Speaking of Audiobooks: When It’s Better in Audio
As an audio enthusiast, it’s thrilling when I discover that a book I enjoyed in print is even better in audio. In fact, when I’m reviewing for Speaking of Audiobooks, it’s one of the highest compliments I can pay. Such success is usually due to the narrator’s ability to draw me into the story even more than those scenarios that played in my head while reading the print version. I’m introduced to yet another facet of a character’s personality or the narrator seems to understand the favorable vision already planted in my head and brings it more fully to life. The interaction between the leads may be more fleshed out or I may fear a suspense scene a little more as I’m caught up in the action I tend to skim in print.
When I stop and think of just what books in my audio library actually qualify for the better-in-audio-than-print description, I am fortunate that there are many. These are books that received my time and attention both in print and audio formats. I can’t include in this list such narrative greats as Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander since I never read the print version. I can’t make an actual comparison of the two as much as I think I know the conclusion.
Here are a few of those audiobooks who make the grade in my eyes. A complete audio review of each can be found at our Speaking of Audiobooks Goodreads Mini Review Bookshelf.
The Spymaster’s Lady by Joanna Bourne. Narrated by Kirsten Potter.
After reading an immense amount of praise for the print version of The Spymaster’s Lady upon its release in 2008, I was eager to read despite my dislike of historical spy themes. Soon I found myself bogged down and doubting the far too capable heroine. I only finished the print book because I felt I had to – not because I was all that interested. However, I decided to give it another try when released in audio in 2010. Ms. Potter’s interpretation of the characters differed from mine just enough for me to understand the story on a whole new level and I found myself intensely interested in each and every scene. A new-to-me narrator at the time, Ms. Potter nailed the characters not so much by varying the depth of her voice but rather by accent and rhythm making me better grasp the background of the varied characters each time they spoke. It was a complete audiobook success and one I’ll visit again – not something I can claim for the print version.
Slow Heat in Heaven by Sandra Brown. Narrated by Dick Hill.
When I recall reading Slow Heat in Heaven in print all those years ago, I remember a hero who would have a hard time qualifying as such in today’s romance environment and a heroine who isn’t far behind. The story was big on conflict from a number of directions and my ever romantic heart wanted more time dedicated to the lead couple. When listening to the audio version a few years ago, my view changed drastically. Dick Hill’s performance is one I’ll long recall, especially his portrayal of Cash, complete with a strong, convincing Cajun accent. I actually accepted the rough Cash in audio much more readily than in print. The numerous Louisiana accents were easily distinguishable and as the melodramatic storyline shifted and gained traction, appropriate emotion and purpose rang true in each character’s voice. Dick Hill gave Slow Heat in Heaven life and he gained a new respect from me in the process.
As a Linda Howard fan, I have many favorites in print that have translated well to audio but three stand out as better-in-audio-than-print choices – Son of the Morning, Kill and Tell, and Death Angel.
Both Kill and Tell and Son of the Morning are narrated by the highly talented and versatile Natalie Ross. She has a way of making Howard’s romantic suspenses come to life in a new way for me and never has it been more evident than Kill and Tell. Ms. Ross does an excellent job distinctly portraying both lead characters and the pacing of her narration only enhances the suspense. In print, I was a little bored with all the suspense; in audio, not a bit.
As a time travel romance, Son of the Morning is a different sort for Howard in which the leads actually spend less than half of the book in the same time period – together (it doesn’t matter). Ms. Ross totally extinguished any impatience I may have had with that little fact while reading in print. She performs multiple male voices with crisp distinction and listening to Niall and Grace’s verbal exchanges was pure pleasure. With the audio, Son of the Morning moved from a favored Howard to a must-relisten.
For me, Death Angel almost stands in a category of its own. Many readers love it and just as many seem to not care for it at all. That is probably due to the highly controversial leads – an assassin and a mistress to a drug lord. Narrated by Joyce Bean, it’s another personal DIK in print (my AAR review). I first listened to the audio simply because I wanted more, more, more of this strange love story. Ms. Bean’s superb narration made it all the more dynamic by building the suspense while understanding each character’s strengths and weaknesses. Rarely am I moved to tears in a romance as I am each time I listen to Death Angel. This is a definite audio only repeat performance for me.
Anne Stuart has done well with the audio versions of her books and two come quickly to mind when thinking about this subject – Ruthlessand Fire and Ice. I eagerly read Ruthless in print as I anticipated the new Rohan series. I liked it – a sort of blah recommendation for sure. But when I listened to Ruthless, I really liked it. Susan Ericksen provided me with a new image of the dark, bored Rohan who is out to spoil the innocent, no-nonsense Elinor. In audio, Rohan was more of a multi dimensional King of Hell rather than the purely pompous character I imagined in print. Ms. Ericksen’s performance allowed me to hear as well the changes he undergoes that ultimately lead to his redemption. Since then, I have listened rather than read the subsequent Rohan books (Ericksen narrates the entire series) – all with very good results.
My experience with Fire and Ice has a similar ring. Reading the print version was only “meh” when compared to the other entries in the Ice series but after hearing Xe Sands’ performance, Fire and Ice lost all its “mehness” and moved up to my favorite of the Ice series. In print, I didn’t care all that much for the lead couple nor could I easily visualize the Japanese setting or bring the accents to life. Through Ms. Sands, I heard every accent, understood Reno and Jilly, and became totally involved with the fast moving suspense. Xe Sands’ delivery was perfection.
Sitting on my list of all time favorite audios is Karen Robards’ One Summer. It’s one of those hard-to-find audiobooks, but it can be found – usually at your local library or through an expensive used purchase online. However, there are those audio lovers who share their copies from time to time so don’t give up. For me, One Summer was a DIK in print and, if possible, a deluxe DIK in audio. Brenda and I often discuss our love of this audiobook and I’ve asked her to share her thoughts on One Summer today. I’ll close with Brenda’s words because I don’t think a better argument can be made for you to not only hope but expect some of your favorite books in print to be even better in audio.
“Reading Karen Robards’ One Summer was a distant but fond memory. When I discovered it was available in audio with Kate Fleming/Anna Fields narrating I wanted to hear it. Now I’ll be forever grateful to Speaking of Audiobooks for bringing it to my attention!
“What Kate Fleming/Anna Fields adds to this younger man/older woman scenario takes it from an enjoyable one time read to a fabulous listen. The layers Fleming pulls from the story with her interpretation of Rachel, a teacher with a position that requires a good reputation, her one time student who needs the job she provides in the family hardware store to gain parole, along with the inhabitants of the judgmental small town, not to mention Rachel’s uppity mother, brings One Summer to a whole new level.
“But it’s Johnny with his given attitude and voice, and that voice uttering his heart flipping revelations and desires that puts Kate Fleming’s performance over the top. It’s hearing every nuance of the emotions he expresses, resentful thus flippant – teasing and sexy – hurt or angry that brings me back to relisten time and again. Surprising when I’d never thought to re-read the book.”
Recent Listens
Me, Myself, and Why? – MaryJanice Davidson
Review written by Melinda
Narrated by Renee Raudman
Released by Blackstone Audio
Me, Myself, and Why is a weird roller coaster ride of a book. The genre is pretty indefinable: Over-the-top, outrageous black humor, completely un-PC with regard to mental illness, in a suspense/murder mystery, with what might pass for a slight nod to romance as a tertiary role in the book. And yet – I loved it. I’m just not sure what that says about me.
The heroine is Cadence Jones, an FBI agent within a special unit called BOFFO, Bureau of False Flag Ops. Every agent in the unit has a mental illness that gives them special crime-fighting talents: Sociopathic, OCD, agoraphobic, savant syndrome, and Cadence’s talent – multiple personality disorder. It will take a special, twisted sense of humor to appreciate this series – Cadence and her “sisters” tackle crime as a unit.
Narrator Renee Raudman manages to make it work in a humorous yet creepy way. All of one agent’s inner dialogue is done to the tune of The Wheels On The Bus Go Round and Round and Raudman’s willful-child almost tuneless singing is about as creepy as it can get. She injects a Midwestern twang into Cadence and a brisk, no-nonsense dry sarcasm into yet another of the sister agents. Each chapter starts (sometimes in mid-sentence) when a different sister takes over but Raudman needs no such artifice as she gives every character totally distinct and recognizable voices. The delivery is pure genius and I found myself laughing out loud at what might otherwise have made my skin crawl.
The slight nod to romance is introduced when Cadence’s best friend introduces her to older brother Patrick. There’s a date, in which each of the sisters participates, but really, this relationship takes a back seat to the rest of the plotlines going through the book. Read at your own risk.
Fatal Affair – Marie Force
Review written by Diana
Narrated by Erin Moon
Since I’ve worked and lived in Washington, D.C . for years, I was excited to learn that Marie Force had set her romantic suspense series here. Along with anticipation comes the dread that another author will play bad, bad games with my city’s geography and culture. Happily, Force is very familiar with the District and the pervasive influence of the Feds, and it shows. Not only did she not put that mythical metro stop in Georgetown (there isn’t one, don’t ask), her depiction of life in the Capitol Hill neighborhood is spot on.
Fatal Affair is the first in a series with DCPD detective sergeant Samantha Holland and senate politico Nick Cappuano, and it’s a hummer. Sam catches a big case when the young, dynamic junior senator from Virginia, John O’Conner, is found in his Watergate apartment, dismembered and very dead. Lorena Bobbit jokes aside, Sam proceeds on the assumption that it is a crime of passion and begins an investigation into the senator’s hidden private life. Complicating matters, the senator’s chief of staff and closest friend, Nick, is the man who, one perfect night six years ago, made mad, sweet love to Sam and…never called. The Big Mis is quickly resolved when Nick protests that his calls were intercepted by Sam’s obnoxious roommate who is now her obnoxious ex-husband.
Narrator Erin Moon sounds very young. It took a while for her to grow on me, but she won me over. Her hero voice is noticeably better in the second half of the audiobook (I confirmed this with a second listen.), which begs the question, shouldn’t voice actors rehearse and decide on a “voice” before they record? Her Sam voice is great, though – irreverent and just a bit cocky. Freddy, the young rookie Sam mentors, is saddled with a doofus voice, and I found that jarring and not really fair to Freddy.
I immediately went to Audible to buy the next in the series and was met with an unpleasant surprise. No more Erin Moon! In fact, all three books in the series have different narrators. That’s the kiss of death for me. Changing narrators in a series with the same characters is dumb. I kinda want to shout that.
Canyons of Night– Jayne Castle
Review written by Brenda
Narrated by Joyce Bean
Charlotte Enright and Slade Attridge have both returned to Rainshadow Island after fifteen years away. For Slade it’s a stopgap measure. He’s losing the psychic abilities that made him a top FBPI agent and he’s planning out a new career before they completely disappear. Charlotte’s odd psychic ability has been a burden although it has helped her become a successful antiquities dealer. Slade and Charlotte join forces after a man is killed by paranormal means in her antique shop.
In Canyons of Night Jayne Castle has added a new locale along with some new psychic talents to her Ghosthunter series. Although this book is the third installment of The Looking Glass trilogy and the eighth book set in the futuristic world of Harmony, it would standalone well enough.
With this author, it is dialogue, at times very humorous, that takes you through the story. There is little to no hindrance in the development of the romance, the couple flows into a relationship while trying to find the killer. And we get another great dust bunny sidekick, Rex! The dust bunnies are highly entertaining additions to this series. I was actually surprised by the revelation of the bad guy in this one.
I consider Joyce Bean a narrator I can count on. She is consistently good to excellent. While I’ve had a rare quibble with a character’s voice in the past, I have yet to be disappointed by her feel for a story nor her ability to deliver it flawlessly. She is skilled in the large variety of voices she uses and I appreciate that her men always sound like men.
With the introduction of the mysterious Preserve on Rainshadow Island and newly developing psychic talents, Castle has paved the way for more books set in the series.
The Ideal Man – Julie Garwood
Review written by Melinda
Narrated by Christine Traister
Dr. Eleanor Sullivan was a child prodigy with an abusive stalker at age eleven. Raised hidden away from the stalker, she became a brilliant surgeon younger than Doogie Howser. She must soon attend the wedding of her sister to her former fiancé. She witnessed a crime and now there’s a hit out on her. And the referenced stalker, recently released from a mental institution, is on the loose and gunning for her. Literally.
What this girl needs is the ideal man. He must be imposing, brooding, handsome, and carry a gun. (check) In fact, how great would it be if he were FBI, chasing the villains already? (check) He needs to take one look at her, growl and say mine, but not be a shape-shifter. (check) And he needs to make that ex-fiancé look like a real pantywaist! (Check!) Yes, into young Ellie’s life comes Max, FBI, who must become attached at the hip to prevent anything bad from harming the mother of his future children.
You are probably thinking there are some exciting car chases scenes, some edge-of-the-seat nail-biting scenes with the killer behind the door, or some thrilling, athletic sex scenes. Probably the only thing you aren’t expecting is my one-word review: Boring.
Garwood is a hit-and-miss author for me but this one didn’t even cross the plate with its meandering plotline, extraneous scenes that mean nothing, repetitive, eye-roll-inducing platitudes about Ellie’s brilliance, and a couple of way TSTL moments. And I haven’t even begun reviewing the narration.
Traister was new to me in the 2010 unabridged recording of Linda Howard’s classic, Mackenzie’s Mountain. At the time, I thought she needed to learn the value of pauses since she seemed to just barrel through. In The Ideal Man, she has learned how to pause, but not the value of pauses. It sounded as if she were doing a cold reading and just paused from time to time – mid-phrase, mid-thought. Basically her reading could also be summed up in one word – boring.
Crocodile on the Sandbank – Elizabeth Peters
Review written by LinnieGayl
Narrated by Susan O’Malley
Released by Blackstone Audio
I reviewed Crocodile on the Sandbank for AAR, granting it DIK status. It’s a historical mystery and the first in a series set in the late 1890s to early 1920s. The relationships between the main characters, and in particular Amelia Peabody and her beloved Emerson, are at the heart and soul of the series.
Amelia Peabody an independent, intelligent English woman has recently inherited a large sum of money and is off to see the ancient sites of Italy and Egypt. In Rome she encounters Evelyn who is in dire straits. Amelia rescues her and brings her along to Egypt. It’s in Egypt that Amelia first encounters archaeologist Radcliff Emerson. There, they battle a variety of villains including a mysterious mummy, and of course, fall in love.
I was eager to review this audio version. There’s a lot of disagreement within the mystery community over the narrations of Barbara Rosenblat and Susan O’Malley, with most readers strongly preferring one over the other. I had previously listened to several books in the series narrated by Ms. Rosenblat and loved them. She brings life – and a unique voice – to each character. Her narrations made me love some of the books in the series even more than my original read of the print versions. After listening to this version, I’d have to say that I’m firmly in the Barbara Rosenblat camp.
Ms. O’Malley has a pleasant voice, but the narration and virtually all of the characters, are performed with American accents. As all of the major characters are English, this was jarring. In fact, some of the characters sounded as if they had U.S. western accents. If you’ve listened to any of Barbara Rosenblat’s narrations, this is going to be very disturbing. The only major character given a non-American accent is Evelyn’s former Italian lover and his voice is so over-the-top, so smarmy, that you have to question Evelyn’s intelligence in ever getting involved with him. At times I thought Ms. O’Malley’s version of Amelia sounded too young. While Amelia is only 32, she didn’t sound as demanding and assured as her written character.
After a few hours I settled into the narration, and once again was sucked into the story. I still love Crocodile on the Sandbank, but would recommend trying to locate a version by Barbara Rosenblat rather than Susan O’Malley.
Time for Your Thoughts
What books do you think were better in audio than in print?
Have you listened any of the books discussed today as those better in audio? What are your thoughts?
Have you listened to one or more of the books reviewed today? What you’re your thoughts?
And as always, do you have any recent audiobook successes or failures to share with us?
Ending Notes
We now have a list of all our Mini Reviews from our Speaking of Audiobooks columns over at our Goodreads group. There are 171 romance audio reviews for your perusal.
I’m announcing news for the Speaking of Audiobooks column and other audio tidbits on Twitter – look for SpeakingofAudio (formerly LeaAAR).
For those new to our Speaking of Audiobooks column, be sure to check out our audio archives for further recommendations and discussions.
Our Speaking of Audiobooks Goodreads group keeps growing and we now have 143 members. It’s easy to join and it’s a great place for discussion in between our columns.
Enjoy your listening!
– Lea Hensley
Hmmm, I’ll have to do some research but I think I remember that Conlin did it first so the neeeeeded Rosenblatt to resurrected a very entertaining series. :)
Since I read and listen both I have divided my audiobooks into different categories. Those that deliver well and I”m more than happy to listen to instead of read the second time around. There there are those that equal the story in the way I read it, I’m a very vivid reader, they are awesome! Hearing a story for me is visualizing it and hearing it in full technicolor. The narrations that can equal what I’ve seen or heard on my own”” and then can surpass what I “”see/hear”” blow me away and become my absolute favorites – I must re-listen. Then there are those that change my perception of a book I was not that happy with at the end. Those are few a far between, it’s a very short list, I consider them works of art if they can actually change my mind after I’ve read it and put my own “” really it wrapped like that?”” at the end.
I’m just wondering – why did they re-record the Amelia Peabody series when Rosenblat’s version is so wonderful?
I might be the outlier here. I loved The Spymaster’s Lady in print. While I ended up thinking the audio was very good, it didn’t beat the paper version for me. It threw me that Kirsten Potter is American. She did great accents but the narrative was with her own accent – but all the characters were English or French. I clearly “”heard”” British and French accents in my head when I read the book.
Similarly with Ruthless, I adored Rohan and the whole shebang in print but I struggled a little with the audio. I identify Susan Ericksen so strongly with the (awesome) In Death series, it was hard for me to “”accept”” her in this. Plus I thought her British accent slipped from time to time.
OTOH, I think the Outlander series is enhanced by Davina Porter’s narration. She emphasizes things differently sometimes in a way I’d never have thought to do and it just adds icing to an already compelling story.
I’d vote for the Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews and Blue Eyed Devil by Lisa Kleypas as being even better on audio – and they were certainly no slouches in print! As for the In Death series, I can honestly say that I generally enjoy then equally in either medium, but now I do “”hear”” Ericksen’s swoonworthy Roarke when I’m reading the paper versions!
Some of the others mentioned, I either haven’t read or have only read/listened to one version, not both, so I can’t compare. I will say I’m generally more likely to prefer the version I try first. It’s not a hard and fast rule, but most commonly, if I listen first, I will prefer the audio and vice versa. Of course, if I don’t like the first version, I’m not likely to try a second one!
So much to say … but Ill be brief… HA!
@LinnieGayle – I agree 100% with your review of Crocodile on a Sandbank – Rosenblatt may have made Emerson a bit too blustery … but she is perfection in every other way with this series. ESPECIALLY compared to Grace Conlin.
@Melinda, I can see Raudman making that nutty MJD story work. :) And I agree Christina Traister was downright boring as a narrator for the Ideal Man … but having read the book first I have more of an appreciation for the story itself – waving my love of easy going hookups here, though the too perfect heroine aspect became grating at times ….
@Diana my DIL’s sister lives and works in DC, she would so totally agree with you on getting the setting right, I’ll have to try it. It helps that Kindle is offering a free e-book by Marie Force from this series, at least today, that can help set me up with the feel.
@Anne – I agree, an author knows what she is putting out there with her characters and her writing ability, she knows exactly how they should be be interrupted by readers. You give us everything we need…. Unfortunately we don’t all have the skill or innovation when reading ourselves to make the picture complete, so many a narrator can make pure gold from the written word, even if the author has already supplied all that should be obvious in the first place. And absolutely yes, Kudos Xe, Reno and Jilly truly rock with your delivery!
@Terri – totally agree The first three books in the Fever series are narrated by Joyce Bean who does an outstanding job with both the male and female characters. However, the last two books (Dreamfever and Shadowfever) are simply ear candy! Natalie Ross teams up with Phil Gigante, and together, they rock the narration!
@Vic, you’ve nailed JD Roob in audio, Susan Erickson brings it to life in ways I never could have. Although reading them first helped me get to know Eve and appreciate her attitudes and motivations better beforehand.
Um, I messed up somewhere because Canyon’s of Night was narrated by Joyce Bean – not Renee Raudman
Last but not least … a favorite scene from One Summer … while AF’s delivery of Johnny truly makes this book in som many ways Rachel’s pain in the behind mother, Elisabeth, surprisingly shows the deep love she has for her daughter just about the time you’d like to kick her. The scene is masterfully portrayed by Kate Flemming …. Johnny has come to dinner at the family home, Rachel is outside when her mother confronts this supposed scoundrel ..
“”You must know that I have strong misgivings about your relationship with Rachel. She is convinced that you are not a murderer, and at this point I must go along with her admittedly better-informed view of you”” Elisabeth’s chin came up, her eyes flashed, and she took a few purposeful steps forward, pointing a menacing index finger straight at Johnny’s Harris nose. “”But let me warn you, sirrah, that should any harm befall my daughter while she is seeing you , I will hold you responsible, no matter what the police of the courts or anyone else might say. And I will get my husbands gun and seek you out and shoot you myself. I’m an old woman, my life is almost done, and I have very little to lose by doing so. So you may believe that I mean precisely what I say. Is that perfectly clear?
Reading that scene and the follow up is nothing compared to hearing it I assure you – a platinum delivery!!
Books that I’ve enjoyed more in audio vs. print:
* JD Robb’s In Death Series (Susan Ericksen) – I think the books are really good in print but listening – this is to me the epitome of what a narrator can do for books – bringing out the snarky, self-deprecating humor and insecurities for Eve (esp. early on in the series)
* Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series (Davina Porter) – yes, I’ve read the entire series plus listening but the margin for better is fairly narrow, but maybe that’s because I now have Davina’s voice in my head when reading. D Porter embodies the characters in this series and I can’t express enough how much her narration has deepened my enjoyment.
* JK Rowling’s Harry Potter series (Jim Dale) – OMG – LOVED this series in audio have listened to it so much …
* Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files series (James Marsters) – This series is great for Urban Fantasy in book form but the audio is off the hook. Maybe that’s because I was a Buffy the Vampire Slayer addict and loved hearing Spike read this series.
There’s also the fact that it’s really annoying to hear a book in an accent other than your own. I’m not American, and I certainly don’t read with an American accent in my head. I don’t enjoy hearing books read to me with American pronunciation – especially when the book is set somewhere other than the United States!
I’ve never had a good experience with an audiobook. The readers always speak FAR too slowly and make me feel like I’m in a trance. I’m a fast reader and don’t have the patience for being told a story at a snail’s pace.
I’ve listened to a few Amanda Quick audio and wasn’t too thrilled yet loved every Nalini Singh I’ve listened to; in fact I just ordered her latest one: Archangel’s Blade. Most of the ones I pick up are authors I already love to read and so most are great on audio to me.
Teri – so agree about Moning’s Highlander series! I haven’t read the Fever series in print but I have to assume my thoughts would be the same.
Anne – very good point. As an example, I may have thought the hero to be pompous in Ruthless but I believe that was the way my mind fastened on him in the beginning and I found it hard to adjust. No problem in audio. Those descriptions already in print were brought forth by the narrator making me hear the fully rounded character as intended and not some misconception playing in my head while reading. After Ruthless, I wanted all my Rohan heroes in print just because I loved hearing Ericksen’s interpretation.
Xe wrote:
There is me hearing a beautiful Irish lilt in my head, and then there is hearing a native Irish speaker delivering the hero’s lines in his natural voice – I’ll take that voice over my mental interpretation any day – SWOON!
So entirely agree! I can’t begin to hear that in my head! I think I can almost understand Jamie Fraser by his accent alone. But, we know he is so much more than his accent…
First – thanks so much for the kind words about Fire and Ice. I disagree with Anne that it wasn’t all there to begin with – but perhaps coming fresh to the series, I just looked at it all with a fresh eye :) Reno remains one of my favorite heroes to have narrated (such a good bad boy :). Because of the way Anne created him, he made me so angry and so in love that I wanted to throttle him. Glad that came through for listeners.
@Anne: Oh my dear, you know I’m there if you can get THIN ICE into audio. Hankering for another Stuart experience floating about in my head!
As for audio versions of books, I completely agree. There are some books I need to read in print because I want to hear the world with my internal ear…but there are some that would have been better in audio – especially classics or those with extensive accent work. There is me hearing a beautiful Irish lilt in my head, and then there is hearing a native Irish speaker delivering the hero’s lines in his natural voice – I’ll take that voice over my mental interpretation any day – SWOON!
While I enjoyed both the Highlander series and Fever series by Karen Marie Moning in print, the audiobooks blew me away! Phil Gigante narrates all seven books in the Highlander series. His Scottish brogue is smooth and sexy; I just melt every time I listen to him. The first three books in the Fever series are narrated by Joyce Bean who does an outstanding job with both the male and female characters. However, the last two books (Dreamfever and Shadowfever) are simply ear candy! Natalie Ross teams up with Phil Gigante, and together, they rock the narration! And, from my listening experience so far, in a rare event, the two narrators actually interact! Natalie voices all the females and Phil voices all the males. What a treat!
Another piece of ear candy is Tavia Gilbert’s narration of Jeaniene Frost’s Night Huntress series. Her portrayal of spunky, midwestern Cat and the cockney born Bones is sublime.
I totally agree with this one. I had read about 3 of the Night Huntress series and while I enjoyed them, I wasn’t totally blown away. After listening to Tavia Gilbert’s narration, I am completely addicted to the series. Wowza! She completely nails Cat’s snarky yet sensitive manner and Bones’ adorable Cockney accent. Not to mention all the secondary characters are clearly individuals with their own rhythms, accents and mannerisms. Just love it. I would listen to a book whose author was unfamiliar to me if Tavia narrated it. :)
I would love to check out Spymaster’s Lady. The book was amazing in and of itself and I would be curious to hear how a narrator would treat the accents.
Better listening than reading – I don’t know how many times I tried to read the In Death series and never made it past book 1, but I LOVE the audiobooks – done by the awesome Susan Erickson….in fact, even if i’m not familiar with an author, i’ll give them a chance if I see a narrator I like.
Loved Ruthless when I listened to it – going to get the next one with this month’s credit I think
And the review of Me, Myself and Why is pretty spot on – i’m listening to it now and laughing at the antics of Candance and her other personalities
Well, of course I’m prejudiced, but I think the reason a brilliant audio seems better than the print version is the reader emphasizes stuff we missed, or stuff that didn’t seem that important to us. I’ve loved listening to favorite books in audio because the reader brings out stuff I might have skimmed over when I read it. But in general I believe all the good stuff was there to begin with (as is SPYMASTER’S LADY, which I adored). In fact, it’s harder to skim in audio, if there’s a slow section.
The one book I’ll agree with is FIRE AND ICE. For me that book never quite did what I wanted it to, but with Xe Sands narration it brought it up to the level it should be. I just hope, if we sell audio rights to ON THIN ICE, that they get her to narrate it.
I’m not sure if it’s better or if I just experienced the book in audio first so I love it that way more. Simply Perfect by Mary Balogh narrated by Rosalynd Landor is a favorite. I have re-listened to both Simply Love and Simply Perfect multiple times now. I have the series in Kindle format, too, but I prefer to listen.
Many classics like Great Expectations or Jane Eyre are easier to listen to than to read. When I first started listening to audio books I chose books whose writing sounded more like storytelling. I bought more historical books and classics than contemporary books.