What are we listening to? (audiobooks) - Page 196

CRussel · 07-07-2020, 12:37 PM

Currently listening to A Grave Talent by Laurie R. King, and narrated by Alyssa Bresnahan. I read this book nearly 30 years ago, but this is the first time I've listened to it. The narrator, sadly, is no better than so-so. A stretch to 3 stars. However, not bad enough to abandon it.

pwalker8 · 07-07-2020, 06:34 PM

I have a bit over 4 hours left on my current book(Smoke Bitten), so I should finish it this weekend. Since Peace Talks comes out on Tuesday, I'm going to have to make sure I pick a short one if I finish up before then.

CRussel · 07-11-2020, 12:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CRussel

Currently listening to A Grave Talent by Laurie R. King, and narrated by Alyssa Bresnahan. I read this book nearly 30 years ago, but this is the first time I've listened to it. The narrator, sadly, is no better than so-so. A stretch to 3 stars. However, not bad enough to abandon it.

Nearly finished, and I admit, the narrator has grown on me. Now a solid 3 stars, maybe 4? No, but a solid 3. I will be reading the rest of this series, probably as a straight through binge listen. Because while I have lots of books to listen to, none of them is calling to me right now.

issybird · 07-11-2020, 08:19 AM

Europe’s Last Summer by David Fromkin and read by Alan Sklar has been a terrible plod, both text and narration. I just renewed it a third time, but at least the end is in sight. I won’t be listening to Sklar read again.

SeaBookGuy · 07-11-2020, 11:33 AM

Finished The Disappearance of Adèle Bedeau yesterday. Took a while for me to get into this one, which I'd call a hybrid novel-police procedural. Alternating point-of-view between the detective and chief suspect was a format I didn't feel I'd like, but it worked here. Will probably read the sequel as well at some point.

Tarana · 07-11-2020, 08:28 PM

Finished The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury. Just not for me. Narrated by Scott Brick. Never really got into it although I had some interest in the middle. The Vor Game by Lois McMaster Bujold and narrated by Grover Gardner was excellent! Yes, I seem to be doing them out of order. Just about done with The Black Unicorn by Terry Brooks and narrated by Dick Hill. I read this book in the past and didn't like it as much as the first book. Dick Hill is pretty good, but for some reason, the diction isn't quite as sharp. Engineering issue I think as I didn't have this issue with the 87th Precinct series which was recorded at around the same time. Good thing I bought the last of the books on special last year as they are now removed from Audible's sales listing.

CRussel · 07-12-2020, 01:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CRussel

Currently listening to A Grave Talent by Laurie R. King, and narrated by Alyssa Bresnahan. I read this book nearly 30 years ago, but this is the first time I've listened to it. The narrator, sadly, is no better than so-so. A stretch to 3 stars. However, not bad enough to abandon it.

The book is a solid 4 stars for me, with the narrator improving to a solid 3 stars. I like Kate, I like Lee, her partner, and I like Inspector Hawkin, her work partner/boss. The only drawback for me was the rather gruesome nature of the multiple murdered children. But hard to have a murder mystery without murders, and at least we weren't subjected to lengthy and loving descriptions of the dismemberment or torture or whatever that some books seem to think we must need or want.

pwalker8 · 07-13-2020, 05:07 AM

Finished up Smoke Bitten yesterday. If you like the rest of the Mercy Thompson series you will likely enjoy the book. The book is by Patricia Briggs and the narrator is Lorelei King. She does the whole series (I think it's number 12) and is a good argument for keeping the same narrator in a series. I thought that this book had a bit more of the romance orientation than previous couple of books in the series. It was more noticeable for me listening to the audiobook than it was reading the ebook.

I decided to start book two of the Red Falcon series. It's about 10 hours, so it's not too long. The first of the series, Starship's Mage, was one of those books where they used two different narrators for the two different main characters. It didn't really work well for me, from an audiobook (Ian Gordon and Jennifer Gil) perspective. I really liked the ebook version though, so it was the narrators rather than the text. In the second and third books, they use a different, single narrator - Hillary Huber. We will see how that goes.

Tarana · 07-13-2020, 03:27 PM

FINALLY listening to Spellsinger by Alan Dean Foster. I scored the other 7 audiobooks on CD from Graphic Audio when they were clearancing them, but didn't have book 1. My sisters both read this in high school and again about 7 years ago when I got them on the Kindle. This is my first read or listen.

Catlady · 07-16-2020, 09:55 AM

I listened to Mary L. Trump's Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World's Most Dangerous Man. She is an excellent writer; she knows how to let her anecdotes generally speak for themselves, without heavy-handed or hyperbolic commentary. Her perspective as a family member who is also an outsider is fascinating.

She is the narrator for the audiobook, and does a fine job with it--she has a pleasant, clear voice and does not overdramatize.

I borrowed the book from my public library, but I was impressed enough that I am probably going to order a hardcover copy.

issybird · 07-23-2020, 02:30 PM

I listened to The Hundred Years War by Desmond Seward, read by Nigel Patterson, and it was surprisingly lively and entertaining with lots of personalities for a short book that covered so much ground. A painless way to learn the basics about this period.

Now I’ve jumped ahead some four centuries to The Regency Years: During Which Jane Austen Writes, Napoleon Fights, Byron Makes Love, and Britain Becomes Modern by Robert Morrison, read by Chris MacDonnell. Unlike the Hundred Years War, where I knew the names of the major players and that’s it, the Regency is a favorite period of mine and I haven’t come across anything new here, but it’s interesting enough and the medievalist who knows nothing about the nineteenth century might well be beguiled.

Tarana · 07-23-2020, 07:50 PM

Was listening to Red Rising by Pierce Brown. I am halfway through and just can't stand any more. The narrator, Tim Gerard Reynolds, is excellent, the writing is good but the plot and the characters - I just don't CARE what happens. I only listened this far (about half way) because of the narrator. For a book that is widely popular, I guess it is not for me. I'll decide tonight whether to push through or not. At least I can speed it up.

pwalker8 · 07-24-2020, 08:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tarana

Was listening to Red Rising by Pierce Brown. I am halfway through and just can't stand any more. The narrator, Tim Gerard Reynolds, is excellent, the writing is good but the plot and the characters - I just don't CARE what happens. I only listened this far (about half way) because of the narrator. For a book that is widely popular, I guess it is not for me. I'll decide tonight whether to push through or not. At least I can speed it up.

I've listened to a few book narrated by Tim Gerard Reynolds. I agree, he's very very good.

CRussel · 07-31-2020, 11:44 AM

I just finished listening to the first Easy Rawlings mystery, Devil in a Blue Dress by Walter Mosley, narrated by Michael Boatman. This was a 5 star re-read for me. I'd originally read it in 1990 when it released, and it was good enough I read several more by Mosley, but reading it again, in 2020, in the face of #BlackLivesMatter and all that has happened this summer, was even more powerful and compelling. I'll be listening to more of these.

ApK · 07-31-2020, 02:27 PM

I just started "The Gray Man" by Mark Greaney.
Just two chapters in and I'm having strong feelings of deja Vu. I think I must have read or listened to it before, but I really can't be sure. Maybe it's just that formulaic and predictable? Nah.
I'm still enjoying it well enough. We'll see in a few more chapters.....

07-11-2020, 08:28 PM	#2931
Tarana Wizard Posts: 3,979 Karma: 38840460 Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Minneapolis Device: PWSE, Voyage, K3, HDX, KBasic 7 & 8, Nook Glo3, Echos, Nanos	Finished The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury. Just not for me. Narrated by Scott Brick. Never really got into it although I had some interest in the middle. The Vor Game by Lois McMaster Bujold and narrated by Grover Gardner was excellent! Yes, I seem to be doing them out of order. Just about done with The Black Unicorn by Terry Brooks and narrated by Dick Hill. I read this book in the past and didn't like it as much as the first book. Dick Hill is pretty good, but for some reason, the diction isn't quite as sharp. Engineering issue I think as I didn't have this issue with the 87th Precinct series which was recorded at around the same time. Good thing I bought the last of the books on special last year as they are now removed from Audible's sales listing. Last edited by Tarana; 07-12-2020 at 11:29 AM.

07-23-2020, 07:50 PM	#2937
Tarana Wizard Posts: 3,979 Karma: 38840460 Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Minneapolis Device: PWSE, Voyage, K3, HDX, KBasic 7 & 8, Nook Glo3, Echos, Nanos	Was listening to Red Rising by Pierce Brown. I am halfway through and just can't stand any more. The narrator, Tim Gerard Reynolds, is excellent, the writing is good but the plot and the characters - I just don't CARE what happens. I only listened this far (about half way) because of the narrator. For a book that is widely popular, I guess it is not for me. I'll decide tonight whether to push through or not. At least I can speed it up. Last edited by Tarana; 07-23-2020 at 08:27 PM.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
What Are You Listening to Right Now?	RWood	Lounge	10005	04-23-2024 02:44 PM
Publishers are listening...	davidhburton	General Discussions	34	07-27-2010 09:47 AM
PRS-900 Sony, if you're listening	chiefwili	Sony Reader	22	01-02-2010 11:17 AM
Reading or listening? I need both!	jetreader	Ectaco jetBook	9	09-02-2009 10:27 AM
Listening to Music ???	Stu Segal	Sony Reader	7	10-14-2007 12:19 AM

07-07-2020, 12:37 PM	#2926
CRussel (he/him/his) Posts: 12,160 Karma: 79742714 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Sunshine Coast, BC Device: Oasis (Gen3),Paperwhite (Gen10), Voyage, Paperwhite(orig), Fire HD 8	Currently listening to A Grave Talent by Laurie R. King, and narrated by Alyssa Bresnahan. I read this book nearly 30 years ago, but this is the first time I've listened to it. The narrator, sadly, is no better than so-so. A stretch to 3 stars. However, not bad enough to abandon it.

07-07-2020, 06:34 PM	#2927
pwalker8 Grand Sorcerer Posts: 7,195 Karma: 70314280 Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Atlanta, GA Device: iPad Pro, iPad mini, Kobo Aura, Amazon paperwhite, Sony PRS-T2	I have a bit over 4 hours left on my current book(Smoke Bitten), so I should finish it this weekend. Since Peace Talks comes out on Tuesday, I'm going to have to make sure I pick a short one if I finish up before then.

07-11-2020, 08:19 AM	#2929
issybird o saeclum infacetum Posts: 20,228 Karma: 222235366 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: New England Device: H2O, Aura One, PW5	*Europe’s Last Summer* by David Fromkin and read by Alan Sklar has been a terrible plod, both text and narration. I just renewed it a third time, but at least the end is in sight. I won’t be listening to Sklar read again.

07-11-2020, 11:33 AM	#2930
SeaBookGuy Can one read too much? Posts: 2,015 Karma: 2487799 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Naples, FL Device: Kindle PW 3, Sony 350 and 650	Finished The Disappearance of Adèle Bedeau yesterday. Took a while for me to get into this one, which I'd call a hybrid novel-police procedural. Alternating point-of-view between the detective and chief suspect was a format I didn't feel I'd like, but it worked here. Will probably read the sequel as well at some point.

07-13-2020, 05:07 AM	#2933
pwalker8 Grand Sorcerer Posts: 7,195 Karma: 70314280 Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Atlanta, GA Device: iPad Pro, iPad mini, Kobo Aura, Amazon paperwhite, Sony PRS-T2	Finished up Smoke Bitten yesterday. If you like the rest of the Mercy Thompson series you will likely enjoy the book. The book is by Patricia Briggs and the narrator is Lorelei King. She does the whole series (I think it's number 12) and is a good argument for keeping the same narrator in a series. I thought that this book had a bit more of the romance orientation than previous couple of books in the series. It was more noticeable for me listening to the audiobook than it was reading the ebook. I decided to start book two of the Red Falcon series. It's about 10 hours, so it's not too long. The first of the series, Starship's Mage, was one of those books where they used two different narrators for the two different main characters. It didn't really work well for me, from an audiobook (Ian Gordon and Jennifer Gil) perspective. I really liked the ebook version though, so it was the narrators rather than the text. In the second and third books, they use a different, single narrator - Hillary Huber. We will see how that goes.

07-13-2020, 03:27 PM	#2934
Tarana Wizard Posts: 3,979 Karma: 38840460 Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Minneapolis Device: PWSE, Voyage, K3, HDX, KBasic 7 & 8, Nook Glo3, Echos, Nanos	FINALLY listening to Spellsinger by Alan Dean Foster. I scored the other 7 audiobooks on CD from Graphic Audio when they were clearancing them, but didn't have book 1. My sisters both read this in high school and again about 7 years ago when I got them on the Kindle. This is my first read or listen.

07-16-2020, 09:55 AM	#2935
Catlady Grand Sorcerer Posts: 7,345 Karma: 52398889 Join Date: Oct 2010 Device: Kindle Fire, Kindle Paperwhite, AGPTek Bluetooth Clip	I listened to Mary L. Trump's Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World's Most Dangerous Man. She is an excellent writer; she knows how to let her anecdotes generally speak for themselves, without heavy-handed or hyperbolic commentary. Her perspective as a family member who is also an outsider is fascinating. She is the narrator for the audiobook, and does a fine job with it--she has a pleasant, clear voice and does not overdramatize. I borrowed the book from my public library, but I was impressed enough that I am probably going to order a hardcover copy.

07-23-2020, 02:30 PM	#2936
issybird o saeclum infacetum Posts: 20,228 Karma: 222235366 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: New England Device: H2O, Aura One, PW5	I listened to *The Hundred Years War* by Desmond Seward, read by Nigel Patterson, and it was surprisingly lively and entertaining with lots of personalities for a short book that covered so much ground. A painless way to learn the basics about this period. Now I’ve jumped ahead some four centuries to *The Regency Years: During Which Jane Austen Writes, Napoleon Fights, Byron Makes Love, and Britain Becomes Modern* by Robert Morrison, read by Chris MacDonnell. Unlike the Hundred Years War, where I knew the names of the major players and that’s it, the Regency is a favorite period of mine and I haven’t come across anything new here, but it’s interesting enough and the medievalist who knows nothing about the nineteenth century might well be beguiled.

07-31-2020, 11:44 AM	#2939
CRussel (he/him/his) Posts: 12,160 Karma: 79742714 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Sunshine Coast, BC Device: Oasis (Gen3),Paperwhite (Gen10), Voyage, Paperwhite(orig), Fire HD 8	I just finished listening to the first Easy Rawlings mystery, Devil in a Blue Dress by Walter Mosley, narrated by Michael Boatman. This was a 5 star re-read for me. I'd originally read it in 1990 when it released, and it was good enough I read several more by Mosley, but reading it again, in 2020, in the face of #BlackLivesMatter and all that has happened this summer, was even more powerful and compelling. I'll be listening to more of these.

07-31-2020, 02:27 PM	#2940
ApK Award-Winning Participant Posts: 7,316 Karma: 67862884 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: NJ, USA Device: Kindle	I just started "The Gray Man" by Mark Greaney. Just two chapters in and I'm having strong feelings of deja Vu. I think I must have read or listened to it before, but I really can't be sure. Maybe it's just that formulaic and predictable? Nah. I'm still enjoying it well enough. We'll see in a few more chapters.....