11. Sci-fi can be a challenge. We are all familiar with the long alien names which seem so popular. Well, try having to say those names time and again, and you will soon realise that this is a real problem for audio books.
12. Phrasing. Some writers have a habit of using certain phrases time and again. On paper your mind skips over them, but on a recording the repetition can irritate. Do you like the novels of Lee Child? Although his novels generally make the transition to audio there are times when you just grow tired of hearing “Reacher said nothing” time and again.
Well, we have discussed the above pointers towards enjoying an audio book, but which ones would I recommend?
I have already mentioned James Lee Burke and Jo Nesbo. Other writers whose work seems to tell well include:
1. Stephen King. Not really surprising here. Tales from the master of suspense make the transition well and easily to audio book.
2. Haruki Murakami. His work can be long and convoluted, but somehow the stories hang together and are a joy to listen to.
3. The earlier works of John Connolly.
4. Any book by Harlan Coban. They are fast and hold you enthralled.
5. Lee Child. The simple sentences, and great plots work well on audio.
6. Classical work by greats like Charles Dickens and Alexandre Dumas are well worth revisiting.
What do you think? We will all have different ideas about audio books, but to me they remain the best way to hear a good story and absolutely brilliant for thrillers.
Article comments
1 - Rob
Great articles. Yes, bc of the modern convenience of audiobooks, and the modern reality of commuting, I've caught up on dozens of audiobooks, from parenting books to pop culture Dragon Tatoo trilogy to 1776 to even Mobey Dick. There is absolutely no way I would have the time, energy and endurance to read unabridged Mobey Dick, but thanks to the Audible version, I finished it in a month (though to your point even an audiobook can sometimes get excruciatingly boring, like the chapters on Cetaceas and on why he has such an issue with the color White)
2 - Igor
The biggest problem I've had with audiobooks is finding my place again when I fall asleep.
After a few audiobooks I find that I'm happier listening to podcasts of about an hour duration.
I'm a big fan of free books, especially classics. Since I no longer keep paper and ink books I really enjoy the idea of keeping books, like movies and music, in compact form on my hard-drives. I look forward to harvesting sources like Gutenberg Project.