Audiobooks discussion
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August 2015
I am enjoying The Nature of the BeastThe narrator does a very good job.
It has been several months since I last listened to a Three Pines mystery so that may have helped transition.
Jeanie wrote: "MissSusie wrote: "Jeanie wrote: "I started the new Armande Gamache novel, The Nature of the Beast, now being read by a new narrator. I'm a couple of hours in and can't help feeling bereft. There'..."That's good to know I listened to the sample and wasn't very impressed especially when Gabi & Ruth sound exactly the same, maybe I will just read these in print from now on, it wouldn't be the 1st series I've given up in audio because they changed narrators!
Patricia wrote: "I just started Middlemarch by George Eliot somehow I missed reading this sooner, even though I did literature at school and am a Jane Austen fan. I started it a few months ago, but wa..."
I am just starting Don Quixote, almost 40 hours. I don't think it is the longest one I've ever done, but I'm not sure. George Guidall is excellent.. It's quite surprising how something from the 1500's can be so modern. It's very "meta" in the fact that it is making fun of other books and cliched writing.
I absolutely loved Don Quixote.Tomorrow I will finally finish Count of Monte Cristo. 50+ hours but I have paused for some other books during it. Still has been an enjoyable but long ride
Am I the only one who gets annoyed that daily deals are includex in the best seller list at audible. To me they aren't best sellers they just were on sale so a bunch of oeople bought them. Why not have a category showing all previous daily deals than clutter up the best seller list with chance purchases. I purchase many daily deals. Although not a lot lately. Rare is it when any are on my wish list. Most are books I would have never bought if they were not daily deals and I think that is true in most cases.
Travis of NNY wrote: "Am I the only one who gets annoyed that daily deals are includex in the best seller list at audible. To me they aren't best sellers they just were on sale so a bunch of oeople bought them. Why no..."I completely agree with you. And it seems like the quality of daily deals is getting lower as time passes.
I finished The Nature of the Beast. Louise Penny wrote a very good story with lots of twists and turns I wasn't expecting. As I said earlier, once I got about three or four hours into it I was able to get beyond my grief for the loss of Coshem's voice and immersed myself into the story... until there were about two hours to go. Penny often tends to include elements especially at the end that are improbable or potentially melodramatic. The new narrator chewed up the scenery when he got to those parts--a dramatic reading for sure! Those moments aside, I can learn to live with Robert Bathurst's narration--mostly because there isn't a choice. It's always unfair to a new narrator who takes over after one who is so totally identified with a series since no one else is that narrator. But it was no one's choice to have to find a new narrator and Bathurst will eventually grow into this new role. The grief and loss are mine to deal with and no fault of Bathurst so I'll applaud Penny's story and thank the new narrator for taking on such an important series--vitally important to me at least.
Travis of NNY wrote: "Am I the only one who gets annoyed that daily deals are includex in the best seller list at audible. To me they aren't best sellers they just were on sale so a bunch of oeople bought them. Why no..."Yes, I agree. It may be a good deal for those authors, who can claim they are a best-seller for that week. But then they are knocking off someone else who is really a fan favorite. I also haven't been impressed with the Daily Deals lately, I thought it was just that I am pickier, but maybe the selection isn't as good.
I read Electric Blues last week, and just finished The Miseducation of Cameron Post, which I loved. Great coming of age novel, and the reader was good.
I finished The Best of Me yesterday. Typical Nicholas Sparks sappy and totally made-for-a-movie. But not bad.I grabbed The Hum and the Shiver based on recommendations from here. Certainly a different read from my last one!
I discovered a lot of books through the daily deals. Like The Various Haunts of Men and after reading went on with the rest of the series.And if I think I will not enjoy a book, I will nog buy it, daily deal or no.
Of the 13 daily deals I bought in the last 6 months, I returned one, and I did not return (still debating) but did not finish the last 4 hours of Captain Corelli's Mandolin. There were 4 real happy findings and one more first in a series I will probably go on reading, so I can't complain on the whole.
Probably my taste is not very good, because I just admitted to not liking a highly praised book.
Specs wrote: "I discovered a lot of books through the daily deals. Like The Various Haunts of Men and after reading went on with the rest of the series.And if I think I will not enjoy a book, I wil..."
Captain Corelli's Mandolin was a beast to listen to and would probably be worse to read. I finished it, but it wasn't easy.
Specs, do you mean the Daily Deals from Audible.com? I love them. And one of the things I like is that if you don't like a book, you can return it for a refund or a credit. The other thing I like is when Amazon has a Kindle Unlimited book with the audio that you can read for free.
I think the issue wasn't that there is a Daily Deal on Audible--we all love a sale--but that Audible's page listing their Best Sellers includes Daily Deal sales and, thus, skews the rankings in favor of books that wouldn't be best sellers otherwise and are already back to regular price. I too miss a list reflecting top sellers in their own right. I used to find all sorts of books I wouldn't have read or even known about when Audible had a true Best Sellers list. Now I have to go elsewhere to find that info and they aren't always in audio or available on Audible. Sigh.
Captain Corelli's Mandolin had one of the worst endings EVER. You dodged a bullet if you skipped the final four hours of this one. I will never read another book by the author.
Kristie wrote: "Specs wrote: "I discovered a lot of books through the daily deals. Like The Various Haunts of Men and after reading went on with the rest of the series.And if I think I will not enjoy..."
I absolutely loved the movie of Captain Corelli's Mandolin with Nicholas Cage. Don't know what I would think of the book though.
The Angel's Game was very good. I really enjoyed this literary thriller. Next up: The Invention of Wings. I'm surprised it's taken me this long to listen to it.
Dave wrote: "Captain Corelli's Mandolin had one of the worst endings EVER. You dodged a bullet if you skipped the final four hours of this one. I will never read another book by the author."I started listening to Captain Corelli's Mandolin some years back (probably on cassette!) and gave up after a couple hours, couldn't get into it, even though I knew it got some great reviews.
I finished Gail Carriger's Waistcoats and Weaponry, third in the Finishing School series--I'm finally caught up until the release of the next one in November. The narration for this series is particularly good given the various accents, social levels, age ranges, and numbers of characters in both genders.
Jeffrey wrote: I absolutely loved the movie of Captain Corelli's Mandolin with Nicholas Cage. Don't know what I would think of the book though.Yes, this was the reason I bought the book. I really enjoyed the music (Greek and the mandolin), knew the end was brutal.
But reading almost all the book is about violence and sadism. After stuggling through 13! hours I refused to listen to an even worse ending.
One thing I enjoyed though: the singing of the narrator! But alas, a few minutes in a 17 hour book...
I finished Second Grave on the Left from the Charley Davidson series by Darynda Jones. I'm warming up to this one. There was a bonus at the end with the narrator, lorelei King, interviewing the author that was cool to hear.
Specs wrote: "Jeffrey wrote: I absolutely loved the movie of Captain Corelli's Mandolin with Nicholas Cage. Don't know what I would think of the book though.Yes, this was the reason I bought the book. I really ..."
Hmmm...
I had been thinking about listening to the book, but I may just have to rethink this one.
Kristie wrote: "The Angel's Game was very good. I really enjoyed this literary thriller. Next up: The Invention of Wings. I'm surprised it's taken me this long to listen to it."
I have The Angel's Game on my TR list for awhile. I listened to the The Shadow of the Windand love the narration by Jonathan Davis but as I understand AG is narrated by Dan Stevens. How's his narration?
Dan Stevens' narration is very good. It's been awhile since I listened to Shadow of the Wind, so I can't compare.
Dave wrote: "Captain Corelli's Mandolin had one of the worst endings EVER. You dodged a bullet if you skipped the final four hours of this one. I will never read another book by the author."I just finished two great period listens....
One was The Dust That Falls from Dreams, which takes place in England during WWI. I was looking up to see previous books written by this author and Captain Corelli's Mandolin was one....It's been nagging me as to where I had heard of this book before - till I came here today. OH YEA....here.
The one I just finished, Circling the Sun by Paula McLain was just outstanding. "Circling the Sun brings to life a fearless and captivating woman - Beryl Markham, a record-setting aviator caught up in a passionate love triangle with safari hunter Denys Finch Hatton and Karen Blixen, author of the classic memoir Out of Africa." I am sure by the end of the year that it will be (should be) on someone's best list. I also looked her previous books up - Guess I'll be adding The Paris Wife and Out of Africato my pile.
Jenifer wrote: "One was The Dust That Falls from Dreams, which takes place in England during WWI. I was looking up to see previous books written by this author and Captain Corelli's Mandolin was one....It's been nagging me as to where I had heard of this book before - till I came here today.deBerniere's book Birds Without Wings
is one of my fav. audiobooks of all time. Glad to hear The Dust that Falls from Dreams is good too. I've just downloaded Circling the Sun.
I finally finished A Second Chance from Jodi Tayllor's Chronicles of St. Mary's. The narration is fantastic and so much of the book is praise-worthy, but I was literally traumatized by the opening fifteen minutes, couldn't bear laughing at blue people after such a horrific start, and could only listen to a chapter every now and then because I knew what was coming. Phew, it was a good story and the twists and turns certainly caught me off guard, but I usually find cozies more my speed. Too bad for me I like everyone in this world and there's a new release tomorrow that I still need to read two books before catching up. I just hope my heart can withstand the stress that the cliff-hanger ending of this one promises.
i think the St Mary's is a total hidden gem - i never would have listened if it hadn't been nominated for an audie - then I listened to 1-3 in the space of about 2 weeks...I need to get back to itmakes me ponder - if i could have a job like that - what would my perfect travel back in time location be - like Max's Battle of Agincourt
Jenifer wrote: "Dave wrote: "Captain Corelli's Mandolin had one of the worst endings EVER. You dodged a bullet if you skipped the final four hours of this one. I will never read another book by th..."I debated about buying Circling the Sun. I listened to West with the Night a while ago and it was outstanding. It's Beryl Markham's memoir and was just gripping. I'll have to put Circling on my wish list.
The Heart is a Lonely Hunter (3 stars) by Carson McCullers I think I hit my quota of literary fiction for the month with this one. In fact, truth be told, Carson McCullers depressed the hell out of me. It went as far as disturbing my dreams, which is odd. I normally sleep like a rock. It’s a miracle if I remember one dream a week. I went through night after night of broken sleep, laced with vivid, disturbing dreams while I read this. I suppose the sheer hopelessness and desperate loneliness of the core characters got to me. At any rate, this was a highly effectual piece of fiction. The writing was elegant, the characters vivid, and the audio performance on the good side of average. I’d happily recommend it to anyone who’s comfortably secure with their place in the world and surrounded by loved ones who communicate their fondness well. I took two stars from my rating because I’m not. It was a great book I didn’t enjoy at all.
Fool's Quest (4 stars), book two in the Fitz and the Fool Trilogy by Robin Hobb
Part of the danger of a long running series is the feeling that the ante must be upped with every subsequent phase of the main character’s development. It’s easy to pick examples from across the genre of where this ‘bigger, better, faster, more’ philosophy of character building has gone stupidly wrong. Robin Hobb has managed to largely avoid that here. She’s currently fifteen books in, (eight involving Fitz and ten involving the Fool) and these main characters are well developed, but they aren’t gods. Yet she’s still managed to keep the Big Bads coming, and keep them interesting without making it seem like these two people (Fitz and the Fool) should be long moldering in the ground. She even managed to pull off a resurrection without knocking my hoke-o-meter off its moorings. That’s a pretty tall order, given.
Most of the reviews you’ll read at this point for this book are from people who are absolutely enamored of these characters. I’m not. I like them. I appreciate the idea that two people can love each other in a manner that surpasses friendship and not be lovers. Fitz remains phobic of that level of intimacy at book fifteen, yet he’s come to accept that the relationship he has with the Fool is deeper than friendship. I buy into that well enough, but (view spoiler)
It remains to be seen if the series will wind down in a satisfying manner. I’ll reserve my judgment until the moppet’s home. So far this trilogy has tapered off to ‘good’ not ‘great’ in my estimation.
Uprooted (3 stars) by Naomi Novik
I saw the notice on the Sword and Laser group the warned that the audio book wouldn’t be for everyone. I also read numerous customer reviews that indicated the same. They claimed that the woman’s accent was difficult to get used to. I have pretty broad tolerances when it comes to such things, so I typically give the audio a try even with such warnings. About half the time — maybe a little better — things that bug others are quirks that I manage to filter out. That wasn’t the case here. The narrator read the book as if English was her second language. She put none of the emphasis on syllables that speakers do to mark emotion. It was — save for pronunciation errors — much like being read to by a text-to-speech synthesizer. Software seems to always butcher at least a handful of words, pronouncing them one way, and then another throughout the reading. That absence was the one place where this narrator was superior to a machine. I think it might’ve been intentional — part of the performance — but it did nothing for me except put me off.
The story wasn’t bad. I didn’t enjoy it as much as the endorsements indicated I might, but that could just be because the audio was lousy. I don’t know. I ended up listening to it in small doses, a chapter or two at a time. It felt like I was muddling through, so really my impression isn’t going to be any measure. Look to someone else for advice if the premise appeals, and by all means, find it in print.
The Thousand Names (5 stars), The Shadow Throne (5 stars), The Shadow of Elysium (3 stars), and The Price of Valor (5 stars) by Django Wexler
This was the most enjoyable thing I listened to this month. Django Wexler’s flintlock fantasy epic just keeps getting better. I actually went back and reread the first two novels to refresh my memory, and then I picked up the new material starting with the novella The Shadow of Elysium, which wasn’t bad. It didn’t feel complete. That’s my only complaint. The third installment in the series was the real treat. We’re at roughly sixty hours into the audio, perhaps 300 - 350 words, and now ‘General’ Janus bet Vhalnich is still raising my hackles. The story remains a dance of intrigue where the characters you want most to root for may very well be making some truly horrible, life endy choices in the trust department. There’s a lot of good progress in Wexler’s storytelling and world building. He’s an efficient fellow, piling up a whole heap of evil to swat Team White Hat out of the game. In the latest book there was one place where Winter’s crafty, arse saving strategy pushed my credulity, but overall this series has been a joy. The thing that makes it more joyful than most is the Wexler has a liberal voice and a realistic hand where gay and lesbian characters are concerned. He even shows himself to be refreshingly fem-friendly. It’s pretty nifty stuff.
Guards! Guards! (4 stars) by Terry Pratchett
The Discworld is still good, clean fun. I’m not sure anything else needs to be said about this book, except perhaps that I would’ve enjoyed an appearance by Cohen the Barbarian when they brought out the heroes. It felt appropriate to me — what with the dragon. Obviously, it didn’t to the late, much missed, Sir Terry.
Blackbirds (3 stars), Mockingbird (4 stars), and The Cormorant (4 stars) by Chuck Wendig
I listened to Blackbirds sometime last year at the urging of another GoodReads member and it wasn’t bad, but I never got around to polishing the remaining books off. I remedied that this month. It wasn’t a terrible call. The series gets better, or it grew on me — one of the two, probably a little of both. Anyway, there’s a lot to recommend it if you’re into snarky, foul-mouthed anti-heroes of the estrogen producing variety. Within the genre, subset, or hangnail, I believe I prefer Siobhan Quinn, but that’s not surprising. I’ve admitted to being quite partial to Caitlín R. Kiernan already. Her prose is defter than Wendig’s — denser without feeling like a bag of bricks — and her style — I want to say it’s less crass, but that isn’t it. It’s a different flavor of crass. Wendig is all smart mouth and quick quip, while Kiernan is just plain filthy. Her over-the-top parody of the vampire romance leaves me feeling like I need a bath. That said, I actually prefer Wendig’s character, Miriam Black to Kiernan’s, Siobhan Quinn. The experience made me want a genre mash-up where the two characters meet beneath a shared, sharp pen. That’ll never happen short of fanfic…and I’d probably have to write it. Bah. Besides, I think the exercise would be futile. Werepire Quinn would get peckish or annoyed and chow down on the squishy brat.
Meanwhile back in Reviewville…
Wendig does a lovely job of showing himself to be a progressive thinker. Miriam’s a very human character who manages to be fragile in places while remaining capable and at times dangerously close to honorable for a self-proclaimed parasite. The character has a heart and she knows how to use it, yet Wendig manages to balance that handicap with a sense of purpose. She doesn’t let her warm, gooey center get in the way of making decisions and sticking with them for good or ill. And she does do the ‘ill’ thing often enough to seem like an honest to Atë twenty-something.
The series is frivolous entertainment that manages to say a few things of value. That’s fairly high-bar for your typical urban fantasy. Judge for yourself. There’s a prime example of Miriam’s attitude from The Cormorant posted at Chuck Wendig’s site, Terrible Minds.
Need to check out Django Wexler after apl those 5 stars. I've seen the books around
Dee wrote: "i think the St Mary's is a total hidden gem - i never would have listened if it hadn't been nominated for an audie - then I listened to 1-3 in the space of about 2 weeks...I need to get back to it..."
I enjoyed them as well, although I much preferred the parts where they go time travelling rather than the parts that focus on Max's personal life. I didn't love the later books as much as the first two...because there seemed to be gradually less and less time travel and more other stuff.
true...i loved the CBC - concussed by cheese - one of my favorite one liners
Valyssia wrote: "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter (3 stars) by Carson McCullers I think I hit my quota of literary fiction for the month with this one. In fact, truth be told, Carson McCull..."
Agree completely about Heart is a Lonely Hunter, I rated it 3 stars on Amazon and author Anne Rice commented saying I should give it another chance I told her no way sorry it was entirely too depressing for me!
MissSusie wrote: "Valyssia wrote: "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter (3 stars) by Carson McCullers I think I hit my quota of literary fiction for the month with this one. In fact, truth be to..."
Ditto. Not that it isn't great writing. It's just that wallowing in disfunction is not for everyone. Too depressing!
Picked up The Distance on a whim, and have been extremely impressed with the narration of Rachel Atkins. Perfect tone for the book, wonderful, subtle differentiation for the shifting POVs between chapters, and her male characterizations are spot on. Not my usual story, but as with Macleod Andrews' delivery of WHERE ALL LIGHT TENDS TO GO, Atkins has drawn me in with her delivery and I find myself listening regardless of my initial reticence.
Finished A Darker Shade of Magic by, V.E. Schwab narrated by, Steven Crossley and I loved this book it was the best fantasy/alt.verse book I have read in a long time. I am also now a fan of Crossley his narration was great and I would listen to him again in a heartbeat. My only problem is that I have to wait til Feb. 2016 for the next book!Now starting my bookclub book The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl By Timothy Egan Narrated By Patrick Lawlor, Ken Burns
If I didn't have to get this bookclub book read I would have started V.E. Schwabs Vicious which I hear is also really good!
oh i need to start A Darker Shade of Magic, since i got gifted it...so many books, so little time
Dee wrote: "oh i need to start A Darker Shade of Magic, since i got gifted it...so many books, so little time"Dee it is fabulous just finished my review 5 star read 5 star narration great world building fun characters. I highly recommend it!
adds to the ever growing pile...le sigh! (i never thought i would say, I miss my commute)
Dee wrote: "oh i need to start A Darker Shade of Magic, since i got gifted it...so many books, so little time"Yes, you really must listen to A Darker Shade of Magic as soon as possible. I finished it about thirty minutes ago at a little after three pm cst. I got it from the Ford Audiobook Club group here on Goodreads and loved, loved, loved it. Can't wait for Feb. 2016 for the next book in the series.
yeah, i got it from Ford as well...I have my next 2 books lined up (The Alchemist and Second Chance Summer - review copy) and then hopefully i can get to it
Jeffrey wrote: "Dee wrote: "oh i need to start A Darker Shade of Magic, since i got gifted it...so many books, so little time"Yes, you really must listen to A Darker Shade of Magic as soon as pos..."
Jeffrey I've heard great things about her book Vicious too I already bought it and will be listening when I get done with my book club book.
oh man if Noah Michael Levine is the narrator you are in for a ride - i listened to a book he did (the author marketed her review copy to me as similar to phil gigante/natalie ross) - i can safely save (at least to me) he was as good as, if not better than phil
MissSusie wrote: "Jeffrey wrote: "Dee wrote: "oh i need to start A Darker Shade of Magic, since i got gifted it...so many books, so little time"Yes, you really must listen to [book:A Darker Shade of Magic|22055262..."
Let us know about Vicious. I may have to add it to my TBL list.
Travis of NNY wrote: "Am I the only one who gets annoyed that daily deals are includex in the best seller list at audible. To me they aren't best sellers they just were on sale so a bunch of oeople bought them. Why no..."Agreed. And....
rant
I'd be very pleased if they stopped recommending Daily Deals to me. I might purchase one or two DDs a month, yet the recommendations they have for me on my home and library pages are all DDs from the past week, and E. L. James' latest attempt to squeeze another million out of retooled, sophomoric, PWP fan-fiction based on a fandom I was over the instant I heard the word 'sparkle.' The two together consistently make me want to throttle someone with a tie, not buy more books.
/rant
Thank you for indulging me. I feel much better now.
listening to The girl in the spidths web
Last night I finished the fourth book in the Chronicles of St. Mary's series, A Trail Through Time. I started the next one so I can get caught up in the series to read the latest one that just came out. But today's Daily Deal caught my attention, Nice Dragons Finish Last by Rachel Aaron, and I think I'll try that one next.
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Audiobooks
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Us (other topics)
The Nightingale (other topics)
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Conrad Jones (other topics)Salem (other topics)
Salem (other topics)
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Carson McCullers (other topics)
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Unless you never intend to listen to a
Three Pines book again, at some point we all have to confront the loss and now is as good a time as any. After three or four hours it's possible to find Louise Penny's voice inside the voice of the new narrator. Thankfully her voice is strong enough so that I'm finding familiar aspects and Three Pines is emerging once again. I wish it weren't necessary, but I appreciate that Three Pines is still there somewhere. RIP Ralph Coshem.