Audio books

spaze · 04-13-2011, 01:07 PM

Can you please explain audio books for me?

Is it like some dude just reading a book and they recorded it or does it have different characters and sound effects with music?

tubemonkey · 04-13-2011, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spaze

Can you please explain audio books for me?

Is it like some dude just reading a book and they recorded it or does it have different characters and sound effects with music?

Audiobooks are straight text readings of books; usually by one person. They can be "read" by professionals, the authors, or amateurs. They can be full versions or abridged ones.

Free audiobooks (public domain mostly) are generally done by amateurs; and frequently by many different ones for a given book.

Different characters and sound effects are dramatized versions and highly edited. Think of them as radio plays, similar to radio shows from the 40's and 50's. BBC Radio still does these and I listen to them regularly.

spaze · 04-13-2011, 01:43 PM

So most of the audio books are like Bebook Mini's text-to-speech.

I remember when I was a kid my cousin recorded Empire Strikes Back into a C-tape and he gave it to me as a birthday present. I used to listen to it and remember the drama after Luke finds out Vader is his father. Many years later I actually knew what he was crying about

But in a sense, it was kind of audio book I guess.

KarenH · 04-13-2011, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spaze

So most of the audio books are like Bebook Mini's text-to-speech.

I remember when I was a kid my cousin recorded Empire Strikes Back into a C-tape and he gave it to me as a birthday present. I used to listen to it and remember the drama after Luke finds out Vader is his father. Many years later I actually knew what he was crying about

But in a sense, it was kind of audio book I guess.

Actually, commercial audiobooks - the kind you'll find at the library or available for purchase either on CD or from places like Audible.com - probably fall about halfway between the two examples you gave. Most commercial fiction audiobooks are read by professional actors, and while they do read the straight text with little or no sound effects or background music, they create different voices for the various characters and use their voices to heighten emotions - fear, anger, joy, etc. Of course, there is a wide range of narrating styles and talent, and while a good narrator can really enhance a book, a bad narrator can ruin the experience.

spaze · 04-13-2011, 02:30 PM

Perhaps I should have a look at one of these audio books.

tubemonkey · 04-13-2011, 03:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spaze

Perhaps I should have a look at one of these audio books.

Try these websites. They offer free public domain audiobooks. Chances are, most, if not all of these are in the public domain in Finland and the EU.

I don't know about Finland, but many public libraries in the US offer audiobooks; including the latest best sellers.

Catlady · 04-13-2011, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spaze

Perhaps I should have a look at one of these audio books.

Take a look at LibriVox.org for free public domain audio books. These are read by volunteers, and some readers are better than others, but I've enjoyed the ones I've listened to.

Shack70 · 04-13-2011, 04:06 PM

Some commercial books are read by people who do the voices very well and are not just straight forward reading.

covingtoncat73 · 04-13-2011, 04:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shack70

Some commercial books are read by people who do the voices very well and are not just straight forward reading.

That is true and Neil Gaiman is great at reading his own stuff and the one time he didn't, the audiobook of Ananzi Boys, they had Lenny Henry of "Chef" doing the reading (excellenty, course).

I listened to the audio of Other Kingdoms by Richard Matheson a few weeks back. Bronson Pinchot did a great reading. Whoever read Michael Grubers The Witch's Boy was excellent, too.

I'll try and think of some other examples. I've been doing the eAudiobooks thing for years and only just now started eBooks.

mr ploppy · 04-13-2011, 06:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by covingtoncat73

That is true and Neil Gaiman is great at reading his own stuff and the one time he didn't, the audiobook of Ananzi Boys, they had Lenny Henry of "Chef" doing the reading (excellenty, course).

He was also in the (BBC) radio adaptation. Is "Chef" really all he is famous for over there? That's a bit like saying Orson Welles from the lager adverts.

SolRaven · 04-13-2011, 06:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spaze

Can you please explain audio books for me?

Is it like some dude just reading a book and they recorded it or does it have different characters and sound effects with music?

It depends on the book and the budget. I'm listening to Water for Elephants right now. It's read by 2 different actors and has a small amount of music, mostly meant to denote a transition. The best book I've ever listened to is The Help. I wouldn't say that it was just read, but performed. Authors with better budgets will have their books read by performers/actors. For instance, I remember a part in The Help where one of the characters starts to cry, and the actor performed the part perfectly!

Another interesting short listen was when I noticed that Jeremy Irons was the narrator for Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist. Well, I just had to hear what that was like! Jeremy Irons has such a great and distinctive voice. It did not disappoint, but was much different that the voice in my head, since the main character is a boy/young man.

Go on to Audible. They have sample listens for all of their books.

Quote:

Originally Posted by spaze

So most of the audio books are like Bebook Mini's text-to-speech.

I remember when I was a kid my cousin recorded Empire Strikes Back into a C-tape and he gave it to me as a birthday present. I used to listen to it and remember the drama after Luke finds out Vader is his father. Many years later I actually knew what he was crying about

But in a sense, it was kind of audio book I guess.

Wow! That has to be one of the sweetest and best gift from anyone! What an awesome cousin!

elcreative · 04-13-2011, 07:04 PM

No, no... much better to listen...

Quote:

Originally Posted by spaze

Perhaps I should have a look at one of these audio books.

covingtoncat73 · 04-13-2011, 07:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr ploppy

He was also in the (BBC) radio adaptation. Is "Chef" really all he is famous for over there? That's a bit like saying Orson Welles from the lager adverts.

Ha! Well, Netflix had Chef on Instant for awhile, so I saw him there awhile after listening to Ananzi Boys. He had small parts in Mirrormask and Penelope, I believe, and I saw those. I don't have BBC America but I wish I did. What do you suggest I look for on Netflix with him in it?

spaze · 04-13-2011, 11:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elcreative

No, no... much better to listen...

Thanks for correcting me. Looking at a CD won't do much good

sabredog · 04-13-2011, 11:36 PM

The audio books of Dewey Lambdin's Alan Lewrie series (Napoleonic naval saga) are all read by a professional voice actor. There are no sound effects but the range of voices and real enthusiasm the reader uses, add real "flesh" to the characters in the book. As far as I am aware, these are full non abridged audio books.

I travel a one hour round trip to work each day and these audio books played through a week and a half of traveling.

Recommended.

04-13-2011, 01:07 PM	#1
spaze Addict Posts: 265 Karma: 512072 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Helsinki, Finland Device: Writing my first short story: Guardian Angel	Audio books Can you please explain audio books for me? Is it like some dude just reading a book and they recorded it or does it have different characters and sound effects with music?

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04-13-2011, 01:43 PM	#3
spaze Addict Posts: 265 Karma: 512072 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Helsinki, Finland Device: Writing my first short story: Guardian Angel	So most of the audio books are like Bebook Mini's text-to-speech. I remember when I was a kid my cousin recorded Empire Strikes Back into a C-tape and he gave it to me as a birthday present. I used to listen to it and remember the drama after Luke finds out Vader is his father. Many years later I actually knew what he was crying about But in a sense, it was kind of audio book I guess.

04-13-2011, 02:30 PM	#5
spaze Addict Posts: 265 Karma: 512072 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Helsinki, Finland Device: Writing my first short story: Guardian Angel	Perhaps I should have a look at one of these audio books.

04-13-2011, 04:06 PM	#8
Shack70 Guru Posts: 775 Karma: 1043626 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: York, Pa Device: Kindle Fire 10", Honor 8 Android Phone	Some commercial books are read by people who do the voices very well and are not just straight forward reading.

04-13-2011, 11:36 PM	#15
sabredog Geographically Restricted Posts: 2,629 Karma: 14933353 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Perth, Australia Device: Sony PRS-T3, Kindle Voyage, iPad Air2, Nexus7v2	The audio books of Dewey Lambdin's Alan Lewrie series (Napoleonic naval saga) are all read by a professional voice actor. There are no sound effects but the range of voices and real enthusiasm the reader uses, add real "flesh" to the characters in the book. As far as I am aware, these are full non abridged audio books. I travel a one hour round trip to work each day and these audio books played through a week and a half of traveling. Recommended.

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