Audiobooks discussion

Almost finished with Murder at the Ritz by Jim Eldridge, first in a series set in London during WW II; will need to clarify mixed feelings in my review. Am a fan of the author's Museum Mysteries series.

As mentioned in July thread, working on a nonfiction Audible Plus title: An Area of Darkness by V.S. Naipaul.

Planning on starting The House of Mirth, read by the late Anna Fields, though concerned it'll be rather depressing.

The Dark Moment by Ann Bridge was published in 1951. It is a book of historical fiction written by an author I do recommend. It is about the birth of the Turkish Republic under Ataturk.

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Now I am reading Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela. Neither the book nor its author need to be introduced.

My review of Embassy Wife by Katie Crouch

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Released in Feb 2021, this book offers an engrossing mystery set around the San Francisco earthquake of 1906:
The Nature of Fragile Things by Susan Meissner - 3.5 stars - My Review

The audio book is nicely read by Alana Ker Collins (as Sophie) and Jason Culp (as the US Marshall). Alana has a slight Irish accent, which fits the role well. (4 stars for the audio)

Continuing Katherine of Aragón: The True Queen - have about 8hrs of the 22hrs left - really in depth but geez long..Weir is a master at historical fiction

Also finishing up Hard Time - I never thought I’d like the Time Police series but I’m totally Team Weird!

Dee wrote: "Also finishing up Hard Time - I never thought I’d like the Time Police series but I’m totally Team Weird!..."

I felt that same way before starting the series. How in the world can we stand a setting in the Time Police? But she pulls it off by tying the two worlds together with Matthew, IMO. I would read anything she published, truth to tell. I've already pre-ordered the third book and can't wait until October!

I finished Fused in Fire, third in the initial demon days/Vampire Nights trilogy by K. F. Breene. While Breene is always funny, this particular book was a setting that I really don't get into--a surreal worldscape with lots of danger and battles. I'm continuing the series with a spinoff in the same world involving mages... here's hoping the MC this time isn't so brash, impulsive, and aggressive.

1177 B.C.: The Year Civilization Collapsed: Revised and Updated by Eric H. Cline. Revised updated edition is narrated by Cline. Guess I wasn't the only one disappointed he didn't narrate 2014 edition. Rather than download pdf I have kindle edition. This was fine listen without illustrations but 2 hours in I decided I wanted to see what he was describing as some were things I don't recall seeing.

Also continuing Mandy M. Roth Immortal Ops universe.

Just finished up the The Interdependency Trilogy by John Scalzi. Definitely a series you should read if you enjoy the word "fuck", as one one the main characters utters it every third word. Of course, she was my favorite character and I found her hilarious, but that is the gist of this series: a funny, fast read. Not really a thoughtful classic big-idea SciFi, more like a fast paced SciFi TV show. It was entertaining throughout, though ended on an appropriate but somewhat melancholy note.

It was my first time listening to audiobooks narrated by Wil Wheaton, and while I eventually warmed up to him, he's not my favorite. Still, he delivered all the funny bits well enough, and pulled off the needed glibness that most every character had as a feature of their dialogue.

My review below of Murder at the Ritz by Jim Eldridge. I'm a fan of the narrator generally, although others have found him overly dramatic doing the Albert Campion mystery series.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Finishing up A Long Spoon this morning before I dive into something a bit longer. I do hope Howard plans to continue the Cabal series, it's such fun.

Artificial Condition by Martha Wells - 4 stars - My Review

This is the second book in the Murderbot Series. As one of my friends has pointed out, the entire series is the equivalent of one longer, more complex book. It is broken up into “bite-sized chunks.” This story contains elements of tech humor. It pokes fun at humans, and their tendency to do “stupid things that will get them killed.” It is enjoyable and entertaining.

Kevin R. Free does a masterful job of reading the series (5 stars for the audio).

My review of The Plague Year: America in the Time of Covid by Lawrence Wright

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Starting August off with 7 hours left of For Your Own Good by Samantha Downing Narrated by, David Pittu

I've started Blessed Are the Dead, which I'm mentioning here as I'm truly impressed with Humphrey Bower's narration!

I'm still listening to Project Hail Mary, it's such a long book. Very entertaining though. I love Ray Porter as a narrator but in this book, he sometimes sounds like Tom Hanks? Did anyone feel the same? Apparently it's already picked up for a movie adaptation. I'm looking forward to seeing "Rocky" on the screen.

Kaoru wrote: "I'm still listening to Project Hail Mary, it's such a long book. Very entertaining though. I love Ray Porter as a narrator but in this book, he sometimes sounds like Tom Hanks? Did ..."

I didn't notice that resemblance, but if so, it would only be for the good. I loved this book and I hope the movie is decent. I'm also curious about the language of tones and how that shows up in the physical book.

False Witness by Karin Slaughter isn't a book that everyone will like, but it's something we all should read.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I finished four more books in the Demon days/Vampire Nights series by K. F. Breene: Natural witch, Natural Mage, Natural Dual Mage, and Warrior Fae Trapped. I thoroughly enjoyed the first three which form their own trilogy and are part of the ongoing story arc... so glad I live alone and nobody got to hear me actually giggle at parts! Warrior Fae Trapped and its sequel warrior Fae Princess--which I've started--continue the story arc and have small cameos of the earlier MCs isn't nearly as good, but it does continue the story. The next books will return to the POV of an earlier character and promise to be more interesting and probably more fun.

I don't think I realized that Homegoing is a historical fiction book, but I'm that much more excited for the story as I start it this morning. I like Dominic Hoffman's narration already.

I have started Behold the Dreamers. I actually have a paper book of it, but I thought it would be good on audio because of the accents of the protagonists, who are from Africa. The narration is very good though the story is a little slow starting.

Jan wrote: "Dee wrote: "Also finishing up Hard Time - I never thought I’d like the Time Police series but I’m totally Team Weird!..."

I felt that same way before starting the series. How in the world can we s..."

I just pre-ordered the third once…will be interested to see what kind of trouble they get into this time…

When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing by Daniel H. Pink - 3 stars - My Review

Daniel H. Pink does a nice job of reading his book - no complaints - 3.5 stars for the audio.

Ashley Marie wrote: "I don't think I realized that Homegoing is a historical fiction book, but I'm that much more excited for the story as I start it this morning. I like Dominic Hoffman's narration alr..."

Aww it's a family saga, and I loved it. It was a debut novel too, amazing. I hope you'll enjoy the rest of the book.

I started House of Mirth today. However, here's where the "free" library copy has a very slight disadvantage: Audible gives chapter designations, while I had to listen to the introduction which didn't really interest me much and contained slight spoilers.

John wrote: "I started House of Mirth today. However, here's where the "free" library copy has a very slight disadvantage: Audible gives chapter designations, while I had to listen to the introduction which did..."

That's too bad. Introductions to classics are notorious for spoilers. In print versions, I always read them afterwards. I thought most audio versions didn't contain introductions, especially for classics, because there's more of a copyright issue then. (Unless it's a short introduction by the original author that was part of the book from the beginning.)

I listened to House of Mirth long ago on audio, it must have been on cassette from my library. I don't think any of those by Recorded Books or Books on Tape had introductions or notes.

Chrissie wrote: "The Dark Moment by Ann Bridge was published in 1951. It is a book of historical fiction written by an author I do recommend. It is about the birth of the Turkish Repu..."

I really enjoyed Long Walk to Freedom.

John wrote: "I've started Blessed Are the Dead, which I'm mentioning here as I'm truly impressed with Humphrey Bower's narration!"

I've read and enjoyed a couple of the Emmanuel Cooper series and enjoyed them. Humphrey Bower would impress me if he was reading the want ads.

I'm back and finally settled after a six week vacation driving back and forth across the country. The last two days of the drive I was by myself and finished The Girl Beneath the Sea. While I gave it four stars it was probably a 3 1/2.

I also did a relisten of Eating Animals. The book doesn't necessarily preach a plant based diet, it is much more informative. It's more an attack on factory farming and political policy. It's definitely enlightening and encourages the reader/listener to be mindful of how food gets to your table.

Now I'm listening to The Broken Circle: A Memoir of Escaping Afghanistan. It's fair.

Fran wrote: "John wrote: "I've started Blessed Are the Dead, which I'm mentioning here as I'm truly impressed with Humphrey Bower's narration!"

I've read and enjoyed a couple of the Emmanuel Co..."

I thought Saul Reichlin did an okay job with the first Cooper book, I skipped the second one as the plot just didn't interest me, Bower is doing an outstanding job with this third one as mentioned. Rupert Degas reads the fourth (final) book - his sample is solid, and I've liked his other stuff in the past.

This Is Your Mind on Plants by Michael Pollan - 3 stars - My Review

Not at all what I was expecting, this book consists of essays on each of three plants: a sedative (opium), a stimulant (caffeine), and a hallucinogen (mescaline). For each, the author becomes the subject of his own experiments. Based on the title I had assumed I would find a book about plants that help increase mental acuity. That’s what I get for picking out a book solely on the title. I almost turned it back into the library but decided it was interesting enough to finish. I am still unsure of the purpose of this book.

The author reads the audio book, and does a competent job.

Finished For Your Own Good by Samantha Downing narrated by David Pittu this was good just maybe not as good as her previous books.

Now starting The Guilt Trip: A Novel by Sandie Jones (narrated by, Clare Corbett

Audible was a category (again) tonight on Jeopardy. Sadly, I only knew one of the five answers!

I finished the two most recently released books in the Demon Days/Vampire Nights series by K. F. Breene: Revealed in Fire and Mentored in Fire. These were good, but I enjoyed the books that didn't have Regan as the MC and were set in the real world more. These latest two were not Urban fantasy but pure otherworld fantasy. While I do enjoy stories set in other worlds, this series is more enjoyable set against the backdrop of modern real-world cities. There are only two books left in this series and both are expected to be released before the end of the year.

I finished Provenance today. It was a struggle getting through this book. While it's stated it's a stand alone, I think I would have been well served to have read the Imperial Radch trilogy because it's set in the same world. Funny, I tried to read the first book, Ancillary Justice and it was a dnf.

I will start Beneath a Scarlet Sky tomorrow.

John wrote: "Audible was a category (again) tonight on Jeopardy. Sadly, I only knew one of the five answers!"

I got 4/5! If you nailed the Tom Clancy one, we ran the category :D

i finished listening to Katherine of Aragón: The True Queen this morning - really interesting look at the first wife of Henry 8th - from when she arrived in England (1501) to her death - I only knew a small amount of her in general, so this was a great look into her life - I'm definitely considering reading the other books in the series

Ashley Marie wrote: "John wrote: "Audible was a category (again) tonight on Jeopardy. Sadly, I only knew one of the five answers!"

I got 4/5! If you nailed the Tom Clancy one, we ran the category :D"

Nope - it was Seinfeld.

Rogue Protocol by Martha Wells - 3.5 stars - My Review

“I hate caring about stuff, but apparently once you start, you just can’t stop.”

This is the third book in the Murderbot Series. It is a true series that needs to be read in order. My primary interest in this series is the development of the SEC Unit into an artificial intelligence. In this installment, it experiences a loss. I did not think this episode advanced the storyline significantly, but it was enjoyable. Kevin R. Free does a marvelous job in narrating the audio books.

I finished John Milton's Paradise Lost. This was one of the oldest books in my TBR pile. The language is often difficult and requires close attention, but it was first published in 1667 so that is to be expected.

Kaoru wrote: "I love Ray Porter as a narrator but in this book, he sometimes sounds like Tom Hanks? ..."

Every single time I listen to a narration by Mr. Porter, I have to check the specs to make sure it's not Tom Hanks. So, YES. :-)

i started listening to The Man Who Smiled - its been a while since I've visited Henning Mankell's Kurt Wallander

Listened to The Lady and the Monk: Four Seasons in Kyoto by Pico Iyer. I found it a little disappointing. But it was an interesting look at women in Japan (although it was written in 1991 which dates it a bit). The narration by Geoffrey Howard was a little stodgy and I didn't care for his Japanese accent for Sachiko.

Also finished The Ambitious Card by John Gaspard. A totally delightful cozy mystery and audio experience. I've started the next in the series The Bullet Catch. I think Jim Cunningham does a great job portraying Eli Marks.

All three audios are available through Audible Plus.

Jan wrote: "Listened to The Lady and the Monk: Four Seasons in Kyoto by Pico Iyer. I found it a little disappointing. But it was an interesting look at women in Japan (although it ..."

Gaspard's series is terrific!

Jan wrote: "Listened to The Lady and the Monk: Four Seasons in Kyoto by Pico Iyer. I found it a little disappointing. But it was an interesting look at women in Japan (although it ..."

I also liked The Ambitious Card, partly because of the setting in Mpls/St Paul where I lived for 25 years.

Jan wrote: "Listened to The Lady and the Monk: Four Seasons in Kyoto by Pico Iyer. I found it a little disappointing. But it was an interesting look at women in Japan (although it ..."

Incidentally, Geoffrey Howard is a pseudonym for Ralph Cosham, a favorite narrator of mine. But he does have a very distinct cadence, and I’ve never listened to him doing nonfiction!

I just got Nolyn. Audible has a 20-minute conversation between author Michael J. Sullivan and terrific narrator Tim Gerald Reynolds.

https://www.audible.com/blog/videos/i...

Robin P wrote: "I just got Nolyn. Audible has a 20-minute conversation between author Michael J. Sullivan and terrific narrator Tim Gerald Reynolds.

https://www.audible.com/blog/videos/i......"

Thanks for posting that link Robin, I enjoyed the conversation. Michael is one of my favourites and it always amazes me how accessible he make himself. Tim is a legend and it's great to see him talk without his narrator hat on.

I can't decide if I should pick up thiis new series. I haven't listened to the legends if the first empire yet. I know this is a stand alone series but I have a bit of thing about series order :-/ Very tempted though!

Dutch Girl: Audrey Hepburn and World War II by Robert Matzen - 4 stars - My Review

Biography of Audrey Hepburn’s life offstage, focused on her early years in the Netherlands during WWII. She and her family endured the Nazi occupation, the execution of her uncle, and starvation during the Winter of 1944-1945. Her mother was initially a supporter of the Nazis, but soon became disillusioned. The first half is stronger than the second. It was interesting to learn about her family background, her passion for ballet, and what life was like in the Netherlands during the occupation. It becomes a bit repetitive and less focused toward the end. I listened to the audio book, read by Tavia Gilbert. She does a competent job, but her narrative style is overly dramatic for a book of non-fiction.

I highly recommend Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela. It proved to be even better than I thought it would be.

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Thank you, Fran, for recommending it to me.

I am about to begin Gentlemen and Players by Joanne Harris. Has anybody read thee following two books in the series? Are they something I should pick up next, if I like this? I have read other books by the author.