Audio Books

[Slab]

One of my favourite reads is an older Tom Clancy novel but unless you get it the size of a paving slab then the print is pretty small for these aged eyes and it’s not available on kindle
My wife got me an audio book version on a trial, first time I’ve tried to ‘read’ a book like this and it’s a bit weird

The guy almost appears to be just reading it rather than telling the story, is this typical of an a-book? I’d almost think it was very clever audio software just reciting a scan if it wasn’t for the odd time he tries to put on an accent and then stops mid-sentence

It’s a good job it’s a book I’ve read many times before otherwise I think I’d be lost in the fairly complex plot and I’ve had to set it at X 1¼ speed if I’m going to listen to it before the trial ends just to overcome his drawl

£20 though! Bit steep I thought

Anyone else use this format?

 

[Region3]

I have a few, but when I want to buy a new one I'll always listen to the preview first to gauge whether or not I can stand the voice for a few hours.

Bob Rotella isn't bad and reads all his own stuff. My favourite is a physics book read by one of the authors and there's just something about his broad Lancashire (I think) accent that I could listen to all day.

 

[Robster59]

As I do a lot of miles on business, I tend to listen to lots of audiobooks, podcasts, etc. I think it depends on who is doing the reading. I have had some where, as you say, the narrator seems to be just reading the book rather than putting any inflection into it. For others (Stephen Briggs reading Discworld books, or Stephen Fry reading the Harry Potter series for example) they really can bring the book to life with different voices for the characters and inflections to suit the situation.
The other thing I avoid are books that have been abridged as it takes away so much from the original book and it's hard to keep the flow going. I only listen to unabridged audio books as these are how the book is written by the author in the first place.

 

[GreiginFife]

I have a few, but when I want to buy a new one I'll always listen to the preview first to gauge whether or not I can stand the voice for a few hours.

Bob Rotella isn't bad and reads all his own stuff. My favourite is a physics book read by one of the authors and there's just something about his broad Lancashire (I think) accent that I could listen to all day.

Not one from Prof Brian Cox is it Gary? Love his stuff, a guy who clearly loves what he does and the infectious side comes across clearly.

 

[Region3]

Not one from Prof Brian Cox is it Gary? Love his stuff, a guy who clearly loves what he does and the infectious side comes across clearly.

It is, but it's narrated by Jeff Forshaw (co-authors).

 

[Val]

Depends on the book I suppose. Last audiobook I had was a true story called "Between a Rock and a Hard Place" about a boy who got trapped in a Canyon and cut his own arm off to survive. Great story and well read narrated and not like someone just reading it.

 

[Lazkir]

Will add to those saying listen before you buy (most platforms allow you to do this).
I listen to loads of books across the whole spectrum of categories, but sometimes find that I book I really like has an awful reader. The game of Thrones books are an example, some guy called Dotrice just mangles the words and makes it a chore to listen.

If you want to try on the cheap, then Amazon audible allows you to pay £7.99 per month as part of their club, and that allows you to buy one book a month. I've often bought £20+ books with my one credit so it's a decent saving. You can cancel anytime you want and they will even give you your first book for free.

 

[Slab]

Will add to those saying listen before you buy (most platforms allow you to do this).
I listen to loads of books across the whole spectrum of categories, but sometimes find that I book I really like has an awful reader. The game of Thrones books are an example, some guy called Dotrice just mangles the words and makes it a chore to listen.

If you want to try on the cheap, then Amazon audible allows you to pay £7.99 per month as part of their club, and that allows you to buy one book a month. I've often bought £20+ books with my one credit so it's a decent saving. You can cancel anytime you want and they will even give you your first book for free.

Just resurrecting my old thread;

Anyone know if I can link my existing Amazon Kindle account (basic kindle) with the Amazon Audible service (the websites not very clear) so that I can download books to read on my kindle and books to listen to on my android phone?

 

[Lazkir]

"What is whispersync on Amazon?
Whispersync is Amazon's technology that lets readers switch “back and forth between a Kindle book and Audible professional narration - without ever losing your place.” The way it works is that you first buy the Kindle book, and then forWhispersync enabled books you can add the Audibile audiobook to the purchase."

Is this what you're after?

 

[Slab]

"What is whispersync on Amazon?
Whispersync is Amazon's technology that lets readers switch “back and forth between a Kindle book and Audible professional narration - without ever losing your place.” The way it works is that you first buy the Kindle book, and then forWhispersync enabled books you can add the Audibile audiobook to the purchase."

Is this what you're after?

Cheers, kind of but I think that requires me to buy a book in two formats (although the audio one is discounted) I just wanted to have one Amazon account to either buy a book to read on my kindle or buy one to listen to

 

[Lazkir]

I use my one Amazon account to buy both kindle and audible books, they both get sent to the right gadget once purchased.
So as long as you have an amazon account you should be good to go.

 

[Slab]

I use my one Amazon account to buy both kindle and audible books, they both get sent to the right gadget once purchased.
So as long as you have an amazon account you should be good to go.

Ta, I'll get logged in later (when my wife tells me what my details are ) and try adding smartphone etc as a device

 

[jim8flog]

Audio books was my wife's only way to 'read' books and listening to them it is very dependent on the actual narrator.

It is why the better ones use well known actors because they no how to give it the correct nuance.