Audiobook... What have I got myself into?

[NexusX]

Been listening to Lord of the Rings Audiobooks lately. I really do enjoy the world of Middle Earth. Although whenever I read (or this time listen) Tolkien's work... It is just always written like a textbook. I always think it will be better every few years I read Lord of the Rings. But it never improves. Everything just drags on. Thinking next time I am going to look for an abridged version if one is available. Am I in the minority about the writing style of this author? The content is wonderful... The delivery of that content can be excruciating.

 

[Dr Shroom]

I think the long-windedness of Tolkien's works are a common complain, heard his from multiple people.
Sometimes Lovecraft is just as bad.

 

[fake]

I've read The Hobbit and LotR and it definitely drags, especially in the home stretch. But I think the world-building scratches that kind of pseudo-research itch in people.

I will say, if you're not into the world-building, the movies are pretty close to the books - they're essentially the abridged version of the story you're looking for.

 

[ChopstickSamurai]

I find reading Lovecraft tedious but listening works a lot better for me for some reason. When it comes to audiobooks the narrator either makes or breaks it for me. I also find that listening at 1.25 speed to really help with slow narrators as well. My work day is spent with podcasts or audiobooks.

What other kinds of fiction do you like?

 

[Ip Man]

I knew book collectors that referred to the Lord of the Rings books as Sleeping pills.

 

[StevenK]

Who's narrating? This can make a big difference. I used to do a lot of driving and would sometimes stick on an audio book, often it was a real pleasure but one time I nearly fell asleep at the wheel listening to a particularly monotonous reading of Foundation.

 

[NexusX]

What other kinds of fiction do you like?

I love SciFi as well. Specifically Military SciFi. Not the other way ( SciFi Military). It may be cheesey but I always enjoyed the Halo books. Eric N. always writes great stories and words ship battles masterfully.

 

[norton9478]

The Rob Inglis unabridged recordings of the books are incredible. I listen to them at least a few nights a week.

 

[famicommander]

I think The Hobbit is a breeze of a read and Lord of the Rings is great if you can make it to the Council of Elrond. It takes forever for them to reach Rivendell in the book, but I think everything is paced extremely well after that.

The Silmarillion and the rest of the ancillary Middle Earth stuff, though? That shit really is written like a textbook. It doesn't help that he used intentionally archaic language to make it sound more historical but even without that, it just drags on and on and on.

 

[SML]

Some early Lovecraft ("The Doom that came to Sarnath," for example) is just unreadable as he piles on detail after detail after detail. Maybe more visual thinkers can handle it better than I can.

Tolkien has more of a cadence to his prose that's less exhausting. But I read Silmarillion first so I might have a high tolerance for it.

 

[fenikso]

I think The Hobbit is a breeze of a read and Lord of the Rings is great if you can make it to the Council of Elrond. It takes forever for them to reach Rivendell in the book, but I think everything is paced extremely well after that.

The Silmarillion and the rest of the ancillary Middle Earth stuff, though? That shit really is written like a textbook. It doesn't help that he used intentionally archaic language to make it sound more historical but even without that, it just drags on and on and on.

Some early Lovecraft ("The Doom that came to Sarnath," for example) is just unreadable as he piles on detail after detail after detail. Maybe more visual thinkers can handle it better than I can.

Tolkien has more of a cadence to his prose that's less exhausting. But I read Silmarillion first so I might have a high tolerance for it.

Just read the Silmarillion for the first time... It was a bit of a slog.

 

[SML]

Was just reminded of this great cover.

 

[norton9478]

Who wouldn't want to listen to this?



Note: It is strange to listen to this audio-book on youtube without the massive compression of the one I downloaded and play on my Ipad.