Audio books were something that I never used to do until the last few years. Chelsey put it best to me one day during our time at university. She had somehow caught the really awful strain of the stomach flu that was burning its way through our university campus. Sometimes you just want someone to read a story to you. That’s where audiobooks come in. She then proceeded to marathon listen to the Hunger Games novels. Since that weekend I’ve always had an audiobook or two on my phone in case I wanted to listen to a story.
This week for Top Five Wednesday, Chelsey and I talk about our favourite audiobooks of all times.
Top Five Wednesday is a book tag started by GingerReadsLainey. Join the goodreads group to get each week’s topic and participate yourselves!
1. THE MARTIAN – ANDY WEIR
Chelsey was recently on a trip to Turkey and The Martian audiobook kept her company on some of her long bus rides. This novel is written like a diary/log for the main character so it translates really well to audio. If you haven’t read or listened to The Martian you should check it out, at least before the movie comes out!
Check out our review of The Martian here.
2. THE LIES OF LOCKE LAMORA – SCOTT LYNCH
Everyone and their mother wanted me to read this novel, but I never had time. It’s a pretty big book lets be honest. Then it hit me, when I’m working carnivals and shows I like to listen to audio books when I set up. I loaded The Lies of Locke Lamora onto my phone and never looked back. I don’t know if it was because I was really overtired, but the production on this audiobook really blew me out of the water. The man reading the novel is Michael Page and he gives it to you with an almost Shakespeare like delivery. Everything he says to you is epic and dramatic which matches with the tone of the story. After listening to the first story as an audio book, I ran out and got the rest of them as audiobooks because honestly all I really want to do is listen to them now.
3. THE STARSHIP TITANIC – DOUGLAS ADAMS AND TERRY JONES
A long time ago in a galaxy far far away, Chelsey was 12. Her family was going on a road trip to PEI and her mother decided that they should listen to audiobooks during their time in the car. Chelsey had never heard an audiobook in her life but having no choice in the matter, settled in. Her family got a tape deck (wow we’re old), stuck some batteries in it and listened to Starship Titanic. Out of all the audiobooks they had picked up for this trip, this one was probably the most memorable. It was read like a radio play and was just so funny. If you can find it (possibly on tape), go and give it a listen.
4. JOHANNES CABAL THE DETECTIVE – JONATHAN L. HOWARD
This is a novel that I talk about a lot and it’s one of my ultimate favourites. The funny thing, is the first time I read it it was as an audiobook. This is the audiobook that I’ll use any excuse to listen too. If I’m sick I’ll listen to it, if I’m doing something at work and don’t want to listen to music I’ll listen to this book. The guy who reads it (Robin Sachs) is hilarious. He has the type of voice that matches the dry humour of the novel and he makes it really easy to fall into the story. Not going to lie though, his voice for Leonie Barrow is kind of awful.
5. WARM BODIES – ISAAC MARION
Warm Bodies prose has a flowing melody that’s very dreamlike. Kevin Kenerly’s voice manages to showcase this feeling and gives the novel it’s sense of scale. He paints this world with the sound of his voice and how R is thinking. Chelsey fell in love with the language of the book through having it read to her and recommends listening to the audio book whether you have or have not read the novel.
It’s interesting how there is a stigma that surrounds the act of listening to audiobooks. It’s interesting when you think about the history of the oral tradition. Hearing someone tell you a story has been a part of almost ever culture for forever. Audiobooks are just the technological progression.
Do you listen to audiobooks? Which ones are your favourites? Tell us about them in the comments below.
Until then: Happy Reading (or Listening)
