- Ready Player One by Ernest Cline read by Wil Wheaton
- The Long Dark Tea Time of the Soul by Douglas Adams read by Douglas Adams
- Pattern Recognition by William Gibson read by Shelly Frasier
- Every Heart A Doorway by Seanan McGuire read by Cynthia Hopkins
- Espedair Street by Iain Banks read by Peter Kenny
- The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins read by Carolyn McCormick
- Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins read by Carolyn McCormick
Category: Audiobook
2016 Audiobooks
- Ready Player One by Ernest Cline read by Wil Wheaton
- Survivor by Chuck Palahniuk read by Paul Garcia
- The Rook by Daniel O’Malley read by Katy Carmichael
- Harry Potter and The Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling read by Stephen Fry
- Bellwether by Connie Willis read by Kate Reading
- Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling read by Stephen Fry
- Going Postal by Terry Pratchett read by Stephen Briggs
- Making Money by Terry Pratchett read by Stephen Briggs
- The Truth by Terry Pratchett read by Stephen Briggs
- Night Watch by Terry Pratchett read by Stephen Briggs
- Unseen Academicals by Terry Pratchett read by Stephen Briggs
- The Fifth Elephant by Terry Pratchett read by Stephen Briggs
- Feet of Clay by Terry Pratchett read by Nigel Planer
- Thief of Time by Terry Pratchett read by Stephen Briggs
- Monstrous Regiment by Terry Pratchett read by Stephen Briggs
2015 Audiobooks
This year I discovered downloadable library audiobooks and I also had an Audible membership that helped to expand my audiobook listening.
Catch-22 by Joseph Heller narrated by Trevor White Rated A
An award winning satire of World War II this classic picaresque novel is superbly read by Trevor White. I’ve read this book twice previously and I got very different things from it each time. This time I really started to feel overwhelmed by the horror it all. The war, the insane bureaucracy, the corruption, and the abuse of civilians are all portrayed with vicious black humour but that doesn’t rob it of any of it’s power.
Dead Girl Walking by Chris Brookmyre narrated by Angus King and Kate Bracken rated A
Solid Jack Parlabane novel with the narration lifting it to greater levels. Bracken in particular is just brilliant narrating the diary entries of a naive Shetland violist thrust into the spotlight when she becomes a member of an upcoming band on their European tour.
Agent To The Stars by John Scalzi narrated by Wil Wheaton.
Reviewed before
Redshirts by John Scalzi narrated by Wil Wheaton
Reviewed before
The following titles were borrowed from the library. I’ve got some more promising titles to try out in 2016 than these less than impressive efforts.
The CEO’s Accidental Bride by Barbara Dunlop narrated by Laurence Bouvard rated C-
While the narration is decent (and the lead male sounds uncannily like Ashley Clement’s Darcy voice from The Secret Diary of Lizzie Bennet) the book is just awful.
Billionaire’s Contract Engagement by Maya Banks narrated by Harry Berkeley rated C-
I love “Fake Married” stories (this being a fake fiancee tale) but this is just painful.
Bride, Bought And Paid For by Helen Bianchin narrated by Susan Lyons rated D
Author can’t write for toffee. Also the happy ending makes no sense given the messed up forced marriage
The Tycoon Takes A Wife by Catherine Mann narrated by Harry Berkeley rated C-
It’s a terribly weak story with utterly forgettable narration doing nothing to help matters.
Bossman’s Baby Scandal by Catherine Mann narrated by Harry Berkeley rated C-
Again it’s a terribly weak story with utterly forgettable narration doing nothing to help matters.
2014 Alternates
Audiobooks listened to in 2014
The Secret Diary Of Lizzie Bennet by Kate Rorick and Bernie Su read by Ashley Clements
Ashley does a wonderful job of representing the various characters from The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, usually taking the costume theatre versions from the show and toning them down a little to make them seem like authentic recreations.
Read my review for my reservations over the book in general, but I will say that her performance here does elevate the material a good deal.
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline read by Wil Wheaton
It’s really striking from the audio version of this book how large a percentage of this book is infodump and nostalgic remembrance of 80’s US pop culture and how little is actually stuff happening!
2013alternates
This is an addendum to the books read in 2013 list as I don’t feel that books in these formats strictly belong on that list.
Graphic Novels
Planet Hulk Omnibus by Greg Pak, Carlo Pagulayan, Aaron Lopresti and Michael Avon Oeming
Phonogram Vol 2. by Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie (the floppies with extra material via Comixology)
Freak angels volume by 1 Warren Ellis & Paul Duffield
Freak angels volume by 2 Warren Ellis & Paul Duffield
Freak angels volume by 3 Warren Ellis & Paul Duffield
Freak angels volume by Warren Ellis & Paul Duffield
Freak angels volume by 5 Warren Ellis & Paul Duffield
(also vol 6, but online) www.freakangels.com
Audiobooks
Bellwether by Connie Willis, read by Kate Reading
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, read by Stephen Fry
alternates?
Graphic Novels and Audiobooks of 2012
This is an addendum to the books read in 2012 list as I don’t feel that books in these formats strictly belong on that list.
Graphic Novels
Phonogram 1 & 2 by Kieron Gillen and and Jamie McKelvie – Gillen & McKelvie play with the ghosts of Britpop and the magic of pop music to marvellous effect
Scott Pilgrim 1 & 2 by Bryan Lee O’Malley – The first book is OK, the second is good with promise to get even better
Hellblazer vol 1 by Jamie Delano, Rick Veitch, John Ridgway and Alfredo Alcala – Apart from the weird Swamp Thing section this whole collection is really good.
Gotham Central vol 1 by Greg Rucka, Ed Brubaker and Michael Lark – Batman from the perspective of the ordinary cop. Highly praised for a reason
Transmetropolitan vol 1 by Warren Ellis and Darick Robertson – The insane, profane and wonderful introduction to Spider Jerusalem.
Thor: Siege by Jeff Parker, Kieron Gillen, Christos Gage and Miguel Sepulvida – Blah collection of Thor as Asgard comes under attack due to the machinations of Loki. Again.
Gotham Central vol 3 by Greg Rucka, Ed Brubaker, Stefano Gaudiano, Michael Lark, Jason Alexander, Kano
Audiobooks
Agent to the Stars by John Scalzi and read by Wil Wheaton – Wheaton does a great job with Scalzi’s ‘practice’ novel. It’s a lot of fun to listen to. Reviews of this book from 2011 and 2010.
The Android’s Dream by John Scalzi and read by Wil Wheaton – This is a funny book and the audiobook is it’s equal in every respect. Reviews of this one from 2009 and 2008.
Redshirts by John Scalzi and read by Wil Wheaton – The first time I’ve listened to book before reading it (It was substantially cheaper to buy the audiobook than import the hardback). This affectionate parody of Star Trek is also a deeply meta piece about being a writer. Very funny with unexpectedly moving ‘codas’.
Consider Phlebas by Iain M Banks and read by Peter Kenny – Wow this is a mental book. There is so much happening that you could fill a trilogy of space adventure movies from the content. Superbly read by Kenny.
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman and read by Neil Gaiman – An exceptional book. The author reads it himself and does a fine job.
Jingo by Terry Pratchett and read by Nigel Planer – The weakest of the Guards books is done no favours by Nigel Planer (Glad this is the one I borrowed from the library rather than buying). Reviewed in 2005.
The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides and read by David Pittu – I listened to a substantial part of this but I hated the characters so much I stopped listening.