Multiple Narrators in One Book - How do you feel about it?

[Karlton]

I normally hate this practice but in the case of 1Q84, it was done masterfully. 1Q84

[Sandi]

Karlton wrote: "I normally hate this practice but in the case of 1Q84, it was done masterfully. 1Q84"

I like it when there are alternating points of view, as in 1Q84 or The Way of Kings.

Recently, I listened to a book with two narrators that was done so badly it drove me nuts. There was a female narrator and a male narrator. Over 90% was first person female point of view. Now, if I were telling you a story and relating some dialogue between a man and me, I would use my own voice to relate what he said. Right? In this audiobook, a teenage girl is telling her story. Instead of the female narrator using her own voice to quote men, the producers inserted the male narrator's voice for the male dialogue. Not only that, but they applied sound effects to make it "boom" when necessary. Fortunately, it was a really good story, but the narration almost ruined it.

[Betty]

I have another to offer up that I really feel works well with multiple voices.... The Watch That Ends the Night: Voices from the Titanic

"Arrogance and innocence, hubris and hope--twenty-four haunting voices of the Titanic tragedy, as well as the iceberg itself, are evoked in a stunning tour de force."

I am enjoying it at lot in small doses.

[Daniel]

MissSusie wrote: "I like when it is specific characters narrated by each narrator like others have said The Help...Gone Girl...are just a couple really good ones that come to mind...
However recently I listened to o..."
Note that a common thread for those who like 2 or more voices is if each voice is the point of view for an entire chapter or segment of a book--in which case, each narrator is the storyteller for their version of, or perspective on the story. The "cast of thousands" approach needs to be thorough & becomes a sort of audio theatre. Most books, whether they have "omniscient narrators", or are a 1st-person narrative, seem to work better & are more commonly enjoyed when they have a single, storyteller narrator, doing all the voices.

[Leslie]

Daniel wrote: "...Most books, whether they have "omniscient narrators", or are a 1st-person narrative, seem to work better & are more commonly enjoyed when they have a single, storyteller narrator, doing all the voices.

I do agree in general, especially in the cases you mention.

[Leigh]

How about one narrator and many voices?
Philip Pullman's Dark Materials is one of the best things I have ever listened to. The voices are all done by actors and he does the narration himself.

[Alana]

I actually just finished March by Geraldine Brooks a few days ago, and I have to say, in this case I really wish it WOULD have been done by two different narrators. Most of the story is told from Mr. March's perspective and it's done in a male voice, but a few chapters are from Marmee's perspective, also in first person, and I had the hardest time remembering that it was Marmee's story I was listening to now, rather than her husband, as it had been for over half the book.

[Stephanie]

Every recording is different. I liked the separate narrators in Shards of Honor, but the speakers didn't really blend well together, so it was a bit jarring. I think it was because they were different sound levels. The original issue of The Warlock in Spite of Himself (cast) had a lot of sound issues. I hear that it was fixed but I haven't had a chance to redownload to find out. There is both a male and female narrator for the Time Traveler's Wife and that works well.

[CatBookMom]

Stephanie wrote: "Every recording is different. I liked the separate narrators in Shards of Honor, but the speakers didn't really blend well together, so it was a bit jarring. I think it was because they were diffe..."

Separate narrators in Lois M. Bujold's *Shards of Honor*? Hmm; that's very interesting. AFAIK, Grover Gardner is the only narrator of all of her Vorkosigan-series books. I know there are some who don't like his voice, but for me, he does a wonderful job with the series.

Sorry you found the voice(s) jarring. I hope you will try another book in the series, perhaps Barrayar

[Jeanie]

CatBookMom wrote: "Stephanie wrote: "Every recording is different. I liked the separate narrators in Shards of Honor, but the speakers didn't really blend well together, so it was a bit jarring. I think it was becau..."

Ditto on the narrator and series... really great.

[Margaret]

Another Vorkosigan Series plus Grover Gardener combo fan. Do try Barrayar with Gardener's narration.

[Denise]

I don't really care if there are multiple narrators or a single narrator, but I cannot state this strongly enough...PLEASE just read the book. A mild accent or voice change is ok, but I really hate it when male narrators read female voices an octave higher...or when female narrators try to change their voices into baritones for a male character. It just sounds so forced. It's distracting.

[Rebecca]

I like both styles and after you get used to how each narrator does each character it is ok. What kan really kill the audiobook is if they pronounce something differently. Like a name or place.

[Cher 'N Books]

Denise wrote: "I don't really care if there are multiple narrators or a single narrator, but I cannot state this strongly enough...PLEASE just read the book. A mild accent or voice change is ok, but I really hat..."

I actually prefer the voice changes because it helps me to realize when the dialogue has switched to a different character. I really appreciate the narrators that can utilize subtle intonation changes to differentiate between the main character's thoughts vs what they are speaking out loud. If a narrator leaves these things out, it can be less enjoyable since I can't see the quotation marks. That being said, I have heard some narrators that come across as comical when trying to do a voice for the opposite sex and it is indeed distracting!

[Michael]

The best I've heard is the Philip Pullman Dark Materials trilogy. The author read the text, with a full voice cast.

Dune was sort of mediocre, and Baron Harkonnen was very badly done (and they missed him in a few spots). It was like they had the audiobook read by one person and then decided to cut in the dialog with a cast.

Other I really likes was a pair of Clive Cussler bookcasette editions of two of his novels. They were create.

This American Gods with a cast - anyone have a link. I've only seen the George Guidall narrated one.

[Lee]

I absolutely loved the two narrators on Gone Girl . It's one of my top 10 audiobooks (that I didn't narrate :)

[Kristie]

Michael wrote: "The best I've heard is the Philip Pullman Dark Materials trilogy. The author read the text, with a full voice cast.

Dune was sort of mediocre, and Baron Harkonnen was very badly done (and they mis..."

Here is the Audible link to the American Gods cast narration. I know most love it, but I just don't think the book lends itself well to cast narration. (The poor narrator kept having to chime in with "he said" all the time.)

www.audible.com/pd/Sci-Fi-Fantasy/Ame...

[Jeanie]

Kristie wrote: "Michael wrote: "The best I've heard is the Philip Pullman Dark Materials trilogy. The author read the text, with a full voice cast.

Dune was sort of mediocre, and Baron Harkonnen was very badly do..."

This is obviously one of those personal preferences issues... I really enjoyed American Gods with its full cast. I even prefer this to the multiple narrators who read certain sections of a book and handle all the voices in that section, often without reference to how others voice it. I understand that different people react differently, that's just my personal preference for the book.

[Michael]

Yeah that American Gods isn't available to me as a lowly Australian... Sigh...

I understand with the "He said, she said" chiming. That would be annoying, and more pointing at the skill of the author honestly. That was not an issue in the Dark Materials. Heck, that "he said, she said" is annoying in any audiobook. Heck, any book... There was one scene like that in a David Morrel novel I listened to, and it was a bit irritating - he didn't have an option really as they were two un-introduced characters that were trying to mug the hero...

[Jeanie]

One other point in including even the textual clues like he said/she said in a multiple-narrator audiobook. Some of us are unabridged fanatics, insisting that every word the author chose to write is there for a purpose--whether we can see it or not--and we don't want to lose out on a single word simply because we chose an audio format. Actually, authors should appreciate unabridged audio in that we are unable to skip even a single word--unless we skip a whole section.
Once again, this is individual preference, but I do appreciate getting every word.

[Kristie]

Jeanie wrote: "One other point in including even the textual clues like he said/she said in a multiple-narrator audiobook. Some of us are unabridged fanatics, insisting that every word the author chose to write ..."

I too appreciate getting every word. I just think the choice to narrate a book in that point of view with multiple narrators makes for an awkward presentation overall. To each their own. :)

[Philip]

I am knew to the audio books market, having just published my first book with a narrator. I was considering using multiple narrators for future books but the consensus on this forum seems to be, at best, tread carefully. I have a tendency to include multi-part dialogue i.e. three or more people in a meeting and was hoping that multi-narrators would help, but perhaps not.

[Ruth]

I am listening to the Girl on the Train and they are using multiple narrators, in fact now that I think about the book I just finished, Nick Hornby's Juliet Naked had multiple narrators. Generally I like it, although it is tricky on GOT because two of the female narrators sound so similar, which I am guess it's on purpose because if you could tell the two women apart easily it would give away a key element from the very first scene of the book which sets up everything

But I will say what made the Harriet Potter experience so incredible is the rich voices created for every character by a single narrator.

[Leslie]

AudibleQun wrote: "I think it depends on the book. The Tenant of Wildfell Hall has two narrators in the story, so it makes sense that the audio version would also have two narrators. Plays should definitely be acte..."

This is my feeling as well.

[Karri]

I prefer it over a narrator who just reads. Especially with actual voice actors. I have heard a few narrators that were so bad that I stopped listening and got the book. The worst one actually ruined the book and series for me because she was so terrible.

[Jessica]

I have only listened to two books that had multiple narrators, and I loved both of them! I would rather have multiple narrators, each playing a different part, than have one narrator trying to play all of the parts and screwing them up!

[CherD]

I agree, it depends on the book. The Help was excellent in audio format and I can't imagine it being done any other way except for the 4 women who narrated the different characters as each of those chapters were done in first person.

[Philip]

Thanks for the guidance from the listener's POV - which just like readers is the most important. Just have to find the next correct narrator(s) now.

[Trish]

I've listened to all of David Baldacci's books with ORlagh Cassidy and Ron Mclarty and they are fantastic!

[Kimberly]

Honestly, I prefer a different reader for each POV when the author writes a story with more than one POV - especially when there's a POV of each gender. BUT I have listened to skilled voice actors that can handle multiple POVs and multiple accents very well. I guess, if the voice actors/narrators do a good job, it doesn't very much matter to me. Winter of the World by Ken Follett was read by ONE person with accents of characters from Russia, Germany, England, New England America and Texas and handled all characters and all accents phenomenally!!!

[Audiothing]

I've only listened to single or dual narration.
The dual was performed by two excellent narrators, however, for me it didn't work. It never sounded like a real conversation, that the male voice was recorded separately and edited in was obvious. Might be good if they recorded together, like the lovely BBC radio plays

[D.L.]

Kimberly wrote: "Honestly, I prefer a different reader for each POV when the author writes a story with more than one POV - especially when there's a POV of each gender ..."

I have an audiobook in production with 2 narrators: one male, one female. (The story is told from alternating 1st person point of view.)

I listened to auditions by men reading both parts (some changing their voices for the woman's chapters and some just reading everything in a single voice), and a couple women doing the same. The chapters from the "opposite" POV felt wrong (regardless of if they changed their voice or not), especially the internal thoughts and dialogue.

Then I had two actors read the chapter together (in the same room at the same time), and I liked the interaction (and chemistry) they brought to the words.

If you want to have a listen to the prologue, I'd love to hear what you think! (And especially those of you who do NOT like multiple narrators, how do you feel about these two? Did I make the right choice?)

Prologue of CIT

[Jessica]

D.L. wrote: "Kimberly wrote: "Honestly, I prefer a different reader for each POV when the author writes a story with more than one POV - especially when there's a POV of each gender ..."

I have an audiobook in..."

I enjoyed that prologue. Both narrators seem to have excellent acting chops. I look forward to hearing the rest of the book when it is done.

[John, Moderator]

The Girl on the Train has three narrators, the story is told in three alternating points of view (all female), with changes announced by stating the (new) character name first by that narrator before delving back into the text.

[D.L.]

John wrote: "The Girl on the Train has three narrators, the story is told in three alternating points of view (all female), with changes announced by stating the (new) character name first by th..."

I'll go have a listen. :-) Thanks for the tip!

[Robin P]

D.L. wrote: "Kimberly wrote: "Honestly, I prefer a different reader for each POV when the author writes a story with more than one POV - especially when there's a POV of each gender ..."

I have an audiobook in..."

Interesting, thanks for the providing that. I think both voices were good but I'm just one of those who prefer one voice per book or at least per POV section. Maybe it's just being an old-timer at this (at least 20 years) and being used to a certain way. Having 2 voices at once was distracting to me- but it's really a preference.

I think It makes sense for something like Gone Girl or The Help, or Shotgun Lovesongs, where the fact that you hear some of the same incidents from different viewpoints matches with having a different actor.

I can be really picky about narrators' voices so I always wish I could sample all the narrators in the 5 minute sample on Audible, but usually it's just one and then I am "stuck" with any others.

[D.L.]

Robin wrote: "D.L. wrote: "Kimberly wrote: "Honestly, I prefer a different reader for each POV when the author writes a story with more than one POV - especially when there's a POV of each gender ..."

Thanks for the feedback @Robin.

Just curious: which would you have preferred to keep for the whole book, the man or the woman?

And one more question: given that Jim Dale was not available ;-) would you want the one narrator to try to use different voices or just read the book in his/her regular voice?

[Natalie]

I don't mind multiple narrators, but I don't always like dramatized productions (which a lot of multiple narrations tend to turn into). Like- I'm trying to find a non-dramatized-production version of the Lord of the Rings books. I've never read them (*gasp* yes, yes- settle down), and the productions that my library has all sound like Monty Python's Holy Grail. That's not good, when you're listening to a serious book...

[Jeanie]

Natalie wrote: "I don't mind multiple narrators, but I don't always like dramatized productions (which a lot of multiple narrations tend to turn into). Like- I'm trying to find a non-dramatized-production version..."

The Robert Ingliss narration of The Lord of the Rings is excellent. If your library doesn't have it, it's on Audible and worth the cost. Ingliss also narrates The Hobbit. He even actually sings the songs!

[Natalie]

Jeanie wrote: The Robert Ingliss narration of The Lord of the Rings is excellent. If your library doesn't have it, it's on Audible and worth the cost. Ingliss also narrates The Hobbit. He even actually sings the songs!"

Thanks! I'll have to check those out!

[CatBookMom]

Natalie wrote: "Jeanie wrote: The Robert Ingliss narration of The Lord of the Rings is excellent. If your library doesn't have it, it's on Audible and worth the cost. Ingliss also narrates The Hobbit. He even actu..."

I am chiming in to second the applause for Rob Inglis' narration of LOTR.

[Jessica]

I was listening to a sample of LOTR on Audible.com. Is the Rob Ingliss narration maybe transferred from analogue to digital? Seemed like it sounded old. I have never read LOTR. I just might do that soon.

[CatBookMom]

Interesting. I got LOTR via CDs, bought new and uploaded it to iTunes.

[Scott S.]

I rarely enjoy multiple narrators. I have seen it done well, but an example escapes me. More often there is no chemistry or a few good narrators are dragged down by a mediocre narrator.

A few books I listened to over the past year had two narrators, one for the male parts and one for the female. That seemed to work well.

[CatBookMom]

It may have been mentioned before, but the multi-voice edition of Dracula, with Simon Vance, Tim Curry and many others, is excellent.

[Robin P]

D.L. wrote: "Robin wrote: "D.L. wrote: "Kimberly wrote: "Honestly, I prefer a different reader for each POV when the author writes a story with more than one POV - especially when there's a POV of each gender ...."

It's hard to say which of those voices I would want for the whole book since they were so distinctive. I don't know what the secret is, how for example the very masculine Frank Muller could successfully interpret a teenage girl in The Horse Whisperer. I definitely want a narrator to change voices for different characters. I know some in this group have said they want a more straightforward read. But if that's all I'm getting, I'll go for print, since I can read much faster in print. That's why I rarely listen to non-fiction audiobooks. I want the narrator to bring something I can't provide on my own. Again, it's personal preference, some people say the only way they read nonfiction is on audio.

It's happened to me more than once that in a book with multiple narrators, for instance 2 women and 1 man, I have more trouble telling the 2 women apart than I would if one narrator was creating them. I know that doesn't make much sense.

[Jeanie]

Jeffrey wrote: "I was listening to a sample of LOTR on Audible.com. Is the Rob Ingliss narration maybe transferred from analogue to digital? Seemed like it sounded old. I have never read LOTR. I just might do that..."

The Ingliss recording is from the early '90s, but I have both the CDs and the version on Audible and noticed no significant difference--and the sound quality was good. Sometimes I find the Sample quality to be different than the actual book... which partially defeats the purpose of a sample.
As for the Ingliss reading of LotR... I'd listen to him read that great story even if it were on scratchy cassettes!

[Jessica]

Robin wrote: "D.L. wrote: "Robin wrote: "D.L. wrote: "Kimberly wrote: "Honestly, I prefer a different reader for each POV when the author writes a story with more than one POV - especially when there's a POV of ..."

I agree Robin! I do not want to sit there and listen to a narrator who is just doing a flat read from the book. If that is the best you can do then I will just read it myself in print or ebook. I listen to audiobooks to be entertained.

I do like muliple narrators in a book. Not many men can pull off a woman's voice and very few women can do a convincing male voice. If there are younger characters in a book then you need younger narrators for those parts. I am listening to one right where all of the main characters are 12 years old and their voices are cartoonish sounding. Clearly this narrator is totally wrong for this book.