Audiobook Week Day 2

Today is Day 2 of Audiobook Week. Check out Devourer of Books for some awesome audiobook giveaways!

Sound Effects in Audiobooks
Love them? Hate them? Take them or leave them? How do you feel about sound effects in audiobooks?
Alternate suggestions: Single narrator vs. multiple narrators vs. full cast, audio dramatizations, etc.

I don’t know that I’ve ever listened to an audiobook that had sound effects. I have a feeling that I would find them cheesy and annoying unless they were really well done. I have listened to a few that had some cheesy music at the beginning that gradually faded out as the narrator started talking and I didn’t like that at all.

I also haven’t listened to very many audiobooks that had more than one narrator but I can see where that would be a good idea. For example, in the Twilight and New Moon audio books there is just one narrator and she does a good job of getting into Bella’s angsty voice but she sounds terrible as Edward. Those books could have benefited from a male narrator for Edward and the other male characters. I think the Breaking Dawn audiobook does have a male narrator for the part told from Jacob’s point of view but I haven’t listened to it myself.

Your turn!

June 7th, 2011 in Books
  • Jen – Devourer of Books

    I think when the multiple narrators work best is when they narrate separate sections, like the Breaking Dawn example. Sounds like what Twilight really needed was a narrator who is capable of giving voice to men and women well.

  • http://bookjourney.wordpress.com/ Sheila (Bookjourney)

    I have not listened to the Twilight audios… interesting that they would not use two narrators.