Aussie Readers discussion

When my daughter started school, I had to stop catching public transport and start driving to work to allow me to pick her up and drop her off to school. I really missed my reading time on the train, so I decided to give an Audio book a go and loved them ever since. Audio’s relaxes me on my drive in to work, especially in the mornings; I don’t notice the travel time and the heavy traffic during peak hour.

So I was wondering how many of you like Audio Books? Where do you like to listen to them and why do you like them?

But I’m sure there are a few people out there that don’t like Audio’s. That’s fine as they’re not for everyone but I would like to hear you thoughts on them as well? Tell us the reason why you don’t like Audio books?

Great topic Mish! I would imagine there are lots of people who listen to audio books nowadays!

This sounds a bit silly, but I was told by my ENT specialist to listen to audio books rather than singing in the car with the radio. I work in a school and read aloud a lot and I was having non-stop trouble with my throat. I couldn't stop reading at work, so the specialist said I had to stop talking etc at other times outside work.

Singing with the radio while driving is something I did. The specialist said give up the singing and listen to books and it has helped.

I now hate being in a car without a book playing. I find it very relaxing, but occasionally I get a book that has a reader that I can't listen to.

Wow Deb, that is certainly something I never thought of. But I can see it would help you (as you couldn't sing AND listen!)

I had the same problem with a narrator who was that bad, I took the book back to the library, unfinished:)

I can't stand the books if they are shit narrarator's - I love anything that Stephen Fry or David Tennant reads.... does anyone know of any good English/Irish/Scottish people that read their own books?

You are so right about Stephen Fry. You feel like he is in the car speaking to you.

I love audiobooks, the audible app on my iPhone makes things so much easier and I listen to them when I'm driving, sometimes when I'm working or cleaning or doing anything that doesn't require me to listen

I haven’t come across a book with a very bad narrator yet - I’m sure I will one day.

But I have come across where a narrator voice just doesn’t suit the one particular character, or the accent is not right or over done. It doesn’t spoil the story line for me…it’s just a bit annoying.

Tansy wrote: "I can't stand the books if they are shit narrarator's - I love anything that Stephen Fry or David Tennant reads.... does anyone know of any good English/Irish/Scottish people that read their own bo..."

No I haven't come across English/irish narrators but will let you know if I do :)

I sometimes find that it takes a while to get used to a narrator, strangely enough I prefer female narrators to males, but then most of the books I read have female lead roles so it could simply be the type of book I listen to! I was really disappointed when the narrator for the John Marsden books was changed, the rest of the series just didn't feel right.

I love audiobooks and have been a member of audible for quite some time. I have two young children and that equates to a lot of housework. I detest housework, but I load my audiobook onto my ipod and away I go quite happy to get the job done.
I think a bad narator can affect the way you enjoy an audiobook, but thankfully I haven't experienced too many bad ones. I think the worst for me was "Cold Mountain" narated by the author Charles Frazier. I found his voice so monotonous I would find myself frequently drifting away. My favourite that I have listened to so far was "The Road", I know that this is a book people seem to love or hate. I think I loved this book so much in part because it was narated so well.

Bronwyn wrote: "I sometimes find that it takes a while to get used to a narrator, strangely enough I prefer female narrators to males, but then most of the books I read have female lead roles so it could simply be..."

Oh Bronwyn, that’s so disappointing. I’m getting though the Tomorrow series (up to book 5). I’ve got the books at home but I prefer to listen to them in audio because of the narrator Suzi Dougherty

I didn’t know they changed the narrators :(

B3cs wrote: "I love audiobooks and have been a member of audible for quite some time. I have two young children and that equates to a lot of housework. I detest housework, but I load my audiobook onto my ipod a..."

The Road i'm always on the lookout for good Audio's - I'll check this one out B3 - thanks :)

My wife's a huge fan of audiobooks (and very picky about the readers - generally preferring actors to authors reading their own stuff) and she got me hooked when I was doing a very long drive to work every day.

I was absolutely over the Moon when the author Emma Newman, who podcasts her own work, actually *asked* me if she could read and record my novel, TimeSplash, for a company called Iambik Audiobooks. It was so weird to hear my own book read in someone else's voice with someone else's emphasis, and it makes a fascinating difference to the way the book comes across.

Graham wrote: "My wife's a huge fan of audiobooks (and very picky about the readers - generally preferring actors to authors reading their own stuff) and she got me hooked when I was doing a very long drive to wo..."

That is wonderful Graham - Yes I can imagine that would be weird to hear it but a thrilling experience nonetheless – Good on you :)

Congratulations Graham! Great news:)

I love audiobooks when travelling long distances - but I have found (the almost disastrous way!) that I have to stop listening in towns because I am not concentrating enough on the traffic! Whoops!

I'm finding that I drive slower when I listen to an audio book in the car. Never try to get through a yellow light. Much prefer to stop on a yellow and wait through the red light. Gives me more listening time.

Problem is once I get to work. I have to sit in the car listening until I get to a good place to stop the book. One day I might end up spending the entire time in the car park!

Alayne wrote: "I love audiobooks when travelling long distances - but I have found (the almost disastrous way!) that I have to stop listening in towns because I am not concentrating enough on the traffic! Whoops!"

Alayne, I find that this happens to me (lose concentration) when I'm listening to an intense novel…such as crime/mystery or thriller. So I decided listen to only light novels when driving :)

Deb wrote: "Problem is once I get to work. I have to sit in the car listening until I get to a good place to stop the book. One day I might end up spending the entire time in the car park!"

Haha Deb...so true :)

There has been some discussion on audio books lately, lets bump this thread again:)

Thanks Brenda.
I just posted this on the "what are you reading?" thread, so will re post here and hope to get some Aussie audiobook discussion going :)


My biggest problem with reading is the time factor, I work full time and although I always intend to sit and read, it rarely ever happens.
Got the iphone a year ago and about 3-4 months ago, I thought I'd give audiobooks a try.
Since then I've listened to 8 books and I'm a bit surprised myself how much I'm enjoying it. Yesterday I cleaned the kitchen and the bathroom and "read" my book at the same time. No guilt about sitting and 'doing nothing' and my household chores get done at the same time.
It's also opened me up to different types of books and some wonderful stories I would otherwise have missed out on.
Got to say I'm a convert.
Today I started listening to .The Ocean at the End of the Lane while I was doing the laundry. It's narrated by the author and I really like his voice.

*Edited to add the link to the book, it didn't copy across from the other post.

Pjaye wrote: "Thanks Brenda.
I just posted this on the "what are you reading/" thread, so will re post here and hope to get some Aussie audiobook discussion going :)


My biggest problem with reading is the time..."

I have heard that The Ocean at the End of the Lane is really good...

I do a lot of programming at work, so normally you'll find me with my headphones in (if I'm not in a meeting) so I normally listen to an audiobook at work. I use Audible for my source of audiobooks normally as they are convenient but do use the library as well (for popular fiction). Currently listening to The Pillars of the Earth

I find audiobooks so appealing. At a bare minimum, I'm stuck in traffic on the way to/from work and they open up so much opportunity to read.

I read somewhere that truck-drivers represent a really big audiobook market.

I guess it would depend on your circumstances.

Full disclosure, as an author I find audio really useful. A bit of software and with the purchase of some decent voices it's a great way to hear what you've written.

(No I don't narrate my own work)

I'd never considered truck drivers, but that makes perfect sense.

I listen to an audiobook every day while walking my dog. I find some of them have very average readers and some are totally ruined by people trying to read with an accent (The Winter Sea). And some are just superb (anything read by Stephen Fry especially Harry Potter).
It is a slow way to read a book but it works for me when I would otherwise not be reading at all!

I have become a HUGE audio book convert over the past year since discovering how quickly it makes all the driving I do for work go. I don't even think about the time I spend in the car anymore.
They are also great to do housework to and when I am working on something that isn't too intense I like to have one going in the background as well.
My 2 year old has started to request a 'story' every time we get into the car now instead of the radio which I think is just great. He probably has no idea of what is going on because he misses half of the story when I am listening at other times but he still seems to just love hearing it anyway.

Phrynne wrote: "I listen to an audiobook every day while walking my dog. I find some of them have very average readers and some are totally ruined by people trying to read with an accent (The Winter Sea). And some..."

There's an interesting discussion point. The accents which didn't work, were they the author narrating or just a voice/accent which didn't suit your expectation?

It's good to be able to pick them up from the library, but I know mine doesn't have a very big range...

No I had to ask, they had them in a very obscure place...no wonder I didn't see them!

Ashleigh wrote: "I've never listened to one, mainly because I can never fund the books I want or like in the audio form to try, that is if they are in audio books. So I can't say yes or no yet. If I could find some..."
So many of the new releases are in audio format now and I was surprised at how many of the older books are too.
Try Audible or iTunes.
I haven't checked the library yet, but I've borrowed some from a friend too.

Pjaye wrote: "Ashleigh wrote: "I've never listened to one, mainly because I can never fund the books I want or like in the audio form to try, that is if they are in audio books. So I can't say yes or no yet. If ..."

I pay Audible $14.95 a month and get a book every month for that. Usually the books I choose cost far more than $14.95 so it is a good deal for me. But only because I use it all the time.

Garrett wrote: "Phrynne wrote: "I listen to an audiobook every day while walking my dog. I find some of them have very average readers and some are totally ruined by people trying to read with an accent (The Winte..."

In the case of The Winter Sea the author suggests that the men talk with broad Scots accents. Now if David Tennant had been reading it would have been brilliant. But with English readers adopting fake accents it was excruciating.
Of course using quality readers puts up the cost of the audiobook.

I just get my audiobooks from the local library arrangement with Bolinda digital via the borrowbox app. at the moment I'm listening to The Lady and the Unicorn by Isolde Martyn

Jennie - Daystarz Books wrote: "I just get my audiobooks from the local library arrangement with Bolinda digital via the borrowbox app. at the moment I'm listening to The Lady and the Unicorn by Isolde Martyn"

The Maiden and the Unicorn by Isolde Martyn :)

I listened to one audiobook with a narrator whose Australian accent grated on me and when I found another audiobook that I wanted to "read" but which was narrated by the same narrator I was unsure whether I would like it or not. But she was much better in that book! I don't know whether the Australian accent was forced in the first one, or whether her voice just didn't suit those characters or what the problem was - but I don't think I'll try any more of her narrating that series!

I went to give plasma at the blood bank the other day - always a good excuse to sit in air-conditioning and do nothing other than read for almost an hour! I saw a comment about a week ago on the Red Cross Facebook page that another donor made about taking an audiobook to listen to with them while donating and thought that was a fantastic idea!

I can get a bit distracted reading at the blood bank with all the chatter going on, plus it can sometimes be awkward turning the page of a book/holding a book open when you only have one hand available. So I took my iPod with my audiobook of Burial Rites along on Monday and found it great! Once I was hooked up to the machine, I turned my book on and didn't hear the chatter around me and got just over half an hour's listening in! Mind you, I also took a real book for the times when I was waiting for people and didn't want to get immersed in an audiobook only to be distracted several minutes later!

Good idea Kathryn. I usually listen while doing housework. Makes cleaning the bathroom etc almost bearable if you are immersed in a good book, with a good narrator :)

My problem is I've been turned off by narrators - I've listened to 3; the first two were ok but the third was totally woeful! I had to return it to the library when I was only a little way in...

I imagine that would ruin it Brenda. So far I have only listened to books from The Outlander Series byDiana Gabaldon which I have previously read & am a big fan of & they are read by Davina Porter who does a brilliant job. So havent had any bad experiences yet.

Yes, I've had a couple of dodgy narrators along the way - one which I could listen to but didn't like (see message 44 above) and one which I had to return, he was just so bad.

I think my favourites are Stephanie Daniels (she plays the awful council lady in the movie, The Castle) narrating Kerry Greenwood's Phryne Fisher series and whoever narrated Jeffrey Archer's A Prison Diary.

It's a shame I think...but I can still read much faster than they talk;)

Yes, and I'd never just sit there and listen to a book for the sake of it if my hands and eyes are free. They're very much my go-to option when physically reading a book is not so convenient, if not well-nigh impossible!

Kathryn wrote: "Yes, and I'd never just sit there and listen to a book for the sake of it if my hands and eyes are free. They're very much my go-to option when physically reading a book is not so convenient, if no..."

That's fair enough Kathryn:)

Yes I only listen when I am walking and reading would be dangerous. I can read much faster than they can read it to me. And some readers are so so bad. Others are brilliant. I could listen to Stephen Fry forever.