How to Choose Audiobooks for Download or on CD
Tips to Help Pick the Perfect Spoken Word Book, Listen to Audiobooks
Nov 4, 2008
Audiobooks are different to their paper counterparts and when buying a new audiobook there are often many things to consider.
The Narrator
The listening experience introduces a new dimension when choosing an audiobook. With paper books it is simply a case of deciding whether a reader enjoys an author's writing. With an audiobook, however, a narrator is taking the author's words and is using their skill and expertise to read this in an engaging manner to the listener. A poor narrator can take an exciting and well written book and make it a monotoned boring listen. Correspondingly a narrator can inject too much of their personality into a book and alter some of the finer subtitles of the text through their reading.
Tip: Many online stores and publisher's websites offer the opportunity to listen to clips of audiobooks. This is a good way to get an appreciation of the narrator and their style of reading.
Abridged or Unabridged Audiobooks?
Many audiobooks are available in both abridged and unabridged versions. The abridged versions can differ from the original book as the abridger will have recrafted the plot to reduce the number of hours that the book plays over. While a listener may be daunted by an audiobook that is played over many hours or not want the inconvenience of a book that spreads over many cds, unabridged audiobooks are the closest to the paper original.
Tip: Digital downloads or mp3 cds are a convenient way of accessing large audiofiles. Several large audiobook files can be held on an mp3 player.
CD or Digital Download (mp3) Format
The format of the audiobook is an important consideration. For listeners who want to listen on the move, for instance, digital downloads that are played on a portable listening device are ideal. Other listeners may want to listen to an audiobook in a car or through a audioplayer without mp3 facilities and in this case cds may be more convenient.
Tip: Most stores offer a full range of formats. It is also possible to convert formats, however, this sometimes requires a level of technical expertise depending on the format and playing device.
Reading Audiobook Reviews
Reviews are a great way to find out more about an audiobook. The advent of customer submitted reviews on websites such as Amazon mean that people have a great choice when it comes to finding book reviews. Both professional and customer reviews offer an insight into a book and whether it is worth purchasing. It is important to remember, however, that many reviews are of paper versions and not of the audiobook version. When deciding what audiobook to buy a review of the total package needs to be given and this includes narrator and any other features such as the quality of the abridging or the type of format.
Tip: Seek out audiobook reviews on sites such as Audiofile or here at Suite101.com Audiobooks.
Picking the right audiobook will ensure that the investment is well spent. The right audiobook will give hours of pleasure both now and in the future.
 |
