Hit Or Miss: Audio Book Narrators
Ever since I listened to my first audio book its become my second love. They're so practical and, unlike a physical book, doesn't make my purse/backpack so heavy that I regret bringing it out of the house in the first place. As deep as my love for audio books go, there are a few important aspects that always makes it either a complete hit or miss narrating wise for me.
I will freely admit to being an audio stob. For me, that means shelling out a little more on a pair of headphones that are considered better quality (AKA they're good and if treated right will last 2+ years). In the long term things even themselves out, so with that being said:
1. Narrators who have breathy voices or too many pauses in the middle of sentences make it hard for me to listen to them speak for more than a few minutes at a time. When I listen to a book it's because I want to relax, but when I start noticing how breathy everything sounds and the weird placement of pauses it pulls me out of the story. The more I try to concentrate on the story the more I notice the problems. It's an endless cycle.
2. Male narrators with very deep voices are annoying. Listen, I like a guy with a deep voice as much as any other person but I can't stand that same person reading a book to me. When all the female voices sound like squeaky high pitched imitations of an actual female voice something in me is bothered by it. Which, in turn, pulls me out of the book and the endless cycle begins. I would rather have the male narrator read the female voice with a heavier tone than to make it sound squeaky.
In conclusion, audio books are heaven sent but I locked myself
out of quite a few thanks to my tastes and pet peeves.
Do you listen to audio books on a regular basis?
Considering my pet peeves, do you have any series in the PNR or UF genre you'd recommend to me?
Let me know in the comments below!
I have a really hard time with male narrators in general. I've noticed a lot of classics are read by male authors and they talk in such a monotone. Plus I can't listen at a higher speed with male narrators.
ReplyDeleteI have a dislike for most of the classics because they're read by male narrators. I see people gushing over them and I just don't see the appeal. You bring up a VERY good point that I totally forgot about: monotone reading is SO boring! I only recently speeded up my first audiobook and just thinking about doing that with a male narrator makes me want to never look at a book again! :)
DeleteThe breathy thing totally gets on my nerves. I think it could have its place in some story at some time, but not for the ENTIRE book. I am ok with male narrator with a deep voice, if it suites the character, but I cannot deal with a high pitched, nasal voiced female narrator. It's like nails on a chalkboard for me.
ReplyDeleteI can't sit through a 10+ hour audio book with a breathy narrator! I learned my lesson the hard way. Even if it suites the character I can't stand most male narrators. I totally agree with you on high pitched nasal voiced female narrators. It's why I learned to like female narrators with a deeper voice, like Nicole Poole. She's a nice middle ground. Her female voices sounds nice and her male voices and accents sound realistic to the point where it doesn't sound like an imitation.
DeleteLuke Daniels is one of my favorites. He doesn't an awesome job with The Iron Druid Chronicles. :)
ReplyDeleteI just heard a sample of his narration and it's not bad (compared to the ones I've tried listening too). Though I can still see myself getting tired of his voice a few consecutive hours into an audio book. Thanks for the recommendation though :)
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