[Mentalist]

Wrapped up "The God is Not WIlling", and.... it's pretty brutal.

[TheRetiredBridgeburner]

Giving earbook a whirl for the first time. Listening to The Eye of the World - enjoying it more than I remembered. I don't recall the story that well.

If I had a pound for every time Lan calls Rand "sheepherder" I'd be a very rich lady indeed.

[JPK]

TheRetiredBridgeburner, on 20 October 2021 - 02:18 PM, said:

Giving earbook a whirl for the first time. Listening to The Eye of the World - enjoying it more than I remembered. I don't recall the story that well.

If I had a pound for every time Lan calls Rand "sheepherder" I'd be a very rich lady indeed.

I think that WoT in particular is one of those works that benefits from having a very strong narration team in Reading and Kramer. I hope you continue to enjoy the audiobook.

[Tiste Simeon]

TheRetiredBridgeburner, on 20 October 2021 - 02:18 PM, said:

Giving earbook a whirl for the first time. Listening to The Eye of the World - enjoying it more than I remembered. I don't recall the story that well.

If I had a pound for every time Lan calls Rand "sheepherder" I'd be a very rich lady indeed.

Can't comment on the book itself but I am a big fan of the audiobook format. If you get a good narrator it can really heighten the experience of a book.

[QuickTidal]

JPK, on 20 October 2021 - 05:00 PM, said:

TheRetiredBridgeburner, on 20 October 2021 - 02:18 PM, said:

Giving earbook a whirl for the first time. Listening to The Eye of the World - enjoying it more than I remembered. I don't recall the story that well.

If I had a pound for every time Lan calls Rand "sheepherder" I'd be a very rich lady indeed.

I think that WoT in particular is one of those works that benefits from having a very strong narration team in Reading and Kramer. I hope you continue to enjoy the audiobook.

Tiste Simeon, on 20 October 2021 - 06:15 PM, said:

TheRetiredBridgeburner, on 20 October 2021 - 02:18 PM, said:

Giving earbook a whirl for the first time. Listening to The Eye of the World - enjoying it more than I remembered. I don't recall the story that well.

If I had a pound for every time Lan calls Rand "sheepherder" I'd be a very rich lady indeed.

Can't comment on the book itself but I am a big fan of the audiobook format. If you get a good narrator it can really heighten the experience of a book.

For what it's worth, I listened to one WOT book in Audio and the two narrators put me to sleep. Often.

[polishgenius]

polishgenius, on 19 October 2021 - 07:04 PM, said:

It got a little delayed (after some initial very long delays, since its first publication projection was like 2019) but I finally got my hands on Ada Palmer's Perhaps the Stars. Right back into being obssessed with it.

There's one scene approximately halfway through and well I won't say anything about it coz if you know the series you won't want to know and if you don't know the series it's far too weird to make any kind of sense but it's so damn good.

[Zeto Demerzel]

QuickTidal, on 20 October 2021 - 06:34 PM, said:

For what it's worth, I listened to one WOT book in Audio and the two narrators put me to sleep. Often.

I know Michael Kramer comes highly recommended but found his WoT narration utterly dull. I liked Reading's work much better, even when she was doing Rand or one of the other male voices.

[Maark Abbott]

QuickTidal, on 18 October 2021 - 12:32 PM, said:

Finally decided to finish Licanius....I've been putting it off as his next series isn't due till 2023 and I didn't want the wait....but it's been staring at me on my kindle too long, so I'm about 10% into THE LIGHT OF ALL THAT FALLS....and it's really starting to set up the big finale. Good stuff.

I was really impressed with the first one. It's by no means the best written, or most original, but what's there is tied together very nicely. The end of the first book was a full on JoJo NANI moment as well.

[TheRetiredBridgeburner]

JPK, on 20 October 2021 - 05:00 PM, said:

TheRetiredBridgeburner, on 20 October 2021 - 02:18 PM, said:

Giving earbook a whirl for the first time. Listening to The Eye of the World - enjoying it more than I remembered. I don't recall the story that well.

If I had a pound for every time Lan calls Rand "sheepherder" I'd be a very rich lady indeed.

I think that WoT in particular is one of those works that benefits from having a very strong narration team in Reading and Kramer. I hope you continue to enjoy the audiobook.

I'm liking the narration so far - I'm listening to it as background while I work and Michael Kramer has a nice unobtrusive voice for that. I can see where people find the narration a little dull but if he was more active I don't think it would work for me the way I'm listening to it.

Quite probably sold on audiobooks generally going forward though! I think they might be my new longer drive companions.

[Macros]

Finished Vindolanda. Solid read, good Reco TRB!

Started Daughter of the Empire reread last night, because why not, it's fucking awesome

[Abyss]

Zeto Demerzel, on 21 October 2021 - 03:27 AM, said:

QuickTidal, on 20 October 2021 - 06:34 PM, said:

For what it's worth, I listened to one WOT book in Audio and the two narrators put me to sleep. Often.

I know Michael Kramer comes highly recommended but found his WoT narration utterly dull. I liked Reading's work much better, even when she was doing Rand or one of the other male voices.

I've heard the Kramer n Reading combo for a few books now... Sanderson's Mistborn and SLA, and Schwab's Darker Shade of Magic... they're pretty great together and individually.
That said, i can see where some of the drier stages of WoT could make even Kramer sound flat.

[Tiste Simeon]

Wait there are dual narrators? Does the text need it?

[Abyss]

Abyss, on 19 October 2021 - 07:26 PM, said:

Abyss, on 05 October 2021 - 02:52 PM, said:

...
Now... back to the Lot Lands for more Orc Sons of Anarchy on war pigs w Jonathan French's FREE BASTARDS.

2/3rds of the way through this and if the author sticks the landing i am going to reco the living hell out of this trilogy.

Just Finished. He NAILS the landing, full superhero fist to the floor circle of smoke NAILS it.

So.... Jonathan French, THE LOT LANDS, trilogy GRAY BASTARDS; TRUE BASTARDS; FREE BASTARDS.... half-orc warrior gangs on warboars fighting humans, orcs, centaurs, other gangs.... some excellent characters, at least one full blast holyfuckdidijustreadTHAT moment per book, killer action, great pacing. Deep at times, gloriously hollywood at others.

Solid fantasy lit these, borderline grimdark at times but not fully, some truly excellent humour too.

Mid size.

The three books run one overarching story but each stands nicely solo.

Earbook narrator is great and totally worth the format.

amphibian, on 20 October 2021 - 01:00 AM, said:

I think French does stick the landing - although it's a different landing than I expected.

Same, i think....

Spoiler

It was a much 'happier' ending than i was expecting. The one significant death was fairly dark and borderline shocking, but everyone else got a nice clean wrap up. Even the boar.
I was expecting a way higher body count and a grimmer end note but French went for closure and it worked.

[Aptorian]

Anybody read the Tinfoil dossiers by Caitlín R. Kiernan? Its about some American equivelant of Charles Stross Laundry Files. End of the world, fungus Old Ones, xfiles kind of stuff.

I just finished the first book, Dreamland. Dont think I liked it much. Not original. Weird author voice. Bit too dreary.

Anybody read the other two books?

[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

Tiste Simeon, on 21 October 2021 - 05:28 PM, said:

Wait there are dual narrators? Does the text need it?

Second narrator starts when first narrator falls asleep?

[worry]

They alternate words like Run DMC and Beastie Boys.

[Abyss]

Abyss, on 21 October 2021 - 05:24 PM, said:

Zeto Demerzel, on 21 October 2021 - 03:27 AM, said:

QuickTidal, on 20 October 2021 - 06:34 PM, said:

For what it's worth, I listened to one WOT book in Audio and the two narrators put me to sleep. Often.

I know Michael Kramer comes highly recommended but found his WoT narration utterly dull. I liked Reading's work much better, even when she was doing Rand or one of the other male voices.

I've heard the Kramer n Reading combo for a few books now... Sanderson's Mistborn and SLA, and Schwab's Darker Shade of Magic... they're pretty great together and individually.
That said, i can see where some of the drier stages of WoT could make even Kramer sound flat.

Tiste Simeon, on 21 October 2021 - 05:28 PM, said:

Wait there are dual narrators? Does the text need it?

Every book i've read that got both of them had them doing characters by gender for the most part. They are both ridiculously talented voice actors so it works very well. I've read many, many books where one narrator does all the voices of all the characters whatever their gender and that works great, but i don't object when the audio publisher springs for the extra talent for a 'richer' earbook. The Graphic Audio productions do full casts and can be brilliant... it turns from a person reading a book, however impressive, to a full blown production. I like.

[Aptorian]

Read halfway through Cthulhu reloaded by David Conyers. It's a re-edited re-release of a series of stories about n Australian soldier who gets into lovecraft troubles.

It's not great. It doesn't do enough with the premises and the supporting characters aren't great. Stopped needing to read more when he introduced an old fashioned damsel in distress. Mostly reads like fanfiction.

That 2 - 2 of disappointing Lovecraft inspired stories. I think I need to try something different.

[Salt-Man Z]

Aptorian, on 24 October 2021 - 10:26 AM, said:

That 2 - 2 of disappointing Lovecraft inspired stories. I think I need to try something different.

For Lovecraft mythos stuff, I can recommend Ruthanna Emrys' INNSMOUTH LEGACY series, and Kij Johnson's THE DREAM QUEST OF VELLITT BOE. Also Premee Mohamed's BENEATH THE RISING books, though those are definitely more "inspired by" than dealing directly with the mythos like Emrys or Johnson.

[Mentalist]

Started "Holy Sister"

The recap in the beginning is nice, but I'm still pretty lost when it comes to actual characters