Narrators you don't like?

[John, Moderator]

Comment above (not Janet) deleted for negative tone.

[Holly]

I cannot stand the narrator of the Flavia books (Jayne Entwistle) - she does a good kid's voice, but it's so screechy that it gives me a headache. I have to read them in print instead.

[Sandi]

Holly wrote: "I cannot stand the narrator of the Flavia books (Jayne Entwistle) - she does a good kid's voice, but it's so screechy that it gives me a headache. I have to read them in print instead."

Isn't it funny how tastes differ? I only listen to the Flavia de Luce books because I love Jayne Entwistle's narration. On the other hand, there are narrators that most people rave about that I can't listen to for one reason or another.

[Denise]

Holly wrote: "I cannot stand the narrator of the Flavia books (Jayne Entwistle) - she does a good kid's voice, but it's so screechy that it gives me a headache. I have to read them in print instead."

I admit... Jayne had to grow on me. The thing is... I find her very funny. But yes, screechy in parts. I usually just turn down the volume.

[Denise]

John wrote: "Comment above (not Janet) deleted for negative tone."

Ha! Thanks for clarifying! Poor Janet...

[John, Moderator]

I'm a huge fan of Jayne Entwhistle's voice for Flavia, but can fully understand Holly's issue with it.

[Margaret]

I think my problem with Jayne Entwhistle's narration of Flavia was that I had read the first book on paper and Jayne didn't match the voice in my head.

[Aaron]

It really is funny how amazingly different our brains are - I listen to the Flavia novels because I love Jayne's voice so very much. I think she's brilliant. ;o) (not to mention the writing in the series is an absolute delight in every way possible!)

[Holly]

Denise wrote: "Lorie wrote: "Lorelei King made me lose interest in Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series - I loved C.J. Critt! Other books she reads I just can't seem to feel for the characters. I also don't ..."

I completely agree about Lorelei King and the Stephanie Plum books. Now those voices are just those characters to me. I feel that way about Jim Dale's narrations after the Harry Potter books too. I keep thinking "Wait, that's Hagrid... or that's Lupin", etc. I suppose you could say they did their job too well on those long series!

[John, Moderator]

Holly wrote: "I completely agree about Lorelei King and the Stephanie Plum books."

Add me to that list ... almost immediately I was thinking "This is really horrible!"

[John, Moderator]

Same deal as before -- comment has been deleted for negative tone, as well as reply only because it's a related comment, not for its tone.

[Don]

Great response. I'm sure Mr. Brick is a great guy, I have watched a few Youtube readings to try to understand him, he seems to be a good man but for the thousands that have had to turn off a Scott Brick narration due to the understanding Mr. Brick is over-selling every spoken word, we unite in our frustrations that our "purchase" was ruined by an over dramatic reading that took away from the story or accounts we invested in.

[John, Moderator]

An improvement in tone. However, if other members of the "we hate Scott Brick" brigade start flooding posts here, this thread, which was already on very thin ice is deleted.

[Koeeoaddi]

I wish every single Jane Austen novel (including Lady Susan) would be rerecorded with a narrator appropriate to the material. All I can find is either Flo Gibson, who is too mannered and has an American accent or Nadia May, who is probably fine for other books, but not the right combination of melodious and arch to do justice to Austen.

[John, Moderator]

I believe I listened to the LA Theatre Works production of Lady Susan, where they had a different actor read each part.

[Patricia]

Koeeoaddi wrote: "I wish every single Jane Austen novel (including Lady Susan) would be rerecorded with a narrator appropriate to the material. All I can find is either Flo Gibson, who is too mannered and has an Ame..."
Not sure where you are located as they may not be available to you, but I have some Jane Austen from Audible narrated by Juliet Stevenson. I really like her voice for English accents (I also listened to her narrate The Paying Guests and The Signature Of All Things and thought she did a great job)If you can access these, give her a try.

[Denise]

Does anyone have recommendations for narrators of Agatha Christie books? My library has Judi Pennington narrations. She isn't terrible, but something about her voice kind of lulls me to sleep. Even in the middle of the day. I think I need someone a little less "soothing."

[John, Moderator]

Hugh Fraser, who played Hastings on the TV Poirot, does a terrific job reading Christie. David Suchet, who played Poirot himself, is good, too.

[Denise]

John wrote: "Hugh Fraser, who played Hastings on the TV Poirot, does a terrific job reading Christie. David Suchet, who played Poirot himself, is good, too."

Thank you! Hugh Fraser seems pretty easy to find on audible and a few nearby libraries. I'll give him a try.

[Koeeoaddi]

Patricia wrote: "Koeeoaddi wrote: "I wish every single Jane Austen novel (including Lady Susan) would be rerecorded with a narrator appropriate to the material. All I can find is either Flo Gibson, who is too manne..."

I will look for these. Thank you!

[Trish]

I believe it was Barbara Rosenblat's cigarette voice and constant lip smacking that did me in on an earlier mystery/thriller novel.

[John, Moderator]

I think she's terrific (usually). Then again, I loathe Bill Bryson reading his own work, and many listeners consider his self-narration a cross between the Bee's Knees and the Cat's Pajamas!

[Mara]

I wish Publishers of audiobooks would vet narrators better. There books I would love to listen to, but I choose not to because of the narrator.

I love David Baldacci books, but because Ron McClarty reads them I usually stay away from them.

I am glad that Audible.come has a sample key so that we listeners can get a notion of how the reader sounds.

[Sandy]

John wrote: "a cross between the Bee's Knees and the Cat's Pajamas!"

Interesting visual image ... and why did those sayings originate? (I like both Rosenblat and Bryson)

[Mara]

I love Barbara Rosenblat. She does a better job in narrating the AMELIA PEABODY series than Susan O'Malley. BR is a Amelia & Co. in my book.

BR does a great job in narrating the Anna Pidgeon series by Nevada Barr. The last few books have narrated by Joyce Bean, whom I don't care as a narrator, but she's better than some others I totally dislike.

[John, Moderator]

Mara wrote: "I love Barbara Rosenblat. She does a better job in narrating the AMELIA PEABODY series than Susan O'Malley. BR is a Amelia & Co. in my book."

I agree, though her Emerson voice reminds me a lot of King Friday XIII.

[Nospin]

Mara wrote: "I love Barbara Rosenblat. She does a better job in narrating the AMELIA PEABODY series than Susan O'Malley. BR is a Amelia & Co. in my book.

BR does a great job in narrating the Anna Pidgeon ser..."

Aha! That is where I know the narrator from. I just finished Pope Joan narrated by Barbara Rosenblatt and the voice was familiar but I couldn't place it.

[Trish]

I was pretty sure it was BR but I could be wrong. But do you know what I mean about the obvious swallowing/mouth sounds you sometimes hear, especially when a sentence ends? That grates on me.

[Mara]

John wrote: "Mara wrote: "I love Barbara Rosenblat. She does a better job in narrating the AMELIA PEABODY series than Susan O'Malley. BR is a Amelia & Co. in my book."

I agree, though her Emerson voice remin..."

Yes, John BR does make Emerson sound very pompous. Amelia at times isn't far behind in being over the top. But that's what I love about the Amelia Peabody series. It's a bit over the top, cheeky, campy, and a whole lot of fun.

[Mara]

Trish wrote: "I was pretty sure it was BR but I could be wrong. But do you know what I mean about the obvious swallowing/mouth sounds you sometimes hear, especially when a sentence ends? That grates on me."
I am sure there are swallowing sounds, echo sounds, and other sound we can not put our finger in each audiobook. Narrators are people, and they will falter.

[Robin P]

For professional recordings, editors should be helping eliminate the unwanted sounds. Maybe it's because my sound equipment has never been very high quality, I haven't noticed that issue. Barbara Rosenblatt was the main narrator who got me hooked on audiobooks about 25 years ago. I was thrilled when I once got to meet her at a library event.

[Nospin]

Trish wrote: "I was pretty sure it was BR but I could be wrong. But do you know what I mean about the obvious swallowing/mouth sounds you sometimes hear, especially when a sentence ends? That grates on me."

I have found speeding up to 1.25 or 1.5 makes that quirk not noticeable. I could not listen to Ralph Cosham at all for Three Pines but that little bump in speed made me love that series.

[Ioana]

Nospin¥ wrote: "Trish wrote: "I was pretty sure it was BR but I could be wrong. But do you know what I mean about the obvious swallowing/mouth sounds you sometimes hear, especially when a sentence ends? That grate..."

I just finished Mystic River narrated by Scott Brick. Sooooo slow and dragging....
How do you speed to 1.25 or 1.5? My Ipod only has 1, 2 and 0.5 - I download books from the library via overdrive. Any suggestion? Thanks

[Nospin]

Ioana wrote: "Nospin¥ wrote: "Trish wrote: "I was pretty sure it was BR but I could be wrong. But do you know what I mean about the obvious swallowing/mouth sounds you sometimes hear, especially when a sentence ..."
One of the reasons I am addicted to Audible is the Android app has adjustable speeds.

I'm sorry I am not familiar with Overdrive and the ipod

[Mara]

Macleod Andrews is one narrator I cannot stand. He's awful.

[Leona]

What does it mean if the book is narrated by a 'full cast' ? How does rhat work, there seems to be no names

[Leona]

Oh dear, sorry about previous post...I can't edit it and it has gone up twice. I meant to add that I don't like it, it takes a bit of time to get used to it,it seems very disjointed....

[Valyssia]

I know I've posted here before and said nothing much bothers me. I've since found my limit. Flo Gibson's reading of Pride and Prejudice made me a believer in the power of a narrator to take what might otherwise have been a perfectly good book and turn it into an 11.5 hour lecture by Charlie Brown's teacher.

Note: I feel a bit of an ingrate admitting this as the book in question was an Audible freebie. I suppose I could thank them for allowing me to sample the narrator. I now know not to purchase any of her work.

[[deleted user]]

She's deceased, so she won't be producing any more. Let that be a...comfort? :P

[Dorothy]

Leona wrote: "What does it mean if the book is narrated by a 'full cast' ? How does rhat work, there seems to be no names"

Multiple people doing the audio. Often seen in dramatizations of novels. Many I have seen have the prime narrators and then full cast like the below on Audible

Ender's Shadow UNABRIDGED
By Orson Scott Card
Narrated By Scott Brick, Gabrielle de Cuir, a Full Cast
Series: Ender's Shadow, Book 1

[Leona]

Thank u Dorothy :) I don't much like dramatisations but I am getting into it.

[Stacy]

I am trying my hardest to get through Tell No One
narrated by Ed Sala I listen at bed time when I am not even tired and his voice puts me straight to sleep. I have spent more time finding my spot than actually listening to him. This is my first Coben book and I'm having a tough time getting into it, obviously. I may try to finish it in a standing position. lol

[Jeanie]

Leona wrote: "Thank u Dorothy :) I don't much like dramatisations but I am getting into it."

"Full Cast" isn't really the same thing as a Dramatization, although it may be. TheEnders books have a full cast but, except for Ender'sGame Alive, they are merely one book with sectionsread by various narrators. Ender's Game Alive is an actual radio play with a full cast reading the dialogue of individuals rather than whole sections. American Gods by Neil Gaiman has a full cast and, while I like it, a controversial strategy of having one person read all text narrative--including "he said"--while specific readers always read specific characters. Usually, dramatizations are more like plays while a full cast may be anything from diferent narrators for different POV s to each playing a specific part within an unabridged text to a radio play. Read the reviews to find out which.

[Sandi]

Valyssia wrote: "I know I've posted here before and said nothing much bothers me. I've since found my limit. Flo Gibson's reading of Pride and Prejudice made me a believer in the power of a narrator to take what mi..."

I listened to Kate Reading's narration and loved it. I had been trying to get through an Austen novel for ages, but I never got the appeal until I heard Reading narrate Pride and Prejudice.

[Audiothing]

I dislike a narrator who overdoes or overacts everything, I don't believe all those things they learn in actor school should be applied to narrating.
One actor/ narrator I find extremely annoying is Carrie Lee Martz who narrates the Jamie Quinn series. When she gets in her acting groove, I just want her to stop. Stop and just tell me the story ....... Please! Yet she has rave reviews.
long live diversity!

[Audiothing]

Lorie wrote: "Lorelei King made me lose interest in Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series - I loved C.J. Critt! Other books she reads I just can't seem to feel for the characters. I also don't like Fredrick ..."

I really enjoy Listening to Lorelei King, however, if one finds a narrator to be annoying, even in the smallest way, it's hard to overcome.

[[deleted user]]

Just listened to a sample of Carrie Lee Martz to see whether I'd share yiur assessment, Bec. She does come across as very affected. Not Valley Girl, but putting on a show.

[Mara]

Sandi wrote: "Valyssia wrote: "I know I've posted here before and said nothing much bothers me. I've since found my limit. Flo Gibson's reading of Pride and Prejudice made me a believer in the power of a narrato..."

Sandi,

Kate Reading could read the PHONE BOOK and I would listen to her. I love her. She's read most of the PINK CARNATION series and I have enjoyed every book.

[Dorothy]

I did not like Jane Boyer's reading of "A Shot in the Bark". From my review .. The narration had much to be desired. The narrator pronounced her words very precisely and did not stick to sentence structure. She was often reading words rather than telling the story. The breaks between scenes in the chapter were non existent. This lead to confusion at times regarding the action. The "male" voices were grating to me.

[Emily]

Worst narrator I've come across is author Jen Lancaster. Literally made me want to throw my device across the room several times. She really should not narrate her own books.