What We Are "Reading": Audiobooks

What audiobook are you listening to right now? Share it!

(And don't forget to mention the narrator!)

Just decided to pull the plug on Stardance by Spider Robinson and Jeanne Robinson, narrated by Spider Robinson. The story was a bit dated and annoyed me in a number of ways, although I still find some of the concept (zero-g dancing) interesting.

Recently finished The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, read by the AMAZING Jim Dale.

Just started Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia, read by Kevin T. Collins. I'm not sold yet but I'll give it a bit longer.

I just finished I am Legend and Other Stories by Richard Matheson, read by Robertson Dean (who was a decent narrator) and Yuri Rasovsky (who was TERRIBLE).

Now I'm listening to The Mysterious Howling (the first book in The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place series) by Maryrose Wood and read by my absolute favorite narrator of all time, Katherine Kellgren.

I am listening to Bill Bryson's A Short History of Nearly Everything, narrated by Richard Matthews and following along with my ultra awesome special edition illustrated copy. I love Bill Bryson. He's also a great narrator, but only narrates the abridged version.

3: Jim Dale is my favorite narrator!

On my MP3:

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J. K Rowling and read by Jim Dale,

Vilette by Charolotte Bronte, read by Nadia May

The Coroner's Lunch written by
Colin Cotterill and narrated by Clive Chafer

Depending on my mood, I listen to these while doing housework and driving in the car.

One very easy to listen to, one extremely demanding and one in the middle!

Loving that Sri Paiboun!

Some days that is the only 'readin' that I get to.

Rosylibrarian - I cross posted with you and I too, love Jim Dale and his voice talents.

6/7: I too listen to audio books in the car. I agree, sometimes it is the only "reading" I get done on busy days.

I think I am going to re-listen to the Harry Potter books this year, probably closer to Christmas.

I'm listening to John Adams at home, and Michael Ian Black's You're Not Doing It Right at the gym. I'm not that crazy about Edward Hermann, the Adams narrator, but I could listen to Michael Ian Black all day long.

I always have an audiobook going. I listen in the car, while I'm working in the kitchen, while I'm when I'm cleaning, and while getting ready for work. I'm currently about halfway through People of the Book narrated by Edwina Wren. She seems to be the perfect narrator for this book.

Currently listening to Darwin's Radio by Greg Bear. Not at all what I expected but enjoying it very much.

>10 cbl_tn: I've listened to that one. I did not care for the book but I thought Edwina Wren was a very good narrator.

>12 norabelle414: I like it so far, maybe because it's a good followup to a book I read a couple of weeks ago, The Last Kabbalist of Lisbon. I didn't plan it that way - it just happened.

I'm currently listening to Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen, read by Susan Ericksen. This is my third novel by this author, and I enjoy the gentle mix of Southern quirk and magical realism. Ericksen is quite good as a narrator, too.

I also love Jim Dale. I recently listened to Liesl & Po by Lauren Oliver read by him and it is one of my top 3 favorite audios. He is just so good!

^I love Sarah Addison Allen's books and am anxiously awaiting her next. It hadn't occurred to me to check them out on audio, but then audiobooks are still a fairly new thing for me.

I'm listening to One day by David Nicholls, read by Anna Bentinck. I borrow from the library & listen in the car. I don't want anything too engrossing, as I feel I can't give myself up to a book when driving the way i might when reading at home on the sofa.

But it's good so far. the accent had me a bit confused initially, but I've got used to Em's voice. I can certainly remember those post graduation, what am I going to do with my life days. Still not sure I've got the answer, 20+ years later...

I just finished the audiobook of American Lightning. It was OK, but I wasn't that impressed with the story. The narration was OK. Now I'm listening to Deadly Night by Heather Graham. I chose it for the locale (New Orleans area, shortly after Katrina) and the scares (haunted plantation house), but I can already see the romance brewing -- which is not my cup of tea. I should have known, given the author. Again, the narration is OK, I guess.

I recently listened to The White Lioness by Henning Mankell, and that audiobook was superb.

Nora, such a great idea by setting up this thread :)

I just finished listening to Written in Red by Anne Bishop an unabridged recording narrated by Alexandra Harris. I very much enjoyed listening to the book, also I felt at times that the narrators voice was too soft and therefore made the main protagonist appear more frail then she actually was.

I couldn't quite decide on what to listen next and finally decided on a re-read of Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov. This book is narrated by Jeremy Irons who is absolutely fantastic in conveying this story.

> 11 majika I have read both of the books which I quite enjoyed some time back. Who is the narrator of the audiobook?

Bianca, the narrator of Darwin's Radio is a George Guidall, who I'm really liking. He's doing well with the heavy science stuff.

Thanks for the info majkia :) Oh yeah, I know George Guidall I listened already to quite a few books narrated by him and he is definitely someone I do enjoy. I am curious to see what you think about the book.

This is a great thread topic!

I am listening to the last of the Vampire Diaries Dark Reunion read by Rebecca Mozi. I don't normally like listening to books read by females (not sure why) but I don't seem to mind Mozo.

I am listening to Duma Key by Stephen King, narrated by John Slattery. I have been listening to this book for-EVer. It's not that it isn't good - in a Stephen King kind of way. I think it's more that I still don't have the knack of maximizing opportunities for listening. So far, I only seem to manage to listen in the car on the way to work or if I'm working in the yard, which - given the weather - is not often. I tried just listening while not doing anything else, but I fell asleep. This also happened when I try listening before going to sleep. Falling asleep while listening creates a huge problem with regard to knowing exactly where it was I lost consciousness and I can waste fifteen minutes or more trying to pinpoint the snooze-point. It is not the fault of the narrator either. Can't say that I don't like Slattery; he seems to be doing a good job. It's just me.

Only 7+ more hours to go...

>21 ChelleBearss: That's funny! I usually don't like books narrated by men. Their voices are so low that I can't hear them very well.

>22 Fourpawz2: JOHN SLATTERY!!!!

#23 - Is that JOHN SLATTERY!!!! - yay! or is it JOHN SLATTERY!!! - my God, what a boring bozo he is?

LOL! What a great topic - thanks Nora! I am listening to Oryx and Crake narrated by Campbell Scott. At first I thought he was not going to be someone I could listen to for an entire book, but I have changed my mind and find his style a good match for this particular story, which is my first Atwood.

One audiobook that I listened to last year that I would recommend is Heart of Darkness narrated by Kenneth Branagh - so fabulous!

26: I LOVE Oryx and Crake. I hope you'll like it enough to read her second book in the series, Year of the Flood. And then the third book comes out this year. I really like Campbell Scott, but I think you're right, he has to be reading a somewhat darker book for his voice to match.

I listened to Oryx and Crake as well and agree. Campbell did a great job.

Oh dear! It's a trilogy?

I really like Campbell Scott, too. The only audiobook I've listened to that he narrated is The Lost Painting and I thought he did a wonderful job with it.

I'm listening to The Orphan Master's Son by Adam Johnson - the narration is quite good.

***dancing with delight*** I just finished listening to The Coroner's Lunch by Colin Cotterill narrated by Clive Chafer and loved it!!

Dangit! The library has a waitlist for Thirty-Three Teeth! Soon, please, soon!

#25 - I see

I finished People of the Book earlier today and now I've started The Daughter of Time. It's sort of a re-read for me. I've read the book, but this is my first experience with the audio version. Derek Jacobi is the narrator so I fully expect to enjoy the audio version just as much as I did the print version.

Oh, Carrie, Daughter of Time was my first, and still one of my favorite, audios!

Just finished listening to Neil Gaiman's Anansi Boys. It was read by Lenny Henry. Sort of a sequel to American Gods. Very good story and characterizations by Henry

I'm listening to Something Rotten to kind of remind myself of what happened before I finish catching up on the Thursday Next series (Nora, I may be calling on your expertise to fill in details here and there!). It's fun, but I'm really noticing that what reads fast on the page can be kind of slow on audio.

I finished listening to Lolita which is read by Jeremy Irons. Again, I absolutely enjoyed the story and I think that Jeremy Irons managed to convey the character of Humbert Humbert extremely well. I also finished The Forest of Hands and Teeth narrated by Van Millon, which was also an enjoyable read.
I started last night listening to Blindness which is narrated by Jonathan Davies who has got such a fantastic voice.

>37 bell7: wooohoo! Something Rotten is my favorite TN book! Thursday trying to teach Hamlet to be more decisive just KILLS ME.

I've never listened to any of Jasper Fforde's stuff on audiobook (usually I read all the books way before they're released in audio . . . ). Who narrates it? Do you feel like you're missing out on anything since there is so much wordplay in the Thursday Next books?

Audiobooks are a double-edged sword. If you're listening to a book that might be a little boring, they're great because they push you forward. But it can be so frustrating when you want to read read read but you have to listen at the narrator's pace.

Also, I finished The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: Book I: The Mysterious Howling (it was great, but too short), and now I'm listening to The Wake of the Lorelei Lee: Being an Account of the Further Adventures of Jacky Faber, On Her Way to Botany Bay by Louis A. Meyer, which is the 8th book in the Bloody Jack Adventures series. It's also narrated by the completely perfect Katherine Kellgren, and I'm loving it so far.

> 39 agree with you Nora. I had that when I was listening to Written in Red by Anne Bishop. I enjoyed the book soo much that I got upset that I didn't have the paper version already :).
However, I find especially when I read chunksters such as 1Q84 or as such, that it is much easier to have a mix of listening and actually active reading.

I just finished listening to Dissolution a Matthew Shardlake mystery by C. J. Sansom, narrated by Steven Crossley. I enjoyed it so much, that I am now listening to the second in the series Dark Fire. Series set in Tudor England. I love audio books for the car. Last year I went through the Bryant and May series by Christopher Fowler, narrated by Tim Goodman. Loved that series - the narrator's voice of the main characters is spot on.

I finished Oryx and Crake, and now I'm trying to decide what to listen to next.

I loved listening to Defending Jacob by William Landay with excellent narrator Grover Gardner. I don't usually read legal thrillers, but this one kept me up at night to finish the hard copy. I'd been listening to the library CD while driving back and forth to work. Meanwhile, my husband was reading the hard library copy at home.

When I finished the book, I was so sad that I couldn't listen to more of the audio version. :(

Has anyone listened to Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell? I've read it but I've been thinking about listening to it and apparently the reader is wonderful. My only concern is how the footnotes are handled in an audio version. Anyone know?

>39 norabelle414: I listened to Lost in a Good Book a few weeks ago. I started out with the same misgivings - how well would the series work in audio? As it turned out, very well. I loved Elizabeth Sastre as narrator. However, she only narrated the first three books in the series. There's a different narrator for the rest, and apparently books 1-3 are also available in versions read by the other narrator.

I'm listening to A Dedicated Man, 2nd in Peter Robinson's Inspector Banks police procedural mystery series. The narrator has a voice that, to me, seems a little odd -- but I think he perfectly captures the flavor of the good Inspector and his environs. Of course, I'm just getting into that, and I came up on the hold list for Destiny of the Republic. The e-book format was available without a wait at another library, so I decided to check them both out and enjoy it as a mix of listening and regular reading so I can get everything finished before the library loans run out.

Great topic!

.. I just finished The Kitchen House - Narrated by Orlagh Cassidy and Bahni Turpin ... they nailed this narrative so well, I couldn't get enough of it..

I just finished The Poet by Michael Connolly. Great thriller, and the reader did a great job as well.

>45 leahbird: I listened to much of Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, and it was really well read. The footnotes are included, and if I remember correctly, the narrator says, "Footnote 1" or "Footnote 2" before proceeding on with the note. It could get a little confusing for some of the longer notes, if you'd lost track of what was actually going on in the story, but overall I liked how it was handled.

>39 norabelle414: I rather liked how Hamlet watched all the movie versions myself...
Emily Gray is the narrator, and I like her interpretation of the various characters. I would say for any wordplay that depends on the spelling, I probably miss it, but there's plenty in there that I can get. I listened to "Avoid the Question" on the way to work today, and it was really funny.

I finished listening to Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone read by Stephen Fry and I'm not listening to The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy also read by Stephen Fry.

I finished The Daughter of Time and loved it just as much this time through. Josephine Tey's ear for dialogue makes it perfectly suited for an audio version.

I'm about 15 minutes into Serena by Ron Rash and I'm not sure yet what I think of it. I haven't warmed to the narrator yet, and it seems odd to have a male narrator for a book that uses the female protagonist's name for its title. I might end up abandoning this one, but I'll give it a little more time.

>51 ChelleBearss:. I can't imagine anyone other than Jim Dale reading the Harry Potter series. He was wonderful.

Pottermore seems to be avidly pushing the audiobooks. When I was playing through the new chapters, random scenes were playing Jim's reading of that section.

I listened to about a half hour of Serena and decided I'd had enough. The reader's voice is wrong for this book. His vocal characteristics are similar to James Earl Jones'. If you can imagine James Earl Jones doing a woman's voice, you'll understand why I can't stick it out. I'm starting A Fatal Winter by G.M> Malliet instead.

***Yippee***

just downloaded Thirty-three Teeth by Colin Cotterill. Can't wait to get started!!

I'm currently listening to Escape from Camp 14 by Blaine Harden, read by the author. He's not very good, but the story is fascinating (nonfiction about a North Korean labor camp prisoner who escapes to China, then S. Korea, and then to the US).

I'm listening to the compelling Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson.

I've got Maybe This Time by Jennifer Crusie going. She is a favorite bubblegum author :-)

I am trying to listen to Faith by Jennifer Haigh, narrated by Therese Plummer. I like the writing, I like the narration, but I am very frustrated because there are only four tracks on the first disc (so there are about 15 minutes per track). I've been listening to track 4 on the first disk several nights in a row, and I keep falling asleep!

Maybe tonight I'll try to listen while I do some weeding in the yard . . .

I've got Old City hall by Robert Rotenberg, narrated by Paul Hecht.
It's set in Canada and he has a strong North American accent (no idea if it's actually canadian or not) and a voice that sounds like it's being dragged out of his boots. There seem to be huge pauses between chapters, such that I've thought the CD player's eaten the CD. The accent is also getting to me. His efforts to use accent in dialogue sounds off. Maybe an American accent trying to do a Kiwi accent is always going to sound very different from a British accent trying to do a Kiwi accent and that's what I'm noticing.

Kerry- I have wanted to read Before I Go to Sleep for a couple years now. Maybe I'll try it on audio, since it's working for you.

I just started the Year of the Flood, which is perfect on audio and so was Oryx and Crake. I think Atwood works in any format.

>62 msf59: Mark, I have tried The Blind Assassin twice, and the reader is so bad, that I just haven't been able to listen to it. I know that it is supposed to be good, so I may just have to read the hard copy. Or maybe I should just try downloading it again?

#62: Mark - the narrator has a really dreamy type of voice that suits the main character's predicament. I'm enjoying it. I was also wanting to read the book for a long while.

I'm in the middle of A.J. Jacob's book Drop Dead Healthy: One Man's Humble Quest for Bodily Perfection which is really funny. It makes my commute to and from work so much more enjoyable. The author is just a "regular dude" (well, he is a journalist practicing "immersion journalism") who is trying to be as healthy as he can. I "try", too. Sadly, both his and my health-acquiring aspirations have some issues. :)

While making dinner yesterday, I finished The Merlot Murders by Ellen Crosby, which was a decent cozy mystery.

I just downloaded Place of Execution by Val McDermid.

I just finished A Fatal Winter. I think the narrator would have been fine if he'd had better material to work with. The story didn't hold my interest very well, and I don't think it was the narrator's fault.

Next up for me is Macbeth.

I only lasted a few paragraphs of The Diviners before deciding the narrator and I were not going to work. I've started listening to The Battle for Spain instead.

I am listening to Dracula narrated by Robert Whitfield, which is very well done.

Today at the gym I started listening to The Great Gatsby, narrated by Alexander Scourby. I read the book in high school, and I liked it then, but I didn't remember what the writing was like. I'm already really drawn in, and I quite enjoy the narration style.

>68 avatiakh: That's too bad, Kerry, as The Diviners is an AWESOME book.

I will be starting The Scorpio Races on my long drive this afternoon. I hope this narrator is good because I've been meaning to read this for a while.

I'm listening to The Night Circus now. I don't read much in this genre and didn't know what to expect from it. I really like it so far.

Listening to Redshirts which brings me back to 'the day'. LOL. 'Avoid the narrative!'

>74 majkia: Redshirts is so funny! I bet it makes a great audiobook. Who is narrating?

Wil Wheaton is narrating so a double reason for going back to the day!

I decided to read a book by George Pelecanos, a local author to me (we both live in Maryland, USA). I'm now "audio reading" (my husband says this is not "reading") The Way Home. In addition, I took home a hard copy of that same book from the library so my husband can read it "along with me". :)

I've never been much of a reader of crime fiction, but there is in my library quite a vast collection of audio-books of that genre that I've never even looked through. I'll try not to completely overlook that collection any more.

I'm six chapters in on The Battle for Spain and need to take a break and look up the hard copy and do some actual reading or the names/places will all end up in a jumble. So I've decided to start my read of The Count of Monte Cristo by listening to the first few chapters, but as the narrator is John Lee I might end up listening to the whole book.

#71: Nora - I'll probably try reading rather than listening to The Diviners.

I am just going to start the 3rd book in C. J. Sansom's Matthew Shardlake mystery series Sovereign. Previous books were Dissolution and Dark Fire. These are mysteries that take place during King Henry VIII's reign. Quite enjoyable, with a lot of history thrown in, that makes them a bit more than just a mystery.

Well, The Scorpio Races was wonderful, story and audio!

I finished listening to Thirty-Three Teeth No 2 in The Dr. Siri Paiboun series. And I am on to No 3 Disco for the Departed. Thanks to all the LTr's who are ALWAYS talking about how great this series is. They did not lead me astray!

I just finished The Blood Detective by Dan Waddell. Very good!

My prior audio, Place of Execution by Val McDermid, was excellent.

On to Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca!

45 Totally agree with 50 about Jonathan Strange on audiobook. I listened to it first and loved it. Then a couple of years later I read it in print format, and loved it again, but I think I prefer the audiobook version. I enjoyed the way the footnotes were woven into the story on the audiobook; it made it that much richer and somehow more dreamlike.

80 Loved The Scorpio Races when I read it in print format, and I have it downloaded on my MP3 and will be listening to it one day soon. Glad to know it's well-done!

81 Isn't the Dr. Siri series amazing! I listened to all but one of them and, though the print version was darn good, I really loved them as audiobooks.

I've got In the Company of the Courtesan on CD at the moment. Mostly narrated by her dwarf who's a bit more than servant, but not friend either. Set in italy in the 1520s. Actually narrated by Daniel Philpott. it's interesting so far.

I finished listening to all three books in the Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place series, and now I'm listening to Watership Down by Richard Adams, narrated by Ralph Cosham. I'm about 10% through and it's excellent so far.

Finished Faith, started Night Circus, wish my library owned a copy of Redshirts!

I finished The Grey King by Susan Cooper & read by Richard Mitchley.

Now I'm listening to Bury Your Dead by Louise Penny, read by Ralph Cosham - the whole series is excellent as books and audios.

Finally finished Duma Key and immediately started The Oak Apple by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles. I really want to rush through it because I don't like the narrator at all. If I listen to this one at my usual rate I am afraid I will abandon it not very far down the line so I must accelerate the listening! Kind of like running over a bed of coals as fast as possible in order to get the torture over with.

>83 Storeetllr: - Mary
Dr. Siri - I am nearly finished Disco for the Departed and have just downloaded Anarchy and Old Dogs my these are good!

Oh, I completely missed this thread! Need to catch up!

- King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table by Benedict Flynn audio

*SQUEEEE!!!* BOROMIR TELLING FAIRY TALES WITH KNIGHTS! *coughs* and *contains inner fangirl*

From an adult pov it's most amusing for the things that are missing... *grins* Fun anyway. But as a German I'm better versed in the Niebelungensaga, so no comment on relation to actual research...

But I'm almost sure it's doing better than some of the movies...

King Arthur

First Knight

- The Lord of the Rings

- Just So Stories by Rudyard Kipling Charming, mein allerliebster Liebling!

- Sprechen wir über Preussen by Joachim Fernau I wish this had been translated to English, I'd love to talk about it with some people...

- Sharpe's Tiger and Sharpe's Devil by Bernhard Cornwell

- The Big Game by Rob Childs Football V. Important... especially when in the car with nephews...

- Flucht übers Watt by Krischan Koch heard when driving my parents to and from their vacation... good thing I was stuck in the car driving with nothing else to do, would have been SUCH a waste of time otherwise.

- Ostfriesenblut by Klaus-Peter Wolf How does crap like this even get published?

Just began The Rook - By Daniel O'Malley. Intriguing beginning.

Okay, started listening to Fried Green Tomatoes after someone (I thought from this thread) suggested it, but I can't find the post. So, if it was you who mentioned it, THANK YOU! It's just wonderful!

Mary, who does the narration of that?

Finished Colin Cotterill's Disco for the Departed - the ending was so funny and can't wait to get started on Anarchy and Old Dogs!

Today, in the car, I started Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J. K. Rowling. So far, as good as all the others.

Hi, Mamie ~ Someone I've never heard of: Lorna Raver.

Ok. Thanks for that. I have been wanting to read that, and I think audiobook would be a good way to get to it.

I'm almost at the end of it, and I really enjoyed it, but I have to say the movie really rocked the book! One of those films like Enchanted April and The Princess Bride that were, if not better, at least as good as the book, anyway.

I LOVE the movie! If the movie "really rocked the book" perhaps I should just leave well enough alone.

>97 Storeetllr: I agree, I thought both Fried Green Tomatoes and The Princess Bride movies were better than the books (guess that means I should watch The Enchanted April, too, since I really enjoyed the book...).

Love The Enchanted April and though I seldom say these words, I think the movie was actually better than the book. It was very faithful to the story, except in one key point, which twist (in my personal opinion) was better in the movie than the book.

I finally finished the audio of The Night Circus. The narration is lovely, but I'm not much of a fantasy reader so the story itself didn't draw me in. I'm getting ready to start Evil Under the Sun narrated by David Suchet.

I finished The Count of Monte Cristo which was a great listen. Can't rave about John Lee as narrator enough. I've decided to try a nonfiction listen this time so Six days of war is so far not too confusing as I'm familiar with the politics and names.

I've finished a re-read of Rebecca and a read of Death Comes for the Archbishop. Both of these were 5 star reads for me, my first of the year, I think. I'm listening to the audio of Back of Beyond. I'll begin The Juvenilization of American Christianity next. I'll probably begin a new fiction book also, but I'll have to decide which one that will be. I have a stack of about 4 that I hope to read this month next to my bed.

I'm not quite halfway in to Young Men in Spats, a typical Wodehouse collection of humorous short stories. Naturally, I got a notice that my hold on Leaving Everything Most Loved was available not long after I started this one. I've downloaded it and it's ready to go as soon as I finish the Wodehouse.

I finished The Rook which was a delightfully funny and suspenseful fantasy. I'll be listening to The Engines of God next.

Finished Anarchy and Old Dogs and am now listening to The Curse of the Pogo Stick.

I just loved Cotterill's characterizations. I feel like I know each and every one of them. The mystery is secondary, the characters are everything in this series. LOVE IT!

I am travelling to a wedding next weekend and will be listening to the last three books that I can access from the public library. I will have to figure out where to get the last one!

I am greatly enjoying Bloody Jack: Being an Account of the Curious Adventures of Mary "Jacky" Faber by L.A. Meyer. Thanks for that recommendation, Nora! Katherine Kellgren does a wonderful narration and the book is very funny.

I just finished The Cold Dish, first in the Walt Longmire series by Craig Johnson, narrated by George Guidell. I enjoyed it so much, I just went onto the library website and checked out the next audio in the series.

Started People of the Book last night. I was enjoying it, but, unfortunately, I was so tired that I fell asleep listening.

finished The Curse of the Pogo Stickand am now onto The Merry Misogynist!

I finished Watership Down by Richard Adams, and now I'm listening to Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks, read by the author herself.

I listened to Watership Down last year, 20+ years after I first read it in print, and enjoyed it immensely! It translated wonderfully to the spoken word, I thought!

>112 Storeetllr: It really did! According to the forward from the audiobook, the story originated as a bedtime story for Richard Adams' kids. That might have something to do with it.

I've collected The Italian Matchmaker written by Santa Montefiore for my next listen. It's been one I've picked up from the library's shelf a few times, so I thought I'd give it a go. Narrated by Juanita McMahon, who (by her name) sounds to be an interesting Irish/Spanish mix, be interesting to hear what the truth of the matter is!

My current audiobook is The Voice of the Violin by Andrea Camilleri. The narrator does a great job.

I'm listening to Karen Armstrong reading her Muhammad: a biography of the Prophet. It's interesting. I'll go back to Michael Chabon's The Final Solution when I finish it.

norabelle (@111) - what did you think of the audio version of Year of Wonders? I 'read' it last month, and when I first began listening, I found the narrator's voice a little off-putting; it felt as though she didn't have any feelings or energy for the story. But the more I listened, the more it felt like the actual character's 'true' voice; like it belonged with the way the character was written. By the end of the book, I couldn't imagine any other voice reading that story. And THEN I discovered that the author was the narrator!

Listening to The Kill Artist. The narrator is the same as the one used by Alan Furst books, which is a good thing as I like him very much.

I've finished The Italian Matchmaker Narration really good - she handled the accent very well and made the different characters distinctive. However the book was a tangled mess that didn't really go anywhere very unpredictable. Felt a bit like it had a lot of padding - maybe it came up short at first draft.

My next audiobook is Lolita narrated by Jeremy Irons - who's voice is the aural equivalent of chocolate - and seeing I'm on a diet is about as close as I'm going to get to chocolate.

>117 countrylife: I'm really enjoying it, Cindy. I had the opposite impression of the narrator at first that you did: I thought she was being too precious with her story, and giving it more weight and melancholy than it had at that point. But now that I'm further into the story her slightly depressing tone is more appropriate!

I gave up on The Zookeeper's Wife, read by Suzanne Toren. Her reading just rubbed me the wrong way. I've now started Cleopatra: A Life, which is read by Robin Miles and is very good so far.

I'm just starting Among Others by Jo Walton, the narrator has a lovely Irish lilt so hopefully i'll be charmed by it.

I just started listening to Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore* by Robin Sloan. What a fun read and great narrator (Ari Fliakos)! It's available at audible.com, but I got my copy at the public library nearest my house.

*-Zoe_ should like this book as it's about falling in love in San Francisco with someone who works for Google, and the setting of this story is a bookstore. What could be more perfect for her?!

>123 SqueakyChu: I was just telling Zoe she needed to read that book last week! But I don't think she follows this thread because she doesn't listen to audiobooks.

I already had highlighted my comment here on her thread! :P

I'm partway through Vermillion Drift by William Kent Krueger . . . and now I've lost my mp3 player. Aaagh!

I'm listening to Barchester Towers narrated by Timothy West, and loving it.

I'm working my way through Timothy West's reading of the Barchester Chronicles and I'm listening to Framley Parsonage at the moment.

Good grief, I have just stumbled across this thread.... how have I missed it until now? I am currently listening to Naomi Movik's His Majesty's Dragon, narrated by Simon Vance and loving every minute I spend with the book.

My previous audiobook, which I found to be a good one to listen to, was Tessa Harris' The Anatomist's Apprentice, also narrated by Simon Vance.

Yes, there is a Simon Vance trend to my current audiobook "reading". ;-)

>129 lkernagh: I have been mainly lurking on this thread, but have picked up some great ideas for my next reads. I always have an audibook on my ipod for listening in the car. Simon Vance is a favorite reader, along with John Lee, but I have several favorites. I am currently listening to Beautiful Ruins narrated by Edoardo Ballerini. It is an Audie Award Nominee, Fiction and Best Solo Narration, 2013. Quite enjoying it.

Because of Nora's raving, I started listening to Bloody Jack read by Katherine Kellgren. She really is amazing with voices.

I just finished Leaving Everything Most Loved read by Orlagh Cassidy and I'm getting ready to start The Invention of Air read by Mark Deakins. I don't think I've ever listened to this narrator before. i hope he's good.

>129 lkernagh: Oh, I'm glad to hear good things about the Temeraire series on audio! I've got Throne of Jade ready to go as soon as I finish my current listen, Reading Lolita in Tehran narrated by Lisette Lecat.

I'm in the middle of The Last Child. I think it's the first book I've listened to read by Scott Sowers, and he's doing a good job with the story. I can't wait to find out how it ends!

I recently finished Love Songs from a Shallow Grave Dr. Siri #7 and am now back to Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

I finished Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks (read by the author) and now I'm listening to The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller, read by Frazer Douglas.

I just finished Another Man's Moccasins, #4 in the Walt Longmire series by Craig Johnson. It was another sterling narration by George Guidall.

I've just downloaded The Man Who Smiled by Henning Mankell, #4 in the Kurt Wallander series. I hope the audio is as well-done as the last one I listened to in that series.

I'm also listening to Friday the Rabbi Slept Late which has a great narrator, George Guidall.

I'm about to finish Pushing Ice by Alastair Reynolds and thinking about listening to Baudalino by Umberto Eco next, it's narrated by George Guidall so looking forward to it.

Echo Burning by Lee Child. One of the last 3 Jack Reachers that I haven't read. Hope a new one comes out soon.

I finished The Last Child and I've just started The Devotion of Suspect X. The narrator for The Last Child kept switching how he pronounced "a" and "the" - sometimes with a long vowel and sometimes with a short vowel. It didn't start jumping out at me until the middle of the book, so I don't know if that's where it started or it just took that long to register. By that time I was too invested in the story to stop.

I just finished Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller, narrated by Frazer Douglas. It was AMAZING! So heart-felt and engrossing. I highly recommend it.

Next up is Winter's Tale by Mark Helprin, narrated by Oliver Wyman.

I finished Friday the Rabbi Slept Late and then started Saturday the Rabbi Went Hungry and I am almost finished that. These mysteries are cute and the stuff about Judaism is educational. I am having a bit of trouble with the sexist attitudes but they were written in the 60's.

I am also moving on with Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

I'm currently listening to The Man Who Smiled by Henning Mankell, narrated by Dick Hill. I've listened to several from this series, and I think the narrator is pretty much a perfect fit for these stories.

Currently reading Storm Front by Jim Butcher, narrated by James Marsters. Loved it from the get-go. No doubt about it - the narrator can make or break a book. I can see that now that I've got an audiobook under my belt where I absolutely HATED the narrator.

>145 Fourpawz2: I didn't get that when I first started listening to books, but now I know that it's all about the narrator!

I'm listening to another Walt Longmire mystery, The Dark Horse by Craig Johnson, narrated by George Guidall. He's just the perfect narrator for these stories.

I started listening to Winter's Tale by Mark Helprin, but I decided that it wasn't a good audiobook for my purposes and so I've switched to paper.

Now I'm listening to Across the Nightingale Floor by Lian Hearn, narrated by Kevin Gray and Aiko Nakasone. I don't like either of the narrators, but I actually own this one (and it isn't too long) so I will get through it.

Finished Saturday the Rabbi Went Hungry and also Sunday the Rabbi Stayed Home by Harry Kemelman and although I am enjoying the character development, the mystery, and the Judaism pieces, I am getting a little tired of the sexism and racism even though I know it is a reflection of the time it was written. Time to head back to Dr. Siri, I think!

I just can't settle on an audiobook at the moment, either the narrator's voice doesn't gel or I zone out on the story. I tried Time's Eye by Arthur C Clarke for a couple of days but the story wasn't my thing. Maybe it's time for some music.

I'm listening to Continental Drifter by Tim Moore. Narrated by Michael Watt, who has a somewhat nasal voice that is mildly annoying. So far the text is a bit of fluff but mildly amusing. Possibly it'll get childish as it progresses, but as it's for listening to in the car I don't want anything too heavy.

I started 1222 this evening, narrated by Kate Reading. It's quite good so far - both the story and the narration. It's been very hot here this week and it's kind of refreshing to listen to a book set in very cold weather.

>144 tymfos: - I just finished Henning Mankell's One Step Behind (7th in the series, and, coincidentally, one per month this year) and by this time, I can't imagine any other voice than Dick Hill narrating these books.

Continental Drifter did, as anticipated get a little childish at times, but managed to balance that with some interesting analysis of the Grand Tour, so I can forgive it the toilet humour.

Now on to Fame Fatale which has a hideous pink cover and is, thus far, a bit two dimensional. But as I listen in the car, anything too absorbing isn't the world's best idea...

I've been enjoying The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater, this is the first book in maybe a trilogy.

Listening to Assassin's Apprentice, the first in the Farseer trilogy by Robin Hobb. Reader (Paul Boehmer) is pretty awful, and I think it's his reading that makes the whole thing a snooze fest for me. Continuing because I've heard good things about the trilogy.

Listening to Sovereign, the third in the Matthew Shardlake mystery series by C. J. Sansom, narrated by Steven Crossley. I am loving this series, and the narrator is quite good.

I just finished Across the Nightingale Floor by Lian Hearn, narrated by Kevin Gray and Aiko Nakasone. The story was okay but I did not care for the audiobook at all. I didn't like either of the narrators and I couldn't keep the names straight.

Next up is Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan, narrated by Jesse Bernstein.

I'm enjoying The Magician's Elephant by Kate DiCamillo, read by the wonderful Juliet Stevenson.

Since we are RVing, I'm not getting any audiobooks 'read'. Just too close quarters, I guess. And I hate using earbuds or earphones. At home when Jim is off in his mancave, I can listen in comfort.

Finished Craig Johnson's Junkyard Dogs, narrated by George Guidall. Honestly, I like those audios so much, I'm thinking of getting an Audible subscription just so I can listen to the ones I can't get at the library on audio.

I've started Sidetracked by Henning Mankell, narrated by Dick Hill.

I'm listening to a children's book, A fine summer knight by Jan Mark. Quite good but I'm looking forward to my next listen, probably A hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy.

I'm listening to Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Coin, narrated by Kathe Mazur. She's pretty perfect to narrate this book, IMHO. I think I'd like the book a little less if I were reading-reading instead of listening-reading. Just about halfway through, and so far I highly recommend it!

Finished Storm Front a few days ago. There ought to be some kind of yearly award for best narration - kind of like the Oscars. I see a large sculpted golden ear as the statuette awarded to the winner (kind of an icky image, actually). If there were such a thing I would most definitely nominate James Marsters for the prize. I'm sure that I would have liked this book in print, but loved it as done by JM.

Started The Secret History by Donna Tartt directly afterward. It's only ok so far. Narrator will not win an 'Ear-ry' (am open to other names for the statuette) as it stands right now.

Charlotte, there are such awards: http://www.theaudies.com. Not sure if the actual award is in the shape of an ear, which would be pretty awesome...

I should have known somebody had that covered. Thanks for the info, Katie.

I just finished Hamlet this morning and I was a little disappointed with the L.A. Theatre Works performance. I think there's probably a better audio version out there somewhere.

Now I've started listening to The Postmistress read by Orlagh Cassidy. She does a good job with the Maisie Dobbs series so I have high hopes for this one.

Charlotte - I listened to Storm Front based on your enthusiastic post above, and you were SO right! My husband has been trying to get me to read these books for years, and so when you posted I thought I would check out the audio edition. So fabulous! Thank you!

Finished listening to The Small House at Allington and now listening to Gateway.

#168 - I really liked Marsters, back in the long ago days of Buffy, but in his new incarnation as a narrator of audiobooks I was totally impressed by his ability to give the Harry Dresden character life. I often wonder what to buy at Audible and it is a hard choice for me as I am constantly second-guessing myself about which books I want to read as actual physical books and which ones I will reluctantly compromise on and go the audiobook route. I will not have that problem for a while now, I think, as I plan to get all the books in this series on audio - or at least as long as JM continues to be the narrator!

Glad you are liking Storm Front, Mamie - Have you gotten to the Bob character, yet?

Yes! I LOVE Bob! I actually finished Storm Front, and now I am working on Fool Moon, which I will finish up today. I am actually very picky about audiobooks, too, as I can read the print version must faster than I can listen to it, but when the narrator adds that bit of something extra, then audio is a delight. I also love the narrator of the Rivers of London books - I'll have to go look up his name, but he is excellent. I checked those out on audio thanks to Roberta who said to get the audio - she was SO right!

*I'm back - the narrator is Kobna Holdbrook-Smith.

>cbl_tn I think you're brilliant for listening to Shakespeare on audio. I've requested Hamlet on ILL so if it comes in time, I'll be listening to that one in August, too.

I just finished listening to Heart of Darkness on audio read by David Case. That one didn't work well for me--I think Conrad's language got lost in Case's accent.

And currently I'm listening to Bill Bryson read his book Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid about growing up in Iowa in the 50's. It's definitely giving me some laugh out loud moments.

Streamsong - There is an excellent audiobook of Heart of Darkness that is narrated by Kenneth Branagh if you ever decide to try it again.

I'm enjoying the memoir My Beloved World by Sonia Sotomayor, read by Rita Moreno.

Sotomayor grew up in the Bronx, as did my mother and aunts (though a few years earlier), and it's interesting to hear her memories of the Puerto Rican experience there and remember all the stories I've heard of the Irish one. Apparently, all the nuns were mean, no matter which Catholic school you went to ;-)

I've got The girl next door on the go in the car. I can't say it's the best book in the world, Eve is annoying the dickens out of me - moves to New York with husband, is lonely, doesn't do anything about, has great idea to make everything better - lets get pregnant. doh.
Narrated by Lorelei King, who is doing a pretty good job of the different voices - chapters are told by different people and her English accent isn't toe-curlingly awful.

I've got an unplanned pause in listening to The Postmistress. The sleep/wake button quit working on my iPod Nano, which was replaced under warranty 6 months ago because the sleep/wake button on my original iPod Nano quit working. Aargh!

That's a bummer, Carrie!

I'm listening to Moon Over Soho, narrated by the fabulous Kobna Holdbrook-Smith.

I'm listening to Bartle Bull's White Rhino Hotel. Am loving it!

Getting ready to start Bloody Jack by L.A. Meyer, based on Nora's high praise!

I'm about to start the 5th in that series, also because of Nora, and cam vouch that it's a lot of fun. And that Kellgren is like some audio god.

Finishing up the last few hours of The Difference Engine.

I'm listening to Viva Jacquelina!, the 10th Jacky Faber book!

I finished Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J. K. Rowling which was good but not as good as the others.

Now I am listening to the first of the Chet and Bernie Series Dog On It narrated by Jim Frangione which is light and fluffy, humorous and very easy to listen to in the car. I recommend it.

Finished The Difference Engine and will start The Inimitable Jeeves today some time.

Finished Dog on It and have now started Slash and Burn by Colin Cotterill. I have missed Dr. Siri!

I've got Hill of Bones by the Medieval Murderers & narrated by Colin Mace in the car.
First time I've found the volume on an audiobook to be quite so variable. At times the description is quite quiet, so I turn it up; then the dialogue kicks in and can seem very loud in contrast.
But I like these books, they're a series of separate short detective stories that are linked in time by an item or a place.

I've started listening to The Art Forger which is great so far.

I'm really enjoying Always Watching, a book about psychiatry, depression, and communes.

I finally finished The Postmistress and I've started The Body in the Library, read by the delightful Stephanie Cole.

I've finished Illegal Action - which has a female MI5 agent as it's lead and was really very good. Slow burner that kept me guessing for sure.

And just collected Porterhouse blue with Griff Rhys Jones narrating. I'm imagining this might be amusing.

Just finished listening to The Various Haunts of Men which I thought was excellently done.

I recently finished Slash and Burn - not my favourite but still wonderful! Love Auntie Bpoo!! Now I am listening to Bless Me Ultima and / or Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince depending on my mood.

I'm reading Henning Mankell's The Fifth Woman (sixth in the Kurt Wallander series), narrated by Dick Hill. He is such a perfect narrator for those books.

right now, I'm listening to Amy Tan's one hundred secret senses

This week I finished Porterhouse Blue and it was very amusing. The voices were brilliantly done.

Next one is Platinum by Jo Rees, narrated by Laurel Leftkow. Somehow it seems less of a good idea than it did in the library when I selected it...

I'm listening to The Sense of an Ending read by Richard Morant, a new-to-me narrator.

I'm listening to Henning Mankell's One Step Behind (7th in the Kurt Wallander series). Agreeing with Terri, Dick Hill is perfect for the Wallander character.

I've tried and given up on lots of audiobooks in the last couple of weeks. Tomorrow, I'm going to start The Charlemagne Pursuit - I've got my fingers crossed!

I finished listening to Bless Me, Ultima and it was beautifully written. Young Antonio is wise beyond his years.

I finished the last Kurt Wallander (10th in the series), and was sadly surprised to see that Dick Hill was no longer the narrator. Robin Sachs took over for the last book. After living with Dick Hill through every episode, I found it jarring at first. After a bit, though, I decided that he fit the role of Kurt very well, and was happy with all the other voices, too.

Now I see that there is an 11th in the series, though it's listed in Swedish and only 3 members have cataloged it. After the 10th, though, I can't see where in the world he could go with it.

Listening to The Accusers, one of the Falco mystery series which I somehow seem to have missed reading, though I thought I'd read every one as soon as each came out, since reading The Silver Pigs back in the 90s. At least I am not remembering it. But I'm not enjoying the reader (Jamie Glover) so may skip the rest and jump over to It Happens in the Dark, the latest Kathy Mallory mystery which just arrived for me in the mail today from the Early Reviewer program.

I have been really enjoying the Andy Carpenter series by David Rosenfelt. For the Fifty States Fiction challenge, I had needed a book set in New Jersey and pulled the first one of this series out of the New Jersey-tag hat. But I enjoyed it so much, I've been audio-reading the whole series. Grover Gardener's voice is the perfect personification of this lawyer from New Jersey who has a soft spot for dogs. He does all the recurring characters well and his voice acting is just perfect for the wry humor of which this series is built. I love him in this role. I had just finished New Tricks, number 7 in the series, when I started my next Henning Mankell.

At the beginning of the year, one of my goals was to read one Henning Mankell a month, so when the Kurt Wallander series ran out, I picked up one of his stand-alone books, The Return of the Dancing Master, and did a double-take when the voice speaking to me was - Grover Gardener! I'm only half-way done, but he is doing a smooth job with the Swedish and Argentinian names and name places. I'm not quite sure how I feel about the seriousness of this book being read by a voice I associate with humor. I'm sure its just me, and if I'd thought to check, I could have put a different reader in between these two books.

Bottom line, though - I love Grover Gardener as a reader!

The latest audiobook up for me was Twisted Tree because I needed a South Dakota book. This is a book of interconnected stories, 15 chapters focusing on 15 characters - with 15 narrators! They all did their characters well; though I almost quit before I got much into the first chapter as the first character was a serial killer. Glad I stuck it out; the character studies seemed well done, though the topic was tough. And Grover Gardener showed up here, as well.

After finishing The Small House at Allington my next few audiobooks were rather disappointing so, to give myself a treat I've just started Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, read by Stephen Fry. It's a re-read, or rather re-listen, but it never disappoints.

I *finally* finished Oliver Twist, read by Simon Vance! It was excellent, but took for.e.ver.

Next up is The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater, read by Will Patton.

I finished The Terror by Dan Simmons (28+ hours!)> I am now listening to The Prince of Mist by Carlos Ruiz Zafon which is, at only 5+ hours, much much shorter, and I'm really enjoying it.

I listened to Being There narrated by Dustin Hoffman - delightful!

I'm abandoning The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater, despite the good story, because I can't stand the narrator! (Will Patton)
It's one of those situations where they just picked a celebrity with a vaguely appropriate accent and name recognition. I'm moving on, probably to The Prince and the Pauper, narrated by Steve West.

>208 norabelle414: This is what makes the world go round. I love Will Patton's narration of The Raven Boys which I listened to earlier this month. Looks like we both downloaded the books from the SYNC give-away this summer. Great to have so many books on audio to choose from!

>209 ccookie: I really had two problems with Will Patton's narrator. First of all, I usually listen to audiobooks in public and his voice is too deep to be able to hear over people talking/traffic/wind unless I turn the volume way up, which then hurts my ears. Secondly, he does not differentiate enough between the voices and so I had a hard time telling the characters apart. He might be a better narrator for a less dialog-heavy book.

I am wondering if the audiophiles out there can help me. This summer I downloaded all of the audiobooks that were being offered by the SYNC program

For four of the audiobooks I seem to be missing part of the files and I can't transfer them to my MP3 player. The ones that I am having trouble with are:

Carter Finally Gets It
Frankenstein
Jane Eyre
The Mysterious Howling

Each of the downloads came with the MP3 files plus two jpeg images of the cover and one audio shortcut file.

I am hoping someone would be able to e-mail me the missing 3 files for each of those books.

Actually, I think that the essential one is the audio shortcut file and I could probably do without the cover images although that would be nice. :-)

Thanks for considering my request. I appreciate it

If anyone can help I will PM you my e-maill address

Cathy

I'm listening to The light Between oceans which is really very good, quite emotional at times.
It's narrated by Noah Taylor, who has a nice burry Antipodean accent. but seems to be incredibly quiet. I listen in the car, with the volume at 8. For audiobooks it usually goes up to 9. But to hear him clearly, I'm up at ~ 15/16. which means changing CD blasts the eardrums, as the radio kicks in with no disk.
It's not bad, just mildly disconcerting.

I'm listening to Riders of the Purple Sage narrated by Mark Bramhall. I think I'm enjoying listening to it more than I would have enjoyed reading it.

Listening to Doc by Mary Doria Russell. It's a reread, and I loved it when I read it first time as a book. Right now, I'm in Dodge City, hanging at the Delmonico with Doc (John Henry Holliday), Morgan Earp, Eddie Foy, Miss Kate and other true and fictional characters who made the American Wild West so fascinating.

OH, I absolutely loved the audio of Doc!

I am loving it too. Last night (and the night before) I stayed up WAY late listening to it and laughing out loud at parts. (Remember the "wake" and the story about the horse on the second storey of the whorehouse? and the description of the town meeting?) Humor interspersed with pathos inside a realistic fictional account of a fascinating historical character.

I've got The last Sherlock holmes Story to start next, which is narrated by Phillip Glennister. Who I'm aware of as an actor with (or possibly playing) a rather sarf Lundon accent - so this should be interesting...

I finished The Prince and the Pauper by Mark Twain, narrated by Steve West, and it was excellent!

Now I'm listening to Rotters by Daniel Kraus, narrated by Kirby Heyborne. So far it's not great, but I'm giving it a little longer. The narration is good, at least.

I finished The Handmaid's Tale narrated by Claire Danes. She IS the Handmaid.

I'm listening to Border Songs by Jim Lynch narrated by Richard Poe. I grew up on the Mexican border. It has always been manned. This story about the Canadian border being newly manned is so different for me but is quite delightful so far.

The audio of A Land More Kind than Home by Wiley Cash was superb, with three narrators reading the three different characters that narrated the story. The only problem was a lack of listening time for me -- the book was so good, I wound up downloading the e-book so I could continue reading at times when listening wasn't a good option.

I just finished The Mysterious Howling read by Katherine Kellgren. As long as Katherine Kellgren narrates these books, I'll keep listening. I would have enjoyed the book anyway, but the narration turned it into something special.

I've just started A Christmas Carol narrated by Simon Prebble.