A Game of Thrones
discussion
Anyone else listen to this as an Audiobook?
I listened to them after reading the books. I think this series is so envolved that I wouldn't have been able to grasp the depth of all the charactors and places with out reading them first. I am listening to Feast now at the same time as I am reading Dance. I read Feast many years ago, but I did not remember it well enough. I am spending a lot of time over at The Tower of the Hand. It is such a wonderful resource.
The narrator is Roy Dotrice, and yes, he did a wonderful job.
I listen to the A Game of Thrones. One of the main reasons I picked it up is because of Roy Dotrice was the narrator. I have since bought the book to read knowing I'm going to hear the many wonderful voices from the audiobook.
I read the paper copies of books one and two but listened to three on CD - fantastic for the long commute to and from work. Man that guy can do a lot of different accents & voices! Not an easy task in GoT. Really, really enjoyable! I'd reccomend the audio versions to anyone.
Didn't they change the author for one of the books? A Feast for Crows? I remember that my girlfriend had a hard time making the transition because of the change in character voices.
bit of trivia, roy dotrice also played the pyromancer in season two. relevant:
They had a different narrator on one of the books I believe it was Feast, and it didn't go over well. It has been re-recorded by Roy Dotrice. I use Audible and was able to get them to put the new version in my library, so I could download it. I am listening to it now.
I listened to all the books on audio and loved Roy Dotrice. His voice changes over the course of book four so some of the voices are different, but overall it was a fantasic way to read them. I miss the characters already and can't wait for the next book!
Listened to books 3 and 4 with Doltrice. Sometimes it gets confusing who is speaking with the minor characters. The Greyjoys and Stanis' gang are hard to keep straight by voice. The main characters are good, Samwell, Jon, the Dog, Jamie, Little Finger, Tywin, even Cersei.
I loved his narration!! At first it was a little odd though with Arya and Sansa and young girls in general since he's an older guy with a gruff voice haha. He read a bit slower than the normal audio books I listen to as well, but I still loved how well he did telling the story!
I read the ebook versions of the first four books. When my audible credits were renewed, I listened to the audio sample of A Dance with Dragons. I wasn't very impressed with what I heard, so I ended up buying the ebook.
Sad to say, as good as Roy Dotrice is, it's highly likely that we're going to have to get used to someone else for books 6 and 7. The dude is 90, after all, and at the rate GRRM writes, he may not be available.
This was my grown-up bedtime story and A perfect audiobook experience, except that I kept going "just one more chapter, please" and got to sleep way too late every night.
I'm starting now and, so far, it's been good.
I loved Dotrice's narration until about 1/6th the way into book 3 when one of his characters always sounded like he had a mouth full of spit and he totally lost me. I appreciate his character differentiation, but if it's distracting it turns me off.
I started and Finished the audio version of this book... All volumes... and I love Roy Dotrice.. The way he fills A new soul through his voice... I would not be wrong to say that during those 6 months that I was listening to the whole series, I was living in Westeros.
I'm halfway through book 3 ASOS and feel like the only person who cannot stand Dotrice's ridiculous accents. He takes it way too far, I just wish he would read them normally. Some are good like Tyrion, most just don't bother me but ive come to notice that the few bad ones outweigh all the rest. Wait until you hear his interpretation of Missandei, the slave interpreter from Astapor. It is SO SO annoying. Who wants t listen to that? Who can actually enjoy that? Omg. Or Davos the pirate. Or Tywin the Mongolian barbarian. I have no idea where he comes up with these voices but their over-dramatic and annoying.
I made the following remarks in a review of book 3. "The main characters are just unique enough to keep straight. But the entire cast gets hard to distinguish. After awhile both the women and men can sound like fairly old men. Dotrice is pressed to come up with enough voices and many small characters need work. He has a voice like the Indian grocer from 'The Simpson's', a Monty Pythonesque French-like voice for a knight, a Chinese-like woman's voice that borders on culturally insensitive, a couple voices that sound as if he is holding his nose, and a slavering-spitting voice that sounds like an old man with his dentures removed - A sound that drives me crazy and begs to be skipped. Tywin Lannister is basically Winston Churchill."
I've listened to the first book and am almost finished listening to the second. I borrow the Playaway audiobooks from my library and these are perfect companions on runs and walks. While I mostly enjoy Dotrice's narration, I dislike some of his characterizations. In the second book, it seems as though he decided that Brienne and Gendry are stupid.
Hahaa... well said Kerry
I liked Roy Avers so much better. I found Roy Dotrice's narrative very confusing. Sometimes it wasn't very clear to me which character was talking, or when they were thinking or speaking. And sometimes it seemed like he skipped a coma or something because it just didn't sound right. I know most people really like Roy Dotrice, so I tried giving him a second chance, and a third and fourth (especially since it would be nice to listen to the book while working) but I just couldn't take it. Many of his characters sound too old for the age they are supposed to have, and women voices sound weird.
Kerry wrote: "I made the following remarks in a review of book 3. "The main characters are just unique enough to keep straight. But the entire cast gets hard to distinguish. After awhile both the women and men ..."Sounds like he drove you off at about the same time as me: book 3, mouth full of spit, I'm done!
Sometimes it wasn't very clear to me which character was talking, or when they were thinking or speaking.This has gotten me, too. I've supplemented the audio with the Kindle editions, and when I went back to review some of what I'd read (because sometimes I realized I'd zoned out a bit), I found that some of what I thought had been spoken was italicized to indicate thoughts.
Many of his characters sound too old for the age they are supposed to have, and women voices sound weird.
Like Gendry in the second book. He's supposed to be a teenager, but Doltrice has him sounding elderly (as well as stupid, as I mentioned above).
Absolutely agree."I found that some of what I thought had been spoken was italicized to indicate thoughts."
Yes, the same happened to me. I listened to the audiobook at work, then catched up on my kindle and had to re-read everything because it was so confusing.
Justice wrote: "Yup, wish there was a "like" button, both your comments deserved one lol. At least in my opinion but I acknowledge that truthfully, most people seem to disagree with our views, this is the first I found anyone who agrees with me. "I felt that way as well. It's good to know there are more like us out there :).
roy dotrice is both good and bad to my ears. I can hear his cigarettes he's smoked for forty plus years, and he struggles with long sentences. He has about four character voices, all told. Only tyrion is unique, and he treats him as a circus midget. I like that voice the best. I must be the only listener who enjoyed the new narrator for Feast For Crows, Jon something or other, can't recall it right now. I found him just right. I'll take Roy Dotrice over Simon Vance any day, but with so many character voices to do, Tom Parker would be the best choice. Listen to To Hell And Back and tell me I'm wrong.
Christopher wrote: "roy dotrice is both good and bad to my ears. I can hear his cigarettes he's smoked for forty plus years, and he struggles with long sentences. He has about four character voices, all told. Only ..."John Lee narrated one version of FFC, but the version that Audible is selling is, I think, a re-recording using Roy Dotrice. I like Simon Vance for what he does, but he would not be a good choice for this series. His voice isn't strong enough, but I think he would do a better job with the female parts.
Leslie wrote: "Christopher wrote: "roy dotrice is both good and bad to my ears. I can hear his cigarettes he's smoked for forty plus years, and he struggles with long sentences. He has about four character voic..."John Lee! Thanks, Leslie, I couldn't recall it for the life of me. And yes, that's another crucial aspect of voicing, is portraying female characters, always a tough go. Very few take the route that the Dune audiobook took, hiring a cast for dialogue and a narrator for exposition. the cost for such voice actors must be prohibitive for most books, but wouldn't it be fantastic for Game of Thrones?
Roy Dotrice's worst characterization in the entire series has to be Melisandre. I was hearing a drag queen talking in a priestess' cadence. It throws you right out of the story.
Christopher wrote: "Leslie wrote: "Christopher wrote: "roy dotrice is both good and bad to my ears. I can hear his cigarettes he's smoked for forty plus years, and he struggles with long sentences. He has about four..."It would be an improvement! But, I'm a purist, and wish as little real impression from the narration, as little as possible anyway, just a suggestion and enough so I know whose talking. A woman's voice doesn't need anything more than a softening and slight lift unless it ^is^ a craggy old hag. Female narrators don't do much better with male parts though. So, not a fan of full-cast narrations or, my biggest pet peeve - music/sound effects. I about had an aneurysm over the sound effects messing with Dune. Loved that book though, one of my favorites. John Lee narrates most if not all of Peter Hamilton's available titles. Check them out if you like space opera. He also narrates Perdido Street Station which is so so so good!
Christopher wrote: "Roy Dotrice's worst characterization in the entire series has to be Melisandre. I was hearing a drag queen talking in a priestess' cadence. It throws you right out of the story."It's a shame too, because he really does have an otherwise great voice and rhythm.
Leslie wrote: "Christopher wrote: "Leslie wrote: "Christopher wrote: "roy dotrice is both good and bad to my ears. I can hear his cigarettes he's smoked for forty plus years, and he struggles with long sentences..."John Lee is great. He gave Dan Simmons, "The Terror," an authentic feel. Simmons based it on a true story.
Kerry wrote: "Leslie wrote: "Christopher wrote: "Leslie wrote: "Christopher wrote: "roy dotrice is both good and bad to my ears. I can hear his cigarettes he's smoked for forty plus years, and he struggles with..."The Terror was the audiobook I first heard John Lee on. He made the story listenable long after it logically ought to have ended. I hung on for the extra ten hours just because of his voice.
Leslie wrote: "Christopher wrote: "Leslie wrote: "Christopher wrote: "roy dotrice is both good and bad to my ears. I can hear his cigarettes he's smoked for forty plus years, and he struggles with long sentences..."I'll have to check into Peter Hamilton. Honestly, I don't know the name. I've seen Perdido Station before, but never checked it out. Thanks for the suggestions.
Christopher wrote: "I'll have to check into Peter Hamilton. Honestly, I don't know the name. I've seen Perdido Station before, but never checked it out. Thanks for the suggestions. "Perdido is China Mieville (in case that's confusing, sorry); it's the first of a loose trilogy but the only one narrated.
Peter Hamilton is The Void Trilogy and The Commonwealth Saga. He isn't as widely read/marketed because his books are gigantic.
Leslie wrote: "Christopher wrote: "I'll have to check into Peter Hamilton. Honestly, I don't know the name. I've seen Perdido Station before, but never checked it out. Thanks for the suggestions. "Perdido is Ch..."
Ok, looking on Amazon and having a hard time figuring out which book is first in the Hamilton cycle. Some help, please?
The Commonwealth Saga begins with Pandora's Star followed by Judas Unchained. The Void Trilogy begins with The Dreaming Void, followed by The Temporal Void and then Evolutionary Void.
All 5 read in that order actually make up a sort of cross-referenced duo, but only with 1 or 2 common characters if I recall correctly. The story/plot lines are otherwise separate.
Leslie wrote: "The Commonwealth Saga begins with Pandora's Star followed by Judas Unchained. The Void Trilogy begins with The Dreaming Void, followed by The Temporal Void and then Evolutionary Void.
All 5 rea..."
thanks for the assistance!
Christopher wrote: "Leslie wrote: "The Commonwealth Saga begins with Pandora's Star followed by Judas Unchained. The Void Trilogy begins with The Dreaming Void, followed by The Temporal Void and then Evolutionary Vo..."
My pleasure...recall makes me want to listen to them again :) But, too many books in the Q.
I do, I like Dotrice reading quite a bit.
Wait until you hear his interpretation of Missandei, the slave interpreter from Astapor. It is SO SO annoying.I've just gotten to Missandei parts, and you are not kidding. I cringe every time Dotrice reads her dialogue.
Does anyone know why Dotrice wasn't the narrator for "Feast for Crows"? If you ask me, I consider Dotrice definitive. And the narrator for FfC somehow thought "Damphair" was pronounced "Damfair," instead of Damp Hair. Listening to that made me wince every time.
drowningmermaid wrote: "Does anyone know why Dotrice wasn't the narrator for "Feast for Crows"? If you ask me, I consider Dotrice definitive. And the narrator for FfC somehow thought "Damphair" was pronounced "Damfair..."
Dotrice was ill so John Lee narrated #4. Dotrice has since done a re-recording of FfC, so that is available.
Leslie wrote: "drowningmermaid wrote: "Does anyone know why Dotrice wasn't the narrator for "Feast for Crows"? If you ask me, I consider Dotrice definitive. And the narrator for FfC somehow thought "Damphair"..."
I didn't know that! I guessed it was probably health-related, though.
... it's not like he or GRRM are getting any younger.
Christopher wrote: "The Terror was the audiobook I first heard John Lee on. He made the story listenable long after it logically ought to have ended. I hung on for the extra ten hours just because of his voice...."
Unless you are a Simmons fan, I would recommend it as a John Lee audio book only.
In the narration for A Storm of Swords, I kept noticing that Dotrice had Tyrion pronouncing "nephew" as "neview." Is that a known characteristic for any of the UK dialects?
â˜� µþ±ð³¦°ì²âÌýâ˜� wrote: "The narrator is Roy Dotrice, and yes, he did a wonderful job."Doric does an awesome job in books 1 and 2. In book 3 you start to hear variances in some voices. But by book 4 he cannot keep voices straight. Little fingers voice which was once erudite is suddenly irish (as is most other people)...and the list goes on and on. SHAME ON THE PRODUCERS OF THIS AUDIOBOOK!
Scott, you said it well mate. In books 4 & 5, he cannot keep his voices straight for whatever reason, it's as if he forgets who they all are. In the first 3 books he was excellent, loved all his Baratheon voices but hes certainly not Guiness Book of World Records worthy in AFFC. Awful job. I blame the producers too.
And I was going to mention little Finger too because it was the most recent tragedy-of-an-interpretation I've come across but really, there's too many flaws to even list. A huge distraction from the story.
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The reader (who's name escapes me at the moment) did a fabulous job bringing the story to life, and got into the Guinness Book of World Records for the most different character voices in an audiobook.
Anyone else listen to this instead of reading it?