discworld audiobooks

[Pugi!]

Hi,

As a big fan of the discworld novels I am thinking of buying some
audiobooks, but I've noticed that they come in 2 versions: abridged
and unabridged. Do you choose for the abridged version with Tony
Robinson, always funny, or for the complete/unabridged version ? What
do you think is best value for money ?

Pugi!

[Len Oil]

Post by Pugi!
Hi,
As a big fan of the discworld novels I am thinking of buying some
audiobooks, but I've noticed that they come in 2 versions: abridged
and unabridged. Do you choose for the abridged version with Tony
Robinson, always funny, or for the complete/unabridged version ? What
do you think is best value for money ?

Unabridged. While Tony is funny, I can't really stand bits having gone
missing from the text. And Nigel Planer is good at his books, Stephen
Briggs[1] carries out the later books with aplomb.

Ms Imrie also does the early Witch stuff well, IMHO, but unfortunately
there's not much of it to speak of. I /suspect/ I'd feel very happy
having her contribution all the way up to and including the Tiffany
series, in that vein, in the alternate trouser of time.



[1] Hello!

[8'FED]

Post by Pugi!
As a big fan of the discworld novels I am thinking of buying some
audiobooks, but I've noticed that they come in 2 versions: abridged
and unabridged. Do you choose for the abridged version with Tony
Robinson, always funny, or for the complete/unabridged version ? What
do you think is best value for money ?

Indeed Tony Robinson is usually funny, but I've listened to the audio
version of Night Watch, and it is _awful_. I mean, really, really
awful, a complete disaster. I hated it.

I haven't listened to the others.

Adrian.

[Torak]

Post by 8'FED

Post by Pugi!
As a big fan of the discworld novels I am thinking of buying some
audiobooks, but I've noticed that they come in 2 versions: abridged
and unabridged. Do you choose for the abridged version with Tony
Robinson, always funny, or for the complete/unabridged version ? What
do you think is best value for money ?

Indeed Tony Robinson is usually funny, but I've listened to the audio
version of Night Watch, and it is _awful_. I mean, really, really
awful, a complete disaster. I hated it.

Agreed. Tony Robinson can be very funny, but I've disliked every DW
audiobook I've heard him read. He somehow manages to make them rather
dull - it's like having them read by a nasal Clement Freud, but
without the comic timing. And the accents annoyed me, too, but not as
much.

As for your question, though, unabridged. Always unabridged.

[Arthur Hagen]

Post by Torak

Post by Pugi!
As a big fan of the discworld novels I am thinking of buying some
audiobooks, but I've noticed that they come in 2 versions: abridged
and unabridged. Do you choose for the abridged version with Tony
Robinson, always funny, or for the complete/unabridged version ?
What do you think is best value for money ?

[chop]

Post by Torak
As for your question, though, unabridged. Always unabridged.

Out of curiosity, how do the unabridged versions deal with the footnotes?
Stop the sentence at the exact point of the footnote to read it, and then
continue the sentence a minute later?

Regards,

[Daibhid Ceanaideach]

Post by Arthur Hagen
Out of curiosity, how do the unabridged versions deal with the
footnotes? Stop the sentence at the exact point of the footnote to
read it, and then continue the sentence a minute later?

Sometimes, if that can be done without breaking the flow. Other times they
wait to the end of the sentence. Briggs is very good at giving a footnote
an aside-like "Oh, I should probably explain..." quality. (At least from
what I've heard, which is one unabridged audiobook, and several live
readings.)

[j***@gmail.com]

Post by Daibhid Ceanaideach

Post by Arthur Hagen
Out of curiosity, how do the unabridged versions deal with the
footnotes? Stop the sentence at the exact point of the footnote to
read it, and then continue the sentence a minute later?

Sometimes, if that can be done without breaking the flow. Other times they
wait to the end of the sentence. Briggs is very good at giving a footnote
an aside-like "Oh, I should probably explain..." quality. (At least from
what I've heard, which is one unabridged audiobook, and several live
readings.)

I think that they played tinkly bells for a few of them.

I've got all of them that are available from Audible in the US. They are missing three or
four-Thief of Time, Nightwatch, Carpe Jugulum and Last Hero(if there is one).

You can get the available one relatively cheaply through Audible.com in the US if you sign up for
the subscription plan and use credits. They sell credits in 24 packs for $230.00.
-
John Duncan Yoyo
------------------------------o)
Brought to you by the Binks for Senate campaign comittee.
Coruscant is far, far away from wesa on Naboo.

[Len Oil]

I've got all [Audio Books] that are available from Audible in the US. They are missing three or
four-Thief of Time, Nightwatch, Carpe Jugulum and Last Hero(if there is one).

There is a TLH one (at least on tape/CD). It's on a mere four tapes
(states approx 4h 10m running time on the back). Compare most books
from the start that come on six cassettes (7 hours, give or take an
hour, on the ones I checked). Notable 'double opening' packs have more
than six, such as T5E has twelve tapes (11h 30m), MR has eleven (12h),
NW twelve again (12h 30m).

[Stacie]

Post by j***@gmail.com
I've got all of them that are available from Audible in the US. They are missing three or
four-Thief of Time, Nightwatch, Carpe Jugulum and Last Hero(if there is one).
You can get the available one relatively cheaply through Audible.com in the US if you sign up for
the subscription plan and use credits. They sell credits in 24 packs for $230.00.
-
John Duncan Yoyo
------------------------------o)
Brought to you by the Binks for Senate campaign comittee.
Coruscant is far, far away from wesa on Naboo.

I managed to catch Night Watch when it was available on Audible in the
US a few months ago. I think it was there for all of about... well, it
seemed like a few hours. I think it was gone again within eight weeks,
at most. I'm currently harassing the Search feature every few weeks
hoping to strike it similarly lucky with the others you mentioned.

I find them, put them in my cart, hold my breath and log in, usually
to have them promptly disappear from my cart once more. At that point,
I mutter "bugger" under my breath and write down a reminder to come
back in a few weeks and search again.

I love Audible, but I do wish they offered an "email me when this
title becomes available in my country" feature. It would save me a lot
of muttering.

[j***@gmail.com]

Post by Stacie

Post by j***@gmail.com
I've got all of them that are available from Audible in the US. They are missing three or
four-Thief of Time, Nightwatch, Carpe Jugulum and Last Hero(if there is one).
You can get the available one relatively cheaply through Audible.com in the US if you sign up for
the subscription plan and use credits. They sell credits in 24 packs for $230.00.

I managed to catch Night Watch when it was available on Audible in the
US a few months ago. I think it was there for all of about... well, it
seemed like a few hours. I think it was gone again within eight weeks,
at most. I'm currently harassing the Search feature every few weeks
hoping to strike it similarly lucky with the others you mentioned.
I find them, put them in my cart, hold my breath and log in, usually
to have them promptly disappear from my cart once more. At that point,
I mutter "bugger" under my breath and write down a reminder to come
back in a few weeks and search again.
I love Audible, but I do wish they offered an "email me when this
title becomes available in my country" feature. It would save me a lot
of muttering.

Audible does have a request feature. It is well hidden in the contact us section on the bottom of
the home page. Click through and enter your requests. I haven't had anything move from request to
available.
-
John Duncan Yoyo
------------------------------o)
Brought to you by the Binks for Senate campaign comittee.
Coruscant is far, far away from wesa on Naboo.

[Stacie]

Post by Stacie

I've got all of them that are available from Audible in the US.  They are missing three or
four-Thief of Time, Nightwatch, Carpe Jugulum and Last Hero(if there is one).
You can get the available one relatively cheaply through Audible.com in the US if you sign up for
the subscription plan and use credits.  They sell credits in 24 packs for $230.00.

I managed to catch Night Watch when it was available on Audible in the
US a few months ago. I think it was there for all of about... well, it
seemed like a few hours. I think it was gone again within eight weeks,
at most. I'm currently harassing the Search feature every few weeks
hoping to strike it similarly lucky with the others you mentioned.
I find them, put them in my cart, hold my breath and log in, usually
to have them promptly disappear from my cart once more. At that point,
I mutter "bugger" under my breath and write down a reminder to come
back in a few weeks and search again.
I love Audible, but I do wish they offered an "email me when this
title becomes available in my country" feature. It would save me a lot
of muttering.

Audible does have a request feature.  It is well hidden in the contact us section on the bottom of
the home page.  Click through and enter your requests.  I haven't had anything move from request to
available.
-
John Duncan Yoyo
------------------------------o)
Brought to you by the Binks for Senate campaign comittee.  
Coruscant is far, far away from wesa on Naboo.

Many thanks. I think the last time I went to the Contact Us page,
those may not have been there. (Or they didn't register with me...) I
remember emailing to ask if NW would be available for 'Merkins any
time soon, and the reply, while prompt and polite, wasn't much actual
help. It was mostly a pleasant "international rights are complicated,
etcetera and so on, so keep looking".

I think I'll approach it from both ends and suggest an "email me when
this becomes available for me" feature and politely request that they
get a move on with making CJ, ToT and LH available, already.

May not help, but I don't suppose it would hurt, either. I suspect
they like getting "please help me spend more money with you" emails.

[j***@gmail.com]

CLIP

Post by Stacie
I think I'll approach it from both ends and suggest an "email me when
this becomes available for me" feature and politely request that they
get a move on with making CJ, ToT and LH available, already.

They do let me know when they add Pratchett. Diggers, Truckers and Wings showed up unabridged a
few months ago.

Post by Stacie
May not help, but I don't suppose it would hurt, either. I suspect
they like getting "please help me spend more money with you" emails.

It can't hurt. They are on a tear recording science Fiction right now. They have a bunch of
studios in NJ where they record things for themselves.

I'm guessing the rights for those four novels are exclusive to somewhere else or the original files
are bad. These four came out around the same time and a long term deal may be tied to someone
without a current business.

You can get CJ for $26.95 and the abridgement of Nightwatch for $16.95 through iTunes. Audible
serves up iTunes audiobooks so there is a way. CJ's price just fell from forty something but the
reviews are bad WRT to the audio quality and the segments of the book are out of order in the file.
Too bad. I prefer Planer to Briggs. I still might shell out $27- $45 was a non-starter.

-
John Duncan Yoyo
------------------------------o)
Brought to you by the Binks for Senate campaign comittee.
Coruscant is far, far away from wesa on Naboo.

[feanor1999]

CLIP

Post by Stacie
I think I'll approach it from both ends and suggest an "email me when
this becomes available for me" feature and politely request that they
get a move on with making CJ, ToT and LH available, already.

They do let me know when they add Pratchett.  Diggers, Truckers and Wings  showed up unabridged a
few months ago.

Post by Stacie
May not help, but I don't suppose it would hurt, either. I suspect
they like getting "please help me spend more money with you" emails.

It can't hurt.  They are on a tear recording science Fiction right now.  They have a bunch of
studios in NJ where they record things for themselves.  
I'm guessing the rights for those four novels are exclusive to somewhere else or the original files
are bad. These four came out around the same time and a long term deal may be tied to someone
without a current business.
You can get CJ for $26.95 and the abridgement of Nightwatch for $16.95 through iTunes.  Audible
serves up iTunes audiobooks so there is a way.  CJ's price just fell from forty something but the
reviews are bad WRT to the audio quality and the segments of the book are out of order in the file.
Too bad.  I prefer Planer to Briggs.  I still might shell out $27- $45 was a non-starter.
-
John Duncan Yoyo
------------------------------o)
Brought to you by the Binks for Senate campaign comittee.  
Coruscant is far, far away from wesa on Naboo.

Ayup All...

This is the same as 'film' versus 'crap HBO production' isn't it ?
Full fat or nothing. but i must say i appreciate everyones devotion to
the cause. I have all of the audiobooks up to 'Maskerade' and dont
find Tony Robinson boring at all. you really have to see them as
'Audio plays' rather, i think. having said that, the books SHOULD have
been produced with more than one 'actor' or 'reader' because even for
tony robinson, there are only so many 'silly' voices he can do. having
listened to 'Sourcery' and 'Pyramids' last week at work (instead of
the radio) i really did feel sorry for the guy for ALL the hard work
he was having to do for his money. I would perhaps at a younger, more
affluent age gone for the 'full fat ' version, (in fact my parents
STILL think im a pedant in that direction) but on reflection, the 'he
said to wizard x' stuff in an audiobook, is quite, quite
superfluous... and i like Tony's (sorry for the 'familiar' tone, tony
if ever you read this, which i doubt) characterisations. (1). But as
said, it must be a bugger remembering ALL the differing tones of the
characters...


(1) Bugger footnotes)

[g***@sky.com]

Post by feanor1999

CLIP

Post by Stacie
I think I'll approach it from both ends and suggest an "email me when
this becomes available for me" feature and politely request that they
get a move on with making CJ, ToT and LH available, already.

They do let me know when they add Pratchett.  Diggers, Truckers and Wings  showed up unabridged a
few months ago.

Post by Stacie
May not help, but I don't suppose it would hurt, either. I suspect
they like getting "please help me spend more money with you" emails.

It can't hurt.  They are on a tear recording science Fiction right now.  They have a bunch of
studios in NJ where they record things for themselves.  
I'm guessing the rights for those four novels are exclusive to somewhere else or the original files
are bad. These four came out around the same time and a long term deal may be tied to someone
without a current business.
You can get CJ for $26.95 and the abridgement of Nightwatch for $16.95 through iTunes.  Audible
serves up iTunes audiobooks so there is a way.  CJ's price just fell from forty something but the
reviews are bad WRT to the audio quality and the segments of the book are out of order in the file.
Too bad.  I prefer Planer to Briggs.  I still might shell out $27- $45 was a non-starter.
-
John Duncan Yoyo
------------------------------o)
Brought to you by the Binks for Senate campaign comittee.  
Coruscant is far, far away from wesa on Naboo.

Ayup All...
This is the same as 'film' versus 'crap HBO production' isn't it ?
Full fat or nothing. but i must say i appreciate everyones devotion to
the cause. I have all of the audiobooks up to 'Maskerade'  and dont
find Tony Robinson boring at all. you really have to see them as
'Audio plays' rather, i think. having said that, the books SHOULD have
been produced with more than one 'actor' or 'reader' because even for
tony robinson, there are only so many 'silly' voices he can do. having
listened to 'Sourcery' and 'Pyramids' last week at work (instead of
the radio) i really did feel sorry for the guy for ALL the hard work
he was having to do for his money. I would perhaps at a younger, more
affluent age gone for the 'full fat ' version, (in fact my parents
STILL think im a pedant in that direction) but on reflection, the 'he
said to wizard x' stuff in an audiobook, is quite, quite
superfluous... and i like Tony's (sorry for the 'familiar' tone, tony
if ever you read this, which i doubt) characterisations. (1). But as
said, it must be a bugger remembering ALL the differing tones of the
characters...
(1) Bugger footnotes)- Hide quoted text -
- Show quoted text -

I think I have to agree with you. I'm just trying to decide which
version of Hogfather to buy as I've lost my paperback version and have
a free download from Audible to use up. I assumed I'd get the
unabridged version, but after listening to a sample of both Tony and
Nigel I can't think of anything worse than 9 hours of Nigel Planer's
flat tones - I'd like to stay awake on my journey to work thanks very
much!!! Tony's version on the other hand was everything I expected and
more. Takes me back to my childhood watching him on Jackanory!!!

[8'FED]

Post by Torak

Post by 8'FED
Indeed Tony Robinson is usually funny, but I've listened to the audio
version of Night Watch, and it is _awful_. I mean, really, really
awful, a complete disaster. I hated it.

Agreed. Tony Robinson can be very funny, but I've disliked every DW
audiobook I've heard him read. He somehow manages to make them rather
dull - it's like having them read by a nasal Clement Freud, but
without the comic timing. And the accents annoyed me, too, but not as
much.

Extrapolating a bit:

He leaves out most of the bits that tell you who said what, so that
it's not generally possible to figure out where speech begins and
narration ends, or when one character stops talking and another
starts, until several seconds too late. The silly voices don't help.
Aside from the fact that they *are* silly, and therefore
inappropriate, one character speaking "normally" is indistinguishable
from another character speaking in a heavily sarcastic tone.

The intonation's all wrong. One of *MANY* examples in Night Watch is
the line "No, the man in the cell talked". Would you believe that Tony
Robinson puts *falling intonation* on the word "no"? How stupid is
that? Another example, when Vimes says, "I expect you're right,
Willikins", Tony Robinson makes him sound extremely short-tempered,
when he's not meant to be at all. I could go on and on.

Lines that are vital for character development are cut, as are the
best jokes. If you needed to cut something from the early part of
_Night Watch_, some of the stuff involving Legitimate First could go,
but instead they removed important stuff such as:

* ... said Jocasta, in the voice of one who knows that their only
hope of escaping from their present predicament is reliant on the
goodwill of another person who has no pressing reason to have any.
* ... Well, no. He never /forgot/. He just put the memories away,
like old silverware that you didn't want to tarnish. And every year
they came back, sharp and sparkling, and stabbed him in the heart.
* ... That's all been taken away. And for what? Comfort, power,
money, and a wonderful wife ... er ... which was a /good/ thing,
/of course/, but ... even so ...
* ... but you mustn't spend too much time looking at those eyes,
because that'd mean you'd taken /your/ eyes off his hands, and by
now one of them held a knife.

All of the above comes from notes that I made a while back when I was
thinking of writing about just how awful it is. Didn't get very far
with that. Sort of gave up.

Adrian.

[8'FED]

Post by 8'FED
Lines that are vital for character development are cut, as are the
best jokes. If you needed to cut something from the early part of
_Night Watch_, some of the stuff involving Legitimate First could go,

Oh, forgot, and...

- Vimes refers to Knock believing Vimes to be a spy, yet the scene
where this is established is omitted, as is the entire locker room
incident.

Adrian.

[Bri Tze]

Post by Pugi!
Hi,
As a big fan of the discworld novels I am thinking of buying some
audiobooks, but I've noticed that they come in 2 versions: abridged
and unabridged. Do you choose for the abridged version with Tony
Robinson, always funny, or for the complete/unabridged version ? What
do you think is best value for money ?
Pugi!

I have about a dozen of the unabridged versions (So far) I did get one
of the abridged versions by mistake once but couldn't tell you where
it is now! I like Tony Robinson but not abridged books.
Go for the full version every time, much more expensive but you get
your money's worth. (IMNSHO)

Bri Tze

[Bonzai Kitten]

Post by Pugi!
Hi,
As a big fan of the discworld novels I am thinking of buying some
audiobooks, but I've noticed that they come in 2 versions: abridged
and unabridged. Do you choose for the abridged version with Tony
Robinson, always funny, or for the complete/unabridged version ? What
do you think is best value for money ?
Pugi!

Unabridged. If you really want to cut bits out, you can always edit/
hack it in iTunes.

[j***@gmail.com]

Post by Bonzai Kitten

Post by Pugi!
Hi,
As a big fan of the discworld novels I am thinking of buying some
audiobooks, but I've noticed that they come in 2 versions: abridged
and unabridged. Do you choose for the abridged version with Tony
Robinson, always funny, or for the complete/unabridged version ? What
do you think is best value for money ?
Pugi!

Unabridged. If you really want to cut bits out, you can always edit/
hack it in iTunes.

Abridgements are an abomination unto Nuggin.
-
John Duncan Yoyo
------------------------------o)
Brought to you by the Binks for Senate campaign comittee.
Coruscant is far, far away from wesa on Naboo.