Changing opinion on a reader/narrator

[Vic]

Had a post on another board (Ilona Andrews Forum - Audiobooks thread) that got me to thinking about posting this here. Another audio fanatic stated she read some reviews on audible for the Ilona Andrews Kate Daniels series and Jim Butcher Dresden series that we (over on the forum LOVE the books and most love the the audio) and was shocked at some of the negative views based on the narrators.

We on this message board ALL know that the reader can make or BREAK a book for us. We all have our budgets (I hope!!) so there are some books we get on DTB version/ ebook / abook. But most of us only choose 1 form for a book. If that form is audiobook and we are enjoying the story but the narrator grates - what do we do?

I mentioned that Rene Raudman did NOT do it for me when I first heard Magic Bites (book 1 of the KD) series. This was a series I read first and the voice just did not match what I was expecting and it was hard to hear. This fact applied to the audios for the Black Jewels series by Anne Bishop - my first audio in that series being Tangled Webs. I did not enjoy the audios. After some time, though, I loved these stories so much that I'd revisit them. Over... and over... and fall asleep to them some times.

NOW, I love the reading for the Black Jewel series and think R. Raudman does a great job for Ilona's books. I'm wondering if listening to the books over and over has given me Stockholm syndrome or if I've gotten to the point I can appreciate the reading without my own preconceived notion of what it SHOULD have sounded like.

Since I'm HAPPY with liking the readings of the books I love so well, I'm thinking it MAY be Stockholm syndrome... and I'm OK with that.

Any thoughts?

[Brenda]

Stockholm syndrome, hmmm, I'm assuming you mean that a less than favorite narrator, or one we really, really don't like, is holding one of our favorite books hostage?

So we must either give in to "their" voice for our beloved characters and learn to appreciate it in some way, or suffer never listening, or in this case re-listening to them again.

Very interesting and I very much want to be able to do this with Rosalyn Landor who is holding some of my favorite Historicals hostage at this point. I would be very OK with this turn of events!

We've talked some at SOA about this, training our ears to appreciate a less than favorite narrator so that we can enjoy some of our favorite books in audio, and you prove it possible with this post which is heartening.

I do find it is a much bigger issue in books I've read and loved before as opposed to those that are new to me.

My one example is now being able to listen to BDB being read to me instead of narrated. It doesn't give me the intense feel I received when I read the books but it is now a more than tolerable alternative so that I can enjoy listening.

I'm a big fan of Renee Raudman and consider myself lucky to have come across Kate Daniels as a newbie so I could match Renee's narration up with the characters from the beginning.

Very interesting topic, and even better, excellent examples of learning to appreciate a narrator. Thanks!

[Vic]

Hey Bren, can you move this post to the Narrator discussion folder? Thanks! ;)

[Krissie]

As I've said before I usually like Landor, but have more of a problem with Flosnik. I have just changed my mind about ... Tavia Gilbert, I think? the one who does the Jeaniene Frost books? I listened to the First Drop of Crimson and could barely tolerate her. Now that I've gone back to the beginning with Cat and Bones I think she's fine. Her voice is a little high-pitched for the men, and Bones's voice took some getting used to, since he was clearly a stand-in for Spike, but now I like her.

[Vic]

Krissie - I TOTALLY agree! That was the series I used on my listening challenge to give less than favorable narrator another chance. After I listened to book 4 in preparation for This Side of the Grave to be released, I got to the point where I could just enjoy the story.

[Brenda]

Definitely agree on Tavia Gilbert, I'd like to try her in something else now that I've come to appreciate her skills.

Vic didn't you say you listened to Jennifer Estep Spider series? Did you get used to Lauren Fontang? Gripes, she's annoying me no end with trying to start the first book. I had to stop.

[Diana]

Tavia Gilbert was perfect on my favorite Karen Rose series: Die for Me, Scream for Me, Kill for Me. It's a graphic romantic suspense series that is a 3 part arc. Each book has a resolution and a central romance but listening to all 3 is required for solving the Big Mystery. It's bloody and the body count is stunningly high, but it satisfies my bloodthirsty side. Daniel Vartanian in Scream is one of the finest, most honorable, truest and hottest romance heroes ever written. Gilbert voiced him exactly as I imagined him--tortured and steadfast.

[Vic]

Brenda wrote: "...Vic didn't you say you listened to Jennifer Estep Spider series? Did you get used to Lauren Fontang? Gripes, she's annoying me no end with trying to start the first book. I had to stop. "

Yes, listened to all 3 of these. I too had a hard time with books 1 & 2 listening. I think in my review mentions some issues with narrator. I really struggled to finish 1 & 2 in audio. I wasn't sure if it was author's writing style combined with the narration or what but it bugged the heck out of me. Book 3 was easier to listen to because I got into the story more. I ended up reading about 1/2 of book 1 in ebook and some of book 2. Good luck with that! :)

OTOH, hubby listened to it just fine and when I asked if he was annoyed by anything he said he wasn't. *shrug* I didn't get detailed on what annoyed me when talking to him because I didn't want to screw up his enjoyment of the audiobooks.

[Kaetrin]

I've only listened to Gilbert on the Night Huntress books but I quite like her. At first I thought the French accents were a bit off but we had a couple of French visitors at work and sometimes they're accent when speaking English was almost as tortured!

I did have a bit of a chuckle when in one of the books she said "rogering" (she pronounced it with a hard "g" as in pogo stick - it is slang for sex and has the soft "g" of the jolly roger - I figured she was unfamiliar with the word.

I haven't listened to any of Karen Rose's books on audio - but I do like her books so I might just have to check these out too!

[Kalena]

I love reading your opinions on narration -- so I know I'm not alone! I giggled at both Landor and Flosnik holding my favorite books hostage. Precisely! I tolerated them for the first couple but now I reject a book if I see their name.

My other struggle is with the very talented Simon Prebble. I appreciate his talent and he can read Harry Potter to me any time. But love scenes in my favorite historical romances? I love juicy sex, just not read to me by my Dad! Eek. Any one else?

[Brenda]

I love juicy sex, just not read to me by my Dad! Eek. Any one else?

Mercy, good thing I didn't have anything in my mouth when I read that one, I would have spewed it all over my keyboard when I burst out laughing! Definite ick factor if I start hearing my dad in my romance listening. :0

she said "rogering" (she pronounced it with a hard "g" as in pogo stick - it is slang for sex and has the soft "g" of the jolly roger

I knew that didn't sound right but thought it could have been me not up on my idioms. :) That whole scene was hilarious though ... he's laying pipe alright mate .... LOL

[Melinda]

I can assure you that Simon Prebble sounds NOTHING like my dad. Prebble can read sex scenes to me anywhere, anytime. All night long. Over and Over.

[Kaetrin]

@ Kalenav. In Australia there's a popular series of ads for beer - VB (Victoria Bitter) and there's this guy who does the voiceover who sounds, to me, a lot like Simon Prebble - so I know exactly what you mean! He's not my fave narrator.

[D.G.]

Now I want to hear this Simon Prebble!

I just checked his website and he's narrated a lot of books. Maybe I'll try some of the the Dick Francis he's narrated.

For some reason I get embarrassed listening to graphic love scenes - I've always felt that when you are reading a love scene it's just you watching while the two lovers do their deed. To have a 4th person in the mix (a narrator) is sort of disturbing to me!

[Kalena]

Melinda wrote: "I can assure you that Simon Prebble sounds NOTHING like my dad. Prebble can read sex scenes to me anywhere, anytime. All night long. Over and Over."

Hee hee. He's all yours baby! Now, I'll take Phil Gigante reading sex scenes to me any time. Yum. His voice is like listening to deep rich chocolatey goodness...

Kaetrin wrote: "@ Kalenav. In Australia there's a popular series of ads for beer - VB (Victoria Bitter) and there's this guy who does the voiceover who sounds, to me, a lot like Simon Prebble - so I know exactly ..."

I want to hear that!

[Vic]

Brenda wrote: "Kalenav wrote: "I love juicy sex, just not read to me by my Dad! Eek. Any one else?"

Mercy, good thing I didn't have anything in my mouth when I read that one, I would have spewed it all over my keyboard when I burst out laughing! Definite ick factor if I start hearing my dad in my romance listening. :0.."

SERIOUSLY! Need some warning before opening something that has liquid coming out of my nose!

And TOTALLY agree on not wanting to hear my Dad when having sex scenes read to me!

[Kaetrin]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rlIjp...

Australian actor John Mellion narrates this ad but there is just something in the overwrought way he says the words (like beer is THE MOST IMPORTANT SUBSTANCE IN LIFE) that sounds to me just like Simon Prebble. YMMV. :)

[Kalena]

Kaetrin wrote: "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rlIjp...

Australian actor John Mellion narrates this ad but there is just something in the overwrought way he says the words (like beer is THE MOST IMPORTANT SUBS..."

LMAO!!!!!!! Thank you for that! I had quite a good giggle :-) Totally Prebble-ish! (No offense to Melinda of course) I'm all over that beer though....:-)

[Melinda]

not offended in the least - to each her own. Prebble reading Julia Quinn's When He Was Wicked sounds NOTHING like the VB commercial to my ears!

and on another topic PIGS ARE FLYING OVER HOUSTON because - (and LeaAAR I think you might have tricked me! [j/k]) I'm listening to Julia London's Highland Scandal narrated by - wait for it - Flosnik, whom I swore off of forever not 1 month ago. And I do not hate it! She actually can narrate, she just seems to have the oddest way of interpreting British Regency-ish romance that I despise and loathe. I did love her narration of the non-Regency, non-Romance, Scots-accented The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox, after all.

[MaryK]

Melinda wrote: "I'm listening to Julia London's Highland Scandal narrated by - wait for it - Flosnik, whom I swore off of forever not 1 month ago. And I do not hate it! "

I know the feeling! Isn't it weird? I listened to a Quick by her for my "give a narrator another chance" Challenge audio, and it was okay. Not great, I definitely have some niggles, but not terrible either. It's so nice to be able to listen to Quick historicals, though. Flosnik seems to have narrated most of them. I wonder if the one that really bothered me was an early recording or if it was a producer problem.

[Melinda]

No, I don't think it's early recordings or producers - Flosnik definitely has read entire series (see my reading the 4 or 5 book Balogh Huxtables) where her voice irritated me beyond rational thought in every book, one of which was released this year. She just becomes annoying as hell with her mannerisms - drawing out words long enough to count slowly to 10, or 20, using that bored-to-death voice, especially for men, that makes me want to reach in my earphones and slap someone, and getting winded - or is it breathy?? - when reading love scenes. Grrr. Arg. Errrr. Growl.

[MaryK]

Melinda wrote: "getting winded - or is it breathy?? - when reading love scenes"

Yeah, I encountered that. o_O Fortunately there weren't many scenes that called for it. The drawing out wasn't too bad in Second Sight. In the one I originally tried, (Scandal maybe?) it was like she was keeping time to a metronome.

I think I remember your remarks about the Huxtable series. I doubt I'll listen to that one. JAK/AQ/JC books work really well for me as audiobooks. They're fun, and I can listen without reading them first so they're a nice break. It's good to know I don't have to completely discount the Flosnik ones.

I might check out Highland Scandal for curiosity's sake.

[Mara]

I have been listening to the THE SCOUNDRELS IF ST. JAMES PLACE by Lorraine Heath. I've enjoyed the series because Susan Eriksen is the main narrator.

If I want to listen too her next series THE GENTLEMEN OF ST. JAMES PLACE the narrator is Helen Lloyd and I do not like and I think her voice for the second generation of the ST. JAMES PLACE characters is to old.

[JaneA]

If I don't particularly care for a narrator I'll never grow to love her/him, but I can grow to tolerate them. There are a few narrators, though, that I've loathed and I won't bother with them again. So no, I've never completely changed my mind about what I like in a narrator.

[Trish]

The best narrator I've ever heard is Susan Duerden. She laughs and cries and whispers and yells and does every emotion possible. What I can't stand is when a narrator doesn't even try to sound manly and you know there's sex in the book. I have to hurry and skim over the sex because it sounds like 2 women and if I wanted a lesbian book I would get one. When I listen to a man and woman making love I want it to sound like a man and woman. Sue Pitkin is the worst I've ever heard. She should only do children's books. She's horrible at doing men and women's voices she's so nasal-y and squeaky sounding.

[D.G.]

Trish wrote: "it sounds like 2 women and if I wanted a lesbian book I would get one."

Hahahaha! OMG!!! You're so right!!!

[Dawn]

Susan Duerden is one of those narrators who I can get used to, but never have I immediately loved her work if I think of a female narrator who I simply loved immediately it has to be Davina Porter doing the Outlander series. When she did Lord Lovett with his false teeth out, I was a permanent fan. But I completely agree that I want them to at least lower their tone to try to make a male voice. I also want to hear them whisper if the book says the character is whispering.

[Lauren]

Cynthia Holloway is a narrator that I found very difficult to listen to - not emotion, no intonation and all of her characters sound the same whether they are from the UK or Texas.

Unfortunately, because of a pet peeve, I can only listen to books in the first person and Holloway narrates many of the series that I want to listen to. I managed to get through the Chicagoland Vampires until the narrator was changed (thank goodness!) and I guess I will just have to bite the bullet and put up with her narration of the others :0(

[D.G.]

That sucks, Lauren.

I listen to so many things that I rarely have to put up with a bad narrator. In fact, if I don't like a narrator once, then I rarely have the time or inclination to revisit them again.

[Lauren]

D.G. wrote: "That sucks, Lauren.

I listen to so many things that I rarely have to put up with a bad narrator. In fact, if I don't like a narrator once, then I rarely have the time or inclination to revisit the..."

That's usually the case for me too although I've learned to give a narrator another chance because of Jennifer Van Dyke. I really disliked her narration of Richelle Mead's Dark Swan series but enjoyed her narration of the 2nd book in Deanna Raybourne's Lady Julia Grey series (they returned to the original narrator after that but I liked her as well thankfully!)

[D.G.]

Jennifer Van Dyke is one of those I didn't like. I listened for like 20 minutes of one of her narrations and she sounded to me like she was reading the news.

[Lauren]

D.G. wrote: "Jennifer Van Dyke is one of those I didn't like. I listened for like 20 minutes of one of her narrations and she sounded to me like she was reading the news."

Lol! I though she sounded too old for the 26 year old Eugenie and she sounded really snooty and pretentious all the time. She was much better suited to Lady Julia and her male characters are great because she has a deeper voice.