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LC: Best and Worst Audiobook Narrators
Let me start:Best list of those I have listened to:
Cynthia Holloway - Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake books and Karen Chance's Cassie Palmer series. I would have given up on Touch the Dark, if I wasn't so in love with Holloway's voice. : )
Johanna Parker - Charlaine Harris' Sookie Stackhouse series
Susan Ericksen - JD Robb's In Death series
Phil Gigante - Karen Marie Moning's Highlander series. (I heard he is reading the fourth Fever book, but I haven't listened to that one yet)
Anna Fields - Mostly Susan Elizabeth Phillips' books (sad to hear that she is gone...but her voice lives on with her excellent performances)
Dick Hill - Nora Robert's trilogy series. I heard him also read a few Linda Howard books.
Patrick Lawlor (usually paired with Renee Raudman) - mostly Brockmann's later Troubleshooter books.
Tim Curry - Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events
Readers I did not enjoy:
Kimberly Alexis - Laurell K. Hamilton's Skin Trade (suffered greatly in comparison to Cynthia Holloway's performance. Horrible Jean Claude's voice)
Christine Louise Marshall - Kenyon's Fantasy Lover (a breathy voice that in no way improved Kenyon's over-the-top writing)
Eve Bianco - Brockmann's Freedom Price (the story was weak, and her reading was just annoying)
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Right now, I'm listening to Niffenegger's The Time Traveler's Wife, narrated by William Hope and Laurel Lefkow. I have a feeling that if I'm not listening to this, I might give up on the book. But I'm enjoying the performance so far, so I'm excited about the storyline.
I LOVE Davina Porter with the Outlander series. She does an excellent job.
Carolyn F. wrote: "I LOVE Davina Porter with the Outlander series. She does an excellent job."I have been toying about whether to read or listen to the Outlander series. This comment might swing me towards the audiobooks...but darn...they are loooonnng. : )
Jim Dale narrates the US version of the Harry Potter books. He does an excellent job. However, if you can get the UK version read by Stephen Fry, I think they're even better.I have some Louis L'Amour books read by Willie Nelson that are good.
Phil Gigante narrating Karen Marie Moning's Highlander series has caused many an eargasm. Also, Susan Ericksen and J.D. Robb's In Death series. Both of those are excellent.Anna Fields is good in the Susan Elizabeth Phillips books. Joyce Bean is OK in the Jayne Ann Krentz Ghost Hunter series books. Her guys all sound a little strange and the women are a little whiney sounding. Oh, maybe I just got used to her.
Can't get through: Kitty series by Carrie Vaughn. I can't make it through the first book because of the narrator. Suzanne Brockman's firefighter series, the first one. Shudders! I could go on and on and on because I listen to A LOT of audio books and there are many bad matches out there.
Yz the Whyz wrote: "Carolyn F. wrote: "I LOVE Davina Porter with the Outlander series. She does an excellent job."I have been toying about whether to read or listen to the Outlander series. This comment might sw..."
You're right, both the books and the audiobooks are long but they're both really worth it. Outlander is my absolutely most favorite book.
Carolyn F. wrote: You're right, both the books and the audiobooks are long but they're both really worth it. Outlander is my absolutely most favorite book. ..."
I'll move Outlander up in my reading queue. At least, I can use it for the Chubby Chunkster challenge. : )
Alexis wrote: "Phil Gigante narrating Karen Marie Moning's Highlander series has caused many an eargasm. Also, Susan Ericksen and J.D. Robb's In Death series. Both of those are excellent.Anna Fields is good i..."
Joyce Bean is hit and miss for me. I do enjoy her as Mac in the Fever series, but some people hated her delivery.
Anne Flosnik is another one that is okay with me. I like her with her British accent for Amanda Quick's historicals.
i love davina porter for the outlander series - i'm on voyager right now and it takes me about 3 weeks to listen to each books in the car on the way to and from work.emily durante did ok narrating vision in white by nora roberts, but i wasn't so sure about the way she voiced carter...but the rest of the book was good
I DNF's Rosalyn Landor doing Mine 'Til Midnight - she made Cam, who is supposed to be a sexy gypsy sound like an uptight toff (for lack of a better word) and i just couldn't get into it
Adding Tom Stechshulte to the list of good narrators. Gamatst mentioned him in a different thread as the narrator of Christine Feehan's Ghostwalker books. I heard him reading Cormac McCarthy's The Road, and enjoyed his delivery. Looking forward to listening to him doing a romance novel.
Barbara Rosenblat is fantastic in Elizabeth Peter's Amelia Peabody series
I'm listening to Maureen O'Brien (not that one) narrating D.H. Lawrence's Women in Love. She talking way too fast and she does the same voice for two sisters so I can't tell who is talking/thinking. I've just started it and it's driving me crazy.
Yz the Whyz wrote: "Carolyn F. wrote: "I LOVE Davina Porter with the Outlander series. She does an excellent job."I have been toying about whether to read or listen to the Outlander series. This comment might sw..."
I've listened to the first two books and I think the reader is great. It's worth it to hear her pronounce the Gaelic words.
Jackie wrote: "Barbara Rosenblat is fantastic in Elizabeth Peter's Amelia Peabody series"She reads the Aisling Gray Guardian series (You Slay Me) and does an amazing job with all of the different characters and accents. Lots of fun to listen too.
Jim Frangione is great in BDB series and Johanna Parker is very good in Sookie Stackhouse series.
Thankfully I stumbled onto this thread at just the right time! I just started Dark Desire and can't even get through the first chapter. The narrator, Juanita Parker, drones on and on in a monotone that never changes, no matter the character. She uses the same voice for male and female characters alike. And shouldn't a Carpathian have an eastern european accent of some sort! Maybe I'm just spoiled by the books I have recently listened to: In Death Series, Moning's Highlander Series, Outlander Series, Fever Series etc...
Those narrators are able to bring a story to life, Juanita Parker is YUCK!
I feel so cheated, these books aren't cheap!
Ahhhh...Thank you for letting me vent. This is still very fresh
That's too bad Penney that you spent all that money on an AB only to have the narrator suck! I get my audiobooks from the library, but I still usually listen to a preview on Audible.com to see if I'll like the narrator or not. My favorite narrator is Jim Dale. His reading of HP, I thought, was great. I also like Rosalyn Landor. I know someone else mentioned they don't like her, but I've enjoyed listening to her. I've listened to her read Balogh books as well as Jane Greene and Sophie Kinsella books. I liked Phil Gigante reading the Highlander series. I'm looking forward to listening to Fever #4 since I like having male/female narrators read their respective parts. I was NOT crazy about the original narrator of the Fever series, however I was able to listen to all three of the books she read. I thought her Barrons was atrocious! I kept imagining a leprechaun or something. My first Ghostwalker book was Night Game (#3) and I thought the narrator did a great job with the New Orleans accents.
I'm currently listening to Nora Roberts Ardmore/Irish trilogy, and I'm thoroughly enjoying Patricia Daniels' Irish lilt. I'm not really familiar how the true Irish would sound, so I'm no expert, but her performance, in my opinion, is pretty good.
Sandra Burr does a pretty good job with the Three Sisters Island Trilogy by Nora Roberts. The men are a little weak, but she does an excellent job with the women. Mia's voice is especially good and very believable. I noticed with the men, that Sam Logan in Face the Fire (book 3), sounds a lot like Zach's voice in book one, and then Zach's voice in Face the Fire is a little different from the 1st and I was a little disappointed with that. Still, it wasn't enough of an issue to keep me from enjoying the series. For me, this trilogy is great whether in audio or book form.
I just finished the audiobook Blue-Eyed Devil and thought Renee Raudman did a fantastic job. I was a little worried about her Texas male voices but she did a great job, to the point where I was totally engrossed in the story and didn't get hung up at all on the voices (which I find I do with some audiobooks).
I am absolutely brand new to audio books and on Yz's suggestion, I am going to try to find some of the In Death Series by JD Robb. I really enjoyed this thread, I have never even considered that the narrator can make or break a book for the "reader" (listener?) :)
You'll love this series! I'm currently listening to Witness In Death (#10) and just walk around the house doing whatever chores I can find and chuckling aloud. I don't think my house gas ever been cleaner :)
I'm almost done with the first book of Mary Janice Davidson Queen Betsy series: Undead and Unwed, narrated by Nancy Wu.I find her reading speed a little slow, but after several discs, I got used to it. Her comic effect is pretty par, she had me laughing out loud several times. When she does the lisp (when Betsy had her fangs extended), it was precious.
Based on her performance, I'll probably continue this series in audiobook format.
I wasn't able to find the "In Death" series, so I have started listening to "The Time Traveler's Wife". I am really enjoying it. I am almost half way and love these two narrators (especially the female voice is very easy to listen to). :)
I'll have to listen to the JD Robb and the Mary Davidson books. I haven't even tried them yet.
Yz - i'm listening to undead and unwed right now...the first words out of my mouth was is she supposed to sound so ditzy...when my friend said yes, i started really getting into it...I love the JD Robb series
could never get into the time travelers wife - but I was listening to it in small amounts, so that might be why
Delicious Dee wrote: could never get into the time travelers wife - but I was listening to it in small amounts, so that might be why ."I have to admit if I was reading it, I would have probably given up. But listening to it was okay at first, then it got better. And just like Chriz, I just happen to like the readers' voices. LOL...I know, shallow, right?
i didn't mind the reader's voices...IDK - it was hard to explain...i might try again now that i'm listening to audiobooks more
Yz the Whyz wrote: "Delicious Dee wrote: could never get into the time travelers wife - but I was listening to it in small amounts, so that might be why ."I have to admit if I was reading it, I would have probably g..."
I agree - I don't think I would have been able to keep reading if I read this book. But I am 3/4 through and am still enjoying listening to it.
Chriz - I may try again! right now, i'm listening to a Nora Roberts black hills and the narrator is pretty good, so i'm going to stick with it...my rule of thumb is 30 minutes of listening and if i don't get into it I DNF the audio...
For anyone who also enjoys reading mysteries, The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency is wonderfully read by Lisette Lecat. I read the first 2 books in that series in book form and thought they were just okay. I've listened to 3-5 on audio and am enjoying the books so much more. I plan to continue the rest of the series on audio.
A few weeks ago I got to see Charlaine Harris and Johanna Parker. Johanna read 3-4 selections and was great. It was crazy to hear her reading the selections. I felt like I should be sitting in my car driving rather than being in a theater, lol. She is very talented. Also love Davina Porter who does the Outlander books. Don't know the name but whoever did One For The Money by Janet Evanovich was excellent.
I tried listening to Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer once, I couldn't make it 5 minutes with that narrator. I was bored at work and it was that or nothing, I ended up with nothing, lol.
Scott Brick and Jim Dale (Harry Potter) both read well. And Neil Gaiman reads his own books. he's really fun to listen to.
Megan aka *Mheghan* wrote:I tried listening to Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer once, I couldn't make it 5 minutes with that narrator. I was bored at work and it was that or nothing, I ended up with nothing, lol. ."I listened to Breaking Dawn with a male and female narrator and actually fell asleep. First audiobook that bored me.
SandyI didn`t know Neil Gaimon read his own books,I have to get some of his,I can`t wait to hear him
I just started listening to audio books this year in March. Quite honestly I spend too much time in the car and my to-read list is too long to not listen to audio books. I really enjoyed listening to Joyce Bean reading Cry no More by Linda Howard.
Now of the readers that I didn't really care for, there have been a few.
Flo Gibson (I've learned to avoid her, she scares me)
Juanita Parker
Ilyana Kadushin (admittedly, by Eclipse - I had either become numb to the reading or she had gotten better)
I also listened to The Lovely Bones with Alice Sebold as narrator. I found her reading to be very dry.
I am currently listening to The Help and enjoying all of the various voices that help create the story. I started reading this book but found it difficult to read the accents but listening to them is wonderful.I also love anything read by George Guidall...he could read the phone book and I would be happy. (He does not read romance that I know of though).
I listened to a Merry Gentry narrated by Claudia Black and really liked her. I'm now listening to Stephen Fry's The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and so far so good.
I can't remember the narrator but I'm currently listening to Undead and Unwed and I think she's ruining the book for me. Is the lead character supposed to sound like snotty teen? I'm having a really hard time liking her.
Penney wrote: "I can't remember the narrator but I'm currently listening to Undead and Unwed and I think she's ruining the book for me. Is the lead character supposed to sound like snotty teen? I'..."Hi Penny,
I read this book last year in August and had a difficult time with it as well. I had it on my Kindle. I struggled to finish it. If you have a narrator you have a hard time listening to, I can understand how this book would really, really be difficult.
southpaw285 wrote: "Penney wrote: "I can't remember the narrator but I'm currently listening to Undead and Unwed and I think she's ruining the book for me. Is the lead character supposed to sound like s..."Strangely it makes me feel better to hear you say that. It would really suck if I was missing a good book. At least I can listen to it while I do chores a be productive, so I don't feel like I'm wasting my time.
Penney wrote: "I can't remember the narrator but I'm currently listening to Undead and Unwed and I think she's ruining the book for me. Is the lead character supposed to sound like snotty teen? I'..."I had to get use to her pacing, and for the early part was slightly annoyed, but as the story progressed, I got used to her. She had plenty of funny moments. In the end, I say, Nancy Wu did a good job of portraying ditsy Betsy. : )
Yz the Whyz wrote: "Penney wrote: "I can't remember the narrator but I'm currently listening to Undead and Unwed and I think she's ruining the book for me. Is the lead character supposed to sound like s..."I'm still hanging in there
I think Nancy Wu does a great job of the ditzy betsy...I had to ask someone who had read it first if she was supposed to be ditzy, but when they said yes, I had no problems enjoying the narrator - but I don't think its a book I could just read, its an audiobook only type deal
Delicious Dee the book slut wrote: "I think Nancy Wu does a great job of the ditzy betsy...I had to ask someone who had read it first if she was supposed to be ditzy, but when they said yes, I had no problems enjoying the narrator - ..."Knowing she's supposed to be ditzy helps too.
Delicious Dee the book slut wrote: "I think Nancy Wu does a great job of the ditzy betsy...I had to ask someone who had read it first if she was supposed to be ditzy, but when they said yes, I had no problems enjoying the narrator - ..."I agree with you on this series as an audiobook only type deal.
and honestly i'm only listening to them for U books for the various months...lol! which means after August, I probably won't pick them up again until next June
Delicious Dee the book slut wrote: "and honestly i'm only listening to them for U books for the various months...lol! which means after August, I probably won't pick them up again until next June"LMAO! That's so funny, what is wrong with us!
Carolyn F. wrote: "I LOVE Davina Porter with the Outlander series. She does an excellent job."I am one of those that did not like Davina's reading, but I still keep buying the audio versions when they are on sale.
I agree with almost all of the posts above -- Yz those are my favorites, and Jim Dale is amazing, I am not going to repost everything you all posted -- but I agree. :)
Not PNR or UF, but I just listened to the audio performance of
and it is amazing. 4 narrators take on the different characters, it is truly a performance. Unfortunately I am at work and my work blocks out audible.com so I can't list the performers. I saw while shopping at audible.com this morning that Renee Radman is doing the Kate Daniels series
I also like Lorelei King, she does many of the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich.
I am on the fence about the audio version of the BDB narrations -- Jim Frangione
Romance Readers Reading Challenges
Books mentioned in this topic
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (other topics)The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency (other topics)
Uglies (other topics)
Sylvester or The Wicked Uncle (other topics)
You Slay Me (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Jim Butcher (other topics)J.R. Ward (other topics)
Laura Kinsale (other topics)
Anne Bishop (other topics)
Lisa Kleypas (other topics)
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Are there narrators whose voices you enjoy listening to no matter what? Are there narrators who annoys you so much it ruins the reading experience for you?
Drop by and list some of your audiobook narrators recommendations, and also the ones you think everybody should stay away from.
I, for one, is always on the lookout for a good narrator to listen to.