So far I have downloaded six audiobooks and absolutely loved three! The problem is that means there were three others that I couldn’t even get past the third chapter – is this because I’ve reached my quota of audio books or am I just a little picky??
Enjoying an audiobook requires not just fabulous writing and a quick paced storyline but also the right kind of story-teller. I hadn’t realised but there are some serial audiobook narrators out there – like a factory they churn them out and ruin the essence of the book. The pitch, speed, change in voices can have massive implications for the story and the enjoyment by those listening.
Take for example, Ben Bova’s The Immortality Factor, described as ‘Provocative, gripping, startling: bestselling author Ben Bova delivers a knockout read with his trademark blend of cutting edge science and unrelenting suspense….’ and yet narrated by Paul Boehmer it was to me like listening to a slowed down computer program voice which never quite get up to speed!
However gripping, startling or provocative a plot it may have been, two chapters in I decided the torture was not worth it. I’ll go see the movie when it comes out, and save myself 17 hours of my life. Maybe by 2013, I’ll have forgotten this debacle and actually enjoy the story!
However it’s not just the narrator that can influence my enjoyment – some books are just not meant to be read out loud!! Even Nora Roberts – an amazing author who can interchange thrillers and romance in the blink of an eye and brightens many a rainy day or holiday with an easy read – turn her books into audio and you realise how flowery and descriptive her writing style can be! Suddenly you want to scream ‘get to the point!!!’ and that easy read is frustratingly long and I must admit twice now I have jumped to the end to ease the frustration.
The exception and one of my top three favourite audio books is The Search – while her descriptive style is called into play around dog training and search and rescue – this enhances the story without frustrating the listener. Perhaps its the cuteness of the subject matter – who isn’t going to chuckle at her description of the crazy puppy!! Or maybe its the fact that these very visual descriptions break up the rather dark background to a serial killer?? Whatever the reason, it works but what I should have learnt is you should stop while you are ahead and not download anymore…
So the top 3 audios so far:-
- The Passage (Justin Cronin)
- A Discovery of Witches (Deborah Harkness)
- The Search (Nora Roberts)
Don’t bother listening to (in my opinion)
- Angels Fall (Nora Roberts) in essence a great idea for a story but it just takes too long getting to the point – I guiltily snuck to the end about 11 chapters in :-s oops
- The Immortality Factor (Ben Bova) couldn’t get past chapter 2, bad narration voice and characters I didn’t really like or want to succeed!
- Chasing Fire (Nora Roberts) so I did listen to the whole thing but it was more through sheer determination than enjoyment that I finished.
The search continues for the next best thing….