Thursday: What Makes a Good Narrator?
Who are your favorite narrators and why? What do you look for in a narrator? Have a preference between male or female narrators?
Alternate suggestion: Narration preferences – single narrator, multiple narrators, full cast, etc.
Oooo lovely. I can do a bullet list!
What makes a good reader?
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Voice. A lovely, easy to listen to voice is so important. I need to be able to understand what they are saying and I prefer a reader with a nice tone.
- Changes. The best readers help you make it obvious when a different character is talking. This can be something as similar has deepening or making higher a characters’ voice based on their sex. Some (like Jim Dale) give each character their own voice, but I don’t really expect that of all readers. If I can tell male from female, I’m a happy listener. Some readers are great even if they don’t do this, but I love it, love it, love it when they do.
- There was a time when I did not enjoy full cast readings. Then I met The Help, The Historian, The Thirteenth Tale, and The Chaos Walking Trilogy. Now, I’m hooked. They really add something to novels with multiple point-of-views.
- I love it when a readers accent matches the setting. My Southern accent does a poor job of supplying British, Scottish, Irish, Australian, French, etc, accents. So that definitely adds something for me.
- I love it when it’s obvious the reader is loving the book as much as you are. Some readers, well, you can just tell they are there for the paycheck. Others are there as much for the love of reading as they are the pay. It shows and it adds something to the experience. I think I prefer Terry Pratchett’s books in audio (at least the ones read by Stephen Briggs) (haven’t listened to any read by the other guy yet) simply because Stephen Briggs just sounds like he’s having the time of his life.
Some favorite narrators:
Nick Podehl
Cassandra Campbell
Wil Wheaton
Suzi Doughtery
Jenna Lamia
Stephen Briggs
Neil Gaiman
Davina Porter
Josephine Bailey
Scott Brick
What do you like in a narrator? Who are some of your favorites?
I definitely agree that an accent adds a dimension to the story that you wouldn't fully get if you were just reading it on paper
Sometimes if a full cast is done badly it is just confusing, but books like The Help are so much better because of it!
Full castings are wonderful when they're done well.
I've only listened to a few that have had full casts and they were done quite well. I also love when a single narrator gives each character their own unique voice.
Cassandra Campbell made my list of top narrators, too!
Kristin @ Always With a Book
I'm not sure how I still haven't listened to Scott Brick!
I enjoy full cast narrations, too! My first full cast was Jitters: A Quirky Little AudioBook and I thought it was really cool. I love to read about the making of full cast audios because you see the photos of the narrators making faces at each other and such. Kind of like watching the end of a movie for out-takes.