Audiobooks discussion

I don't read it, but those who do -- knock yourselves out!

I don't read a lot of sci-fi, but Ender's Game is near the very top of my list of favorite books of all time.

I loved Ready Player One

Sweet. This is my genre.

My favorite Sci-Fi audiobooks:

The Martian
Overdraft: The Orion Offensive
Year Zero
Old Man's War
Confessions of a D-List Supervillain
14
Ready Player One
The Android's Dream
Dimension of Miracles
Screw The Galaxy

^Humorous.

Live Free or Die
Starplex
Leviathan Wakes
Diving into the Wreck
Fuzzy Nation
The Survivors
Pushing Ice

^Life/Adventure in space.

Armor
Dauntless
Stark's War
Ender's Game
Aurora: CV-01

^War in space.

Remnant Population
Damocles
The Humans

^Beautiful, more human than sci/fi stories.

The Madness Season
Blindsight
A Fire Upon the Deep

^From the "so crazy it just might work" shelf

I would second Ready Player One, it is such fun even though there are some dark parts...nostalgia galore.

I really enjoyed the two part Ilium and Olympos by Dan Simmons. Trojan War re-fought on Mars, strange turn of events back on earth and two funny little robots who debate on whether Shakespeare or Proust is the best author. Very Clever and detailed.

I listened to 14 (Peter Cline) that was kind of interesting. There was a special deal for Junkie Quatrain which is also Peter Cline but have not listened yet.

Is Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, and horror all going to be locked up under Sci-fi?

Forney_Bill, there is a Fantasy thread, too.

Red Shirts is classic sci-fi parody, and yet its Codas take it a little beyond that.

Jeanie,

Under the category "Genre", I see only these threads...

1. Sci Fi
2. Mystery/Cozy
3. Classic Lit
4. Literary Fiction

I don't see Fantasy - what am I missing?

Sooki Stackhouse would live where in this organization?

Ah, yes. Redshirts. How did I forget that one? I've gotta go make sure it's on my to-listen-again list.

That was my only issue with the multiple genre threads, Bill. So many of the books I love cover a wide range of genres.

This should take you to Fantasy.

Got it J. Thanks.

I don't know why all the threads under the Genre category didn't show up, but once I clicked your link, I could see all of them.

J. wrote: "Ah, yes. Redshirts. How did I forget that one? I've gotta go make sure it's on my to-listen-again list.

That was my only issue with the multiple genre threads, Bill. So many of the books I love co..."

I hear you, J. However, I'd rather not see the same book in different threads from the same person. So, please feel free to explain why you picked the genre you did for it, as well as why it would fit others as well. It's all subjective.

Heidi *Listen. I'll just keep talking anyway. * wrote: "I loved Ready Player One"

I wouldn't have liked it nearly as much if I had read it. But Wil Wheaton did such a fantastic job I gave it 4 stars.

Fantastic list! Thanks, J.! Not my genre either, but I LOVED The Martian and will definitely check out some of these.

J. wrote: "Sweet. This is my genre.

My favorite Sci-Fi audiobooks:

The Martian
Overdraft: The Orion Offensive
Year Zero
Old Man's War
[book:Confe..."

I bought the print version of Ready Player One for my husband, who loved it. Lots of Goodreaders love the audio - I think I'll give it a shot.

Another BOTNS favorite is The Sparrow, which I've resisted for some reason. Has anyone enjoyed the audio version?

jaxnsmom wrote: "Heidi *Listen. I'll just keep talking anyway. * wrote: "I loved Ready Player One"

I wouldn't have liked it nearly as much if I had read it. But Wil Wheaton did such a fantastic job..."

I am not a science fiction aficionado; however, I have read or listened to a few sci-fi novels - The Time Machine, Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, Fahrenheit 451, The Martian Chronicles, Dust, and Ender's Game - spring to mind.

I possess an eclectic taste when it comes to reading. To me, an entertaining, well-written story is all that matters. Genre seldom comes into play when choosing a good print or audio book.

"It’s about time, it’s about space,
About two men in the strangest place."

So in the alternate reality/time travel sub-genre, I have 3 favorites...

Stephen King's 11-22-63 was worth the wait. And King did wait. He was a little afraid of the paradox of time travel. But now that he has done it, it is one of my favorites by Stephen King.

King's favorite time travel novel was "Time and Again" by Jack Finney. Like 11-22-63 the plot device isn't some fancy machine. How then? Listen and see. Paul Hecht narrates in the audible version and does a superb job.

And if you have ... ah time, there is yet another book that explores time. The travel paradoxes that King worried so much about are front and center in Dean Koont's "Lighting". Christopher Lane narrates the book, and it gets 4 stars from Audible. It gets 4.5 stars from Amazon. Buy the kindle edition for 6.83 and you can get the audible copy for an additional 3.99. Get both and save your credit for one of the other two.

Leviathan Wakes
I can't recall how the audio was but I don't recall having any issues with it in Lucifer's Hammer great book

Travis of NNY wrote: "Leviathan Wakes
I can't recall how the audio was but I don't recall having any issues with it in Lucifer's Hammer great book"

I loved Leviathan Wakes and that entire trilogy, but it kills me that they swapped narrators for the fourth book. I suppose the reasoning is that it is the first in a new trilogy, but it's like changing actors for season two of a television show.

Definitely some adjusting with narration in Cibola Burn. My only disappointment was the proto molecule. I was really hoping to just leave it behind and enter new space.

To Honor You Call Us
Just finished this and the follow-up book. Crazy good space navy fiction, and the narrator is excellent. For fans of "life in space", this gets my highest recommendation.

Terry wrote: "To Honor You Call Us
Just finished this and the follow-up book. Crazy good space navy fiction, and the narrator is excellent. For fans of "life in space", this gets my highest recom..."

Bother! Had to check this one out and another one added to my wish list. At this rate I'll never get caught up.

Terry wrote: "To Honor You Call Us
Just finished this and the follow-up book. Crazy good space navy fiction, and the narrator is excellent. For fans of "life in space", this gets my highest recom..."

I'm glad to hear you enjoyed them. I've had them on my list for a while and picked the first one up in a sale not too long ago.

A lot of buzz about... To Honor You Call Us

I see that at Amazon the Kindle is 3.99. The Whispersync is 1.99. So $4+$2=$6 and that's cheaper than a credit.

I put this on my wish list and it $10 without the Kindle. I have a lot of books to go. If this Kindle deal doesn't go away anytime soon, I think I am content to wait.

What should I do? Buy it now and add to my backlog or just wait till I need a book and pick it up then.

Terry wrote: "To Honor You Call Us
Just finished this and the follow-up book. Crazy good space navy fiction, and the narrator is excellent. For fans of "life in space", this gets my highest recom..."

Terry, who wrote that book and what is the title of the second book?
Thanks, Doris

I'm going to have to check out some of the other books on your humorous list J. I've ready about half of them and loved them. Just finished the Martian that was so good.

Forney_bill wrote: "A lot of buzz about... To Honor You Call Us

I see that at Amazon the Kindle is 3.99. The Whispersync is 1.99. So $4+$2=$6 and that's c..."


I change my mind about that decision every day or so. I am real good and say no I do not need to buy that book by the time I get to it it will likely be free or really cheap (due to VERY large backlog). Then one day I just buy everything that sounds interesting and add to my backlog. Please let me know if you ever come to a great decision on the best way. LOL Books are an addiction like anything else.

Drew wrote: "I'm going to have to check out some of the other books on your humorous list J. I've ready about half of them and loved them. Just finished the Martian that was so good."

I would recommend Year Zero in particular. I've been eager to listen to it again.

I am just well into The Martian and am greatly enjoying it. What amuses me most is the close resemblance to the stories I remember reading in the 1940s when I was in college, in the science fiction magazine Astounding (later renamed Analog) . Technically updated, of course.

I'm listening to and greatly enjoying From Here To Infinity: An Exploration of Science Fiction Literature. It is a series of lectures, but very interesting lectures around the sci-fi genre. I've added several of the mentioned books to my to-read list.

I'm also finding the narration to be well done.

There was an idea tossed out that Mary Shelly's Frankenstein was science fiction for her time, which I can see, but hate.

J. wrote: "I'm listening to and greatly enjoying From Here To Infinity: An Exploration of Science Fiction Literature. It is a series of lectures, but very interesting lectures around the sci-fi..."

You're talking about my favorite professor, Michael D. C. Drout of the Modern Scholar lecture series. I tend not to read a lot of sci-fi, but Prof. Drout's enthusiasm and knowledge of the subject made me want to check out some of the titles, too.

Listen to my new narrations Herbal Remedies, swinging at the Savoy, Running Into Life. 3 new ones out now!

And Reboting inBeverly Hills audio best seller!

I narrate as Bettye Zoller Seitz. I also consult by phone and in person in Dallas

Which of those falls under science fiction?

I recently narrated a book by David Bischoff called "Star Hounds: The Infinite Battle" (book 1 of a trilogy). To get this off the ground, we are looking for some reviews. I have a few codes available for an unbiased review. It's a space adventure, about 5-6 hours long, and segments of it reminded me a lot of Firefly (but that's just my perspective :) ). If people want to listen for review, let me know and I'll provide the code. If you want to look at it first, here's the audible link: http://bit.ly/1kvNZA0.

And if this isn't really the appropriate place to post this, let me know.

---------------
on a separate note: I've been listening to The Science of Battlestar Galactica by Patrick Di Justo, Kevin Grazier and narrated by Tom Dheere. If you watched the show, this book is really neat to listen to!

J. wrote: "Which of those falls under science fiction?"

From the looks of the titles ....none of them. But, maybe I'm mistaken.

Margaret wrote: "I am just well into The Martian and am greatly enjoying it. What amuses me most is the close resemblance to the stories I remember reading in the 1940s when I was in college, in the science fiction..."
Whoa, Analog and Astounding. That takes me back - I remember subscribing to Analog back in the day. By the way, I see that Analog is still publishing. I picked it up and read a story at my local B&N

my favorites:
We
Childhood's End

I rather enjoyed Childhood's End myself, but I've never been able to put my finger on what I liked about it. Part of me is convinced that the affection is due to the book being the first sci-fi audiobook I ever listened to. I really need to give it a second listen sometime, especially now that I'm a more seasoned listener.

I just finished Pandora's Star & Judas Unchained, really just one book split in two. I loved it. Serious space opera.

Also listened to Tales From Little Lump - Alien Season and laughed my butt off. Great short story.

Finished up Ender's Game Alive: The Full Cast Audioplay. It wasn't bad, but the original is still my favorite by far.

Your Average Ordinary Alien was another great short story. Really short. I think it was around 20 minutes.

I am currently listening to Hard Luck Hank: Screw The Galaxy, which I will admit to listening to solely because of the title.

is Pandora's Star any good?

I tried Great North Road by the same author and didn't like it because the author kept going on and on about insignificant details while swinging back and forth between sci-fi and mystery. as if he was trying hard to impress the reader.

on other note: I finished Ready Player One and really liked it

This is rather late but I just noticed on another site that Grover Gardener received an Audie for his delightful narration of Captain Vorpatril's Alliance, which is the funniest of all Lois Bujold's Vorkosigan series. However. you would miss half the jokes if you hadn't read at least some of the previous books in the series.

Margaret wrote: "This is rather late but I just noticed on another site that Grover Gardener received an Audie for his delightful narration of Captain Vorpatril's Alliance, which is the funniest of all Lois Bujold'..."

I so agree - I just finished a re-listen, and realized that much of it is as much fun as a Regency romance.

J. wrote: "I rather enjoyed Childhood's End myself, but I've never been able to put my finger on what I liked about it. Part of me is convinced that the affection is due to the book being the first sci-fi aud..."

Iliked Ender's Game alive and thought it was very good for what it set out to be, but agree totally that the unabridged book is the best.

No mentions of Iain M Banks' Culture novels or Alastair Reynolds' Revelation Space? Both are wonderful "smart space opera" series.

I've listened to a few of Banks narrated by Peter Kenny, who does a fine job, but tends to use accents of different nationalities to distinguish characters rather than changing the sound of his voice. Sometimes that works, sometimes not. But the material is wonderful. Banks' prose is clever, fun and very readable.

Reynolds' novels are longer, slower and more somber, but there are some great ideas there. They are read by John Lee, who fits the material perfectly. I've read the first two of the main trilogy, and Chasm City. Great stuff.

HBJ

I love Alastair Reynolds books, but they do have a certain bleakness to them. I always finish one of his novels, say "huh" and rate it three stars. A week later when I can't get a character or aspect of the story out of my head I go back and rate it four stars.

Pushing Ice was my first real space opera and it hooked me good.

J., that's a great way to describe Reynolds books. They have ideas or events that snag in your mind after the fact.

Have you read any Banks?

HBJ

I don't think I have, though Consider Phlebas has been on my to-read list as long as I can remember. I'm only hesitant to listen at this point because if I like it I'll force myself to listen to the entire series one after another.

The series is not really a single story, but separate stories set in the same universe. They are largely independent - although it probably doesn't hurt to read them in publication order.

So you can read as few or as many as you like.

HBJ

Thanks, that makes me more likely to get started.

Saeed wrote: "is Pandora's Star any good?"

I have mixed feelings on it. The story overall is pretty good, the narrator is excellent. That said, it takes a long time for the story to get going and the story jumps between different individual people's stories and in audio there's no break between them so you need to take a bit of time to re-orient yourself.

The Iain M. Banks Culture books are excellent. Although, Consider Phlebas isn't really the best introduction to the book universe. I especially recommend The State of the Art, although I haven't listened to the audio version.

For fans of classic sci-fi I'd really recommend Among Others. It won the Hugo for its year. It's kind of a mix, though. It's somewhat fantasy as the main character can cast a little magic, but most of the story is her at a boarding school and her opinions reading various sci-fi novels. It's told as if the book is her journal and it works really well in audio.