What are we listening to? (audiobooks)

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by orlok

Okay, I'm convinced. I'll have to give the series a try

There are two excellent narrations available, and at least one less excellent. I happen to be a strong proponent of the Patrick Tull narrations, probably because those are the ones I first started with back in the Books on Tape days. issybird, however, prefers the Jack Vance narrations. I strongly suspect that whichever of these you start with, you'll end up preferring. Really, they're both excellent.

The first book is Master and Commander, and starts with the meeting of Jack Aubrey, a British Naval officer, and Stephen Maturin, an Irish and Basque physician and scientist. Two less similar individuals are hard to imagine, but despite an inauspicious beginning, they develop an abiding friendship that will see them through many trials, tribulations and triumphs over the course of 20 and a bit novels set during the French Revolutionary Wars with Britain. In the process, we learn a good deal about the science, social challenges, and the political vicissitudes of the time.

[orlok]

Originally Posted by CRussel

There are two excellent narrations available, and at least one less excellent. I happen to be a strong proponent of the Patrick Tull narrations, probably because those are the ones I first started with back in the Books on Tape days. issybird, however, prefers the Jack Vance narrations. I strongly suspect that whichever of these you start with, you'll end up preferring. Really, they're both excellent.

The first book is Master and Commander, and starts with the meeting of Jack Aubrey, a British Naval officer, and Stephen Maturin, an Irish and Basque physician and scientist. Two less similar individuals are hard to imagine, but despite an inauspicious beginning, they develop an abiding friendship that will see them through many trials, tribulations and triumphs over the course of 20 and a bit novels set during the French Revolutionary Wars with Britain. In the process, we learn a good deal about the science, social challenges, and the political vicissitudes of the time.

Thanks for the info. I'll see if I can sample both readers before I choose. Audible UK only has the Ric Jerrom version (or the abridged version by Robert Hardy, the actor, but I never read abridged versions). Look like I'll have to do a bit of exploring...

[issybird]

Originally Posted by orlok

Thanks for the info. I'll see if I can sample both readers before I choose. Audible UK only has the Ric Jerrom version (or the abridged version by Robert Hardy, the actor, but I never read abridged versions). Look like I'll have to do a bit of exploring...

As with Charlie's preference, I suspect I prefer the Simon Vance versions because I listened to them first. Unfortunately, I think those are totally unavailable for purchase as the rights were withdrawn. However, US OverDrive still carries them; I don't know if that's also true of UK OverDrive.

Patrick Tull is equally terrific* so that's not a significant drawback, but it sounds as if you've got something of a pickle in terms of tracking him down. Fingers crossed. I can usually shrug off geo-restrictions, but every now and then there's an issue of monstrous proportions, as in this case, since Audible US sells the Patrick Tull versions.

*Patrick Tull does read slightly more slowly than Simon Vance, so you get more bang for your buck. Or quid.

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by issybird

...

Patrick Tull is equally terrific* so that's not a significant drawback, but it sounds as if you've got something of a pickle in terms of tracking him down. Fingers crossed. I can usually shrug off geo-restrictions, but every now and then there's an issue of monstrous proportions, as in this case, since Audible US sells the Patrick Tull versions.

...

I look forward to one day actually being able to download a legit copy of Stephen Fry reading Harry Potter to see how it compares to Jim Dale. I know that I can order the cd's but it simply strikes me as wrong that I can buy the cd's but not download it.

[CRussel]

That's another case of two very good choices, and a silly geo-restriction. I've heard both, and enjoyed both, but have a slight preference for the Stephen Fry version. Especially because he reads the U.K. version of the text.

[orlok]

Originally Posted by issybird

As with Charlie's preference, I suspect I prefer the Simon Vance versions because I listened to them first. Unfortunately, I think those are totally unavailable for purchase as the rights were withdrawn. However, US OverDrive still carries them; I don't know if that's also true of UK OverDrive.

Patrick Tull is equally terrific* so that's not a significant drawback, but it sounds as if you've got something of a pickle in terms of tracking him down. Fingers crossed. I can usually shrug off geo-restrictions, but every now and then there's an issue of monstrous proportions, as in this case, since Audible US sells the Patrick Tull versions.

*Patrick Tull does read slightly more slowly than Simon Vance, so you get more bang for your buck. Or quid.

Thanks issy.

Have either of you listened to the Ric Jerrom version, as that's all I can get here? Might have to work at defeating those geo-restrictions...

[issybird]

Originally Posted by orlok

Thanks issy.

Have either of you listened to the Ric Jerrom version, as that's all I can get here? Might have to work at defeating those geo-restrictions...

I haven't, but I believe that's the version that Charlie dislikes.

Have you considered getting a US OverDrive membership? You wouldn't own the audios, of course, but it would be a pretty cost-effective way of listening to them; a Free Library of Philadelphia membership costs $50/year. There are the other benefits from membership and FLP also has Freading and Hoopla.

Rather than buying a pig on a poke, you could always read the first book and see if it's to your taste. In fact, that's how I got sucked in; a friend forced me to read the first one and I found it delightful. Just then was when I decided to give audiobooks a try, so I borrowed the audiobook of the second from OverDrive and it was even more enjoyable. I was hooked, on both the series in particular and audiobooks in general.

[orlok]

Originally Posted by issybird

I haven't, but I believe that's the version that Charlie dislikes.

Have you considered getting a US OverDrive membership? You wouldn't own the audios, of course, but it would be a pretty cost-effective way of listening to them; a Free Library of Philadelphia membership costs $50/year. There are the other benefits from membership and FLP also has Freading and Hoopla.

Rather than buying a pig on a poke, you could always read the first book and see if it's to your taste. In fact, that's how I got sucked in; a friend forced me to read the first one and I found it delightful. Just then was when I decided to give audiobooks a try, so I borrowed the audiobook of the second from OverDrive and it was even more enjoyable. I was hooked, on both the series in particular and audiobooks in general.

Good suggestions, and I have been considering reading the first one as an ebook. I am searching for a series I can enjoy in audio since finishing a couple last year, so I'm hoping this could fit the bill. I have looked at Overdrive, but wasn't aware that I could join from the UK, or even out of State (you have to live locally to use local library facilities in the UK).

[Catlady]

Recent listens:

Every Last Lie, by Mary Kubica.
After her husband dies in a car crash, a new mother becomes obsessed with the idea that it wasn't an accident. Dual narration from husband beforehand and wife afterward. Disappointing; wife is overwrought and off-the-rails from the outset--a gradual buildup would have worked better.

Eileen, by Ottessa Moshfegh.
A miserable young woman trapped in a miserable life, Eileen latches on to a new female counselor at a juvenile detention center where they both work, back in the 1960s. Weird as hell; I picked it because the blurbs referenced Hitchcock and Shirley Jackson--but no. I finally decided there was no deep meaning or attempt at real suspense here; Eileen was nothing more than a jumble of disgusting character traits and the story lacked believability.

The Child, by Fiona Barton.
The discovery of a newborn's bones at a building site reopens an investigation into a baby's disappearance from a maternity hospital forty years earlier. This was pretty interesting, with multiple narrators and points of view that eventually came together. The same investigative reporter who appeared in Barton's earlier novel The Widow is also prominent in this story.

Don't Close Your Eyes, by Holly Seddon.
Twin sisters, both damaged by their parents' choices, reunite. This should have been better than it was--a lot of the book details the girls' early lives, and it takes a long time to know where the story is going. In fact, I'm not sure it ever really gets there. But it did hold my interest.

Final Girls, by Riley Sager.
The "girls" are three women who were the sole survivors of three different killing sprees, linked by the media. The focus is on Quincy, ten years after her friends were murdered in Pine Cottage, when the first final girl dies and the second one shows up on Quincy's doorstep. Twisted fun, with slasher film-type flashbacks to what happened at Pine Cottage. I enjoyed this because it didn't take itself too seriously, and it wasn't filled with overly gruesome details; it was slick escapist entertainment.

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by orlok

Good suggestions, and I have been considering reading the first one as an ebook. I am searching for a series I can enjoy in audio since finishing a couple last year, so I'm hoping this could fit the bill. I have looked at Overdrive, but wasn't aware that I could join from the UK, or even out of State (you have to live locally to use local library facilities in the UK).

You might be able to get the Patrick Tull version from Downpour.com. At least it shows available for me, though I'm not sure what the geo-fencing is for Downpour.

It's hard for me to be impartial about the Ric Jerom versions. Having listened to both the other unabridged versions, it pales in comparison. IMNSHO.

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by CRussel

Just getting started with A Mortal Bane, by Roberta Gellis, read by Nadia May. But already that voice has sucked me in.

Well, that was fun. I have insufficient knowledge to speculate on the historical accuracy, but I actually don't care in this case. This is old enough history that "accuracy" is a somewhat flexible and inexact concept anyway. This is a murder mystery set in 12th Century London, with the protagonist a madam of a very high class house. The narration was superb, of course, and the story quite grabbed me. On to the next in the series.

[taosaur]

I'm still trucking with Wheel of Time, on book four now (40 hours!). I don't know if I'm in for the long haul or might need to mix in some palate cleansers, but so far so good. For a variety of reasons it's reminding me a lot of the TV series Supernatural. I wouldn't be surprised if WoT was a major influence on the show.

I've picked up a little more reading time lately as I've been spending more time at the gym, typically listening to books on the way there, back, and during any particularly mindless cardio.

[orlok]

Originally Posted by CRussel

You might be able to get the Patrick Tull version from Downpour.com. At least it shows available for me, though I'm not sure what the geo-fencing is for Downpour.

It's hard for me to be impartial about the Ric Jerom versions. Having listened to both the other unabridged versions, it pales in comparison. IMNSHO.

Hmmmm. When I go in it specifically says "not for sale in the United Kingdom". Now I can spoof my location and pretend to be in the States, but...

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by orlok

Hmmmm. When I go in it specifically says "not for sale in the United Kingdom". Now I can spoof my location and pretend to be in the States, but...

Sigh. Well, it looks like you'll either have to take a temporary trip to the States, or go with the Ric Jerom versions.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by CRussel

Sigh. Well, it looks like you'll either have to take a temporary trip to the States, or go with the Ric Jerom versions.

Hey, let's not forget my suggestion! Get a $50 membership at FLP and listen to Simon Vance.