What are we listening to? (audiobooks) - Page 227

ApK · 04-12-2023, 07:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

I haven't. I'll take a peek, thanks!

To clarify: "Star Corpsman" is the name of the 2-book series. The first book is called "Bloodstar" and it stands well on it's own. (No cliff hangers.)

DiapDealer · 04-20-2023, 05:42 PM

I'm thoroughly enjoying Suzanne Toren's narration of Richard Powers' The Overstory. If I'm being honest, the lawn wasn't really ready to be mown again quite yet, but that's some prime listening activity!

issybird · 04-21-2023, 07:51 AM

I finally finished 40 hours of Dombey and Son as read by David Timson. Timson was excellent, but whew! what a slog. D&S encapsules all the reasons Dickens isn't my favorite Victorian novelist, far from it.

Casting around for a palate cleanser for my next listen.

Tarana · 04-21-2023, 11:24 AM

Since last posting, I finished Leviathan Wakes by James S A Corey and narrated by Jefferson Mays. Really enjoyed and can see why the Expanse series is so popular in Scifi. Mays is a good narrator and his style fits the story.

Relistened to Night Watch by Terry Pratchert and narrated by Stephen Briggs. Good story but not one of my favorites. Stephen Briggs is excellent.

Currently listening to Written in Blood by Caroline Graham (Midsommer Murders) and narrated by John Hopkins. The story is good but I'm having a little trouble understanding the narrator due to my hearing loss. Just bought a new hearing aid. Since I own the ebook, I read up to where I had stopped and now will go back to audio.

Asawi · 04-28-2023, 08:29 AM

I usually don't "read" audiobooks since I have problems keeping focused. But when speaking to a German friend who moved here to Sweden she said she used audiobooks to get a better grip of Swedish. So, wanting to improve my German I decided to try audiobooks from Onleihe (library). I really just looked for something available and stumbled upon Frank Goldammer. His crime stories are based in Dresden, a city I love, at the very end of and post WW2. And I LOVE them! The crime stories are not fantastic, but the descriptions of post-war Dresden is great. So far I've listened to
Der Angstmann
Tausend Teufler
Vergessense seelen
and one set around 1988-90, the fall of the wall
Im schatten det wende

Even joined Audible and will use my credits for a couple of more Goldammer books that's available in German there!
(Most of The eBooks are also on Onleihe so I actually borrowed them and had them open during listening for passages I wasn't sure I understood completely.)

issybird · 05-02-2023, 02:55 PM

I'm listening to two concurrently, Danubia by Simon Winder, read by James Cameron Stewart and Two on a Tower by Thomas Hardy, read by Michael Kitchen.

They're both ok, I guess. Danubia is the history of the Hapsburg Empire and given the length of the empire, I suppose it's not surprising that the book is 22 hours long. I'm a little afraid I'll be tired of it before that, but at least the part that interests me most is toward the end. Unfortunately, this is the second audiobook in a row I've listened to where the author constantly inserts himself/herself into the narrative to make a lame joke. Stop it, people!

Two on a Tower is minor Hardy, which may be just as well, as I'm guessing it won't be as deeply tragic as his great works. And it's short, as Victorian novels go!

neil_swann80 · 05-04-2023, 10:50 PM

Bill Bryson's "A Walk in the Woods"

I don't listen to audiobooks as consistently as I read. Tends to be when vacationing. There's something very decadent about sunbathing and being read to... and it avoids sunglass tan lines as I find it impossible to read without them due to light sensitive eyes.

I prefer an e-reader with text-to-speech functionality, whilst the experience is never as good as an audiobook produced with well-chosen voice actors, it's still a boon to be able to continue audibly with a book you were reading. This scenario lead me in selecting a PocketBook device which I feel is best suited for this purpose. Being able to play my existing collection of audiobooks via MP3 rather than restricted only to Audible purchased audiobooks is preferable also.

DiapDealer · 05-05-2023, 06:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

I'm thoroughly enjoying Suzanne Toren's narration of Richard Powers' The Overstory. If I'm being honest, the lawn wasn't really ready to be mown again quite yet, but that's some prime listening activity!

I finished this recently. And while I'd still say I really enjoyed it overall, it was simply too long. 22+ hours. Editors are not the enemy of genius.

DiapDealer · 05-08-2023, 12:34 PM

Currently listening to Justin Cronin's The Ferryman. Cronin is the author of The Passage trilogy that many seemed to love, so I thought I'd try a work of his that is billed as a stand-alone novel. It's narrated by Scott Brick and Suzanne Elise Freeman.

Quote:

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Passage comes a riveting standalone novel about a group of survivors on a hidden island utopia—where the truth isn't what it seems.

There's clearly a bit of a "The Tempest" homage going on, but that's alright. It's not really an (almost) archetypal theme that I tire of easily.

PlatinumWarlock · 05-10-2023, 08:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Currently listening to Justin Cronin's The Ferryman.

How are you enjoying it so far? I loved the first two of the Passage trilogy (still haven't gotten to the third... the TBR list is soooooo long...

), so The Ferryman is already on my list. Just wondering if I need to move it up!

DiapDealer · 05-11-2023, 01:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PlatinumWarlock

How are you enjoying it so far? I loved the first two of the Passage trilogy (still haven't gotten to the third... the TBR list is soooooo long...

), so The Ferryman is already on my list. Just wondering if I need to move it up!

I'm enjoying it well enough. I don't think I'm loving it, but that may be the fault of one of the narrators. I find his voice a tad irritating. I might like it more with someone else, but who knows.

PlatinumWarlock · 05-11-2023, 02:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

I'm enjoying it well enough. I don't think I'm loving it, but that may be the fault of one of the narrators. I find his voice a tad irritating. I might like it more with someone else, but who knows.

The voice makes a huge difference. I listened to an audiobook a while back with a narrator named Xe Sands and I loved her voice. Then I started another recently without knowing who the narrator would be, and the minute she opened her mouth, I knew it was her. Totally drew me in. Going forth, I'll look for her.

ApK · 05-11-2023, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PlatinumWarlock

The voice makes a huge difference. I listened to an audiobook a while back with a narrator named Xe Sands and I loved her voice. Then I started another recently without knowing who the narrator would be, and the minute she opened her mouth, I knew it was her. Totally drew me in. Going forth, I'll look for her.

Yeah, lots of folks have their favorites. My wife likes Susan Ericksen, and seeks out books read by her because her voice helps put her to sleep (in a good way).

I like Grover Gardner. (it maybe time for a Vorkosigan saga re-listen.)

You're probably aware that narrators often record under different names, so you should be aware of their pseudonyms if you want to seek them out.

ApK

PlatinumWarlock · 05-11-2023, 06:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ApK

You're probably aware that narrators often record under different names, so you should be aware of their pseudonyms if you want to see them out.
ApK

Oooh, I didn't know that - thanks for the tip!

DiapDealer · 05-13-2023, 02:44 PM

I finished up The Ferryman. It was just OK for me. It had some interesting moments and ideas, but ultimately, it seems obvious (to me) that the multi-book format is what the author's excels at. This book just grew and grew, and ended up being bigger than its own confines. The story seemed to get away from him, a bit if I'm being honest.

Not unpleasant by any means. Just not as epic as its scope (and cast of characters) wanted to be.

05-04-2023, 10:50 PM	#3397
neil_swann80 0000000000101010 Posts: 5,891 Karma: 12981955 Join Date: Mar 2023 Location: An island off the coast of Ireland Device: PB632 [HD3]	Bill Bryson's "A Walk in the Woods" I don't listen to audiobooks as consistently as I read. Tends to be when vacationing. There's something very decadent about sunbathing and being read to... and it avoids sunglass tan lines as I find it impossible to read without them due to light sensitive eyes. I prefer an e-reader with text-to-speech functionality, whilst the experience is never as good as an audiobook produced with well-chosen voice actors, it's still a boon to be able to continue audibly with a book you were reading. This scenario lead me in selecting a PocketBook device which I feel is best suited for this purpose. Being able to play my existing collection of audiobooks via MP3 rather than restricted only to Audible purchased audiobooks is preferable also. Last edited by neil_swann80; 05-04-2023 at 11:09 PM.

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04-20-2023, 05:42 PM	#3392
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 28,635 Karma: 204624552 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	I'm thoroughly enjoying Suzanne Toren's narration of Richard Powers' The Overstory. If I'm being honest, the lawn wasn't really ready to be mown again quite yet, but that's some prime listening activity!

04-21-2023, 07:51 AM	#3393
issybird o saeclum infacetum Posts: 21,329 Karma: 234636059 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: New England Device: Mini, H2O, Glo HD, Aura One, PW4, PW5	I finally finished 40 hours of *Dombey and Son* as read by David Timson. Timson was excellent, but whew! what a slog. *D&S* encapsules all the reasons Dickens isn't my favorite Victorian novelist, far from it. Casting around for a palate cleanser for my next listen.

04-21-2023, 11:24 AM	#3394
Tarana Wizard Posts: 4,040 Karma: 38840460 Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Minneapolis Device: PWSE, Voyage, K3, HDX, KBasic 7 & 8, Nook Glo3, Echos, Nanos	Since last posting, I finished Leviathan Wakes by James S A Corey and narrated by Jefferson Mays. Really enjoyed and can see why the Expanse series is so popular in Scifi. Mays is a good narrator and his style fits the story. Relistened to Night Watch by Terry Pratchert and narrated by Stephen Briggs. Good story but not one of my favorites. Stephen Briggs is excellent. Currently listening to Written in Blood by Caroline Graham (Midsommer Murders) and narrated by John Hopkins. The story is good but I'm having a little trouble understanding the narrator due to my hearing loss. Just bought a new hearing aid. Since I own the ebook, I read up to where I had stopped and now will go back to audio.

04-28-2023, 08:29 AM	#3395
Asawi Gadgetoholic Posts: 1,467 Karma: 3865860 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Sweden Device: Kobo Libra2, Tolino Vision 6	I usually don't "read" audiobooks since I have problems keeping focused. But when speaking to a German friend who moved here to Sweden she said she used audiobooks to get a better grip of Swedish. So, wanting to improve my German I decided to try audiobooks from Onleihe (library). I really just looked for something available and stumbled upon Frank Goldammer. His crime stories are based in Dresden, a city I love, at the very end of and post WW2. And I LOVE them! The crime stories are not fantastic, but the descriptions of post-war Dresden is great. So far I've listened to Der Angstmann Tausend Teufler Vergessense seelen and one set around 1988-90, the fall of the wall Im schatten det wende Even joined Audible and will use my credits for a couple of more Goldammer books that's available in German there! (Most of The eBooks are also on Onleihe so I actually borrowed them and had them open during listening for passages I wasn't sure I understood completely.)

05-02-2023, 02:55 PM	#3396
issybird o saeclum infacetum Posts: 21,329 Karma: 234636059 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: New England Device: Mini, H2O, Glo HD, Aura One, PW4, PW5	I'm listening to two concurrently, *Danubia* by Simon Winder, read by James Cameron Stewart and *Two on a Tower* by Thomas Hardy, read by Michael Kitchen. They're both ok, I guess. *Danubia* is the history of the Hapsburg Empire and given the length of the empire, I suppose it's not surprising that the book is 22 hours long. I'm a little afraid I'll be tired of it before that, but at least the part that interests me most is toward the end. Unfortunately, this is the second audiobook in a row I've listened to where the author constantly inserts himself/herself into the narrative to make a lame joke. Stop it, people! *Two on a Tower* is minor Hardy, which may be just as well, as I'm guessing it won't be as deeply tragic as his great works. And it's short, as Victorian novels go!

05-13-2023, 02:44 PM	#3405
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 28,635 Karma: 204624552 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	I finished up The Ferryman. It was just OK for me. It had some interesting moments and ideas, but ultimately, it seems obvious (to me) that the multi-book format is what the author's excels at. This book just grew and grew, and ended up being bigger than its own confines. The story seemed to get away from him, a bit if I'm being honest. Not unpleasant by any means. Just not as epic as its scope (and cast of characters) wanted to be.

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