Fantasy Book Club discussion

Hi everyone! My name is Cherie and I'm an audiobook junkie.

For me, listening to books began when I moved out of Manhattan and had to sit on a train. You know what? Reading on a train makes me sick! There was no audible then but I found Blackstone Audio was renting [by mail a la netflix] cds of audiobooks, generally classics, that I could listen to on my sony cd walkman - yes kids, I'm old enough to have seen the advent of computers and email among many other things. I listened to the likes of Dickens and Homer, but longed for MY books - fantasy books that I could listen to as the train zoomed away.

Later in life I reclaimed audiobooks for my own - especially as I entered the time of my life where I live in the car shuttling kids hither and yon. There's little time to sit and read, but oodles of time waiting outside of school, lessons, sitting in traffic too. Road trips? Check. And now instead of the mess of cds and headphones my beloved audible sends everything to my phone and my car plays it for me without even pushing a button - can't beat that!

So with all that said, what audiobooks have been your favorites? Suggestions are always appreciated, particularly where the audiobook adds to the experience because of a great narrator. I'll start:

Favorites of late
Jim Butcher's Dresden Files
Steven Brust's Jhereg series
The Rook [beginning of Daniel O'Malley's series]
Scott Lynch's Gentlemen Bastard series [haven't finished it though]
Neil Gaiman is fun to listen to, both when he reads and when there's a cast [I particularly enjoyed the bbc version of Neverwhere]
Gail Carriger's Parasol Protectorate is well read, though I've petered out partway through the series - will likely take it up again for something light
Jim Dale is fabulous - I can listen to his harry potter any time
I've just started Tim Curry's read of Garth Nix's Sabriel - he's wonderful and I'm really enjoying the book more than I think I would have if I were reading it in print.

What about you?

I'm finishing up "The Blade Itself", first book in the First Law series by Joe Abercrombie. The narration by Steven Pacey is outstanding, and his ability to switch voices and accents is simply amazing, making it especially easy to differentiate between the numerous characters. It really adds to the story, and like you said with the Garth Nix series, I've enjoyed it even more than I would have in print.

I agree Stephen Pacey is very good. All the audio books I've listened to narrated by him were very enjoyable. I use to listen to audio books a lot, but I'm doing it less and less now.

I'm thinking that it's often a lifestyle issue - do you have more time to read now Robin?

I'm off to go look up Stephen Pacey :)

No my choice of reading versus audio books isn't due to time, I guess it's an issue of preferment, I do most of my reading at home, and I use a laptop, It's just what i'm use to. But as soon as I start university I'll probably switch back to audio books, because of the travel. I really do recommend Steven Pacey, he's an excellent reader. He manages to pull off any required accents without sounding stilted and forced which is quite an accomplishment.

The best audiobook experience I've had goes back a few years, when I was given the gift of The Hobbit, narrated by the BBC ensemble cast. An extraordinary work. I donated it to a library before a long-distance move and wish I still had it to listen to from time to time.

There is a free audiobook site I'll suggest. So far only a few dozen books (public domain), but professionally narrated by Michael Scott. Not bad at all, especially considering the "price". As a nod to Halloween I listened to The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" this past week. Here's the link to the site: http://thoughtaudio.com/index.html

Thanks Monica I will take a look. I loved that Hobbit - I do enjoy cast pieces :)

my favorite narrator is james marsters. i tried reading dresden, and while it still was great, it missed something...
i also think kirby heyborne is great. his narration of the child thief was one of the best part of the experiance.
other than that, Elantris and Warbreaker by Brandon sanderson, and the deamon cycle by peter v brett in graphic audio. i just LOVE graphic audio. i cant get enough of it.

Ungar5 wrote: "my favorite narrator is james marsters. i tried reading dresden, and while it still was great, it missed something...
i also think kirby heyborne is great. his narration of the child thief was one ..."

I agree - now I can hear marsters in my head when I read - so it's all good ;)

I was just looking at I was just looking at The Warded Man by Brett - audible has it on sale :) What is graphic audio? From graphic novels? Or am I missing some finer point?

Graphic audio is - as they advertise - "a movie in your mind". It's basically a movie without pictures. There is a cast of actors. One for each character. There are special effects. For example, if someone is running you hear panting and rapid footfalls. If there's a fight, you hear punches and grunts. There is crowd noise in the background when a scene takes place in a street, and so on...
It's so immersive, it takes the whole experience to a new level. If you haven't tried it yet, you definitely need to.
Only problem is, after that, a regular audiobook just won't cut it...

Brent Weeks's books (The Lightbringer series and The Night Angel Trilogy) are all great and his narrator (Simon Vance) is fantastic. Same goes for Patrick Rothfuss's Kingkiller Chronicles and the narrator (Rupert Degas). I am picky about fantasy narrators. I can't listen to The Wheel of the Time, the narrator just kills me, and it's a favourite series.

Ungar5 wrote: "Graphic audio is - as they advertise - "a movie in your mind". It's basically a movie without pictures. There is a cast of actors. One for each character. There are special effects. For example, if..."
ahh I have listened to some like that - I like it too :) Thanks for explaining!!! Hmmm I don't
think the version at audible of the demon cycle is multiple cast - we'll have to wait and see :)

Ciara wrote: "Brent Weeks's books (The Lightbringer series and The Night Angel Trilogy) are all great and his narrator (Simon Vance) is fantastic. Same goes for Patrick Rothfuss's Kingkiller Chronicles and the n..."

Hi Clara [my daughter's name :)]

I flagged in the wheel of time print versions years ago - and thought the audio books would help me get through the newer ones - it was a no go LOL. Someday I may try them again in one format or another.

Thanks for suggesting the others - I'll put them on my list

I have been enjoying audio books for sometime now mostly at work (loud machinery)
I highly recommend Criss Moore's novels start with Lamb: then move on to whichever takes your eye, or ear.
He is one of the most outrageous authors and has a sick sense of humor, I belive the voice of (S.I.R.I ) is the voice actor.
I also have enjoyed Mark Greany's Gray man series there are now 4 in the set.
There are many the Dresden files are good to listen when Marsters is the reader and I am glad they are starting to put more of these novels into voice form. easy to get carried away and come home from work and just sit and listen as well,
The graphic audio really is a great experience!

You guys are right about WoT audiobooks. The male narrator (I can't remember his name right now) puts me right to sleep. It's like he has the same rhythm in his voice with every sentence. Sleepily up, sleepily down lol.

My first was Jim Dale and Harry Potter, and he did a wonderful job at changing characters. Marsters is another favorite, high five to the other fans lol. I believe Kate Reading did the female narration on WoT, but I liked her a lot better on Butcher's Codex Alera series. Her voice bothers my brother but I kind of enjoy her voice acting during that series.

Thanks so much for starting this thread! I love that Audible lets you return books you hate. Sometimes you just can't take the narrator...or the book...

I also love Simon Vance and Jim Dale. I also loved the narrator forCold Magic and Soulless to name a few.

I use audio books mostly at the gym. If I'm doing some boring cardio, it is like a reward. Also great for while you're doing chores around the house.

Heather wrote: "Thanks so much for starting this thread! I love that Audible lets you return books you hate. Sometimes you just can't take the narrator...or the book...

I also love Simon Vance and Jim Dale. I als..."

I enjoyed the Soulless series for a few books too Heather - I may pick it up again when I need something light - but the narrator was good. I love the return policy too!

I finished the whole series. The narrator is great! The third book was disappointing but I felt they got better with the ending of the series. Don't waste your time with the YA books but I have hopes for the new series about their daughter.

Lately there have been quite a few books I have wanted to get on Audible but people say the narrators are bad. I'd appreciate all of your suggestions of books with solid narration! I have credits to burn...

I recently listened to Prince of Fools by Mark Lawrence and the story was great and the narration really brought it to life. One of my favorite all-time listens.

Currently listening to Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb which is very good.

I also enjoyed listening to Promise of Blood by Brian McClellan although having read it before, the voices didn't always match up to my picture of the characters. Still very well done.

I actually have not read any Robin Hobb books. I was thinking of picking up Assassin's Apprentice but was concerned when people said it is slow. I probably should at least give it a go!

I've already read the other two you mentioned. :)

I'm a huge audiobook fan as well, but I would say avoid the Assassin books at all costs. The first one was finishable, if barely, and the second was awful. There's nothing wrong with the narrator, it's the story that's flawed
I'd advise listening to the Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch instead, good narration, great story

Thanks for the recommendations, everyone. I picked up The Blade Itself, The Warded Man, and The Black Prism.

Tz wrote: "I'm a huge audiobook fan as well, but I would say avoid the Assassin books at all costs. The first one was finishable, if barely, and the second was awful. There's nothing wrong with the narrator, ..."

So what Hobb book might be a better choice for a newbie to the author?

Assassin's Apprentice is not slow so much as it's character driven fantasy. There aren't a lot of battles, it's more of a palace intrigue sort of book. She spends a lot of time with the characters and the story is told through the eyes of a bastard child thrust into royal life. It's more a matter of taste if that is your kind of story or not. The only other book I've read of hers is Dragon Haven which is a very different story set in the same world. It is also character driven but told from more viewpoints.

Assassin's Apprentice was my introduction to Robin Hobb. It hooked me, often leaving me breathless for the main character, Fitz.

One thought on the zombie trend' as I believe the walking dead just might be finished up with a movie based around maberry's rot and ruin series, these are in audio format as well as some of his Joe ledger novels, really great read's.
There is a part in one of the novels they have (zombie-cards) like baseball trading cards and they have one of the sheriff's (Rick grimes's son Carl) on one of the cards, so it is tied in already. Kind of a Easter egg thing I think'

Heather wrote: "Tz wrote: "I'm a huge audiobook fan as well, but I would say avoid the Assassin books at all costs. The first one was finishable, if barely, and the second was awful. There's nothing wrong with the..."

I'll admit that by the time I finished Royal Assassin I was so turned off to that world and Hobbs in general that I haven't read anything else of hers other than Short Stories a few Anthologies

Sometimes you just have to opt for an ebook instead so you can skip quickly through if things get dull. I have decided to do that with The Way of Kings. I have put in maybe four hours and just can't stand his prose. So I got the ebook to skip through the many rambling bits.

I was going to recommend Michael Page, who reads Scott Lynch's Gentlemen Bastards, but I see you have that one.
Beowulf might count as fantasy, and Charlton Griffin did a marvelous job reading C.W.Kennedy's translation of Beowulf.
I loved Barrett Whitener's reading of A Confederacy of Dunces (not fantasy), but he's also read some fantasy, and I imagine he'd read anything well!

I have the unabridged Lord of the Rings and Hobbit which I listen to regularly. In addition to Jim Butcher, I also have a select set of urban fantasy authors I find worth reading/listening to, such as Seanan McGuire (October Daye), Kim Harrison (The Hollows), Patricia Briggs (Mercy Thompson), Carrie Vaughn (Kitty Norville), and Faith Hunter (Jane Yellowrock). Ursula K. Le Guin's Earthsea books are certainly worth a read.

I'm a huge audiobook fan and in fact, as I get older and my eyesight worsens, I find myself listening more often than reading. There are many fantasy audiobooks that I have loved!

Simon Prebble does an amazing job with Janny Wurts' The Master of White Storm, as well as Emily Gray with Sorcerer's Legacy.

Other outstanding books/narrators include George Guidall with The Golem and the Jinni, and Simon Vance with the His Majesty's Dragon and the rest of the Temeraire series. Also Euan Mortan does a great job with Kay's The Lions of Al-Rassan.

These are just a few of my favorites, but they are all great ones.

How are people linking these book/audio?
I notice most have the name and it links to a page,while other's like myself use the name's and not a link.

Jack wrote: How are people linking these book/audio?

If you look above the comment box there is an "add book/author" link. There you can search for the book or author and choose to include a link or cover.

Does the A Wizard of Earthsea series get more interesting? I liked the prose and narrator but I felt the story was meant for a young audience (like Hobbit).

I loved it, but I read it when I was 12 or 13. It may have had a slow start, though. Le Guin's books are not, generally, action packed anyway (at least the ones I've read). In my librarian days it was shelved in Juvenile Fiction, and that is what Amazon seems to indicate as well. That said, I still have my copy and plan to reread it one of these days (and I'm closing in on 50).

Yes, that is my biggest issue with older fantasy and science fiction. Everyone read it when they were young and so don't have experience with these novels reading as an adult.

Hmmm. You make a good point. I still love The Hobbit, even though, as you say, it was written for a young audience. It is true that I can't say how I'd feel about it if I were reading it for the first time as an adult, but I suspect I'd still love it. If the Earthsea books aren't your cup of tea and you want to give Le Guin another chance you might try Lavinia. I read that as a prelude to my first reading of the Aeneid and really enjoyed it. (I know she's written quite a bit more adult fantasy, but that is the only one I've read, and, actually, Amazon classes Lavinia as Adult/YA.)

Great, thanks for the recommendation!

assassins apprentice was amazing. ive read and re read it countless times. as far as audiobooks go, im currently on my way through WoT, its a slow process, bu far the best ive heard was stephen fry reading harry potter. that guys brilliant

Favorite, so far, is Steven Pacey! I listened to him narrate Joe Abercrombie's The First Law Trilogy and WoW! Amazing!! I love a narrator that gets into the story, changing his voice to fit each character and who is enthusiastic about what he's reading to us..
Brilliant!
Also a favorite of mine is Michael Kramer and Kate Redding. They have narrated Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series and is now narrating one of my favorite series, The Stormlight Archives by Brandon Sanderson
And then there's Neil Gaiman....ahhhhh...I love me some Gaiman ;)
He's brilliant at everything he writes and then bonus...he narrates most of them too.

I'm excited to listen to the Steven Pacey I picked up with so many of you recommending him.

Michelle {Book Hangovers} wrote: "Favorite, so far, is Steven Pacey! I listened to him narrate Joe Abercrombie's The First Law Trilogy and WoW! Amazing!! I love a narrator that gets into the story, changing his voic..."

I could listen to Neil Gaiman read all day. I remember Tim Ferriss recommending The Graveyard Book as a spectacular audiobook, and it was. And I'm not normally into audiobooks.

Ive found that once i transferred over into a listening reader it was like the massive ball and chain of giving my devoted time to a book was lifted and i could go about my daily life listening to book after book and i must say ive become quite the audiobook snob when it comes to the readers. Anything that hasent been done redone into at least CD form or past like the year 2000 you can practically forget about it because theyre practically all mono toned. But ive loved finding books ive already read very enjoyable to listen to but heres a few that Id recommend to any real Fantasy Lover

Shogun is amazing in audiobook form i couldnt get enough of the readers raspy voice that tended to make things funnier and more serious. Its not fantasy but its a classic and the Japanese Samurai are the most true warriors in the history of mankind i believe so whats not to like reading about them

The Century Trilogy was a very long read but when broken into sessions of listening while doing things it went by wicked fast and the reader was great. The revolutions and stories behind each family across the world left much to like about the series

Mistborn Series was incredible in itself but the readers are amazing making Mistborn a must as a listen on any of my lists to people.

Lies of Locke Lamora was great and the series Gentleman Bastards was a great listen also.

That's exactly what I love - you can do your chores and still get reading in!

Can you possibly link the books you mentioned? I want to make sure I don't end up with the wrong books.

I don't normally listen to fantasy on audio (I prefer non-fiction in that format for some reason) but I do have a couple of suggestions.

I know it's already been said, but I really have to second Steven Pacey's voice work on Joe Abercrombie The First Law trilogy. Pacey does a fantastic job giving each and every character their own voice and style. Probably one of the best audiobook listens I've ever had. Parental Advisory warning on content.

I also really enjoyed Kate Reading and Micheal Kramer's reading of The Stormlight Archive. I know this was also the team that did the Wheel of Time narration, though I haven't given either of those a listen.

I actually had to dump the audio of The Way of Kings because I couldn't stand Kate's narration. Funny how we all have different taste on such things.

Heather wrote: "I actually had to dump the audio of The Way of Kings because I couldn't stand Kate's narration. Funny how we all have different taste on such things."

Indeed. But that's what makes it so much fun!!

Where are the best places to get audio books from online ?

Ian wrote: "Where are the best places to get audio books from online ?"

Audible.com

Ian, are you looking to purchase audiobooks? If so, then Audible (an Amazon company) has a good selection: http://www.audible.com/