Audible audio books

[Trakand]

I've just finished my first read of the books. I decided to try out audible and listen to ToM. I have to say. The audiobooks are amazing. The narrating is superb, and I feel dialogue comes out really well in audio book. Was wondering how many other people are using audio books to complement reading the books?

[Ashaman Kovan]

Blech

[Sieve]

I use them as well to supplement reading. I spend a lot of time in the car so I listen to the WoT books and other works often. Just like re-reads it's amazing how much you pick up that you may have missed on the first go through.

 

A lot depends on the narrator(s) too, if the narration is bad then it kind of ruins the book.

[Orderofolde]

I usually read the books and then run through the audiobooks between books coming out when I am driving or bored, or going to sleep. It's amazing how many times I frown and am like...what? How did I miss that! RJ really liked listening to his books over reading them to hear if he got across what he was trying to get across.

[Treebeard]

The only one i have listen to is ToM and there is a women and a man that shares the narration. I Have to say that i overall think it's good but two things kind of bothering me . a) the voices have a distinct American accent that sometimes becomes a little to much and b) when the women are reading for ex Rand lines her voice becomes a little forced. on the other hand it's a supreme complement because you got to know how all of these kind of wired words are pronounced ( Tarmon Gai'don and Naeff for exampel)

[skyfirex]

I've read the series twice in book form, and I'm now on Winter's Heart on audiobook. I subscribed to Audible to have something to listen to while I workout. My favorite part in audiobook is the LOC prologue.

[Mrs. Cindy Gill]

I have them on cd. Theyre not perfect but theyre good for driving.

 

im not crazy about audible for a lot of reasons. the tracks are ridiculously spaced, I don't want to have to track back half a book if I missed a couple of words.

 

and the incompatibility with other recording and playback formats... and audibles attempts to take over my computer... are really not cool.

[dexterryu]

I've read the series a bunch of times, and am now on my 2nd trip through the audio books.

 

1) The narrators are amazing. They do such a good job with it, that I can tell who's talking by the tone of voice the narrator uses. They are good and consistent throughout the whole series. It's also cool how Rand's voice steadily gains confidence through the series.

 

2) Listening definitely gives a different perspective than reading. I've picked up a bunch of things listening that I didn't reading.

 

3) The slower parts are much better listening than reading. Crossroads especially isn't too bad listening.

[Mrs. Cindy Gill]

I find listening makes me hear every word, whereas in reading I will unconsciously skim and miss a lot.

 

but for me, that's good and bad depending on the book. some things I kind of want to skim. other things are like new revelations on listening after twenty years of rereading.

 

with two hours commuting every day, it took me about two years to listen to the series. lol.

[Trakand]

I just find it amazing how different listening to the book is to reading it. It provided pace in the dialogue. It felt natural to me. I have never really listened to an audiobook before scoffing at the premise. Why do it when I could just read them? I definately have respect for the medium now.

[Mrs. Cindy Gill]

there are some great readers, and great audiobooks out there. it can be done badly, or very well, like anything I suppose.

 

Neil gaiman usually reads his own for at least one version, and he's wonderfully dark, quiet, and creepy. Jim dale did more than justice to Harry potter. I could go on, but I guess it's off topic so I'll stop.

[powelly2012]

I have read the books and listened to audiobook versions and I have two big problems with audiobooks. The first is that they are read too slow, I find that I naturally read quicker and usually when I have an audiobook I have the book as well and find that I begin reading ahead.

 

The second problem I have is the pronunciation of the words, some of the words, aes sedai for example I read differently on my first read through. I read them wrong admittedly, despite there being an explanation on how to pronounce them in the back, but it was how I read them and when I listen to the audiobooks I found it initially distracting.

 

Other than that I do enjoy the audiobooks from time to time and will still use them.

[Lisa Campbell]

I started to listen to the audio books late last year, I'm getting 5 soon. The pronunciation put me off at first but now I find that I think that way now instead of how I would have said them before when I read them again so you'll get used to that. If you sync it to your iPod, you can speed up the reading pace.

 

Cindy, how did Audible try to take over your computer? I've had no issues with it.

[TristanWebb]

The pronounciation of the made up words never bothered me, it is the pronounciation of the real ones that does. Especially herbs. It has an h, use it :(

 

The books make my commute much better though, since I can't read on the bus.

[shortkut]

Especially herbs. It has an h, use it :(

Only if it is a name

[csarmi]

audiobooks get to Hungary much faster than the books themselves so for the last 2-3 books, I always listened first

they are great anyway

[Clouded]

I love the audio books. I think Michael Kramer and Kate Redding do a great job portraying the characters. Especially Michael Kramer. He gives each character a voice that is backed by information in the book. Elayne and Gawyn both get an English accent, which fits well because Andor is similar to England. I also enjoy when they add the little nuances to a characters' speech. For example, when a character says something and it is followed by "there was a definite hint of satisfaction in her voice", the narrators make you hear that satisfaction.

 

The only thing I've had a problem with is a lack of standardization for the pronunciation of names across the books. I've heard Rhuidean and Moghedien pronounced 3 different ways across the books.

[TristanWebb]

Domani and damane pronounced almost exactly the same is a bit irritating too.

[GYLD]

Domani and damane pronounced almost exactly the same is a bit irritating too.

 

It sure does make for a bit of confusion when Ituralde leads his campaign against the Seanchan...

[sandanbob]

I think audio books are a good complement to print versions- as many folks said, great for commuting. Or, doing a task such as data entry that doesn't require much thought.

 

I will say that the changing pronounciations and voices for different people are mildly frustrating. Not enough to keep me from listening, but a little irritating.

[Vardar]

The only one i have listen to is ToM and there is a women and a man that shares the narration. I Have to say that i overall think it's good but two things kind of bothering me . a) the voices have a distinct American accent that sometimes becomes a little to much and b) when the women are reading for ex Rand lines her voice becomes a little forced. on the other hand it's a supreme complement because you got to know how all of these kind of wired words are pronounced ( Tarmon Gai'don and Naeff for exampel)

 

That's the reason I'm hesitant to do Audio books. I don't want what I hear in my head to be just damn wrong. As silly as that sounds.

[Lisa Campbell]

Vards it' more like being a little embarrassed that you didn't get someone's name quite right. Once you mentally accept that the pronunciations are as RJ intended, you forget about it and start thinking that way when you read again anyway (or I did at least - there are plenty of english words that I've had to explain to my boys through school are just spelled/pronounced a certain way regardless if it doesn't make sense phonetically.

[shortkut]

I do the same. Part of the issue is the glossary. There are occasionally spoilers in it so i don't look until i finish the book. Doing that, i have to pronounce the name/word some way when i come across it. By the time i finish the book it is too late to change my internal voice :(

[Xader]

This thread was a bit stagnant, but I figured I'd chime in anyway.

 

Overall, I really like the audiobooks (though not on Audible-their bitrate is absolutely atrocious, it sounds so hollow!), but a few of the pronunciations do throw me off a bit.

 

The Domani/damane one, for example. Ituralde's winter war did get a bit confusing at times.

 

The other is trebuchet. While not technically incorrect, Kramer pronounces it treb-you-shet. Dictionary.com agrees with this, but myself, and most I've spoken to, use the French pronunciation of treb-you-shay, so Kramer's pronunciation makes me grind my teeth a bit.

 

As far as Randland lore pronunciations go, I've found myself changing how the words sound in my head to match those I hear in the audiobooks -especially the names of the Forsaken-, despite being pretty firmly set in my mind for over a decade.

[Mrs. Cindy Gill]

I started to listen to the audio books late last year, I'm getting 5 soon. The pronunciation put me off at first but now I find that I think that way now instead of how I would have said them before when I read them again so you'll get used to that. If you sync it to your iPod, you can speed up the reading pace.

 

Cindy, how did Audible try to take over your computer? I've had no issues with it.

 

the download manager tries to startup every time I turn the computer on and will not be denied. it seems to always be running in the background. I also do not like being unable to burn a cd for the car. I'll just buy the CDs from now on.