Who are your favorite narrators and why? What do you look for in a narrator? Have a preference between male or female narrators?
Really good audiobook narration takes great talent. I've highlighted a few narrators that I really enjoy in Narration Creation, a series of interviews with audiobook narrators.
One of the things I look for most in an audiobook narrator is an ability to create distinct character voices. In many books, the types of characters are diverse, some having different accents, ages, genders, etc. There is so much that can be captured in a character's voice that really makes listening to an audiobook fun.
I also look for tone and pacing. If there is a particularly tense or action-packed scene, I like narrators to reflect that with their voice. The really difficult part is that I don't want to have to turn up or down the volume on my car stereo either. So, creating tension is more than just raising your voice. It's building intensity, and maybe slowing down or speeding up just a little without losing the enunciation of words. Sounds tough, huh?
I can tell when a narrator just isn't digging the story. And it's usually about the time that I start tuning out. This has really only ever happened to me once or twice. But, when a narrator is in the moment, I will sit in a sweltering hot car just to get to a good stopping place.
Here are the narrators that I'm currently loving:
Carol Monda
Luke Daniels
Amy Rubinate
Katherine Kellgren
Nick Podehl
Heather Lind
Joshua Swanson
Alan Cumming
I mostly checked out the audiobook for Leviathan just because of Alan Cumming. I love his acting work, so it seemed like a natural fit. I'm not sure if I've listened to any by the others you list, but I will keep a look out for them.
ReplyDeleteHe really did a fantastic job with Leviathan.
DeleteYou HAVE to listen to The Red Necklace narrated by Tom Hiddleston. WOW. His voice is like butter, and he does at least 10 different accents spot on.
ReplyDeleteSounds like that is right up my alley!!
DeleteThat is a great point about the tone and pacing...very important! Thank you for the list of narrators, I will have to check them out! :)
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome!
DeleteI don't always need completely different voices, but it is definitely a plus when a narrator delivers them well.
ReplyDeleteI don't think I NEED them either. I can listen to a book where characters are variations on the same. However, I like it when a narrator is able to create separate characters, and those are obviously my favorite. :)
DeleteAll great points, and I like what you said about building intensity and getting the tone right. I see a lot of my favorite narrators on your list. I haven't listened to Alan Cumming yet, but I bet he's amazing.
ReplyDeleteAmazing doesn't even begin to cover it. :D
DeleteI agree that it's important for a narrator to create distinct voices for the different characters. It really helps in keeping everyone separate.
ReplyDeleteI'm not familiar with the narrators you listed so I'll have to check them out.
Kristin @ Always With a Book
It keeps them separate, and it's also really fun to listen to it done well.
DeleteMost of the narrators I listed do YA audios.
I like when the voices are distinct too - and accents are a plus.
ReplyDeleteGreat point about distinct voices. I don't need a narrator to have a different VOICE for each character, but it's nice when they make somewhat of an effort to give each character that little something to set them apart from the others.
ReplyDeleteI really loved John Green's 'An Abundance of Katherines' for this reason. And Douglas Adams's 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy' -- read by the author -- is pretty awesome, too.