Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Hi there,
There is an issue with role permissions that is being worked on at the moment.
If you are having trouble with access or permissions on regional forums please post here to get access: https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058365403/you-do-not-have-permission-for-that#latest

Audiobooks! Who listens to them?

  • 13-07-2015 1:53pm
    #1
    Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    Over the past few years, I've moved almost entirely from physical copies of books to audiobooks. They're absolutely fantastic for when you exercise, for when you commute, and many other times. Audible has long since become one of my favourite services online.

    Does anyone else listen to them? If so, what have been your favourites?

    Yes, I used to think they were "uncool" and it was what my grandmother used to use when her eyesight started failing, but since they've become extremely popular, there's been a huge increase in production values, with some being incredible.

    Best ones so far -

    World War Z (& Lost Files) by Max Brooks, which is a full-cast read and features such actors as - Nathan Fillion, Simon Pegg, Alan Alda, Rob Reiner, Martin Scorcese, Mark Hammil, among many others.

    American Gods (10th Anniversary edition), which is also a full-cast read.

    Alongside this, the other great ones I've listened to have been -

    Girl With all The Gifts by Mike Carey
    Boy Who Drew Monsters by Keith Donohue
    The Remaining series by D.J. Molles
    Bird Box by Josh Maleman

    And that's just a small bit of my collection so far, all with fantastic production values and narration.

    So, does anybody else enjoy them as much as me?


«1

Comments

  • Closed Accounts Posts: 679 ✭✭✭Boring username


    It's definitely something I've been meaning to do, I think once I got into the hang of it I'd listen to them non-stop. I remember years ago when I was supposed to be doing my homework and they would have the Dracula audiobook on the radio, I couldn't wait until the following week to pick up where it left off.
    He dies at the end. Again.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 38,244 ✭✭✭✭Guy:Incognito


    I've listened to a good few over the last few years. Was in a couple o fjobs where I was driving all day and they were great. Michael McIntyre's autbiography was very good, as was Jason Manfords, both made better by both mens reading of them.

    By the same token I found a couple I couldnt stick with because of the persob reading.


  • Posts: 50,630 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Genuine question, and probably a bit of a stupid one, but what are the voices like on them? I think I'd probably enjoy them on the go if they were voices I could listen to. If I was irritated by the voice then I obviously wouldn't enjoy the book.

    I also think of them being read in the voice of a school teacher, rather than voices that suit the story.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 54 ✭✭tom tit tot


    I usually listen to them while driving, beats the radio. Game of thrones were my favourite but then I ran out!


  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    I've listened to a good few over the last few years. Was in a couple o fjobs where I was driving all day and they were great. Michael McIntyre's autbiography was very good, as was Jason Manfords, both made better by both mens reading of them.

    By the same token I found a couple I couldnt stick with because of the persob reading.

    Same here. Even if the story is good, if the narration is terrible I just can't finish it.

    Tina Fey's Bossypants and Amy Poehler's Yes Please are also well worth the listen. Fey's especially - she's fantastic throughout.


  • Advertisement
  • Closed Accounts Posts: 12,318 ✭✭✭✭Menas


    Genuine question, and probably a bit of a stupid one, but what are the voices like on them? I think I'd probably enjoy them on the go if they were voices I could listen to. If I was irritated by the voice then I obviously wouldn't enjoy the book.

    I also think of them being read in the voice of a school teacher, rather than voices that suit the story.

    The american voices are pretty crap, but the European onces tend to me much more palatable.
    You can normally listen to a 'sample' before buying an audiobook on line - well you used to be able to the last time I bought one.


  • Posts: 50,630 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Not a stupid question after all :)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 17,495 ✭✭✭✭eviltwin


    Same here. Even if the story is good, if the narration is terrible I just can't finish it.

    Tina Fey's Bossypants and Amy Poehler's Yes Please are also well worth the listen. Fey's especially - she's fantastic throughout.

    Both free on YouTube too ;)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 22,559 ✭✭✭✭AnonoBoy


    Ulysses read by Gilbert Gottfried is worth checking out.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,735 ✭✭✭Balmed Out


    I get the cd's from the library and listen every day on the commute, try to avoid anything high brow though as you don want to need too much concentration.


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 38,244 ✭✭✭✭Guy:Incognito


    Audible was the service I was using.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,664 ✭✭✭MrWalsh


    I just started listening to the Game of Thrones audiobooks read by Roy Dotrice which are excellent, although there is a sound in the background like people speaking in another room or a tv on in another room (or maybe someone else in a studio recording another audiobook) that is driving me a bit batty - actually I havent noticed it so much since I got onto book 2. I googled and saw quite a few mentions of it online.

    I like the idea of a full cast reading, next time I want to reread World War Z perhaps ill do it as an audiobook.

    I have a Stephen King one as well - a short book.

    The only thing I find is that if my concentration drifts I miss whats happening and its not as easy to go back as it is to go back a few pages in a book.


  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    Genuine question, and probably a bit of a stupid one, but what are the voices like on them? I think I'd probably enjoy them on the go if they were voices I could listen to. If I was irritated by the voice then I obviously wouldn't enjoy the book.

    I also think of them being read in the voice of a school teacher, rather than voices that suit the story.

    In my opinion, the worst ones are the ones that sound like people are just reading it, as opposed to actually getting involved, if that makes sense? Some of them you can tell really get into the story and this also gets you thoroughly into it too.

    What you could do is go onto the Audible website and listen to the previews that they have there, which would give you a pretty good indication as to what they'd be like.


  • Posts: 50,630 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    OK another possibly stupid question....

    Are scary books scarier when they're being read by someone else? I'm not a great one for supernatural horror movies for example, but I could read the books no bother.

    I'm such a child :rolleyes:


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,915 ✭✭✭cursai


    Blind People


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,678 ✭✭✭Crooked Jack


    Over the past few years, I've moved almost entirely from physical copies of books to audiobooks. They're absolutely fantastic for when you exercise, for when you commute, and many other times. Audible has long since become one of my favourite services online.

    Does anyone else listen to them? If so, what have been your favourites?

    Yes, I used to think they were "uncool" and it was what my grandmother used to use when her eyesight started failing, but since they've become extremely popular, there's been a huge increase in production values, with some being incredible.

    Best ones so far -

    World War Z (& Lost Files) by Max Brooks, which is a full-cast read and features such actors as - Nathan Fillion, Simon Pegg, Alan Alda, Rob Reiner, Martin Scorcese, Mark Hammil, among many others.

    American Gods (10th Anniversary edition), which is also a full-cast read.

    Alongside this, the other great ones I've listened to have been -

    Girl With all The Gifts by Mike Carey
    Boy Who Drew Monsters by Keith Donohue
    The Remaining series by D.J. Molles
    Bird Box by Josh Maleman

    And that's just a small bit of my collection so far, all with fantastic production values and narration.

    So, does anybody else enjoy them as much as me?

    Absolutely love them for when I'm driving on my own. Can't stand most of the shit on the radio. World War Z is an absolute gem and as a way of delivering the story, works almost better than the book. American Psycho is another brilliant on and I've listened to 1984 at least a dozen times while driving. They found the perfect guy for the Brave New World recording and Im quite partial to Stephen Fry's audiobooks, (except the new one, which is shit)

    With that said they'd never replace real books for me in a situation where I had the option of reading. Don't like them for exercise either, there's a huge hill at the end of my regular run and what gets me up it most days is 10% my legs and 90% James Hetfield shredding the absolute living fuck out of "Fuel".

    But yeah, love them when I've got a long drive, actually look forward to long journeys if I've got a new one.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,428 ✭✭✭Talib Fiasco


    I'm a very visually minded person so I have always struggled to listen to audiobooks. I only understand something if I read it.


  • Posts: 50,630 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    World War Z is an absolute gem and as a way of delivering the story, works almost better than the book.

    Sold.

    One of my most favourite books :)


  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    MrWalsh wrote: »

    I like the idea of a full cast reading, next time I want to reread World War Z perhaps ill do it as an audiobook.

    Do! The full cast read of World War Z and Lost Files are incredible, with such a high calibre of acting though, admittedly, the actor they chose for the Chinese roles is kind of a stereotypical one.
    Menas wrote: »
    The american voices are pretty crap, but the European onces tend to me much more palatable.
    You can normally listen to a 'sample' before buying an audiobook on line - well you used to be able to the last time I bought one.

    I've never found that problem, really. I've listened to ones both narrated by American ones by European and always find what matters the most is the story and the narration itself, as opposed to the accent. Also it would largely depend on where the book is based.
    Not a stupid question after all :)

    Pft. Never such a thing as a stupid question.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,507 ✭✭✭Buona Fortuna


    Genuine question, and probably a bit of a stupid one, but what are the voices like on them? I think I'd probably enjoy them on the go if they were voices I could listen to. If I was irritated by the voice then I obviously wouldn't enjoy the book.

    I also think of them being read in the voice of a school teacher, rather than voices that suit the story.

    Depends on who's made it. I think the likes of Stephen Fry does a few of them.

    Years ago I listened to The Time Travellers Wife in the car. Brilliant, read by a man and a woman, who just had the je ne sais quoi.

    Anyway really enjoying up till the point where he had died and his daughter sees him, but his wife can't quite get there in time, and ....

    FFS who's cutting onions in the car :o


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 28,710 ✭✭✭✭Paully D


    Not an audiobook per se, but I'd recommend this to anyone looking for something similar:

    http://serialpodcast.org/


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 8,867 ✭✭✭eternal


    Genuine question, and probably a bit of a stupid one, but what are the voices like on them? I think I'd probably enjoy them on the go if they were voices I could listen to. If I was irritated by the voice then I obviously wouldn't enjoy the book.

    I also think of them being read in the voice of a school teacher, rather than voices that suit the story.

    I've a friend who records for them. He has a lovely compelling voice. It's more naturally read I think rather than forced.


  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    OK another possibly stupid question....

    Are scary books scarier when they're being read by someone else? I'm not a great one for supernatural horror movies for example, but I could read the books no bother.

    I'm such a child :rolleyes:

    It depends. I've listened to two horror-style books, which would be Bird Box and Boy Who Drew Monsters. Both were pretty damned creepy.

    I'd definitely recommend Boy Who Drew Monsters.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,678 ✭✭✭Crooked Jack


    OK another possibly stupid question....

    Are scary books scarier when they're being read by someone else? I'm not a great one for supernatural horror movies for example, but I could read the books no bother.

    I'm such a child :rolleyes:

    Same as reading a book normally, wouldnt that depend on your surroundings? Driving in the car in the middle of the day with a horro audio book on, probably not that scary.
    Sitting in the house on your own at night with the lights off, probably pretty unnerving


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 17,495 ✭✭✭✭eviltwin


    I listen to them doing the housework and walking my dogs. They make a nice change from reading. That and podcasts have pretty much replaced music for me.


  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    eviltwin wrote: »
    I listen to them doing the housework and walking my dogs. They make a nice change from reading. That and podcasts have pretty much replaced music for me.

    Agreed. It's gotten to the point where Spotify is now one of my least used apps, with Audible and my podcast app being used constantly.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,678 ✭✭✭Crooked Jack


    Sold.

    One of my most favourite books :)

    Then you are in for a treat!! I'd actually be really interested to hear what you thought of it so PM me about it when youre done if you wouldnt mind.


  • Posts: 13,712 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Depends on who's made it. I think the likes of Stephen Fry does a few of them.
    Yes he does; my favourite is Stephen Fry reading one of the greatest works of Russian literature, Eugene Onegin

    The itunes/ mp3 audiobook download is available here, for free:
    http://fryreadsonegin.com/


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,428 ✭✭✭Talib Fiasco


    Then you are in for a treat!! I'd actually be really interested to hear what you thought of it so PM me about it when youre done if you wouldnt mind.

    Ahup gwan Jack


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 81,219 ✭✭✭✭biko


    I listen to audiobooks a lot on trains and planes etc.


  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    I've actually singed up to Audible.com, which is the American version. There's no region limitations like with Netflix, so you can sign up to whatever region you want and access wherever. It costs about $14 per month (I think), which gets you 1 credit to go towards any audiobook of your choice. Outside of your credit, you can purchase other ones, which would cost anything from $5 - $20.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 8,867 ✭✭✭eternal


    In the 80s they had audio cassette stories for kids. They were hugely popular. I was obsessed with them and you could get the book to read along with. Highlight of the week was when they came into the shop. Oh the innocence of the olden days :)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,640 ✭✭✭✭OldGoat


    Abridged or unabridged?


    /Worms/can/opens

    I'm older than Minecraft goats.



  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    Two of my favourite narrations of all time are Ocean at the End of The Lane and Anansi Boys, both by Neil Gaiman.

    Gaiman himself reads the former and Lenny Henry reads the latter. You can tell that Henry has the time of his life doing it.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,848 ✭✭✭Andy-Pandy


    I listen to them in work. Mostly Sci first and fantasy. Been going through Iain M Banks Culture series at the moment. Very enjoyable.


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,815 ✭✭✭SimonTemplar


    Genuine question, and probably a bit of a stupid one, but what are the voices like on them? I think I'd probably enjoy them on the go if they were voices I could listen to. If I was irritated by the voice then I obviously wouldn't enjoy the book.

    I also think of them being read in the voice of a school teacher, rather than voices that suit the story.

    I'm listening to The Girl on The Train at the moment and it is read by a professional actresses. It's great and she gets into character rather than just reading the text.


  • Posts: 50,630 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    I'm listening to The Girl on The Train at the moment and it is read by a professional actresses. It's great and she gets into character rather than just reading the text.

    Interesting, because I found that book pretty shyte, so I wonder if it would be brought to life more with the voices outside of my head reading it!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 9,622 ✭✭✭Ruu


    Listened to the Harry Potter ones (Jim Dale, great voice!) also have tried a few playaways (like portable players).


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,972 ✭✭✭Trond


    Might not be everyone's cup of tea but "Detroit: An American Autopsy " by Charlie LeDuff is well worth a listen to.

    http://www.amazon.com/Detroit-An-American-Autopsy/dp/B00CDVZIW4


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,118 ✭✭✭✭Cienciano


    Genuine question, and probably a bit of a stupid one, but what are the voices like on them? I think I'd probably enjoy them on the go if they were voices I could listen to. If I was irritated by the voice then I obviously wouldn't enjoy the book.

    I also think of them being read in the voice of a school teacher, rather than voices that suit the story.
    I listened to all of the game of thrones books. Roy Dotrice did the first 3, read them amazingly well. He did different voices for everyone and different accents depending of where people are from. He even sang bits. Someone else recorded the last 2 books, but apparently when GOT got big everyone demanded that Roy Dotrice goes and does the last 2 books, which he did!

    I find audiobooks brilliant for driving or on public transport with.


  • Advertisement
  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    I'm actually delighted that this is getting such a good reception. Was worried someone would go, "hur hur, audiobooks".

    Have we convinced you, whoops? Gimme a sec, I'll send you a PM about something.


  • Posts: 50,630 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Yep. I'm convinced, I've a bit of driving to do on Friday so I'll definitely give World War Z a go, I absolutely adore that book so it's definitely worth a go :)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 479 ✭✭armchaircoach


    Before signing up for audible or other subscription services, try doing your toe in the water. Youtube has lots of audiobooks, just search "audiobook full". Would definitely recommend the godfather, jurassic park, and the Martian (film coming out later this year). For any fantasy nerds or there you can also get full versions of LOTR and wheel of time on there.

    Only annoying thing is that youtube is one of the worst apps out there. Can't lock the screen or find your last stopping point, but it is free if you can refrain from smashing your phone everytime it randomly changes video in your pocket for no reason!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,427 ✭✭✭Dr Strange


    I'm actually delighted that this is getting such a good reception. Was worried someone would go, "hur hur, audiobooks".
    .

    Let me be the one then. I loved books as a child and love them as an adult. I couldn't imagine my life without books. I am also a book collector and the smell, feel and look of different books in their bindings from different times are just something I would miss too much.

    Also, I create the "voices" in my head and they fit for me, it would destroy my experience of the narrative if read by someone else, no matter how good he/she is.

    For me, books have to have substance and I have to have the better/favourite ones on my bookshelves. The look of the shelves filled with them also gives me pleasure, rows upon rows of delightful books. Yes, I can safely say that audio"books" would not be for me.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,815 ✭✭✭SimonTemplar


    Interesting, because I found that book pretty shyte, so I wonder if it would be brought to life more with the voices outside of my head reading it!

    I think so. The first person narrative, the style of writing and the actor's performance all sound like you are listening to someone recording their diary.


  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    Yep. I'm convinced, I've a bit of driving to do on Friday so I'll definitely give World War Z a go, I absolutely adore that book so it's definitely worth a go :)

    Great! If you like post-apocalyptic books, then these would definitely be worth the listen:

    The Last Policeman trilogy - how the world and society crumbles when a meteorite is headed straight for earth, without any way of stopping it.

    One Second After - an attack on the US generates an EMP blast that covers the whole country. Tells of the ensuing collapse

    Bird Box - Something is driving people insane when you look at it, forcing survivors to live in a world of darkness, forced blindness.

    Girl With All the Gifts - this.. I don't want to really go too much into as it's better if you listen to it for yourself.

    The Remaining (series) - A 28 Days/Weeks Later-type plague spreads across the world and it is up to one soldier to try and rebuild society.

    There, that should keep you going for.. maybe around 50 hours or more.
    Preusse wrote: »
    Let me be the one then. I loved books as a child and love them as an adult. I couldn't imagine my life without books. I am also a book collector and the smell, feel and look of different books in their bindings from different times are just something I would miss too much.

    Also, I create the "voices" in my head and they fit for me, it would destroy my experience of the narrative if read by someone else, no matter how good he/she is.

    For me, books have to have substance and I have to have the better/favourite ones on my bookshelves. The look of the shelves filled with them also gives me pleasure, rows upon rows of delightful books. Yes, I can safely say that audio"books" would not be for me.

    For the longest time of my life, I was the same as you. But then I was unemployed for a long period of time, which involved a lot of walks and exercise and, during these times, physical copies of books were just too.. awkward to carry around with you.

    Right now on the Audible cloud, I have 24 books in my collection, which can be taken with me everywhere I go, listened to across multiple devices - I can listen to it on my laptop and then if the internet is turned on on my phone, it will detect where I stopped listening and bring me straight to that point.

    I still have a collection of books, but right now most are just sitting there, gathering dust. And for someone that moves quite frequently, they become a hassle to lug around.

    Anyway, I'm not trying to convince you, because if someone loves their books as much as you, then that might be impossible.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,427 ✭✭✭Dr Strange



    For the longest time of my life, I was the same as you. But then I was unemployed for a long period of time, which involved a lot of walks and exercise and, during these times, physical copies of books were just too.. awkward to carry around with you.

    Right now on the Audible cloud, I have 24 books in my collection, which can be taken with me everywhere I go, listened to across multiple devices - I can listen to it on my laptop and then if the internet is turned on on my phone, it will detect where I stopped listening and bring me straight to that point.

    I still have a collection of books, but right now most are just sitting there, gathering dust. And for someone that moves quite frequently, they become a hassle to lug around.

    Anyway, I'm not trying to convince you, because if someone loves their books as much as you, then that might be impossible.

    Are you implying I am fat? :D Just kidding.

    Yes, that certainly plays a role, I don't have to move any more in my dotage ;)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,020 ✭✭✭BlaasForRafa


    MrWalsh wrote: »
    I just started listening to the Game of Thrones audiobooks read by Roy Dotrice which are excellent, although there is a sound in the background like people speaking in another room or a tv on in another room (or maybe someone else in a studio recording another audiobook) that is driving me a bit batty - actually I havent noticed it so much since I got onto book 2. I googled and saw quite a few mentions of it online.

    Aye after reading A Game of Thrones in paperback I listened to the subsequent books via the audio books read by Roy Dotrice (except 1 was read by some other guy) and they were very good. Plus while GRRM's basic story and plots are great, reading page after page of descriptions of people eating blood oranges and the like is a bit much, life is too short for that. Which is where the audio books are great, you can be doing other stuff while the waffly boring bits are going on.

    The Silmarillion by JRR Tolkein read by Martin Shaw is magnificent and well worth a listen,



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,647 ✭✭✭✭El Weirdo


    Big audiobook fan here, too.

    +1 for WWZ. Brilliant stuff.

    If you only listen to one audiobook though, make sure that it's We Need To Talk About Alan, by Alan Partridge. It's read by the man himself.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,992 ✭✭✭_Whimsical_


    Same here. Even if the story is good, if the narration is terrible I just can't finish it.

    Tina Fey's Bossypants and Amy Poehler's Yes Please are also well worth the listen. Fey's especially - she's fantastic throughout.

    I loved those two, listened recently when I was really sick and it was like having someone in the room talking to me, both brilliantly read and very funny, I'd definitely recommend them to anyone.
    Interesting, because I found that book pretty shyte, so I wonder if it would be brought to life more with the voices outside of my head reading it!

    Definitely the narration can make a huge difference. I find that I follow good narrators as much as good authors now, some narrators can make nearly anything good. Strange but true!
    Recently while being sick also I listened to a book called Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell. It is a story of friendship and love between two teenagers. It's something I would never have read but the narration had me utterly hooked, it was more compelling and more touching than any film I've seen in the last few years because of the way it was done. It wouldn't be my favorite book but it definitely has earned top spot in my heart as my favorite audiobook. If you're new to audiobooks or know anyone sick, depressed,in need of complete escapism and being engrossed I'd recommend it as a great one to start with.


  • Advertisement
Advertisement