Audiobooks! Who listens to them?

13-07-2015 02:53PM #1

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?

Boring username · 13-07-2015 03:05PM

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.

Guy:Incognito · 13-07-2015 03:06PM

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.

13-07-2015 03:07PM

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.

tom tit tot · 13-07-2015 03:08PM

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

13-07-2015 03:08PM

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

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.

Menas · 13-07-2015 03:09PM

Deleted User wrote: »

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.

13-07-2015 03:09PM

Not a stupid question after all

eviltwin · 13-07-2015 03:11PM

Deleted User wrote: »

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

AnonoBoy · 13-07-2015 03:11PM

Ulysses read by Gilbert Gottfried is worth checking out.

Balmed Out · 13-07-2015 03:11PM

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.

Guy:Incognito · 13-07-2015 03:11PM

Audible was the service I was using.

MrWalsh · 13-07-2015 03:12PM

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.

13-07-2015 03:12PM

Deleted User wrote: »

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.

13-07-2015 03:13PM

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:

cursai · 13-07-2015 03:14PM

Blind People

Crooked Jack · 13-07-2015 03:14PM

Deleted User wrote: »

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.

Talib Fiasco · 13-07-2015 03:15PM

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

13-07-2015 03:15PM

Crooked Jack wrote: »

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

13-07-2015 03:16PM

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.

Deleted User wrote: »

Not a stupid question after all

Pft. Never such a thing as a stupid question.

Buona Fortuna · 13-07-2015 03:16PM

Deleted User wrote: »

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

Paully D · 13-07-2015 03:16PM

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

http://serialpodcast.org/

eternal · 13-07-2015 03:17PM

[Deleted User] wrote: »

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.

13-07-2015 03:17PM

Deleted User wrote: »

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.

Crooked Jack · 13-07-2015 03:18PM

Deleted User wrote: »

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

eviltwin · 13-07-2015 03:18PM

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.

13-07-2015 03:20PM

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.

Crooked Jack · 13-07-2015 03:21PM

Deleted User wrote: »

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.

13-07-2015 03:22PM

Buona Fortuna wrote: »

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/

Talib Fiasco · 13-07-2015 03:22PM

Crooked Jack wrote: »

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

biko · 13-07-2015 03:22PM

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

Audiobooks! Who listens to them?

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