Have you listened to this narrator?

[Cynthia]

Robert Petkoff is an excellent narrator in the Immortals dark series by Kresley Cole

[D.G.]

Funny thing about Luke Daniels. I think he's excellent (great range, accents, characterization, diction, pace, emotion.) But for some reason, I haven't been able to listen to anything with him after the Iron Druid Chronicles. Whenever I try him in something new, he doesn't sound appropriate (and I've tried him in different genres: YA Dystopia, PNR, etc.) I really don't know what's going on with me.

In general, I love his narration of the Iron Druid Chronicles but something that bugged me was when he changed the voice for Oberon after 3 or 4 books. It was jarring for me.

[Lee]

Cynthia wrote: "Robert Petkoff is an excellent narrator in the Immortals dark series by Kresley Cole"

He made me love Lothaire and that is a genre that I don't usually listen to!

[D.G.]

Lothaire is too hilarious. Petkoff did an excellent job there.

[Dee]

another series I need to get back to

[Diana]

D.G. wrote: "Funny thing about Luke Daniels. I think he's excellent (great range, accents, characterization, diction, pace, emotion.) But for some reason, I haven't been able to listen to anything with him afte..."

I have the same problem! It's as if Daniels has so imbedded himself as Atticus in my mind that whenever I try to listen to his narration somewhere else, it's Atticus talking.

I've just accepted it. So don't worry D.G., it's not just you. :)

[Tracy T.]

Shell wrote: "Robert Petkoff is a guest star on last night's episode of Forever on ABC! *Squee!*"

No way!!!! That's awesome. I have it DVR'd and haven't watched the episode yet. I really like that show and now I am looking forward to the episode even more. I love Robert Petkoff narrations he is he maestro of male narrators as far as I am concerned.

[Dee]

I want to say Simon Vance did a guest spot on a TV show as well and pretty sure I saw Kirby Heyborne (Gone Girl) on a TV ad

[Shell]

Tracy wrote: "Shell wrote: "Robert Petkoff is a guest star on last night's episode of Forever on ABC! *Squee!*"

No way!!!! That's awesome. I have it DVR'd and haven't watched the episode yet. I really like that..."

It was interesting to see him in something that doesn't have anything to do with IAD. I won't spoil it for your on his character, but regretfully he doesn't have many lines.

[D.G.]

Diana N wrote: "I have the same problem! It's as if Daniels has so imbedded himself as Atticus in my mind that whenever I try to listen to his narration somewhere else, it's Atticus talking.

I've just accepted it. So don't worry D.G., it's not just you. :) "

LOL, Diane! That's exactly it! I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one with the problem (although I feel bad for him, LOL! He's so good!!)

But I may give him another try in something else. I was looking for a light sci-fi/fantasy listen and Lauri recommended , which happened to be narrated by LD. I checked it out and I'll be able to stick with it. :)

[JaneA]

Has anyone listened to anything by Sherill Turner? I can get Poetic Justice as a whispersync title. I loved the book, gave it 5 stars, and would enjoy listening to it if the narrator is any good.

[Trish]

Dawn wrote: "...or of the book says "she whispered" I want to hear a whisper, not a loud voice. Just another of my pet peeves."

OMG! I'm the same way about that, Dawn! When people are sneaking around and they say something that should be a whisper but isn't that drives me crazy. And, good grief, when a book describes a man's voice and low or deep and the female narrator just reads the book, that's so irritating. What's the point of a whisper, grumble, murmur, shout, or whatever, if the narrator is just going to read in a regular tone. Some narrators are very good and some just down-right suck.

[Dee]

anyone listened to Michael C. Gwynne?

I got asked to review an audiobook - new to me author and narrator - I like what I heard in the sample - but since it was only a couple minutes long...

[Dee]

also - Alana Kerr

[Ezi]

Never heard of them

[Boba]

The narrator of fever series from book 4 I think he is called phil gigante?? Ohh his voice is soooo sexy and the narrating is awsome

[Lea's Audiobooks]

You'll find a lot of Phil love around here. Here's an interview with Phil over at Speaking of Audiobooks: http://www.likesbooks.com/blog/?p=5801

[Amy]

He gives you eargasms

[Dee]

Maybe we need an ear gasp contest - I'd put Robert Pekhoff against Phil any day of the week

[Dawn]

Nicholas Boulton wins my vote

[D.G.]

Dee wrote: "Maybe we need an ear gasp contest - I'd put Robert Pekhoff against Phil any day of the week"

Agree!

[Ezi]

Robert P is Número Uno. His female voices are better than Phils. They both have sexy growls but I'd take Petkoff any day

[Samantha]

Ezinwanyi~the Impish Angel wrote: "Robert P is Número Uno. His female voices are better than Phils. They both have sexy growls but I'd take Petkoff any day"

This alone makes me want to check him out.

[Ezi]

Never heard him

[Tracy T.]

Seriously audible or any other audio production company. Please stop using Alison Larkin as a narrator for anything but a childrens book. She is terrible for any genre except a childrens book. I am so annoyed that there are several books I want to listen to but cannot because she is the narrator!
*aggravated expression* Thanks for listening I just needed to vent.

[D.G.]

I decided to read instead of listening to it because I didn't like the narration by Alison Larkin.

[Diana]

D.G. wrote: "I decided to read instead of listening to it because I didn't like the narration by Alison Larkin."

Larkin is hit or miss for me. I did the same with Kiss of Steel but managed to finish her version of How to Pursue a Princess by Karen Hawkins. For me, she seems to go down smoother if the story isn't as dark or gritty (AKA no pnr). I like her better in stories with more female characters or when the story is read rather than performed, like Pride and Prejudice.

[Caz]

Alison Larkin is hit or miss for me, too, although I wouldn't say she should only narrate children's books. She is very good at light comedy and is a good vocal actress, but where she's almost always fallen down for me is in her male voices which never sound masculine enough.
Some production companies seem to go through fads. About 18 months or so ago, Ms Larkin seemed to be narrating about 75% of the historical romance audios released. Then she almost disappeared - although she does record under a couple of pseudonyms.

I now see another not-stellar narrator slated to narrate lots of HR from a major audio publisher over the next few months. It's like they buy up a job lot...

[Tracy T.]

Who is this not-stellar narrator slated to narrate lots of HR books your talking about?

[Caz]

Tracy wrote: "Who is this not-stellar narrator slated to narrate lots of HR books your talking about?"

(view spoiler)[Charlotte Anne Dore. I listened to her in Sherry Thomas' My Beautiful Enemy and was seriously underwhelmed. (hide spoiler)]

[Tracy T.]

Ahhh, I haven't listened to anything from her yet. But I did just listen to that sample you mentioned and I might have to agree with you. One of the books she is narrating coming out is in my wish list too. LOL Thanks for letting me know

[Caz]

Tracy wrote: "Ahhh, I haven't listened to anything from her yet. But I did just listen to that sample you mentioned and I might have to agree with you. One of the books she is narrating coming out is in my wish ..."

You're welcome. And yes, there are some I'd hoped to listen to as well, which I will now be sticking to in print :(

[D.G.]

Oy vey, what horrible pacing that narrator has!! She's putting an emphasis on weird words!

Thanks for the heads up, Caz. Another narrator I'm putting on my do not listen list.

I think overall, HR is the genre with the worst narrators. It seems authors and publishers take a chance on so many new people without even making sure that can do an adequate British accent.

[Caz]

D.G. wrote: "Oy vey, what horrible pacing that narrator has!! She's putting an emphasis on weird words!

Thanks for the heads up, Caz. Another narrator I'm putting on my do not listen list.

I think overall, HR..."

I think you might be right about that, D.G - especially about the accents.

[JaneA]

Does anyone have any comments on Celeste Ciulla? She narrates Simply Irresistible and I can get it via WhisperSync for $2.99. I really wish Karen White was narrating!

[Dallas]

I have hundreds of Audible books and I have not had any with the narrator Celeste Ciulla. I really do like Karen White too...a narrator can definitely make or break a book. There have been a few Audibles that I just could not finish because I thought the story was just awful...I now understand I cannot lay complete judgement on the story itself until I have read it the old fashioned way. I realized this after prodding from a friend to give a certain book another chance after I quit the Audible version...I tried it again, reading the hard copy provided by said friend and come to find out, I LOVED it...it had previously just been ruined by the narrator.

So now I keep a list of my 'go to' narrators and of course a list of those to avoid. My absolute favorite narrator is Sebastian York and I highly recommend anything he narrates...he could make the phone book sound fantastic! Now, there have been some books that I barely tolerated the chapters read by the secondary narrator, but loved his chapters. As far as female narrators go, I also like Tavia Gilbert, Elizabeth Louise, Grace Grant, Jane Kramer and Shayna Thibodeaux.

This Is Falling (The Falling Series, Book 1...they are all stand alones) by Ginger Scott is only $1.99 through Whispersync and it is narrated by Melissa Moran. It was my first book by this narrator and I liked it...I gave it 4 stars on Goodreads. I must admit though I read most of it on my Kindle...probably only listened to 3 chapters, but not because of the narrator, rather just the circumstance. I usually listen to the Audible version while I am on my commute to and from work...I just happened to be on vacation during the time I read this book so I only caught a few chapters in the car.

I love that Goodreads has forums like this to discuss narrators...often Audibles can be quite expensive and I would rather not waste a credit or $18 on a book with poor narration.

If you listen to Celeste Ciulla, share your thoughts! :-)

JaneA wrote: "Does anyone have any comments on Celeste Ciulla? She narrates Simply Irresistible and I can get it via WhisperSync for $2.99. I really wish Karen White was narrating!"

[Diana]

JaneA wrote: "Does anyone have any comments on Celeste Ciulla? She narrates Simply Irresistible and I can get it via WhisperSync for $2.99. I really wish Karen White was narrating!"

I listened to her in The Sweetest Thing. It has been a few years so I cannot speak to specifics but I do remember enjoying the performance.

[Mara]

Never heard of her. What really irritates me is that when I would love to listen to a book by one of my favorite authors, and it's narrated by a narrator I can't stand. Like Catherine Coulters new British Agent in the FBI. I like Renee Raudman(?), but I can't stand McCleaod Andrews. His British accent is terrible, and he's not that much better with an American accent. My personal opinion he should be a narrator.

[Kelly]

JaneA wrote: "Does anyone have any comments on Celeste Ciulla? She narrates Simply Irresistible and I can get it via WhisperSync for $2.99. I really wish Karen White was narrating!"

I adored Celeste Ciulla's readings of Simply Irresistible and The Sweetest Thing. In fact, I was annoyed when there was a new narrator for the next two books in that series and I didn't enjoy those as much.

[JaneA]

Kelly wrote: "I adored Celeste Ciulla's readings of Simply Irresistible and The Sweetest Thing. In fact, I was annoyed when there was a new narrator for the next two books in that series and I didn't enjoy those as much."

Great, thank you! And thanks for the heads up on Suehyla El-Attar, who narrates Books 3 & 4.

It is really sad when a good book is ruined by a poor narrator, and such a pleasure when a good narrator enhances a book. It's really nice to be able to ask people here what they think before I waste my time and money.

[JaneA]

Does anyone know anything about Emily Beresford? She narrates some of Cynthia Wright's books.

[Linda]

Okay! "Why did the narrator work for me?" That question is a good one. I listened to Diane Lehman in The Bali Mystery and was so impressed because she was not only able to do a great female voice, but her male voice was so real and masculine and down right flirtatious. Very believable! I think the reason she was able to do a man's voice so well is because her voice is in the mid-range. That way she can lower it for a man and raise it for a woman. She is a vocal coach and musician, so maybe that helps when she does audiobooks.