Have to drive 3h each day for a new job, so I've recently rediscovered the joy of being read to. Currently listening to vol. 1 of His Dark Materials, which is (excellently) voiced by a cast of professional actors. Rate some audiobooks pls, I need recommendations. |
Rate the last audiobook you listened to
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sirtacos 8,244 posts
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Registered 13 years ago -
mumtoucher 755 posts
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Registered 14 years agoI have been listening for these while driving for years, it really does transform driving! I spend a lot of my working life on the road, around the south east, alot of it on the dreaded M25 and i find myself not wanting to get out of the car some days!
I recommend the following, (I've listened to them all, some of them I've been through twice)
The most recent series I've listened too are Malazan Book of The Fallen, these are by far my favourite fantasy books ever, but quite challenging to listen to as there's a lot going on, if you havent read them first.
All of the Iain M Banks Culture books are brilliant in audio form - Epic scifi / that can be really funny also. 8 - 10 books
The Wheel of Time - great fantasy 14 book series - serious time imvestment!
The Dark Tower, such a great series, features my all time favourite narrator - Frank Mueller, Who narrates the first 5 books before he died, 7 books in total - well worth your time
Most of Steven Kings other books are also great listens
Brandon Sandersons books are also worth a listen - they are narrated by the same guys who read the Wheel of Time, I'd start with the Stormlight Chronicles.
Audible is worth subscribing to if you don't already!
Edited by mumtoucher at 15:54:43 15-10-2019
Edited by mumtoucher at 19:11:25 15-10-2019 -
mumtoucher 755 posts
Seen 4 hours ago
Registered 14 years agoI've also listened to loads of Tom Clancy, they are all on Audible too! -
Decks 28,476 posts
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Registered 5 years agoI have listened to 2 audiobooks in my life, I, Partridge: We Need to Talk About Alan and Alan Partridge: Nomad. They are both magnificent. -
DUFFMAN5 26,471 posts
Seen 14 minutes ago
Registered 16 years ago@Decks
You win, what more does one need -
nickthegun 84,617 posts
Seen 4 hours ago
Registered 15 years agoKate 'Janeway' Mulgrew narrates a lot (most?) Of Joe Hill's books and is absolutely fantastic at it.
NOS4A2 and The Fireman already great books, read brilliantly. -
You-can-call-me-kal 22,382 posts
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Registered 15 years agoI thought the Fireman was terrible (non audiobook). -
nickthegun 84,617 posts
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Registered 15 years agoI really liked it but it did kind of King out at the end, I'll give you that. -
Decks 28,476 posts
Seen 4 hours ago
Registered 5 years agoEdmund Kemper has narrated quite a few apparently. -
Your-Mother 6,272 posts
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Registered 4 years agoThe Fireman is Baby King’s worst book, though much like his dad even the bad stuff is at least readable.
Or I guess listenable in this case. -
HairyArse 1,462 posts
Seen 8 hours ago
Registered 6 years agoI’ve only ever listened to two audio books and I thoroughly enjoyed them both.
Limmy’s autobiography and Whitehouse and Mortimer Go Fishing which was surprisingly excellent even though I give zero fucks about fishing. -
wuntyate 16,225 posts
Seen 3 hours ago
Registered 7 years agoDecks wrote:
I can heartily recommend Toast on Toast, read by Matt Berry in character. I loved both partridges but honestly laughed more at Toast. It's just ridiculous.
I have listened to 2 audiobooks in my life, I, Partridge: We Need to Talk About Alan and Alan Partridge: Nomad. They are both magnificent. -
You-can-call-me-kal 22,382 posts
Seen 5 hours ago
Registered 15 years agoI struggle with audiobooks. I like the idea but I can’t quite find the right context. If I listen when I’m travelling or walking I lose concentration and miss stuff. And if I listen when I’m doing nothing I fall asleep.
They are absolutely superb at putting me to sleep which is itself brilliant, but not their intent. -
nickthegun 84,617 posts
Seen 4 hours ago
Registered 15 years agoI drive nearly two hours a day, so they are perfect for that. I listen to podcasts at night for much the same reason as you. Spoken word sends me to sleep at night but you don't really have to follow the plot of someone getting abducted by aliens. -
andy10 332 posts
Seen 5 hours ago
Registered 11 years agoAyoade On Top is an enjoyable breakdown of the Gwyneth Paltrow film View From The Top, which I've never even seen. He reflects at length on how it fits into his life, including an excursion into the history of Happy Eater restaurants. Recommend. -
Your-Mother 6,272 posts
Seen 8 minutes ago
Registered 4 years agoYou-can-call-me-kal wrote:
Same. I think I have it ingrained somewhere in the workings of my brain that my eyes are the primary input for my concentration. I legit find it difficult to just stare off into space at nothing, it always feels like they need to be locked on and concentrating on something. I can just about get away with listening if I'm on a treadmill though.
I struggle with audiobooks. I like the idea but I can’t quite find the right context. If I listen when I’m travelling or walking I lose concentration and miss stuff. And if I listen when I’m doing nothing I fall asleep.
They are absolutely superb at putting me to sleep which is itself brilliant, but not their intent.
I did try the whole "read and listen simultaneously" thing you get with the Kindle app + Audible, but my reading speed is insanely fast and I either ended up impatiently jumping ahead anyway or feeling like I'm stuck in slow traffic. -
Decks 28,476 posts
Seen 4 hours ago
Registered 5 years agoYeah I've tried a few and my brain just doesn't engage with them for some reason.
The Alan Partridge ones really are something special though, I'll definitely give the Toast one a go. -
nickthegun 84,617 posts
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Registered 15 years agoI can't listen to them at work. If I'm doing something I need to even vaguely concentrate on, they just become white noise. -
Decks 28,476 posts
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Registered 5 years agoI'll be honest I struggle to even read books now. I just fucking fall asleep. My think bag only likes it when I pump the flashy lights straight into my eyeholes. -
Dougs 97,589 posts
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Registered 18 years agoLike others, I can never find the right circumstance. I don't drive much and I need to concentrate for work etc, I switch off from what I'm listening to. Walking to and from my commute 2-3 days a week is about it but that's my podcast time. -
Not-a-reviewer 6,962 posts
Seen 5 hours ago
Registered 6 years agoI can’t listen to them and do work but they’re good for longer drives, especially when I have to go for 4 hours each way.
Generally I prefer non fiction. Fiction is a struggle and anything half decent I usually wish I’d just got the book instead. -
askew 22,637 posts
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Registered 15 years ago -
Trafford 8,889 posts
Seen 4 hours ago
Registered 13 years agoAnthony Beevor's The Second World War.
If you like military history it's great and about 60 hours long.
I'd never get through a book that size
Edited by Trafford at 05:28:34 16-10-2019 -
Mola_Ram 25,182 posts
Seen 7 seconds ago
Registered 9 years agoI listen to podcasts and various short essays/articles when I'm walking. Generally I can maintain the focus on them for an hour or so, but I think audio books might be more difficult in that regard. -
Mola_Ram 25,182 posts
Seen 7 seconds ago
Registered 9 years agoOh yeah, and obligatory professional plug...
If you're not sure about paying for one, your local library most likely has loads and loads of audiobooks (they call them "talking books") that you can loan out for free. Either physical copies on mp3 discs, or ones downloadable through an app like Overdrive (recently rebranded as Libby) or Borrowbox.
Edited by Mola_Ram at 06:14:38 16-10-2019 -
bone-on 675 posts
Seen 3 hours ago
Registered 6 years agoAlien 3
Voiced by Michael Biehn and Lance Henrikson returning as Hicks and Bishop.
This is the Alien 3 film/script that never got made, it’s very short but it’s a great way to pass 2 hrs. -
RawShark 1,504 posts
Seen 4 hours ago
Registered 9 years agoI've started to listen to the audio book of A Song of Ice and Fire. It's long.
It should make any difference, but it's weird hearing Tyrion Lannister's lines read in a squeaky Welsh accent. And the narrator can't seem to make his mind up about whether Joffrey is called Joffrey or Jeffrey. -
I am listening to the audiobook of Hyperion, by Dan Simmons. It's the first time I've really listened to fiction, aside from a couple of long family car trips where we listened to The Hobbit ages ago.
It's pretty good! Most of it is narration, so I don't get too weirded out by the voices being too similar to each other. It did start out with a bit of the old "you can write this shit, but you can't say it" business with some very silly-sounding names, but I got over it.
Recommended (if you like your sci-fi)
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