What are we listening to? (audiobooks)

[issybird]

I've started Twain's Life on the Mississippi, narrated by Grover Gardner. Gardner's doing a good job; I've only ever heard him narrate Shelby Foote works before - as GG for nonfiction and as Tom Parker for fiction. His rather folksy inflections are working well here as one would expect.

I'd also like to plug the LA Theatre Works' readings of plays with multiple artists. Tubemonkey posted about apps of the plays; the Boston Public Library has 72 iitems from their catalogue and overall, they're delightful. I'll by cuing up Shaw's The Devil's Disciple later today.

ETA: I should have said that by all means this can be deleted or absorbed if the entire thread will be moved.

[Keslynn]

I'm listening to Lock In by John Scalzi, narrated by Amber Benson. There are 2 audio versions of the book. Audible ran a special where if you pre-ordered one version, they sent a coupon to get the other version as well. The other version is narrated by Wil Wheaton. Enjoyable so far. It's a scifi mystery.

[Piepan]

I'm s-l-o-w-l-y working my way through the Audible edition of Written in My Own Heart's Blood (written by Diana Gabaldon, narrated by Davina Porter).

I'd also like to plug the LA Theatre Works' readings of plays. I've listened to a whopping 2 of them but I thought they were very well done.

I've also started The Jedi Doth Return, a Shakespearean rendition of ... well I'll let ya guess of what... and I alternate between liking it and quite disliking it, though I've neither finished it nor made up my mind about it.

[Catlady]

I'm listening to Rainsong, by Phyllis A. Whitney, narrated by Anna Fields. I read it long ago (along with almost everything else by Whitney), and even about a quarter of the way in, I still don't remember the plot.

I'm not particularly liking Anna Fields's narration; the story's first-person narrator is supposed to be only 23 years old, and Fields sounds older and world-weary. Earlier this year I listened to her narration of the first couple of Sarah Woolson mysteries, and she was a great fit for those.

[tubemonkey]

I plan to start ER Burroughs' Caspak Trilogy (Land That Time Forgot, etc) within the next day or two. I recently picked them up via Whispersync using credits.

[jgaiser]

Can we talk about TTS too? I've been using TTS on my Kindle Fire to listen to the Library of America's Abraham Lincoln: Speeches & Writings 1832-1858. I have tried to read the speeches in the past, but something about the phrasing just wasn't getting through. Except for the occasional weird word, I'm really enjoying listening to Lincoln's words. He could put together some amazing arguments and still stick in his humor.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by jgaiser

Can we talk about TTS too? I've been using TTS on my Kindle Fire to listen to the Library of America's Abraham Lincoln: Speeches & Writings 1832-1858. I have tried to read the speeches in the past, but something about the phrasing just wasn't getting through. Except for the occasional weird word, I'm really enjoying listening to Lincoln's words. He could put together some amazing arguments and still stick in his humor.

It's audio and it involves a book, so I'd say definitely yes!

[Blossom]

I'm listening to One Grave at a Time by Jeaniene Frost which is Book 6 in the Cat & Bones series. It is narrated by the amazing Tavia Gilbert who can do some of the best voice acting I've heard. She narrates the entire series which is a super plus for me.

[jgaiser]

Originally Posted by CRussel

It's true, Patrick Tull is slower. That's because he "tells the story" rather than reading straight through it. I think it makes for a better listen. But then, I've always preferred the Tull narration.

ETA: I just checked Post Captain, the book I just finished. The Tull version is 19 hours. The Vance version 15.

I think I mentioned this before (somewhere), but I started listening to the O'Brian books with Simon Vance. Up to book 9 now. I do have the first 3? or 4? books by Tull and I've been listening on and off to Master and Commander. The style is very different and it takes some getting used to for my ears.

[Synamon]

I finally finished listening to The Book of Life (last in the All Souls Trilogy) by Deborah Harkness. Time travelling vampire/witch romantic historical fiction is not my thing so it was a slog. I'd listened to the first two during long car rides with my husband and had to finish it off.

Now I'm listening to Stories I Tell My Friends by Rob Lowe (read by Rob Lowe). It's intimate and revealing and he's a very down to earth guy who examines his own accent as an actor and a celebrity and the surreal situations he found himself in.

[jgaiser]

I tend to listen to audio books the way I read. Multiple books at the same time. Depending on my mood, I switch from day to day.

Currently:

A Distant Mirror by Barbara W. Tuchman narrated by Aviva Skell
The Coming Fury by Bruce Catton narrated by Nelson Runger
The Medieval World - lecture from The Great Courses - Professor Dorsey Armstrong
Classical Mythology - another Great Courses lecture - Professor Elizabeth Vandiver

along with the TTS rendition of Abraham Lincoln: Speeches & Writings 1832-1858, though this is really something I need to concentrate on.

[melmac]

Finished Trust you Eyes by Linwood Barclay liked it although not 100% sold on

Spoiler:

the last minute revelation, I'm not a fan of those

Now I'm listening to Surface Tension by Christine Kling its the first in her Seychelle Sullivan series it's ok, a little predictable reminds me of the Nancy Drew books I read when I was a girl only with more murders

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by melmac

Finished Trust you Eyes by Linwood Barclay liked it although not 100% sold on

Spoiler:

the last minute revelation, I'm not a fan of those

Re the spoiler: That seems to have become part of the template for thrillers these days--at least I see it again and again in the ones I read.

Spoiler:

When it seems to be a logical outgrowth of the story--something that makes sense even though you really didn't see it coming--I generally like it. You think the story is all wrapped up, nice and neat, and then the author detonates one final bombshell.

[booklover6]

I am listening to "Scream for Me" by Karen Rose. The narrator does an awesome job, I listed to the first in the series "Die for Me" and loved it. I got all three in the series from Overdrive.

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by CRussel

Reading Cast in Sorrow, by Michelle Sagara. I think I'm pretty much done with this series. I really enjoyed the earlier books, but this one is getting way too weird, as the last couple were.

Next up, Carousel Sun by Sharon Lee, read by Elizabeth Rogers. This is the second book in the Archer's Beach series, and I'm very much looking forward to it. I've read the eBook, but the Audible book just became available, and it's the same reader as the first book, so should be excellent.

What a slog. I'm totally fed up with the Michelle Sagara series. I just want to finish the book and get on with something I'll enjoy! (I know, I know, but I wasted a perfectly good Audible credit on this book, and I only have a little over an hour to go.) This series was a pleasure to read at the beginning, but has totally degenerated into ridiculous and overblown fantasy without any apparent attempt to have a consistent universe. Got a problem? No problem, just twist the universe or give Kaitlan another power. Sheesh.