Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

This week’s topic is about audiobook narrators.

Over the last couple of years, I’ve really started to love audiobooks.  And with that comes a certain predisposition to narrators.  For me, the narrator has to have a clear, concise voice and enough animation to make the story interesting.  For me, it doesn’t mean they have to have voices for every character.  However, they do need to engage your ear and draw you in.   Here are some of my favorite narrators as well as a few I’d love to see tackle audiobooks in the future.  Oh, and beware – there will be a bit of a theme here.

Dick Hill.  I first encountered him when listening to the Harry Bosch novels by Michael Connelly.  Since he narrates the earlier books in the series, he is, for me, the ‘voice’ of Bosch.

Len Cariou.  My only experience with him as well is through Harry Bosch.  He’s the narrator of the mid-series novels, the ones I’m currently working my way through.

Titus Welliver.  Now, I’m jumping the gun here a bit because I haven’t actually gotten to the books that he narrates yet.  However, since he’s played Harry Bosch in seven seasons of Bosch, plus Bosch Legacy, I think he’s going to do a knockout job of it.

Lorelei King.  She narrates the later Stephanie Plum books by Janet Evanovich.  The woman has such a way with the voices for the characters that whatever voice I’d had in my head before has been replaced by her.  And there’s something about listening to a ridiculous book that makes it ten times funnier in my opinion.

Stephen Fry.  He narrated my favorite book ever – The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy – and it caused me to fall in love all over again.  There’s something amazing and wonderful about having such a posh, cultured voice narrating the bizarreness that is Douglas Adams.  11/10 would recommend.

Marin Ireland.  I discovered her quite by accident.  Someone had recommended I read a book called Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson.  I could only get it in audio from the library so I figured why not.  Another ridiculous, but heartwarming book, with a deadpan narrator that doesn’t quite fit the craziness of the plot.  But it works.  It works so darn well.  One of my favorite audiobooks ever.

Neil Gaiman.  He’s narrated several of his own novels, which is a lot of fun.  He has a pleasant voice that really draws you into the story.

Some people I think would do a great job narrating:

Cary Elwes.  I say this because I got the audio version of his memoir, As You Wish and he does a fabulous job.  Plus, he just has an amazing voice overall.

Manuel Garcia-Rulfo.  Okay, confession time: I’m obsessed.  I love him as an actor and he’s handsome to boot.  But even better is his accent, which I find to be swoon-worthy.  Since he is now playing the role of Mickey Haller – I think he’d be the perfect person to narrate The Lincoln Lawyer novels that are a part of Michael Connelly’s Bosch Universe.

Lastly, one of my favorite Peloton instructors has a book coming out later this year.  And the audiobook just won’t quite be right if Cody Rigsby himself doesn’t narrate it.