I can’t stop listening to them. It’s all I want to do. I’ve started arranging my life to give myself more opportunities to listen them. I’m getting so behind on reading my actual books, ones I’ve requested for review, because I keep finding awesome audio books to listen to. Also, with iTunes and similar offers from Amazon and such, audio books have become a lot cheaper recently and easier to get and not as weird to store.
So, I thought I’d review a bunch in one post here. To feel like all that listening has done something for the blog. And the authors and publishers.Without further ado, the books:
Harry Potter
I’m pretty sure my current audio book obsession started with my listening to the last three Harry Potter books just before Deathly Hallows Part 2 came out. They are so good. Though, I do think they could have benefited from a full cast, there are a LOT of characters, Jim Dale (my library had the American version of the audio books) does a really good job making each voice sound a bit different. It was a great way to re-experience the books and I have no complaint about the quality or a change in feeling or anything. It was very nearly like reading the books myself except this time I managed to successfully give everyone a British accent. I will say though, it’s strange when Dobbey and McGonagal sound eerily similar.
Clockwork Angel
I loved this one so much! Jennifer Ehle is awesome! I haven’t heard if they got her to do Clockwork Prince yet. I hope so. I was a bit startled at the beginning when she started reading the narrative parts in an American accent. The book takes place in England. Jennifer Ehle is English! Why would this be? Then I remembered that Tessa is American so, I guess they were going with that even though it isn’t a first person point of view book. Still, she did wonderful accents and voices for all of the characters even Will. I always respect a female audio book peroformer who can do a good voice for the male characters.
Bloodlines
I really did not like the girl performing this one. She did not sound like Sydney at all and she made Adrian sound like a bratty twelve-year-old English school boy. It was so bad, I just skipped to the end and listened to climatic moment and then stopped. If you want to listen to it, definitely get it from the library. Do not waste any money on this one.
Paranormalcy
I really liked the girl they got for this one. She sounded a little like Buffy. Which was perfect! You know, a little girly-girl, a little bored, and a lot kick assery. Or something that makes sense in the English. It was a lot of fun and while it didn’t give me any new insights into the characters or the book, it was a good way to experience the story.
City of Fallen Angels
For some reason I just didn’t like this one too much. I felt that they got performers who would appeal to the teenage audience more than people who would be good at performing audio books. I only got about halfway through but that might be because I listened to very soon after reading the book. And it was definitely my least favourite of Cassandra Clare’s books, so my lack of enthusiasm might not have anything to do with the performers.
Divergent
This one was awesome! I think I liked this better than reading the book. Though, when I read the book my expectations were through the roof, and I think I set myself up for disappointment. This time I knew what to expect and so I think I enjoyed it more. It’s wonderfully performed and it made me super excited for Insurgent! Though I still thought Tris’ last pass through the fear landscape made no sense. The whole point was to hide her ability to manipulate the illusions, wasn’t it? And yet she goes through, changing everything. I do not get it.
Graceling
I’m not sure why but I think I liked this audio book more than I liked the book. And I loved the book. Maybe it had just been so long since I’d read that book that this was like reading it, and meeting all the awesome characters, for the first time. Also, there’s been so much talk/speculation about certain characters being gay and romantically involved that I completely forgot that it wasn’t addressed at all in the book. I kept expecting it to come up and it never did. Weird. If you’re going to listen to this one though, you might want to wait a bit. It made me need Bitterblue with a fierceness not even Tyra Banks can describe.
Fire
I was startled when I started this one because Graceling had a full cast (I should have mentioned that above, it was so awesome!!!) most definitely does not. But I was expecting one so, it was startling. I really wish it had because I wanted to hear Brigan’s voice. Sigh. I got used to it, and still very much enjoyed it but I’m really hoping Penguin goes back to the full cast format for Bitterblue. Which I’m still overly excited for!
Saving Francesca
This one was great because it made all my thoughts have an Australian accent! It was performed perfectly too. Or, well, everything from Frankie’s point of view and such was awesome. The voices the girl did for the boys, especially Will, was a little weird. But I could live with it because everything else was fantastic. I listened to the bit where Frankie yells at her Dad twice because the emotion was just so perfect in it. Best not to listen to this one on a bus though. I found myself having to stifle both laughter and tears. Also, I would grin like an idiot whenever Tom and Tara spoke to one another.
The Golden Compass
This one was sooooo good! Another full cast performance which are quickly becoming my favourite. I hadn’t read this in so long I’d forgotten how much I love every single bit of it. I’d forgotten how awesome Lyra is. And Pantalaimon. I want a Pantalaimon so bad! The acting is good, the reading is good, the emotions are perfect. If you’re only going to choose one book off this list, please let it be this one.
The Subtle Knife
I’m only about halfway through this one. But it’s got the same cast as The Golden Compass, which I appreciate, with the added awesomeness of Will Parry! I’m pretty sure Will Parry was my first fictional crush. Which sucks because now it’s kind of creepy. With me being in my twenties and him STILL being twelve.
So, have you listened to any audio books recently? Which are your favourites?