Audiobooks and the difference between books and stories
Letters of OpinionAudible / audiobooks / Books / digital / format / genres / Harlequin Audio / readers / story28 Comments
Audiobooks are my new object of affection. Now that I have a commute, I can make the ride feel more productive when I listen to a book on the way to my office. And I already have my favorite narrators. Barbara Rosenblat is Amelia Peabody in my mind’s ear, and Charlotte Kane, who narrates Shelly Laurenston’s Pride series, has become inextricably associated with those books for me, so much so that they have become my “comfort listen.” In fact, when I checked out the first book of Laurenston’s new series, The Unleashing, I was disappointed because it seemed to have a new narrator. So I pre-ordered the Kindle version and whined to a friend who also loves Laurenston’s books. When my friend told me the new narrator (Johanna Parker) sounded a lot like Charlotte Kane, I did about five seconds of digging before I discovered that Kane is Parker’s pseudonym. Hallelujah! I immediately bought the Audible version of The Unleashing and read/listened to the book at the same time.
I actually had no idea that audiobook narrators had pseudonyms, but given the extent to which I grow to associate a voice with an author or character, it makes sense. Apparently the concept originated with book publishers who wanted to brand their audiobook performances.
My discovery about Parker and Kane led to an interesting conversation on Twitter about the relationship between narrator and book. Because it’s a rather unique relationship. Unlike a stage play or screenplay for a movie or television show, books are not written explicitly (or perhaps even incidentally) for audio narration. And we’re not just talking narration in the way that a digital device may “speak,” but a full-blown adaptation of the written text such that the reader experiences the words through an interpreter of sorts
For non-fiction, my attachment is not as fierce, but for a genre like Romance, which necessitates a certain intimacy between characters, and between characters and reader, I am much a much pickier reader-listener. When I tried another Laurenston books with a male narrator, for example, had that been my first experience with her books, I probably would not have picked another up. By contrast, I found the audio performance of The Unleashing more enjoyable than reading the book myself. The way Kane/Parker performed those characters brought them to life in a way that allowed me to enjoy parts of the book that bored me when I read them myself. This may have something to do with the fact that I already trusted the narrator, but I also think that a good performance (however that translates to an individual reader) can make a book substantially more enjoyable (and vice versa). I see different things when I’m listening. I focus on different aspects of the story and on different lines of dialogue and descriptions. I can even receive characters in a new way, for better or worse. I just don’t eye-read and ear-read the same way.
In fact, one of the things I love about the Kindle/Audible partnership (yes, I’m the person who buys the discounted audio version of many of my Kindle books), because it gives me more options in how I can experience a book. I don’t want to listen to everything in audio, and some audio performances just don’t live up to my personal experience of the book, unmediated by a third-party narrator. And then there are those books like The Goblin Emperor, where the narration keeps me from stumbling over some of the Elvish and Goblin words, which makes for a smoother reading experience. Is that good? I’m not sure. Is it more enjoyable? Sometimes.
The unique connection between story and narration is exemplified by the new Audible original audio dramas. I purchased Jeffrey Deaver’s The Starling to better understand what Audible was creating, and the experience was impressive. Sound effects, multiple narrators, music, and impressive production values made The Starling a true dramatic performance, a radio drama, essentially, being pitched to book lovers who enjoyed having books adapted to audio. And I am coming to understand why Audible would be so anxious to make this kind of investment.
Harlequin’s recent announcement that they are creating an audiobook imprint reflects the rapidly growing market for both adapted and original audio content. This growth seems to defy research that suggests high levels of mind-wadering and boredom associated with audiobooks. Audible enjoys a 30% boost in membership each year, and according to the AAP, audiobooks are growing more rapidly than any other format. Unlike other book formats, audio can draw “readers” from audiences outside traditional book readers. Which is the niche I see so-called original content filling, especially when it’s decked out with all sorts of fancy background effects and extensive casts.
And it’s also a great example of how audiobooks call attention to the difference between book and story.
When digital books started to make their presence known as a legitimate format, the book became as much a symbol and an idea as an actual form. Because above all, book is synonymous with form and format, whether that be paper, digital, or audio. Otherwise, all stories could be designated as books, when stories both pre-date the form we identify as book and extend far beyond that form. Audiobooks are easily categorized as books when they are adapted from that form, but what about these original audio dramas, which are more story than book?
Listening to The Starling, for example, was more like listening to a radio drama or a movie without the picture. If audiobooks were introduced for the first time today, after the advent of digital books and reading devices, after the rise of the tablet and the smartphone, and streaming services like Netflix, would we automatically register audiobooks as books, or would we be looking at the way that story can, but does not always have to, intersect with book?
For whatever reason, audiobooks have not caused the same shockwaves among booklovers who are concerned about the future of traditional publishing and paper books. And yet, audiobooks place a mediating voice between text and reader, a voice that can be crucial to the reader’s experience of the book. I’m not saying that publishers and authors don’t take the performance aspect of the audiobook seriously, but I do wonder, as audiobooks continue to grow, if we will see a greater diversity of voice performers enter the field, and how, if at all, reader response will drive that selection process. Even though the narrator is not a content creator, she/he is a creative partner in the execution of the story, and that is a crucial role. As audiobooks continue to grow, and as they push the boundaries of how story is presented and experienced, I think there are going to be many opportunities to expand and diversify the way stories are presented.
Right now, people experience stories in myriad ways – through video and RPG gaming; through films, television, and stage performances; through serial fiction, graphic novels, short and long-term writing on venues like Medium, Wattpad, and other platforms; and through poetry, song, and various forms of performance and studio art. Story is everywhere, and when people talk about the future of books and the competition posed by other entertainment industries, story is central to all of these competing forms of entertainment. And I’d say that the burgeoning audiobook business is a good sign for the future of books, in general especially if we continue to let the concept of the book expand to accommodate these new ways of containing, presenting, and “reading” stories.
Will Romance be leading that charge? Speaking of which, are there certain genres that are easier or more enjoyable to listen to, and how crucial is the narrator in the experience of an audiobook? Are there authors you will “read” only in audio, or never in audio? And what’s your favorite audiobook of all time and why?
I have certain audiobooks that I check out from my library over & over because I love the narrators. Jim Dale does a terrific job on the Harry Potter series. Johanna Parker narrates the Sookie Stackhouse series & also does a great job. I also agree with what you said about a good narrator helping with unfamiliar words or terms – I listened to all of the books in Deborah Harkness’ All Souls Trilogy, narrated by Jennifer Ikeda, & that helped so much with all the alchemical terms, etc.
Also, James Marsters is the voice of Harry Dresden to me & when he wasn’t available for one of the books (I think it was Ghost Story), I didn’t enjoy it half as much. I recently read that they had James in to record that audio book now & that made me so happy!
I have tried to listen to the Black Dagger Brotherhood series, but the narrator, Robert Frangione, just doesn’t work for me – it sounds like he’s just reading the book. I like it when the narrator has different voices for the characters & takes time to put in the inflection intended by the author.
I have a long commute & listen to audiobooks everyday in my car. I love having them available!
I just recently tried my first audiobook and though my experience with it wasn’t great – I ended up quitting the book halfway through but it was more the book instead of the narrator – I would like to try again. But I did find my mind wandering a few times and that was actually not due to the book or narrator. I just do that sometimes even when I’m watching DVDs though I never do it while reading.
I love audiobooks, especially to keep me company and alert during long drives. They (or talk radio) engage just the right part/amount of my brain for that.
John Cleese’s reading of some CS Lewis nearly sent me to sleep and off the road into a ditch; but a collection of science fiction short stories read by TV and movie actors (Wil Wheaton, Nana Visitor, Roddy McDowall, etc.) was so evocative I’ve listened to it several times and recently hunted down and bought a digital copy.
But I’ve also had the experience where the narrator left me with a bad memory of the book, not just of that performance. Branden Fraser reading a Cornelia Funke high fantasy novel with adopted sibling characters–one fair complexioned, one dark–gave the dark-complexioned character a stereotypical “ghetto” accent. I can’t help it but the story itself is forever lodged in my mind as leaving a distasteful impression.
Maybe it would be better if I stick with voice talent who specifically read books, not “regular” actors. I’m now wondering how I’d feel about hearing some read a particularly saucy romance. I might be a bit embarrassed. I don’t know.
I’ve just started listening to audiobooks thanks to my Scribd subscription. I have a fairly short commute to work (less than 15 minutes) so I wasn’t sure how well they would work for me. But, I discovered you can speed up the listening rate and I also now listen during the five minutes it takes to walk from my car to my office so get to enjoy relatively good chunks at a time. I’ve found listening in the car works really well for me but I do find my mind wandering if I listen at home. I think it’s because I need something more than just listening to occupy myself. I’ve thought about trying to take up knitting or some other craft to keep my hands busy while listening at home.
There is something about a great audiobook performer than can really transform a book. It makes a good book superb and an ok book great.
I remember feeling that ‘Natural Born Charmer’ by Susan Elizabeth Phillips was not one of my favorites of hers. Not by a long shot. But I listened to it with Anna Fields performing and she made the book come alive in a way that my reading of it did not. I actually rate the audio book higher than the written book in my reviews of the book,
And yes, I love good performer/author collaborations that cross multiple books. So SEP/Anna Fields, JD Robb/Susan Erickson and Kirsten Potter/Joanna Bourne
I stumbled across Kirsten Potter’s performance of ‘The Spymaster’s Lady’ by Jo Bourne (I am not sure how) But I LOVED it. And now whenever a new one of the Spymasters series comes out I check to see if she is the voice performer and will only get it via audio. I have yet to actually ‘read’ one of these books.
If I love a voice performer enough I’ll buy a book that I normally would not consider just *because* of the voice performer. This was the sa,e with Marion Chesney’s Edwardian murder mystery series ‘Snobbery With Violence’ narrated by Davina Porter. I loved Porter’s narration of Gabaldon’s series that I began searching for stuff by her name. The Chesney series was charming and fun and a great discovery because of it.
In addition to Porter I will often search for anything by Kate Reading, Barbara Rosenblatt, Phil Gigante.
Love, love, love me some audiobooks! There are definitely some narrators that make the story better read aloud. I remember reading book one of the Cat and Bones series and being kinda “meh, ok” and then randomly checking out Tavia Gilbert’s audio performance of same and being totally “woah, awesome! wanna hear moar!” I’ve listened to every single entry in that series and followed along into the Vlad spinoff as well on the strength of how awesome the audio performances of that world came across through Tavia Gilbert’s interpretation. FYI, most if not all of those audiobooks (Jeaniene Frost) are available on Scribd. :)
Other narrators of note… Sebastian York in just about anything (his voice is sex-on-a-stick) but particularly suited to Emma Chase’s book “Tangled”. The strength of that story is Drew’s bad-boy first person POV and he nails that in the audio. Also, if you haven’t heard Nicholas Boulton narrate Laura Kinsale’s books, you are in for a treat.
A bad narrator can kill a book sometimes. I think Davina Porter is one of the best ones out there. Each character in Outlander has their own voice. I think it’s Marguarite Gavin (I could be wrong on this) who narrates the Rachel Morgan series and she does an awesome job. Anyways, one of the books was narrated by a different person, I think book 5, so wrong to do that to us. It really throws you off when they switch narrators in the middle of a series like that.
I am also an audiobook lover. The narrator makes ALL the difference, in my view. I’ve listened to several Heyers — including Sylvester, which is narrated by NIcholas Rowe and is awesome. One of the character voices in particular had me in stitches every time I heard him. So so good. Phyllida Nash is also an excellent Heyer narrator. I just finished Venetia, which I loved. I haven’t actually read any Heyer in print (I am a late bloomer!) and am not sure I want to, when the audio versions are so good.
Nicholas Boulton, who narrates Laura Kinsale’s books, is also FABULOUS. He brings these books to life in ways that mean I will likely never read the books in print, and will consume them only in audio form.
Davina Porter is great too. I loved her narration of Outlander (though I am not really an Outlander fan). Her narration of several of the Elizabeth George mysteries is masterful. I also agree with those who like Kate Reading. And Juliet Stevenson narrates several of the Jane Austen books. She is wonderful.
Some romance audio books don’t work for me at all, though. I listened to one Nalini Singh in audio form and really disliked it. For me, her writing style didn’t translate well into audio form at all. Some of the Nora Roberts ones are good as audiobooks, but others are pretty awful.
My recent favourite audiobook was Code Name Verity, which I think I bought as an Audible Daily Deal. It is an absolutely fantastic, heartbreaking book. It has two female narrators (one for each female protagonist) and both are amazing. It had me in tears on many occasions.
I am a knitter and a commuter. So I listen on public transit and I sit and knit and listen almost every evening. I still read print books as well — I find audiobooks expensive so I try to look for deals, use my audible credits and choose well. If I’m not sure I’m going to like the book, I usually buy it in digital form and read it on my kindle. I haven’t tried ScribD for audio, but am going to look into that. I tried it as a digital reader, but didn’t like having to read books on my IPad.
I’m all about audiobooks. The audiobook of SEP’s Match Me If You Can is actually what started me on reading romance. Anna Fields was so amazing and I’ve listened to every SEP book she did.
My current favorite narrator is Rosalyn Landor. She did Kleypas’ Wallflower series and does many of Courtney Milan’s books. She’s so good at creating different voices for different characters and keeping them consistent throughout the series.
I drive 2.5 hours a day plus have some work tasks that are monotonous and allow for listening time so I listen to a lot of audiobooks. I used to have a hard time getting enough to keep me satisfied but now with Scribd and hoopla from my library, I have so many to choose from. If you are looking for more audiobooks to feed the addiction, I highly recommend hoopla (https://www.hoopladigital.com/home). It’s a service your library can subscribe to so you’ll have to ask your librarians if your library has it. Through my library, I am able to check out 10 items a month. The selection is really great and they add new titles every week.
I just started using audiobooks this past week. I’m listening to the Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews. The different voices sound different than what the characters sound like in my head when I switch to reading, but it allows me to do busy work while listening. Right now I’m listening to Magic Slays while I enter my book collection into Libib.
I’m not a true convert. I’d still prefer to read a book than listen to an audiobook because I like my version of the characters more and audiobooks take longer than reading the book yourself. But they’re definitely nice to have when you have to multitask.
I started listening to audio books when the physical weight of a lengthy book (Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell) made reading in bed a daunting task. I never considered audio prior to that, and I’ve been reading for a very long time. I tend to only listen to longer books, even with an audible membership; I want to feel like I’ve gotten my money’s worth. I do use my local library as well, but their selection is limited, even for the downloads. I’m glad I did, because it opened up a whole new world of books to me!
I’ll spare y’all my soapbox sermon about how Story (which can be conveyed in many genres and formats) is the quintessential human activity, and dive right into the audiobook question.
I used to have a very long commute, and became heavily reliant upon audiobooks. Oddly enough, I prefer nonfiction for driving; fiction is either too involving (making me distracted from the road) or too annoying (a poor narrator can inculcate more road rage in me than a traffic jam). Well-narrated nonfiction can hit that Baby Bear “just right” sweet spot.
Still, there are some author / narrator combinations I can’t resist. Mostly sff and thrillers; since I drive with the windows open, I find the sex scenes in romance a bit embarrassing. But Gideon Emery reading Charles Stross or Robert Glenister reading Robert Galbraith or Nick Landrum reading darn near anything (in addition to the fine narrators mentioned in comments above) and I’m hooked.
But add me to the list of those surprised by “research that suggests high levels of mind-wadering and boredom associated with audiobooks. ” At my library, downloaded audio is starting to make up for our otherwised disastrous circulation numbers in just about every other format.
But FWIW, “radio-style” content (full cast, sound effects, etc) is just loathed, loathed, loathed by our audiobook patrons. I’ve actually had one or two throw their library cards at me in disgust over that format.
A great narrator can transform a book and a narrator I don’t like will kill it. Even though I don’t have a lot of listening time in my normal day, I’d rather listen to Peter Kenny tell Iain (M) Banks’ stories than read them myself, and when I do read them, I hear his voice. Same with Michael Kitchen reading Dibdin’s Aurelio Zen mysteries.
I also love radio dramas, even though they are necessarily abridged from the original texts. Bill Nighy is a fantastic Charles Paris in the BBC Radio Crimes adapations of Simon Brett’s series. My sentimental favorite audio recordings are two versions of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy: the original radio plays and then the audiobook version with Adams narrating his own work. I’ve listened to both many times over.
I’ve been an Audible member for several years now. When I was a test driver, I would either listen to audio books or I would strip the sound from a movie, burn it to CD and listen to the movie while I was driving. Now that I’m not in a car more than two hours a day, I still listen to the audiobooks, but they’re more my treat to help me get through the housecleaning. Which I hate doing with a passion. But for me, a printed book will always be my first choice.
I thought I would love audiobooks for the car (I drive an hour+ in the afternoons to pick the kids up from their different schools), but somehow I find listening to sustained narration really fatiguing for my brain when I’m trying to drive at the same time. We listen to a lot of podcasts, though, and that conversational format is fine–I actually feel like it keeps me more alert as I’m driving.
Phillip Pullman narrates his “Dark Materials” trilogy with a full cast and it is fantastic!
Like @Jayne I had a hard time getting into audiobooks when I first tried them. My mind would wander and I’d lose interest and figured this format just wasn’t for me. Then I figured out I enjoy listening to different genres than I like reading. Suspense/thriller and urban fantasy are generally my go-to preferences but I’ve been enjoying a lot of fiction lately as well. (I just finished listening to The Invention of Wings which I couldn’t get into reading but which the two narrators really brought to life.)
My favorite books to listen to are Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files. Marsters is Dresden and does a great job with the numerous characters. And for all the griping people do about companies like Amazon/Audible, they gave me the newly re-Marstered version of Ghost Story for free to replace the previous version by the other narrator I had bought. Hard to not be a loyal customer with that kind of service.
Amen and Huzzah to all of you! Hard to find anything to add as you have all summed up my feelings about audiobooks and narrators so nicely. If you haven’t yet, check out GraphicAudio.com. They do full radio drama type shows. They have Eileen Wilks’s World of the Lupi series, which I’m listening to now. I’m glad that Audible is getting into this type of performance now, too. Emily Grey reading Gail Carriger’s Parasol Protectorate is one of my favorites that I don’t think has been mentioned here. :)
I love being read to and my husband and I read to each other quite a bit, but I rarely find audiobooks engaging. I’ve tried to figure out why they don’t usually work for me, and I think that my problem is the neither here nor there quality of so many audiobooks. Here what I mean:
I think that narration and performance are two different things. A narrator is trying to replicate the experience of being read to–of someone who loves a book sharing it with you (while you take a bath, with a cocktail in hand for preference complete with one of those very nice cherries and if someone somehow bundled this feature with a box set of CDs I would be there in a heartbeat) but so many narrators miss the mark because they haven’t actually read the book before recording it and they have no relationship with the text–and I believe I can hear that.
A performance to me is something different. It’s more than a sharing of the text, more than narration. It’s an attempt to perform the emotions and sometimes differentiate character voices. I love ambitious audiobooks that try this–but often it sounds to me like the narrator is out there on their own, with no director–and no safety net–performing a high wire act that demands a deserves some dramaturgy.
I’m an audiobook lover too. It is all about the narrator on audio. A great narrator can elevate a mediocre book and a bad narrator can ruin a wonderful book.
I’ve always experienced audiobooks as transformative works – the narrator (if they’re doing it right) is interpreting the characters and delivering a performance and that changes the story – sometimes in subtle ways, some times in profound ones.
There have been times when I’ve listened to a narrator say a line which I’d read in the book (I often listen to books I’ve already read in print) and suddenly the penny drops for me and I understand it in a way I never did before. Or, a narrator will say a line in a way I never would have thought to “hear” it in my head but when they say it it is just exactly right. Of course, there are plenty of the opposite happenings too – as in all things, there are good and bad examples of narration and a lot of it is subjective – what works for one listener may not work for another.
My favorite narrators are:
Lisette Lecat reading Alexander McCall Smith’s #1 Ladies Detective series
Simon Prebble reading just about anything
Will Patton reading James Lee Burke’s Dave Robicheaux series
Davina Porter for the whole Outlander series
Michael Drew reading Georgette Heyer’s Devil’s Cub
Stephen Briggs reading Terry Pratchett’s Dodger
And it is certainly true that a bad narrator can kill a story. I do so agree that certain books are BETTER in audio. There are some books I enjoy listening to but do not want to read as a book, and vice versa. So for me, audible has its place. I listen in the car, while working in the kitchen, and while sewing or knitting.
I started listening to audiobooks a couple of years ago and I fell in love with it. I mostly use audio when listening/reading to YA because I feel like I couldn’t go through with it if not by audiobook.
I also found that I love audiobooks with multiple narrators. One of the best ones Was Graceling by Kristin Cashore narrated by Full Cast Audio complete with sounds and everything! The companion book in the series was read by a different narrator and I am not enjoying it as much.
Another fave narrator is Tavia Gilbert whi narrated all of Jeaniene Frost’s Nighthuntress series and Dark Prince series and I was just blown away! She really made the characters distinct and the voices she used was just spot on!
Unfortunately, I still cannot listen to historical romance books narrated by a male. I have listened to a couple and I just could not go through with it.
I’m a recent convert to audiobooks too and I love them. I have a subscription to Audible and am pretty happy with it. I mostly listen while working out. It keeps me from messing with my phone too much, plus it’s a great way to get in reading time. (Jody Hedlund had a blog post about this a while ago.) Anyway, my hands down fav is Robert Petkoff reading Kresley Cole’s Immortals After Dark. I already adored the books but his narration adds to my enjoyment too. Completely agree that you have to like the narrator’s voice to want to listen to them for a few hours. Thanks for all of the audio-recs!
Yes! And the narrator recs. Now I have some specific names to be seeking out.
I love audiobooks!!! I listen all the time. All. The. Time. Driving, walking, cleaning the house, doing the dishes, grocery shopping, at work if I’m doing data entry or something mindless… I never leave the house without my headphones. A bad narrator can just ruin a story experience for me. There’s one series I can think of, a romance series, where the female narrator did such a bad job with the male character voices that I couldn’t listen to it. But when they’re good, wow – they’re amazing.
Davina Porter is fantastic. I’m listening to the Outlander series now, and I’ve also listened to her narrate a few other books. James Marsters is fantastic with the Harry Dresden series, so much so that I didn’t even listen to the one he didn’t narrate, I just borrowed a hardback from the library. But he recently recorded that one, so I’ll listen to it shortly. Jim Dale does a great job with Harry Potter, and Stephen Fry was fantastic with the British version of them, too. I haven’t listened to a ton of the radio drama type recordings, but the Neil Gaiman Neverwhere the BBC put out last year was so good. I really liked it.
However, I just cannot deal with Roy Dotrice reading the A Song of Ice and Fire series. Nothing against him personally, but he’s, I think 98 years old now. He has no business narrating ten year old girls. It’s just not good. I haven’t gotten past listening to the first book in the series because of it, which is a shame. I would really like to listen to the rest of them on audio.
One thing I really do like is when authors narrate their own books. Especially memoirs. Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Mindy Kaling, Rob Lowe, Judy Greer, Neil Patrick Harris, Chris Hardwick, Aisha Tyler – they’ve all narrated their own memoirs and it’s great. Neil Gaiman narrates a lot of his novels, too, and it’s wonderful. I could just listen to his voice in my ear holes forever.
I listen to audiobooks during my lunchtime walk. I found myself getting bored with music, but with audiobooks, I’ll often walk a little longer, to get the the end of the chapter or hear just a little more
However, I can’t listen to fiction I have not read. Not if I want to do anything other than listen to that book for the next however many hours.
And I am totally in love with Kobna Holdbrook-Smith’s reading of Ben Aaronovitch’s Rivers of London series. I have to stop myself from listening to nothing but that series, over and over again, because I ADORE his reading SO. MUCH.
I love listening to audio books too and I am very particular about narrators. For instance I love Jo Bourne’s Spymaster series, but the narrator reads the narrative in her American voice, which bugs me since the characters are mostly British and French. Audios like that are not enjoyable to me. There are so many good historicals that have horrible readers and it makes me sad that more care isn’t taken in the pairing book and narrator.
Kate Reading is my favorite historical narrator, she can read books that are meh in print and transform them into wonderful. I just listened to the Last Hellion which wasn’t a favorite in print, but the audio is terrific…..I highly recommend it and all the Loretta Chase books she narrates. Lord of Scoundrels is perfect. Kate also reads Lauren Willig’s Pinks, Jane Austen, Sara Donati and Marie Brennnan to name a few. Older historical narrators that are good are Barbara Rosenblatt, Virginia Leishman, Phyllida Nash and Eve Matheson. Nash and Matheson do Heyer audios.
Georgette Heyer’s audio books for the most part are great……there are a few stinkers, but some of my favorite audios are hers. Here are a few I think are good. Frederica, Venetia (unabridged), The Tollgate, A Civil Contract (brilliant narration) The Nonesuch and The Unknown Ajax which has one of the funniest scenes, every time I listen I laugh my ass off.
Susan Duerden is good, she is Eloisa James’ narrator and I loved her Essex Sisters in audio.
Nalini Singh’s Archangel series is narrated by Justine Eyre and is really good, but the Psy/Changling series is horrible in audio…..IMHO. Another great pairing in that genre is Ilona Andrews and Renee Raudman. I can’t say enough about how much I love those audios. Sophie Eastlake is a terrific narrator and reads Thea Harrison’s Elder Races. Her Dragos is perfect and what really impresses me is how she changes her tone in the narrative in the non-Dragos books which are a little darker than the crazy fun of the Wyr books. Sophie is really good! I also like Jennifer Ikeda who made A Discovery of Witches memorable in a good way…..her accents are very good.
I agree with comments above about Kobna Holbrook-Smith……he’s sublime and Susan Ericksen does the In Death series so well I always think of Eve when I hear her voice. Davina Porter has the best Scots accent…..I wish she had narrated The Madness of Lord Ian MacKenzie. Porter also narrates the St. Cyr mysteries by C. S. Harris which I love.love.love.
Someone also mentioned Anna Fields….what a loss…..her SEP’s are (especially Natural Born Charmer) are some of my favorite contemporaries. Karen White does a marvelous job with Julie James’ books. Therese Plummer is pretty good too she does some Nora Roberts, but is known for the Virgin River series.
I buy a lot of audios from Audible and many are so inexpensive because I have purchased the Kindle version from Amazon. It is a very good deal, but I still find myself using Overdrive more and more. My library has a huge selection of audios via Overdrive and sometimes I buy them because I just have to own them!
It just dawned on me that all the audio books mentioned through out this post/comments are available through Overdrive or One-Click Digital (Recorded Books).
Someone mentioned above that their attention wanders when listening to audios……that happens to me too. I knit while listening and recently on a long flight I played Solitaire and listened to Oracle’s Moon it was fun! Mostly I listen when commuting by bus or rail or while exercising…..I wish there was a device for swimmers!
Listening (again) to Sherry Thomas’ His at Night and then on to Miss Wonderful by Loretta Chase on the weekend, Both are narrated by Kate Reading.
I love audio books and listen to something almost as often, and sometimes more often, than I listen to music, and that’s saying something. Especially when I’m working around the house or cooking, sewing, cleaning, I have my headset and my iPhone and I’m in another world. I will say that having a good set of earbuds makes a difference.
My favorites include Kristin Potter – loved her in the Maya Banks’ Scots series, and another favorite is Phil Gigante – love his voices and how much he puts into the stories. Karen Marie Moning’s Highland Warrior series just comes alive being read by him. Also like Stella Bloom, and The Rock Chick series by Kristen Ashley is done well by Susannah Jones.