Hello! It’s Tuesday again, and you know what that means! Top Ten Tuesday! Today we’re talking about Audiobooks. I don’t listen to a lot of audiobooks, so I’m just going to make ten random observations about them. Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl!
Audiobooks allow you to get more reading done. I listened to Fangirl on audiobook last fall. It’s possible that if I hadn’t listened to it on audiobook, I’d still be saying “someday I’ll have to read this book.”
Audiobooks help you pronounce names correctly. I recently listened to Legend on Audiobook. I’ve read the story several times, but I wanted to listen to it on audiobook for a very specific reason: I discovered that I was butchering the pronunciation of some of the names. I didn’t know how to correctly pronouce Iparis, Metaias, Kaede, and even Batalla Hall. After reading this book on paper a lot of times, I figured if I listened to the book on audiobook I could beat the incorrect pronunciations out of my head.
Sometimes audiobook accents are really annoying. If I recall, Frostblood was a book which was pronounced with a British accent. While I enjoyed the book, I was really annoyed by it. I don’t know if it was because the reader has a British accent or if they think because it’s in some medievally-Europe setting that it needs one… all I know is, if I ever get a book published and they make an audiobook, my characters don’t speak with British accents.
Some books are more disturbing on audiobook. I got Pennies from Amazon.com free on both audiobook and in print. The subject matter of this book can be disturbing enough to read, but I found it even more difficult to listen to on audiobook. I might be able to get more reading done this way, but I just can’t do books with disturbing subject matter this way.
Audiobooks make great walking companions. I listened to The Great Influenza on audiobook years ago, back when I used to live in Arizona. I’d walk back behind my house, listening to this book at about midnight. If you have a good audiobook, there’s great motivation to get out and walk!
I typically don’t listen to my favorite books on audiobook. This is probably just me, but I often find audiobooks as a way to get extra reading in. So I don’t always listen to the books I’m most excited about on audiobook. Daughter of the Pirate King didn’t end up being my favorite (although I’d try other series by this author).
But sometimes I find books I want to continue… in print. I thought Furyborn was a good book, but I was a little confused by the time switching of the book, especially at first. I think it would have been easier for me if I had read it as a print book. I’d like to continue this series… in print.
Sometimes you can get good deals on audiobooks. I found Storm Glass for free on audiobook. I ended up liking it so much that when I saw the sequels to this book go on sale for $1.99 each, I ended up buying them.
But sometimes they can be expensive. Everless was a good audiobook, but I got it from the library. If I wanted to buy this book, it would cost $28.99 (the Kindle edition is $9.99). I suppose if you get an Audible membership you can get them for a better price. That might be the way to go, because the wait at my library is pretty long for audiobooks.
My overall take on audiobooks: I like how audiobooks give me the option of getting more reading done, although I prefer the print format better. After writing this topic today, I went and subscribed to an Audible membership, because there’s always room for more reading in your life, right?
So what do you think about audiobooks? Do you like to listen to them? When do you listen to them the most? Should I get an Audible subscription so I can get more reading in?
Next week, we’re going to talk about Things That Make Me Want to Pick Up a Book. See you then!
I struggle with audio (seems like I always get distracted) but I think Fangirl on audio would be great!
Greg recently posted…Top Ten Audio Freebie
I liked it on audio. Definitely worth listening to!
I love all the points you make here! I agree that the narrator — their accent, the pitch of their voice or reading style — can really make or break an audio-book. š
My Audiobook Wishlist.
At some point I’ll have to pay attention to different narrators. Since I’ve only listened to about 10 audiobooks so far, I haven’t gotten to that point yet, LOL.
Great take on this week’s topic! I like the point on pronouncing names correctly. I’m sure there are names I’ve been messing it as well! Here is my Top Ten Tuesday.
The upside is you know how to pronounce their names, the downside is you don’t know how to spell them! LOL. I’ve had to look on Goodreads to find out how to spell the names for some of my audiobook reviews.
I’m not massively into audiobooks but I am wanting to try more of them, so that I can get more reading done and also so I can try some of the larger books that I’ve been avoiding, as I think they’ll be easier to digest in audio!
Jo recently posted…Top Ten Tuesday #204
I’m getting some audiobook ideas this week. There’s some nonfiction I’ve been wanting to read for a while, but there’s just so many books on my TBR I haven’t gotten to it. I know some would be better in print because some you just have to slow down and digest, but I bet Bill O’Reilly’s “Killing” series would be good on audiobook because they’re very narrative-focused.
Figuring out how to properly pronounce names through audiobooks is a good point. I’d never thought of them giving readers the chance to do that, but this would definitely be a perk to listening to them.
My Top Ten Tuesday post.
Lydia recently posted…Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge: Characters Iād Like to Meet
I was talking to one of my book-loving coworkers and she replied “that’s one of the great things about reading, it doesn’t matter whether you pronounce them correctly or not!” Yeah, but then if you ever want to go to a book signing you don’t want to sound like an idiot, LOL. Since I started book blogging I’ve realized that a lot of authors come to Denver. Unfortunately, it’s usually when I work.
“Some books are more disturbing on audiobook.” – couldn’t agree more. I was so creeped out by some of the passages in the audio version of Stephen King’s It. The narrator giving monsters and bullies a human voice – it makes it more real somehow.
Anyway, here the audiobooks that I really enjoyed (two of them have British accents, hehe)
https://dinaratengri.com/2019/03/all-we-hear-is-audio-ga-ga/
I might be able to do horror on audiobook, but in Pennies the girl speaks about being sexually assaulted (thankfully, it all happens “off-camera”) and I just couldn’t listen to the guy’s voice. The Devouring Gray might be good on audiobook.
Ha I think British accents make sense sometimes, but just because it’s a medieval-style fantasy doesn’t mean that it’s Englandy. It’s a completely different universe, after all!
Totally agree about books being more disturbing or scary sometimes on audio. If they narrator does a good job, it can really enhance the fear!
Which may or may not be a good thing, LOL.
You just gave me the idea to check out an audiobook before diving into a fantasy with complicated names so I’m not just mumbling them as I read.
That’s a good idea!
I mostly listen to contemporaries, but I really appreciate hearing how those names should be pronounced, when I listen to a fantasy book on audio
Contemporaries usually have a lot easier pronunciation, but sometimes names are ambiguous. Is Jaime pronounced with the Spanish “hai-may” sound or is it “Jay-me”? What about street names? Sometimes even Siri gets the pronunciation wrong of some places around where I live.
“Audiobooks help you pronounce names correctly.” Yes! I read a couple of series where some of the characters are French Canadian, but I never took French and never know how to say their names, or how to pronounce some of the other words they use. Audiobooks make that so much easier! I also agree that audiobooks are great on walks – that’s when I do most of my listening.
I do speak French (a little) but that doesn’t mean that I necessarily know how it’s pronounced. I thought Batalla Hall was pronounced with a Spanish ll sound (which sounds like a ‘ya’) but it’s actually pronounced with an L like “lion” sound.
You made some great points in here! I think that accents can kill it for two reasons: if they’re sort of random or if they aren’t the *right* accent. Like if you have a character who you know is supposed to have XYZ accent and they just … don’t. That’s sort of frustrating. I do love the fact that you learn how to pronounce names, because 93% of the time, I just totally wing it and I know I’m not even close. xD I LOVE the fact that some things are more disturbing when you listen to them (to flip your point just a little). It’s why I love to listen to horror stories, even though I won’t read them. Because there’s just something even more spooky about listening to it that I absolutely crave lol.
Sammie @ The Writerly Way recently posted…The Devouring Gray by Christine Lynn Herman
I didn’t even think of that when I wrote this post. Sometimes disturbing can be good. I guess if a book is almost at that line where it’s too disturbing to read… that might be when to get it in print.
I really agree with you on the pronunciation front. I learned how to pronounce so many names correctly, particularly from fantasy genre, thanks to audiobooks! You’ve made some great points. š
Raya@Rayasreads recently posted…TOP TEN TUESDAY : CHARACTER THEME SONGS
After this week I’m more excited to go listen to more fantasy audiobooks!
Audiobooks really are great for training your pronunciation! (I’ve had difficulties messaging with friends when we’ve both just listened to the audiobook, though, and can’t seem to sort out the SPELLING of a character’s name… gains and losses, I guess?)
Kelly @ Wandering Through Books recently posted…Some Favourite Audiobooks
Yes, that’s the downside. Most of the time you can find the answers on Goodreads… unless it’s a minor character.
Ooh I love audios! Although I’m laughing that you hate British accents but I live for them.š¤ And I find it easier to get into really long books if I try via audio! Less overwhelming!
It looks like a lot of people feel that way about long books. When I read them on the Kindle, they don’t seem as long (although I’m reading Kingdom of Ash soon in hardback and it doesn’t really seem so bad at 970 pages, LOL).
If the book was set in England (say, The Infernal Devices) I would think that the British accents would belong… I just don’t picture medieval=British accents.
I love listening to audiobooks when doing other things, like driving, cleaning, or drawing. I’ve found that I’m less inclined to listen to fantasy books on audio though because it makes it more difficult for me to comprehend the world. I completely understand the accent problem. Sometimes the voice of a narrator (accent or not) drives me nuts and may ruin the experience of listening to the book.
Jessica @ The Psychotic Nerd recently posted…Waiting on Wednesday: The Remarkable Inventions of Walter Mortinson by Quinn Sosna-Spear
Definitely a great way to read more books while you’re doing things you have to do anyway!
Fangirl was SUPERB on audio! I also loved Carry On and I’ll likely be picking up the upcoming story on audio too just because I’ve listened to the others already. š
Bonnie @ For the Love of Words recently posted…Top Ten Tuesday – Spring TBR
I hope you like it! My boy is all into puns and stuff and he thought it was cool that she titled the followup to “Carry On” “Wayward Son.”
There is always room for more books in your life — and that’s what audios are for me too!
This week has convinced me to read more of them!
I always get annoyed with audiobooks because I read faster than they can talk, yet if I make the audiobook reader talk too fast sometimes I get bored and stop listening and then all of a sudden it’s 3 chapters later, haha. I do like that they allow me to listen when I’m doing household chores and stuff, though.
Krystianna @ Downright Dystopian
I definitely read faster too. But I can’t read while driving or doing chores so…
I only just got into audiobooks beginning of this year, but I’m already agreeing with all your points! Especially number one, I’m getting so much more reading done! š
I got two extra books read last month because of audiobooks!