this post was submitted on 29 Sep 2023
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If you can find them I highly recommend listening to the Douglas Adams recordings, it is much better listening to the actual author read his own books IMO. Fantastic books no matter how you listen to them.
I agree in this case, but not every author is a good reader, and even when they are, their voice isn't always the right voice. I love Stephen King to death, but I'll pass on him reading The Stand. Meanwhile, I wouldn't listen to On Writing read by anyone else.
I enjoyed Needful Things narrated by him, don't think The Stand I listened to was by him though. I do agree On Writing is a good choice by him, helps it's about King too. Of course Needful Things starts with a couple of Maine old timers sounding like they're talking on a porch which his accent conveys very well. The first narrator for the Dark Tower series did Roland perfectly, was more difficult when they had to switch and definitely wouldn't want King instead, though it'd almost make sense if you know the story.
I didn't mean that King had read the stand, just that he would be wrong for that part. I can't think of one he read that he wasn't a good choice for, except maybe Desperation.
King read Wind through the Keyhole. That's how I learned that Rolands name is pronounced Des-chain and not De-schain apparently. Don't like it.
I agree there's definitely a few books I've stopped listening to because I didn't like the narration style or voice.
I have Fry doing the first book and Adams doing at least one othe book, I find Adams a bit flat but I do agree he does a good job. I listened to one of the Freeman read books and it didn't feel quite right but he's probably closer to Adams than Fry. That said I enjoyed Fry's Harry Potter readings many times so that may influence my preference. Generally I think authors will give their intended inflections in the reading which does help with the feel of a book.