audio books

[MarauderX]

Shatter Island was pretty good, mostly because of the reader.

Wicked was interesting, but didn't like the writer's style nor reader's delivery.

 

[frankthedm]

Wolves of the Calla
harry potter 4 and 5
the hobbit

 

[Desdichado]

I've generally had good experiences with a lot of audio books. The Warlord Trilogy, by Bernard Cornwall and read by David Case are probably the best I've done to date, with great accents and voices and the whole nine yards.

Interestingly enough, since they've been recommended many times in this thread, I've thought the Harry Potter audio books were among the worst I've heard. Jim Dale puts his inflection all wrong on the phrases, making them sound particularly unreal and awkward. His attempts at voices, particularly Hermione's also make me cringe.

 

[Ghostwind]

I have three favorites that I listen to quite often:

The Mist - Stephen King (done in 3-D audio - listen with headphones to get the full effect)
Spock vs. Q (any Star Trek fan will enjoy this witty exchange)
The War of the Worlds (original Orsen Welles broadcast)

Other enjoyable listens are:
-Any of the Star Trek books that are read by James Doohan, George Takei or Leonard Nimoy.
-Rainbow Six (Tom Clancy)
-Lightning (Dean Koontz)
-Watchers (Dean Koontz)

 

[Wombat]

I've heard that James (Marstons?? sp??) reading Jim Butcher's Harry Dresden series is supposed to be pretty good -- anyone have experience with these?

I love the books! I want to love the recordings

 

[CCamfield]

There are samples of James Marsters' readings on Mr Butcher's website.

http://www.jim-butcher.com/books/dresden/1/
http://www.jim-butcher.com/books/dresden/2/

I find it really weird to hear his voice when he's not doing an English accent.

 

[CCamfield]

I don't listen to many audiobooks, but I have heard a couple of Pratchett books which were just GREAT in audio form - Moving Pictures, and Pyramids. I think they were both read by Nigel Planer (he's done many of them) who was in the British sitcom The Young Ones about 20 years ago.

Note that these were the *unabridged* readings - big sets - the abridged sets are read by someone else. And I couldn't find them listed on amazon.com... they may only be available in the UK and Canada. They seem really expensive on amazon.ca but I don't buy audiobooks... so I don't know.

 

[Desdichado]

Note that these were the *unabridged* readings - big sets - the abridged sets are read by someone else. And I couldn't find them listed on amazon.com... they may only be available in the UK and Canada. They seem really expensive on amazon.ca but I don't buy audiobooks... so I don't know.

Unless it's changed significantly recently, audio books are expensive. I only get them from the library; I don't buy them.

 

[CCamfield]

Unless it's changed significantly recently, audio books are expensive. I only get them from the library; I don't buy them.

Same here; that's why I was shocked when I saw the price...

 

[DaveStebbins]

Yep, I can't afford to buy audio books on a regular basis. However, once my ex gets remarried next month, I do plan to buy at least one audiobook a year and donate it to my local library. That way I'll know there's even more great books there for others to listen to.