Susan's comments (member since Aug 16, 2007)

Susan's comments from the Audiobooks group.

Katie, I totally agree that it's one more editorial choice, and I am strongly influenced by my like or dislike of a narrator. Sometimes, when I start out not pleased by a narrator, I gradually come around and get used to that person or the story really grabs me despite the narrator, but sometimes I just can't. It doesn't happen very often, but the narrator's tone, pitch, diction, etc., sometimes are issues that I just either cannot or will not get over.

Shogun was Great on audio. I could hear exactly how all the Japanese words were pronounced and really learned a lot that way. The story already is compelling, but by listening to it, and hearing the Japanese, I was more submersed in the culture and situation and really got drawn in. My transformation from Blackthorne to Anjin-san was much more complete. I Felt like Blackthorne because my comprehension expanded along with his. Must listen to this!

Leslie, I completely agree with you about the book having an excellent narrator. That's gotten me to read books I otherwise wouldn't have considered. After having read, and thoroughly enjoyed (to my surprise) Lonesome Dove, I heard that Brad Pitt reads Cormac McCarthy's Border Trilogy (abridged). I'm not generally a fan of westerns or abridgements, but I really enjoyed those stories and listened to the entire trilogy.

And I must mention William Shatner here. If you are a Star Trek fan, and perhaps even if not, you must listen to his abridged recordings of his ST trilogies. Not only are they great simply because it's Shatner reading them, but there are Sound Effects!! I nearly mentioned Shatner in the Levity thread just because they really are that much fun!

One more point to add is that I am now a bit leary when I see an author (other than Shatner) reads his/her own works. I had a very bad experience with a teen book. The story and series seemed like something I would really enjoy, but the author, who was reading it, drove me so crazy that I truly struggled to finish the story. I mean, I was actually quite angry because of her reading and how much I hated it. Plus with so very many books out there that I already really want to read and listen to, I've put her series at the absolute bottom of my list.

I don't know if this is what you're looking for, but I must recommend Douglas Adams. His books are simultaneously intelligent and goofy and a whole lot of fun. :^)

Davina Porter reads the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon. I think she's perfect as Claire. However, I tried listening to The Thorn Birds, which she also did, and couldn't enjoy myself. I don't know if it was the fact that her voice was that of my beloved Claire Fraser (and Jamie ;-) or what, but I ended up not getting very far into the story before moving on to something else.

Here's a link to a short bio on Porter:

http://www.audiofilemagazine.com/gvpages...

I completely agree with you re: not being able to imagine Odd's voice in any other manner. His voice just seems perfect for Odd. I'm waiting for Forever Odd to come in for me at the library so I can get on with his story!