Hardcopy Vs. Audiobook

[The Judge]

Novels read on the other hand create words and pictures in the mind

This reminds me of the little girl who said she preferred listening to the radio rather than watching TV because on the radio 'the pictures are better'!

J

 

[manephelien]

One of the few audio-books I've listened to was one of the Sharpe novels read by Sean Bean. Even with sexy Sean's dulcet tones, I didn't enjoy it as much as reading the self-same book. On the other hand, it meant that I could sit and do my cross-stitch at the same time, which I couldn't have done if I'd been reading. So yes, audio books have their place, but it's a distinctly second place as far as I'm concerned.

J

Yeah, Sean does have an incredibly sexy voice. I have an abridged version of The Knights of the Round Table read by him.

My problem is that I'm very visually oriented, I just can't concentrate on listening. I can't even do things like cook and knit while listening to speech, and as for driving, I just ignore everything else then (better that though than crashing because you're concentrating on a good part of the book). Even as a student I made it a habit to skip all non-compulsory lectures because I learned much more effectively by reading the textbook or borrowing the notes of someone who was a more aurally oriented learner. Seminars with an extensive Q&A session were something else though.

 

[GOLLUM]

Just to make it clear, the BBC one is a dramatisation, not a reading (unless Gollum is referring to something else I've never even heard of) and so includes little of Tolkien's descriptive prose, which in my view is one of his strengths as a writer. Also, I think I might have found the beginning a little confusing - and a bit narrator-heavy - if I hadn't already read the books. And it removes Tom Bombadil and the barrow wights, which, while understandable in a dramatised version, is a shame.

Personally, I'd try the unabridged audiobook and then the BBC drama.

Hello fellow Tolkien aficionado...

We're talking about the same versions here incl. BBC production. You're absolutely correct of course, which is why I said "cast" vs. single narrative voice ala the unabridged version. I also alluded to the cut-down narrative but didn't have time to detail/elucidate as you did, so thanks for that. Please don't also forget it's been more than 20 years since I heard the BBC production, so my memory of exact details is a little sketchy..

I did advise Rodders of the unabridged version BUT cost-wise BBC is still pretty reasonable and does at least provide, I think, the essence of Tolien's LOTR if not the direct text. I guess you could really call it a watered-down play version of LOTR. Still, it's well done for what they do cover. Certainly better than the US version IMO.

Cheers...

 

[HareBrain]

Cheers Gollum

Just like to add that the BBC cast for LOTR is outstanding. For me, Michael Hordern is Gandalf, even more than Ian McKellen, and I think would still be so even if I'd seen the films first. Robert Stevens is also great as Aragorn, and the hobbits are superb. The only flat note for me was Arwen, who sounded about seventy, but unlike in the films that was only a tiny part.

 

[GOLLUM]

Well as I said I don't personally believe anyone does it better than the BBC for Drama, even Mr Ingliss, although that's a bit unfair/inexact to compare.

Ian McKellen plays Bilbo no?

 

[The Judge]

Just like to add that the BBC cast for LOTR is outstanding. For me, Michael Hordern is Gandalf, even more than Ian McKellen, and I think would still be so even if I'd seen the films first. Robert Stevens is also great as Aragorn, and the hobbits are superb. The only flat note for me was Arwen, who sounded about seventy, but unlike in the films that was only a tiny part.

Absolutely! Also the actor who played Gollum was incredible and as for Saruman - that voice! Even the bit parts were well cast, save for that terrible exception of Arwen.

Ian McKellen plays Bilbo no?

No, John Le Mesurier is Bilbo. Again just right, for me. Book-learned, but a bit effete, and very weary.

It's no good. All this talk about it. I'm going to have to listen to it again ahead of schedule!

J

 

[HareBrain]

Absolutely! Also the actor who played Gollum was incredible

How could I have left him out?! Peter Woodthorpe, who had previously been cast as the voice of Gollum in the 1979 Ralph Bakshi animation. A superb job, better than Andy Serkis's (still excellent) film portrayal.

When I first saw Peter Woodthorpe acting "in the flesh" - he played the pathologist Max in the early Inspector Morse episodes - I was half-amazed that he didn't look like the cartoon Gollum.

 

[Vladd67]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lord_of_the_Rings_(1981_radio_series)
I remember listening to this and thought Ian Holm was a great Frodo, nice to see him go on to be Bilbo. The BBC has done some wonderful dramatisations, the complete Sherlock Holmes with Clive Merrison as Holmes and Michael Williams as Watson springs to mind. As a rule I prefer a hardcopy myself, however audiobooks are great when in the car.

 

[thepaladin]

Funny, I usually hate any kind of dramatization. I always marvel at the differsnce in tastes (here and elsewhere). I enjoy audio books sometimes (as I said before) but I to have had the experince of "opps how long has my mind been away, what did I miss?" And also I have put a book on late and fallen asleep....

Still, I mentioned that when driving they're nice and I have a few hobbies that tie up my hands and eyes (I paint pewter minitures for example) and they allow me to listen to a book as my mind isn't fully engaged in those activites.

The cost thing is getting to be an issue. Our lirary used to get quite q few of them but now instead of of say books on disc they are going with Ebooks that need to be down loaded to your computer or other device. I don't an "other device" (yes I'm behind the times) and I don't necessarily sit by my computer to do other things so, the availability is not what it has been in times past. I only spend the money to buy an audio book if it's a very special one or it's used and the cost is way down.

Bottom line I prefer traditional "paper" books but will listen when I'm doing other things that make listening the only way to enjoy a book, or if I happen to have only an audio copy of a book.

 

[Talysia]

I must say, I'm another one who prefers to read actual books rather than listen to them. I don't mind audiobooks, though.

 

[GOLLUM]

No, John Le Mesurier is Bilbo. Again just right, for me. Book-learned, but a bit effete, and very weary.

Right you are, Le Mesuier of Dad's army fame. He has/had a very distinctive voice I now recall.

I was thinking of Ian Holm in that previous question, who of course played Frodo and then Bilbo in the films. Memory isn't as good as it once was...

 

[Kalyissa]

I don't think I have ever really listened to an audiobook, I much prefere having the copy in my hand and being able to read it and take a break when ever I want for as long as I want.

 

[Interference]

When I'm reading, I can do the casting. But if I like the reader, I'm okay with it on radio. I don't think I'd ever buy an audio boo, though. Still, never say never, eh?

 

[thepaladin]

I've got a few. Most of them I bought for my wife. She loved them and got to a point where she really couldn't read. I found some used atmo "favorite used book store".

You know there's something else. As I said I much prefer to read but will listen to an audio if I'm in a place or doing something that males reading impracticle, but, a "poor" reader can make a good book "un-listen-to-able" in audio form.

 

[Rodders]

Naturally, I have several Star Wars audio books as a part of my collection. (Early tape ones only.)

 

[Quokka]

Most of the time it's reading for sure though I've listened to a few audiobooks and enjoyed them. I always listen to my mp3 player when I walk/run so for a change I thought I'd try audiobooks, War of the Worlds was excellent imo being told from one narrator's point of view it lends itself really well to audiobooks. The Day of the Triffids was another good one but when I listened to Harry Potter I found the narrator's voice for Hermione always sounded a bit whiney. Which I think is the risk with audiobooks, you have to like every voice used and it only takes one which if it doesn't sound right to you will keep taking you out of the story.

 

[Rodders]

How would Jeff Wayne's War of the Worlds rate?

I mean, i know that it's rock, but the story's there too.

 

[thesoothsayer]

A real book, definitely. I'm one of those who'll get distracted listening to the audio and treat it as background noise after a while.

 

[HareBrain]

How would Jeff Wayne's War of the Worlds rate?

I mean, i know that it's rock, but the story's there too.

I don't know that it would qualify as an audio-book, but I think it's absolutely brilliant. Richard Burton's narration being a major factor. It's much more story-based than a typical concept album, certainly. In fact off the top of my head I can't think of anything like it.

 

[Rodders]

I have a CD at home called "The Collector" by someone called Mark Serrone. It was Ok and had a SF feel to it. (It says that it's a "Rock Opera" on the cover.) It was Interesting enough.