What are we listening to? (audiobooks)

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by issybird

If you'd rather start at the beginning with Fer-de-Lance, I recently relistened to that one so it's fresh in my mind. Bingeing, as I said, contingent on what I can get from the library.

No, I'm good with picking up at Some Buried Caesar. I've re-read these enough times in the >60 years I've been reading Nero Wolfe that I have no need to go back. Plus Fer is not currently available in any of my libraries, and Caesar is.

Meanwhile, I've put that demon to rest for now (there are hints that it WILL be back <evil grin> ) so it's a good time.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by CRussel

No, I'm good with picking up at Some Buried Caesar. I've re-read these enough times in the >60 years I've been reading Nero Wolfe that I have no need to go back. Plus Fer is not currently available in any of my libraries, and Caesar is.

Meanwhile, I've put that demon to rest for now (there are hints that it WILL be back <evil grin> ) so it's a good time.

I realized after I suggested it that Fer wouldn’t pass your litmus test for Archie anyway.

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by issybird

I realized after I suggested it that Fer wouldn’t pass your litmus test for Archie anyway.

True.

So, I've just started listening to Caesar -- and what a wonderful voice Michael Prichard has for these. In looking at my library, I find that I am missing only a single ebook version, The Red Box, #4 in the series, but I'm missing many more of the audio versions -- some of which appear to not exist.

[CRussel]

Just finished listening to the Michael Prichard narration of Some Buried Caesar. The sixth in the 47 Nero Wolfe books written by Rex Stout (there were some written after his death, but I'm not counting those.)

First, my sincere thanks to @Issybird for reminding me about these and getting me back to rereading them. What a joy it is to listen to a superb narrator reading a funny, erudite, and compelling mystery written by one of the greats. Yes, Archie and Nero are each flawed characters by today's standards with attitudes towards women that are not my own. But remember that this was written 85 years ago, in 1939, not in 2024. And not written at a 6th grade reading level, either. What a delightful prospect it is to realize that I have 24 more to read. (There are some that aren't recorded, sadly.)

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by CRussel

Just finished listening to the Michael Prichard narration of Some Buried Caesar. The sixth in the 47 Nero Wolfe books written by Rex Stout (there were some written after his death, but I'm not counting those.)

Next in this sequence, Over My Dead Body, which is not starting out well. Archie's being particularly annoying, and certain elements are not in line with "cannon". But I'll stick with it for a bit to see if it improves.

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by CRussel

Next in this sequence, Over My Dead Body, which is not starting out well. Archie's being particularly annoying, and certain elements are not in line with "cannon". But I'll stick with it for a bit to see if it improves.

Not my favourite, but not as bad as I’d feared. Overall 3 stars for the story, but still 5 stars for the narration.

Next up, the latest Bruno book, A Grave in the Woods, by Martin Walker, narrated by Ian Mackenzie.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by CRussel

Not my favourite, but not as bad as I’d feared. Overall 3 stars for the story, but still 5 stars for the narration.

Next up, the latest Bruno book, A Grave in the Woods, by Martin Walker, narrated by Ian Mackenzie.

I've been bingeing on Nero Wolfe, so I decided on some palate-cleansers in the pool.

First, The Sibyl in her Grave by Sarah Caudwell. For years I've been holding back on this as it's the last in a short four-book series (the author died); I decided this was the year to treat myself to it. Every bit as good as the previous three books. I highly regret the premature farewell to all the protagonists. I followed that up with Pearls, Girls and Monty Bodkin by P.G. Wodehouse. Not the best of the Master's, but the language was as delightful as ever and he was over 90 when he wrote it! Also, Jonathan Cecil was the narrator and he's in contention for the best of all Wodehouse narrators. (Martin Jarvis is the other.)

When Pearls, Girls kicked over as I was kicking in the pool myself (couldn't resist) to Rex Stout's Champagne for One, I didn't resist. I'd planned on a different Wolfe next and something else in between at that, but sometimes you have to let fate take its course.

Out of the pool, I've been listening to Herman Wouk's City Boy. I read this decades ago and it's still fun; I can't help thinking of my father, also a Bronx boy, albeit roughly ten years younger than Herbie and not Jewish. I know he identified with him.

[CRussel]

Sadly, the pool is no longer an option for me. But I find time to listen while I knit or do miscellaneous chores in the garden. A couple of Nero Wolfes calls for a short break, but I'll be back to them soonish. Meanwhile, I'm once again wallowing in the Dordogne with Bruno and loving it.

[Scoob]

Is the dramatization of Red Rising any better than the regular one offered on Audible? I am trying to listen to the regular one and I'm really not liking how it sounds so old to me. The story is also not what I thought it would be like but I'm only about 2ish hours in. To me it's definitely not a scifi book so far just another dystopian caste system.

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by Scoob

Is the dramatization of Red Rising any better than the regular one offered on Audible? I am trying to listen to the regular one and I'm really not liking how it sounds so old to me. The story is also not what I thought it would be like but I'm only about 2ish hours in. To me it's definitely not a scifi book so far just another dystopian caste system.

Don't know this specific book, but my general preference is for a single narrator, not a dramatization. Assuming, of course, a good narrator. If all I'm offered is a dramatization, I'll listen to the full 5 minutes of sample before I decide. And still be a bit leery.

[Scoob]

I stuck with the regular non dramatization audiobook of Red Rising. The narration was a slog in the beginning due to the quality of the sound and that the beginning was kinda meh to me. The latter half of the book was much better story wise with more important things happening so I didn't care about the sound I just wanted to know what would happen next.