Do audio books make stories better?

**Contrarius** · February 22nd, 2012, 03:08 PM

Originally Posted by Pub

Others Series i liked and not to mention my favourite author is robert jordan wheel of time. Micheal krmaer and kate redding?? did a great job and the female male combination is great when going to different pov.

Only downside for me is kramer american accent is quite strong i find ( i suppose it wouldnt bother americans

)

Irrelevant factoids:

Michael Kramer and Kate Reading (get it, "reading"?? I love that) are actually a married couple. I *believe* that both names are pseudonyms. Kate (real name Jennifer Mendenhall) was actually born in the US. I've usually heard her read with a British accent (she spent at least some time growing up in the UK), but she also sometimes reads with an American accent; and although I think Kramer is purely American, I've heard him read with a fairly good British accent (although it tended to come and go a bit). I've never really understood why they didn't at least match accents for the WOT books.

edited to add -- okay, I looked it up and Michael Kramer also uses the name "Nick Bernard" -- but it looks like Kramer is probably the "real" name and Bernard is the pseudonym....

**sullivan_riyria** · February 22nd, 2012, 05:31 PM

Originally Posted by Bob Gray

do you mean the same person uses different voices or that it is another person reading altogether?

On FAB8, different people read certain parts but the way it is done is perfect. There is a narrator who reads the majority of the book but when it gets to the chapters where other characters in the story tell their part of it, it switches to another person. You don't have two different people reading on the same chapter.

I mean when the same person alters their voice - basically changing the pitch - some can do this well - but when done poorly it really rubs me the wrong way.

Audio versions of my books will be hitting the market soon March 1st, and I'm dieing to hear wha they will sound like. I didn't get a say over narrartor or whether it would be a straight read or "acted" with voices - but I'm anxious to discover which way it comes out.

**Contrarius** · February 23rd, 2012, 03:38 AM

Originally Posted by sullivan_riyria

Audio versions of my books will be hitting the market soon March 1st, and I'm dieing to hear wha they will sound like. I didn't get a say over narrartor or whether it would be a straight read or "acted" with voices - but I'm anxious to discover which way it comes out.

I can tell ya right now, if they're being done professionally they're gonna be acted. I have listened to a LOT of audiobooks, and I think the ONLY ones I've heard read "straight" have been books either read by volunteers (Librivox) or read by the authors (e.g. Zelazny).

I'm glad to hear you're gonna have audio versions. I'll be looking for em on Audible! Do you know the name of the narrator, by any chance?

**murf99** · February 23rd, 2012, 07:19 PM

Does anyone know if R. Scott Bakker or Chris Wooding has any audiobooks? Can't seem to find any anywhere. Surely they're popular enough?

**Contrarius** · February 23rd, 2012, 07:23 PM

Originally Posted by murf99

Does anyone know if R. Scott Bakker or Chris Wooding has any audiobooks? Can't seem to find any anywhere. Surely they're popular enough?

There is a recording of Chris Wooding's book Poison, put out by Recorded Books. That's the only one I'm aware of from either author.

**sullivan_riyria** · February 24th, 2012, 10:05 AM

Originally Posted by Contrarius

There is a recording of Chris Wooding's book Poison, put out by Recorded Books. That's the only one I'm aware of from either author.

It's my understanding that Recorded Books is one of the big players in the audio world (or so said my agent when the deal came in).

I love audio books, and was a little concerned when signing away audio rights because I thought they might just be shelved until the series saw some traction - so I of course was thrilled that it got picked up right away. I think that the industry is making many more titles in audio than they use to. It is a part of the marget (along with ebooks) that are seeing growth while the print (in all formats) are declining in sales volumes.

**ArtNJ** · February 27th, 2012, 09:45 AM

I listened to Dean Koontz's Watchers (my first audio book) and didnt like the experience. I really liked the book when I read it 15 years ago, so I tentatively concluded I'm not an audio book person. Something about having it read out loud at a slower pace highlighted weaknesses that I'm pretty sure I could have blown by in print. In print, if I'm not interested in a section (excessive description or whatever) I skim it. In audio, you cant do that.

**sullivan_riyria** · February 27th, 2012, 12:52 PM

Originally Posted by ArtNJ

I listened to Dean Koontz's Watchers (my first audio book) and didnt like the experience. I really liked the book when I read it 15 years ago, so I tentatively concluded I'm not an audio book person. Something about having it read out loud at a slower pace highlighted weaknesses that I'm pretty sure I could have blown by in print. In print, if I'm not interested in a section (excessive description or whatever) I skim it. In audio, you cant do that.

Interesting point...about skiming I can see where that would be an issue for some - although I rarely resort to skimming myself.

**ArtNJ** · February 27th, 2012, 04:23 PM

Originally Posted by sullivan_riyria

Interesting point...about skiming I can see where that would be an issue for some - although I rarely resort to skimming myself.

Its more than that I cant skim over excessive description. Its more that I have so much more time to process each passage that my internal critic is a LOT more active, and has time to moan and groan over stuff that would otherwise escape his notice because I'd be onto the next passage.

**sullivan_riyria** · February 28th, 2012, 07:55 AM

Originally Posted by ArtNJ

Its more than that I cant skim over excessive description. Its more that I have so much more time to process each passage that my internal critic is a LOT more active, and has time to moan and groan over stuff that would otherwise escape his notice because I'd be onto the next passage.

I can see that. I like both audio and books, but as I said the narrator will make all the difference to me.

**Bob Gray** · February 28th, 2012, 11:17 AM

I think for me it is the fact that the narrator has the ability to put the inflection into the reading that I wouldn't necessarily get if I read a book myself. I'm sure it can completely ruin a book if the narrator isn't very good.

**HeclaBull** · March 2nd, 2012, 08:12 PM

Originally Posted by ArtNJ

I listened to Dean Koontz's Watchers (my first audio book) and didnt like the experience. I really liked the book when I read it 15 years ago, so I tentatively concluded I'm not an audio book person. Something about having it read out loud at a slower pace highlighted weaknesses that I'm pretty sure I could have blown by in print. In print, if I'm not interested in a section (excessive description or whatever) I skim it. In audio, you cant do that.

It could also be that 15 years is a very long time and your tastes have changed and/or you could be more discerning now when it comes to certain elements in writing. I know there's certain books that I enjoyed that long ago that I would have a hard time enjoying nowadays.

**Khale** · March 2nd, 2012, 09:55 PM

Originally Posted by sullivan_riyria

I mean when the same person alters their voice - basically changing the pitch - some can do this well - but when done poorly it really rubs me the wrong way.

Audio versions of my books will be hitting the market soon March 1st, and I'm dieing to hear wha they will sound like. I didn't get a say over narrartor or whether it would be a straight read or "acted" with voices - but I'm anxious to discover which way it comes out.

Great to hear your books are making it to audiobook format. I am currently reading Theft of Swords on my kindle and would love to continue the series on audiobook. (I read my kindle on weekends and listen to audiobooks during the week while driving and at the gym).

So far I am really enjoying Theft of Swords!

**TooNice** · March 3rd, 2012, 03:15 AM

I don't like them at all. I think it makes them worse. I want to read stories at my own pace, a much faster natural pace than an audio book, and I want to see the prose and feel the book in my hands.

**Contrarius** · March 3rd, 2012, 07:39 AM

Originally Posted by TooNice

I don't like them at all. I think it makes them worse. I want to read stories at my own pace, a much faster natural pace than an audio book, and I want to see the prose and feel the book in my hands.

But aren't the voice and the ear the very soul of storytelling? After all, there was an oral tradition for thousands of years before writing was ever invented. IMVHO you dig down into the essence of a tale by hearing it read aloud.