Audible...and other audiobook delivery mechanisms that may or may not be available

[Exidor]

2 hours ago, Vimster said:

Anyway, I have two more credits, can anyone recommend some decent SF, preferably something either expansive or maybe a bit of cyberpunk that isn't William Gibson or Bruce Sterling. Cheers. 

 

Leviathan Wakes is literally expansive

 

Greg Bear's Eon (and Eternity which continues the story but isn't as good)

Joe Haldeman's The Forever War

NK Jemisen's Broken Earth trilogy is maybe more fantasy than SF but it's good and well narrated

 

[Vimster]

1 minute ago, Exidor said:

 

Leviathan Wakes is literally expansive

 

Greg Bear's Eon (and Eternity which continues the story but isn't as good)

Joe Haldeman's The Forever War

NK Jemisen's Broken Earth trilogy is maybe more fantasy than SF but it's good and well narrated

 

Eon is one of the very few books I've read more than once. Superb book, and yes the sequel is essentially unnecessary.

[ZOK]

I’ve listened to a couple of John Le Carré’s over the past few weeks, and both were excellent, highly recommended.
 

The Tailor of Panama and A Perfect Spy, both feature exquisite narrations by Michael Jayston. He does an incredible job, particularly with the tonal shifts between levity and tragedy, and really inhabits the myriad cast of male and female characters in both.

[Sabreman]

6 hours ago, Vimster said:

Anyway, I have two more credits, can anyone recommend some decent SF, preferably something either expansive or maybe a bit of cyberpunk that isn't William Gibson or Bruce Sterling. Cheers. 

 

Peter Kenny reading the Culture series by Iain M Banks is one of Audible's gems, I think.

[ZOK]

Yes, they are all great.

[Timmo]

I've just seen that Audible Plus is now available for members. Basically a load of books (over 7,000) available for subscribers (like Netlfix) on top of the one credit a month you get. You can download to listen offline.

 

A few I've seen:

 

Alan Partridge from the Oasthouse

The Orwell Collection read by Stephen Fry (1984 and Animal Farm)

HG Wells Collection

Bill Bryson Short History of Everything

 

[ZOK]

Yes there’s plenty of good stuff in it, including things I’ve already bought. But loads I haven’t but would have done in the future, ie a stack of Bukowski, so I’m already a fan.

[Miner Willy]

Has anyone managed to circumvent Audible's region locking? There's a book I've wanted for a while that's not available on the UK store and I've been trying and failing to buy it from the US store. A reddit guide suggested I could just change the address on my stored card to a US one, and then US library titles would be visible when searching, but that doesn't seem to work for me.

[ZOK]

I just polished off Le Carré’s The Night Manager, another wonderful narration by Michael Jayston, even though some of his American accents are often terrible in this.

 

I’m so addicted to these - The Little Drummer Girl is next up!

[Mikes]

On 19/08/2021 at 18:08, Miner Willy said:

Has anyone managed to circumvent Audible's region locking? There's a book I've wanted for a while that's not available on the UK store and I've been trying and failing to buy it from the US store.

 

Kind of. I've skipped from the UK to the US back ot the UK then to the Aus store, but each time I had to close my subscription for the previous store (including using all the credits). You just create a new subscription on the regional store.

 

I can still access all the books on my old account on the app, you just can't have one from one region loaded at the same time of one you bought from another region.

[Mikes]

Also with the above, an Audible support team member helped me through the process, so it's not cheating or anything.

[Mikes]

On 25/06/2021 at 07:34, Sabreman said:

 

Peter Kenny reading the Culture series by Iain M Banks is one of Audible's gems, I think.

 

A bit late, but yes, this. Anything by Peter Kenny is amazing, and he does justice to the Culture.

 

Apart from that, Most stuff from Peter F Hamilton. A big shout out to Great North Road (a one off book) and the Chronicles of the Fallers (two books starting with The Abyss Beyond Dreams) and the just concluded Salvation trilogy.

 

I would also point to Andy Weir's Project Hail Mary, which is an amazing use of the medium on Audio and frnkly one of the best SF novels I've read in years.

[Miner Willy]

33 minutes ago, Mikes said:

 

Kind of. I've skipped from the UK to the US back ot the UK then to the Aus store, but each time I had to close my subscription for the previous store (including using all the credits). You just create a new subscription on the regional store.

 

I can still access all the books on my old account on the app, you just can't have one from one region loaded at the same time of one you bought from another region.

Thanks!

[ZOK]

As a break between the Le Carré’s I thought I’d listen to Donna Tartt’s narration of True Grit again. It really blows my mind how good this is, a definite contender for my favourite audiobook of the lot.

 

@Miner Willy, have you read True Grit? Definitely up your street I would have thought.

[Miner Willy]

9 minutes ago, ZOK said:

As a break between the Le Carré’s I thought I’d listen to Donna Tartt’s narration of True Grit again. It really blows my mind how good this is, a definite contender for my favourite audiobook of the lot.

 

@Miner Willy, have you read True Grit? Definitely up your street I would have thought.

 

I haven't but it's now at the top of my wish list. Thanks!

[ZOK]

2 hours ago, Miner Willy said:

 

I haven't but it's now at the top of my wish list. Thanks!

There’s a fairly recent Coen Brothers movie adaptation, avoid it like the plague, it’s terrible.

[Miner Willy]

Pretty sure I bought it on DVD years ago and then ended up giving it to charity before I ever watched it.

[hebejebe]

Any recommendations in the current 2 for 1?

[ZOK]

20 hours ago, hebejebe said:

Any recommendations in the current 2 for 1?

William Craig’s Enemy at the Gates is in there, if you want a great history of the battle for Stalingrad.

 

Also Tim Robbins reading Fahrenheit 451, which is a superlative narration.

[hebejebe]

Cheers, will give Enemy at the Gates a listen. Got Fahrenheit 451 already albeit with Christopher Hurt narrating. 

[hub2]

Anyone else listening to The Sandman Act II?

 

https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/The-Sandman-Act-II-Audiobook/B098TXQCJW

 

I just finished the Emperor Norton chapter, so just about half way through and loving it just as much as Act I. Based on the audiobooks, I cant wait for the TV show. Neil Gaiman is also a superb narrator.

 

The production values are so far beyond anything I have heard before but that's probably because I mostly listen to non-fiction. Anything else in the vein I should check out?

 

 

[Miner Willy]

Some good stuff in the daily throwback sales - I picked up the second and third Wolf Hall books for £3 each, plus some other stuff I don't need that will doubtless look nice on my digital library for the next year or so.

[ZOK]

22 minutes ago, hub2 said:

Anyone else listening to The Sandman Act II?

 

https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/The-Sandman-Act-II-Audiobook/B098TXQCJW

 

I just finished the Emperor Norton chapter, so just about half way through and loving it just as much as Act I. Based on the audiobooks, I cant wait for the TV show. Neil Gaiman is also a superb narrator.

 

The production values are so far beyond anything I have heard before but that's probably because I mostly listen to non-fiction. Anything else in the vein I should check out?

 

 

Sebastian Baczkiewicz’s Pilgrim, perhaps? Not really sure what you’d class as the same vein but these are superlative English folk fantasy/horror tales with peerless BBC production values, I am nuts about them!

 

https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Pilgrim-The-Collected-Series-1-4-Audiobook/B01DDZSN5W?qid=1633963220&sr=1-2&ref=a_search_c3_lProduct_1_2&pf_rd_p=c6e316b8-14da-418d-8f91-b3cad83c5183&pf_rd_r=0WVXNV85H4TFBJWD0GWW

 

There is a collection of series 5-7 also, and some specials.

 

Quote

Paul Hilton stars as William Palmer, the immortal, reluctant and unthanked hero protecting mankind from an enemy they resist believing in: the Grey Folk. 

Thrilling, dark and contemporary, the dramas are set in a recognisable present day but one haunted by the folktales of the British Isles: drowned villages, changeling children, werewolves and unruly nature spirits.

 

[hub2]

1 hour ago, ZOK said:

Sebastian Baczkiewicz’s Pilgrim, perhaps? Not really sure what you’d class as the same vein but these are superlative English folk fantasy/horror tales with peerless BBC production values, I am nuts about them!

 

https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Pilgrim-The-Collected-Series-1-4-Audiobook/B01DDZSN5W?qid=1633963220&sr=1-2&ref=a_search_c3_lProduct_1_2&pf_rd_p=c6e316b8-14da-418d-8f91-b3cad83c5183&pf_rd_r=0WVXNV85H4TFBJWD0GWW

 

There is a collection of series 5-7 also, and some specials.

 

 

 

Thanks, that looks great and added to the wishlist!

 

As for, 'in the same vein', I guess I mean proper audio drama rather than just a book being read by a narrator. My exposure to audio drama is basically nonexistent, but listening to The Sandman it seems to be more of an adaptation than just an audiobook, so am on the look out for that type of content, not just fantasy.

[ZOK]

4 hours ago, hub2 said:

 

Thanks, that looks great and added to the wishlist!

 

As for, 'in the same vein', I guess I mean proper audio drama rather than just a book being read by a narrator. My exposure to audio drama is basically nonexistent, but listening to The Sandman it seems to be more of an adaptation than just an audiobook, so am on the look out for that type of content, not just fantasy.

Oh yeah, if that’s what you’re after Pilgrim fits the bill, it’s full cast with superb actors.

 

And it’s fantastic writing throughout too.

[Silent Runner]

Edit - new page ffs. This is for the similar to Sandman question. 

 

I've suggested them before but the 2000AD audio-dramas are really high quality. Great actors (Simon Pegg plays Johnny Alpha), excellent sound design and the stories are a ton of fun.  

Edited October 11, 2021 by Silent Runner

[Miner Willy]

Chasing the Scream in today's throwback deal. I thought it was brilliant.

[Miner Willy]

So many great books in today's throwback sale, including The Men Who Stare at Goats, which is one of my absolute favourite audiobooks.

[Danster]

Don't know if it's been mentioned before, bit Alan Partridge From the Oasthouse, a collection of podcasts is a freebie to subscribers. It's very funny.

[davidcotton]

On 11/10/2021 at 17:10, hub2 said:

 

Thanks, that looks great and added to the wishlist!

 

As for, 'in the same vein', I guess I mean proper audio drama rather than just a book being read by a narrator. My exposure to audio drama is basically nonexistent, but listening to The Sandman it seems to be more of an adaptation than just an audiobook, so am on the look out for that type of content, not just fantasy.

Check out Big Finish and Graphic Audio.