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Narrators you don't like?
I really didn't like the lady who narrates Janet Evanovich - Lorelei King.Her voice reminded me of the woman who used to do the storytelling/voice overs at the start of Desperate Housewives.
I hated the way she did the different voices and her Ranger is particularly bad.
I would actually prefer a 'straight read' without a narrator trying to do different voices.
I have a question about Antony Ferguson. I think he has a good voice for reading Historical romances. Yet, when I listened to his performance of the sex scenes, there didn't seem to be much emotional commitment. His narration sounded disinterested, like he was reading a how-to manual. I was wondering if this were the way he generally read these scenes.
Louise wrote: "I just returned "Transatlantic" narrated by Geraldine Hughes, aften listening for 5 mintes. I hadn't listened to a sample this time, and she just overpronounced every word, which made me so annoyed..."I have an audiobook I want to return. Does Audible have a limit on how often we can exchange a book for another one?
In theory, I think it's two books in a six-month period, but in practice the reps seem pretty laid back whenever I've called.
I've returned 7 books within a 12-month period. I can't get the site to let me return it, so I have to do it manually via email, and no one in their customer service has commented on it.
The immediate narrator that comes to mind that just did not like was Allyson Johnson. She narrated the Honor Harrington books and the from the get go it she sounded like she was reading a news story on All Things Considered...ugh! I forced my way past it because I really wanted to listen to the series but...
I want to listen to Grimspace so badly, but Suzanna Duff just isn't working for me. She sounds like Lacey Chabert.
I started listening to Hitch-22: A Memoir, narrated by the author, Christopher Hitchens. I rarely start an audiobook that I don't finish, but I couldn't get through the first chapter of this one. Absolutely unlistenable.
David, I'm reading the ebook now and can't put it down!
I was bothered by the voice of http://www.audible.com/search/ref=sr_... reading Middlesex. I liked the book, but had to take short doses due to Tabori's voice. It is interesting that we can feel so differently about these voices, I wonder why?
I read The Outlander Series in print first, then thought it might be relaxing to listen to them from time to time. Davina Porter is the narrator and I am of 2 minds about her. Basically she sounds too old to be Claire. She is great with the Scottish accents but plays Claire way too shrilly for my taste. I'm on the 2nd of the series, and they are loooooong books, and I don't believe I can take anymore of Davina, so I'll pass up the remaining books of the series.
Lynne wrote: I liked the book, but had to take short doses due to Tabori's voice..."I think I'd be OK with that one, I like deep male voices. However I find high pitched or breathy female voices really irritating (on a physical level too, they make me all twitchy). There are some actresses whose movies I won't see because their voice is so annoying, Nicole Kidman comes to mind.
I'm fairly new to audiobooks, but so far I've discovered I really like listening to accents. UK narrators are my favourite, and the American accent my least favourite (I'm an Aussie)
Pjaye, I agree with you about Kidman. I assume you are familiar with Bryce Courtney's fabulous books, my favorite being Four Fire. And the narrator, Humphrey Bower, is stellar, so perfect for all voice, make and female. Now he' an Aussie for sure. I love accents too, don't recall the narrator of Life of Pi, but he was so perfect. I love to hear cultured Indians speak cultured British English.
Oh my GOSH. I'm listening to Lucky Break by Carly Phillips, narrated by Renee Raudman.................................. It's slowly killing me. The heroine's voice is fine, but the hero? He sounds like a 13-year-old boy going through puberty (he's supposed to be 28) and keeps switching back and forth between a "regular" American accent and the thickest Boston accent I've ever heard. It's giving me whiplash! And that's when you can even tell it's a male voice. Sometimes during the hero/heroine's dialogue, I can't tell who's talking!Maybe if the story was better (this is my first Carly Phillips... is it always like this?), the audiobook wouldn't bother me as much? Perhaps it's the magical realism aspect of the story. I really hate magical realism. But the combination of story and narration is making me want to jump off a very tall structure. And that's saying something, as I'm afraid of heights.
Sara ♥ wrote: "Oh my GOSH. I'm listening to Lucky Break by Carly Phillips, narrated by Renee Raudman.................................. It's slowly killing me. The heroine's voice is fine, but the hero? He sou..."This sounds like one you should "return". Did you know they will give you your credit back, and with a smile. Don't punish yourself, too many good books out there
Pjaye wrote: "Lynne wrote: I liked the book, but had to take short doses due to Tabori's voice..."I think I'd be OK with that one, I like deep male voices. However I find high pitched or breathy female voices ..."
Pjaye, I agree with you about Kidman. I assume you are familiar with Bryce Courtney's fabulous books, my favorite being Four Fire. And the narrator, Humphrey Bower, is stellar, so perfect for all voice, make and female. Now he' an Aussie for sure. I love accents too, don't recall the narrator of Life of Pi, but he was so perfect. I love to hear cultured Indians speak cultured British English.
It's from the library, so no problem there. I wish I COULD return them early though. I'm running low on download spots!
Sara, I got two library cards. One from my neighborhood and one for the city I live in. So I can download up to 20 audio or ebooks. I never run out. I don't waste my time if I am not feeling engaged in a book.
Yeah, I might need my hubby to get a card after all! ;)
Lynne wrote: "Pjaye, I agree with you about Kidman. I assume you are familiar with Bryce Courtney's fabulous books, my favorite being Four Fire. And the narrator, Humphrey Bower, is stellar, so perfect for al..."I agree, Lynne. I just finished Bryce Courtenay's Power of One and loved Humphrey Bower's narration. He managed to capture all the different dialects and accents. He seemed to create the characters with his voice!
I am trying to get through
Steve Jobs biography but Dylan Baker's narration is ruining it for me! His voice is so sharp and he seems to bark out the text, especially the dialogue and quotes. I don't know if I'll make it through 20 more hours of it.
I had the Steve Jobs biography recommended to me, but I haven't attempted it. I happen to know they use the 1.5 times speed to listen so perhaps the narrator's voice is different then. :)
Don't like Scott Brick at all. I've listened to several by him and in the beginning it was ok, but every book he reads he puts his own inflections on the words and it's hard to put your own in. His voice is annoying. He's read all the Clive Cussler books and I've missed the last several because he narrates them. I also got a Carol Higgins Clark book that she narrated a few years ago. I felt like I was a child she was reading to. I have listened to all the Louise Penny books which are narrated by Ralph Cosham. Absolutely fantastic and I can't wait for the next one.
The only way I can listen to Barbara Rosenblat is by speeding it up. She pauses at the end of every sentence.
Mary wrote: "Don't like Scott Brick at all. I've listened to several by him and in the beginning it was ok, but every book he reads he puts his own inflections on the words and it's hard to put your own in. His..."You know why you don't like Scott Brick? Because he's a SPAWN OF SATAN!
More ganging up on Scott Brick again ...
Do we know how Mr. Brick is? For some strange reason, I'm starting to feel sorry for him ;)
Jennifer (Wolf Queen of the Outer Regions) wrote: "Do we know how Mr. Brick is? For some strange reason, I'm starting to feel sorry for him ;)"I've never heard him either, but some folks appear out of nowhere when his name is mentioned.
Jennifer (Wolf Queen of the Outer Regions) wrote: "Happy birthday, Satan!"Like!
Bobby wrote: "EE-VILL!"Why so mean to Scott Brick? He seems nice enough. I follow him on Twitter. That means we're practically BFFs, no? I suspect an inside joke.
The man has cancer, probably as a direct result of what he does for a living. So I have some sympathy for him. And if I can listen to Jake Gyllenhaal narrate The Great Gatsby, I can probably listen to just about anyone.
I've gotten used to Flo Gibson myself, whom many people can't handle.
Jennifer (Wolf Queen of the Outer Regions) wrote: "The man has cancer, probably as a direct result of what he does for a living. So I have some sympathy for him. And if I can listen to Jake Gyllenhaal narrate The Great Gatsby, I can probably list..."I thought this was just teasing, all in good fun. I actually like the books I've heard Scott Brick narrate.
Didn't realize he was ill. Terrible news. I'm certainly hoping for the best for him.
Jennifer, what do you mean probably related to his profession?
I don't understand all the hate for Scott Brick. I wish Audible would let me search my library by narrator. Instead, I had to plow through 534 titles narrated by Brick to find that I have listened to 5 of his narrations. All five are books that I enjoyed immensely. Most of his titles aren't books I'm interested in, but I liked the 5 I've listened to. He's not one of my stand-out favorites, but I won't avoid a book just because he's narrating it. It's so sad he has cancer. Now, I don't get all the passion for Simon Vance and John Lee. I find both a little monotonous. I listened to one Simon Vance book that I really liked and a few that bored the heck out of me. John Lee tends to narrate a lot of the books I like to read/listen to, but I find him really annoying when he tries to do women or accents.
I find Simon Vance a bit over-rated, as his breathy style isn't really for me. John Lee depends on the book. For British males, I prefer Stephen Crossley overall.
Again, acknowledging myself as a proud Scott Brick defender and fan! My favorite was his narration of Alexander Hamilton.To be honest, there have been very few narrators I don't like. So few, that I can't recall any at this time.
Thyroid cancer. And I've never had the (dis?)pleasure of Scott Brick 's narration, so my opinion isn't relevant :)
Grumpus wrote: "Again, acknowledging myself as a proud Scott Brick defender and fan! My favorite was his narration of Alexander Hamilton.To be honest, there have been very few narrators I don't lik..."
I too am a fan of Scott Brick and Simon Vance and have listened to many by both.
And I feel like we have already had this conversation!
MissSusie wrote: "And I feel like we have already had this conversation! ..."I agree. I had to check the date and times stamps because I was having a serious case of deja vu.
We have, indeed, had this conversation.
Marguerite Gavin. Her voice reminds me of "Diane" on Cheers. Not an inherently bad thing, but she completely butchered "The Hallowed Hunt" in the Chalion series. I can't say if I liked the book because of it.I also didn't care for Lloyd James' narration of the first book, "The Curse of Chalion", but he didn't affect my enjoyment of one of my favorite author's books.
FYI The second book in the series, "Paladin of Souls", was read by the incomparable Kate Reading. Has anyone dissed her in this thread? I don't have time to read through it all at this late date.
P.S. I loved the first two books. Lois McMaster Bujold rocks!
Kate Reading is terrific; I believe she also goes by the name Johanna Ward?
Late to the thread, and I'm skipping pages...Jim Dale doing things other than Harry Potter. As others have mentioned, he's just so closely identified with one thing that it's hard to hear him as something else. It doesn't help that I listened to a Dickens Christmas one in December, and he had recycled Hagrid's voice.
Anne Johnstonbrown (how her name shows up in Audible)--I picked up some inexpensive audiobooks, and her character choices were horrible. For example, an over-articulated diction for a 23 year old character. I was so annoyed, I returned the audiobooks with her narrating them.
Ali-ef wrote: "Bobby wrote: "EE-VILL!"Why so mean to Scott Brick? He seems nice enough. I follow him on Twitter. That means we're practically BFFs, no? I suspect an inside joke."
Nah, I just hate his art. And it was funny because I check out audiobooks from the library. So, you get what you get, you know? And I have to admit, Scott Brick was the first narrator I ever had that strong a response to, negative or positive. But this one time, I'd had enough. I'd listened to a few books by Brick and whatever it was, I was "This guy! Who is this guy? Whoever he is, he's horrible." I even pointed it out to my girlfriend and she's like, "then why do you keep listening to him?" And the answer, basically, was that as I said, I just go to library and try and find a story I like. It hadn't occurred to me to look for narrators I do or don't like. As of right now, Brick is the only guy I actively avoid. It's no biggie really but it's kind of fun the storm he generates between people who LOVE him and people (like myself) who can't stand him.
Oh and, cuz he SUCKS! :)
I get not liking someones voice but I don't really dislike any narrators. In fact, there have been quite a few narrators that I have disliked reading certain books and then I hear them narrating other books and like their narration for them. Sometimes the wrong narrator for the wrong book can make a difference IMO. Or it could be like real people in life - sometimes you meet someone whose voice kind of irritates you for some reason. Who knows!
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I've only listened to book narrated by him The Heist and I really liked his voice. However I do think the writing didn't lend itself to narration. Poor guy had to keep saying "Kate said" "Nick said" over and over, and OVER again. If I'd made that into a drinking game, I'd be out like a light by the end of every second page.