Why is it so good?
Not listening to it at the moment, but I listened-through my Alastair Reynolds audiobook collection recently.
Aside from the quality of the stories (love me some good hard sci-fi), all of the audiobooks were narrated by the same guy. Several of the books are part of a series, and the narrator did a pretty good job, though not perfect, of using the same voices between books for all of the recurring characters.
11-22-63 by myself and The Hail Mary Project with my wife.
I just finished listening to all 14 Honor Harrington novels.
Does the Hail Mary narration get better? I listened to a sample and the child’s voice in the beginning was like nails on a chalkboard to me.
Yeah, the children are only for setting some of the scene, but they come back for a few short (like less than 5 minute) scenes. The easiest solution is double speed, it is extremely listenable with that small change and well worth the effort.
I think the narration was great, the children just appear at the very beginning of the book
I’ve listened to 11-22-63 three or four times now, such a great book! I like most of Kings work though.
I loved 11-22-63. Reading Fairy Tale now.
I recently listened to “A Wizards Guide to Defensive Baking” recently and I was NOT expecting YA fantasy fiction to go that hard on the subject of “heroism” being a term used to excuse the phenomenon of pushing people into dangerous jobs way too young to cover for the systemic failures and often outright corruption of existing power structures. I had a good few years experience in Healthcare beforehand but I graduated nursing school mid-covid and that book really spoke to me.
Somewhat coincidentally iirc it was actually released mid COVID as well, and I imagine had been worked on for years beforehand. So it’s interesting to me that the author picked up on the already existing manifestations of this phenomenon in a way that would speak so well to the epic clusterfuck that ultimately occurred.
Best audio book I’ve listened to… Dungeon Crawler Carl. Great story. Amazing audio book production.
God that series it’s so good, I love the growth the characters have and the voice actor is great.
Another amazing one is The wandering Inn. Similar genres and a fucking amazing voice actress. The world building is top notch and they do something that not a lot of books do, they account for time really well. Lots of series just sorta skim through and you find yourself not being sure what the time line looks like. It’s pretty easy to follow the time line in this.
I’m listening to the Bobiverse again because the fifth book came out recently. The universe, pun intended, was really interesting and the entire idea of digital people is fun to think about while doing chores.
Seconded. Bobiverse is great to listen to while mowing the lawn or doing other mindless jobs.
Just finished book three myself and found myself really relating to the bobs and their feelings of loss.
Every time I relisten I a gutted around that point. Very impactful character development, such a painful loss to move through and explored so well. Honestly one of the most emotionally impactful novels I have read possibly because of how much I enjoyed the differing Bobs bouncing of each other and finding equilibrium. I’ve listened to the first 4 around 5 times through and book 5 twice now, honestly on the edge of my seat for book 6.
I’m currently listening to Livesuit by James SA Corey. It’s part of their new series that released this year called The Captives War. It’s a Novella/Interquel pretty typical of their release style.
It takes place in an incredibly unknowably distant future for humanity. We follow a squad of Livesuit infantry who have fused their bodies with technology to fight an unfathomable legion of alien conquerors. An enemy that has never lost a war then uses the best traits of conquered races to continue their war.
Why it’s so good is because the author(s) have an incredible way of describing people and the world they interact with. Images are vivd and believable. While being so alien, and futuristic Corey manages to write a world you can imagine yourself in.
Additionally, their novellas always take place in the same world, but are completely stand alone stories from the main series so the depth of world building is just… chef’s kiss
Both writers were originally working on writing RPGs and TTRPGs so their style just brings me back to sitting at a table with friends, some drinks and a Character Sheet for a hopeful lvl 3 wizard.
The narration of The Expanse audiobook series was really well done.
In a wonderful turn of events: Captive’s War is narrated by the cery same narrator!
Confederacy of Dunces, read by Artie Johnson. I’ve read and listened to it at least a dozen times. Johnson really puts a lot into his reading of it.
I’ve started reading the somewhat expansive Cosmere universe of books by Brandon Sanderson.
I like actually reading, but there is a LOT to get through, so I’m reading the series (a couple trilogies, a series of 5 books) in actual print, and listening to the standalone novels in the universe on audio.
It’s actually been a nice day to keep moving through all the different overlapping character lines. One particular character, who I’ll call H, spans the various worlds and stories often. It’s fun reading someone about H in one book and then hearing him as the narrator or showing up as a character in the audio book I’m listening to later.
Have fun! The cosmere is chefs kiss. I have listened to most of them now apart from a few standalones I need to visit and they are always outstanding!
Check out the graphic audio versions!
Dungeon Crawler Carl 4, The Gate of the Feral Gods by Matthew Dinniman. Its just good fun and the sound effects are amazing. Though I think Carl sounds too old for a 27 year old.
It has also been a good break after Pet Sematary by Stephen King.
I highly rate dungeon crawler Carl, the narrator (Jeff Hayes) is fantastic! The plot just keeps getting thicker, I hope you relish it as much as I did!
Hell yeah, I love DCC!
Mariette Lindsteins “Pako Kultista” (or Lång väg hem Mina 25 år i sekten) that tells of her life in the scientology cult, almost finished it. Couldn’t find if it had an English translation. It’s chilling to listen to how the members are thoroughly abused, controlled and forced to become husks of themselves.
Not currently listening but thinking about going back for a third time around soon to Mike Bennett’s Underwood and Finch books.
They are a modern day vampire tale that now has a prequel book covering origins back in the 1800’s of the main character as well as a couple of sequels that continue the story on. When I first got into it there was only the first book and then my second listen through I followed it with a prequel then a sequel so this time I’d like to do it a bit more in order chronologically.
It is basically about a guy whose family have always been this vampires guardian / helpers but he was never aware, his brother dies who was the person that should be taking over the position upon the vampire awaking from a 50 year sleep and so he inherits the position and is dragged into this world he knew nothing about.
It is really well written and read by the author himself, I dont think it is very well known but if you like the whole nosferatu schtick I can highly recommend it!
I’m reading James Michener’Alaska, and it’s a fantastic story. It is a very well crafted character drama and it has excellent pacing.
I just read Cormac McCarthy’The Road and it was also an incredible read, though it kind of crushed me emotionally for a while afterwards!
I think everyone that wishes for the fall of civilization should have to read The Road - That was a bleak story.
There’s a podcast done by a well known Tolkien nerd in which he reads The Silmarillion and explains it along the way. I’ve been slowly making my way through it while driving to work and falling asleep.
Please share the podcast name! That sounds like something I’d enjoy.
Sorry, Bilbo. The name of the podcast on Spotify is simply, “reading and explaining the Silmarillion”.
You can’t introduce that without name dropping! I need a good long nerd fix
Sorry! The name of the podcast on Spotify is simply, “reading and explaining the Silmarillion”.
My goodness, falling asleep while you drive is dangerous!
Well I always wake up where I’m meant to be. When that stops happening I’ll stop doing it.
I’m relistening to Max Brooks’ “Zombie Survival Guide” while commuting and High Howey’s “Dust” (from the Silo trilogy) when I can focus. I managed to listen to 15 books this year so far, and I am really proud of myself for that. :)
I’ve been listening to the graphic audio versions of The Stormlight Archives by Brandon Sanderson.
I just finished listening to Joe Abercrombie’s First Law Trilogy. The narrator was fantastic. Probably the best I’ve listened.