print edition rather than audio.

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by SeaBookGuy

I recall really liking her narration of her novel Bee Season. I also read Time's Magpie her book on Prague, which I believe was the print edition rather than audio.

Overdrive doesn't have Bee Season as an audiobook, but I have it on my wish list at Audible. My plan is to listen first to Goldberg's False Friend and Feast Your Eyes, both on hold now. Time's Magpie didn't interest me, but I may decide to try it since it's so short.

I just finished listening to Framed by S. L. McInnis (pretty good, some nice twists) and have started My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell (terrific so far).

[taosaur]

I finished Terminus yesterday: good finish, and probably the second-strongest book in the series/universe after the first one, 14. Really the last book is the most direct sequel to the first, and in some ways it did feel like a reshuffle of a lot of the same elements: you have the big bad, some talismans, and one in-the-know supporting character carrying over, and from there it's a lot of the same things happening to different people in a different setting, though this one is more action movie and less mystery. Not to say it was a total rehash by any means: the different characters and setting make a difference, and it does go just a little deeper into world building. On the whole my response to the whole Threshold series is, was I glad to have more of it? Absolutely. Did the other books particularly add to or stand alone as well as the first one? Questionable. Any of them could definitely be read as a stand-alone.

I needed a palate cleanser after all the grotesquery and violence and started in on Dawn of Wonder by Jonathan Renshaw. So far it seems like a very standard fantasy coming-of-age story, starting with gobs of bucolic prose read in a soothing British murmur by Tim Gerard Reynolds. So, exactly what I was looking for

Some people complain about excessive description, but so far Renshaw's imagery is outstanding. I can't say I've pictured people or places so clearly from an audiobook in quite some time. Here and there he hits it out of the park with tactile imagery, too, really giving you the embodied feel of running through tall, wet grass with your pants sticking to your legs, for instance. I'm rarely one to complain about or skip over excessive description, so I may be in for a treat. Whether the series will continue is questionable at best four years later, a bit like Kingkiller Chronicles, so you get what you get.

[pwalker8]

Listened to the first two hours of Stephen Fry's version of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. I've listened to the Jim Dale version of all 7 books multiple times, but I've always wanted to compare it to the Stephen Fry version. As I mentioned in a different thread, Audible is making various children's books available for free streaming and the Fry version is one of those books. So far so good.

So far, my take is that they are both very good, but have very different styles. I think that Jim Dale does a much better job on character voices, but Fry is a better voice actor, i.e. he puts more emotion into the reading.

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by pwalker8

Listened to the first two hours of Stephen Fry's version of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. I've listened to the Jim Dale version of all 7 books multiple times, but I've always wanted to compare it to the Stephen Fry version. As I mentioned in a different thread, Audible is making various children's books available for free streaming and the Fry version is one of those books. So far so good.

So far, my take is that they are both very good, but have very different styles. I think that Jim Dale does a much better job on character voices, but Fry is a better voice actor, i.e. he puts more emotion into the reading.

FYI, Overdrive is offering unlimited borrowing of the first HP book (both e-book and audiobook) through April 30.

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by pwalker8

Listened to the first two hours of Stephen Fry's version of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. I've listened to the Jim Dale version of all 7 books multiple times, but I've always wanted to compare it to the Stephen Fry version. As I mentioned in a different thread, Audible is making various children's books available for free streaming and the Fry version is one of those books. So far so good.

So far, my take is that they are both very good, but have very different styles. I think that Jim Dale does a much better job on character voices, but Fry is a better voice actor, i.e. he puts more emotion into the reading.

Yes, I've had both since they released way back when. Of the two, I slightly prefer the Stephen Fry version but both are excellent.

[issybird]

I’m listening to a rather dreary biography which is interesting enough but there’s too much of it; a third shorter to cut out the repetitions would have been much better. But I took a quick look at OD and saw Strangers on a Train read by the always excellent Bronson Pinchot. I’ve read it, but it struck me as just the thing to break up the slog.

[Catlady]

Finished My Dark Vanessa, easily the best book of the year to date. It's about a 30-something woman coming to terms with her teacher's sexual abuse and manipulation when she was a teenager. Amazing book.

Then I listened to The Woman in the Mirror by Rebecca James. This was an old-fashioned gothicky ghost story, and quite fun.

Now I'm listening to A Fierce Radiance by Lauren Belfer, a novel with a WWII setting as researchers work on the development of penicillin. Not sure where this is going, but I like it so far.

Next I'm planning on diving into Forever Amber by Kathleen Winsor, which was just released as an audiobook; I've been wanting to reread this one for years and kept hoping for an audio version, and now it's finally here!

[Tarana]

Since last post, I finished V-Wars, a collection of stories edited by Jonathan Maberry. Also White Night by Jim Butcher (part of my reread of the series). Currently listening to The Chronicles of St Mary's by Jodi Taylor. Completed book 0.5 The Very First Damned Thing, book 1 Just One Damned Thing After Another and nearly done with book 2 A Symphony of Echoes. I love this series. The humor and snark is so enjoyable. Note, even though chronologically, book .05 comes first, don't listen to it until you've heard book 1 or it won't make all that much sense. This was my 3rd listen of book 1 and now I have the rest of the series, so can finally continue on (was missing books 2 and 3 and got them at reduced price).

[CRussel]

I'm continuing my re-reading Martin Walker's Bruno, Chief of Police books, listening to them this time. Currently on #5, The Devil's Cave. These are delightful mysteries with lots of good cooking, good wine, and all sorts of details about France, and especially the Perigord region which is renowned for its truffles and its foie gras. The audio books are very well read by Robert Ian MacKenzie.

[Bookworm_Girl]

My audiobook listening has dropped significantly without my normal commute to work or exercise workouts. I am currently listening to From Scratch by Tembi Locke and really enjoying it. I liked her acting on the TV series Eureka. This book succesfully combines many different themes including memoir, travel, food, love, family and grief. I am learning more about Italian culture too.

From Goodreads:

A poignant and transporting cross-cultural love story set against the lush backdrop of the Sicilian countryside, where one woman discovers the healing powers of food, family, and unexpected grace in her darkest hour.

It was love at first sight when Tembi met professional chef, Saro, on a street in Florence. There was just one problem: Saro’s traditional Sicilian family did not approve of him marrying a black American woman, an actress no less. However, the couple, heartbroken but undeterred, forges on. They build a happy life in Los Angeles, with fulfilling careers, deep friendships and the love of their lives: a baby girl they adopt at birth. Eventually, they reconcile with Saro’s family just as he faces a formidable cancer that will consume all their dreams.

In Sicily, it is said that every story begins with a marriage or a death—in Tembi Locke’s case, it is both. Her story is about loss, but it’s really about love found. Her story is about travel, but it’s really about finding a home. It is about food, but it’s really about chasing flavor as an act of remembrance. From Scratch is for anyone who has dared to reach for big love, fought for what mattered most, and needed a powerful reminder that life is…delicious.

[SeaBookGuy]

Currently listening to The Sans Pareil Mystery by Karen Charlton, second in her Inspector Lavender series set in Regency England; I skipped the first story based on plot summary and some reviews. I'm a big fan of the narrator, Michael Page, who does a great job with varying character voices. Bought this one from Audible (not a bad price), but my library has the rest of the titles as CD-only, no download, so will have to wait (bring cheap and stubborn).

[pwalker8]

In the month since I started listening to Hero in the Shadow, in the car, I'm 2 hours into it with 11 to go. This month I spent $10 on gas, so not much driving.

I've listened to the Stephan Fry version of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone up to the chapter entitled Potion's Master. I have difficulty just sitting there listening, I have to be doing something else, or I end up nodding off. I do go on longish walks every day (about 3 miles) but I normally listen to podcast on those.

[Tarana]

During Stay-at-home, I've been binging on the entire Chronicles of St Mary's series by Jodi Taylor. A total riot. Zara Ramm is a quite wonderful narrator and has great comic timing. I only have a couple of books left plus some novellas. The audiobook for the next in this series has been delayed from release in April to August.

[SeaBookGuy]

Started Excellent Women by Barbara Pym yesterday - great narration adds to the humor.