Audio book links

[Lisa]

--- In HPFGU-OTChatter at yahoogroups.com, "Joe Bento" <joseph at k...> 
wrote:
> I> So Jim Dale is British as well?  I had never heard his voice. Now 
I 
> just need to find a sample of Stephen Fry's voice.
> 
> While I have frequently ordered books from amazon.co.uk, it looks as 
> though the audio books are mighty pricy, especially when converting 
> pounds sterling to US dollars.  What is an alternate source for an 
> American customer to order the Stephen Fry versions of the books?
> 
> Joe
> 
Hi Joe,

I've mentioned this on this list before, but I don't get here very 
often, and I don't mind repeating myself. :)

I have both versions of audio CD--Jim Dale reading the unabridged US 
and Fry reading the Unabriged UK.

Both have a very pleasant listening voice, and both give each 
character his or her own 'voice' and do an excellent job of remaining 
consistent through out all five (so far) books.  There are some 
differences, though:

Overall, Jim Dale has a much broader vocal range. His female 
characters don't sound like a guy trying to use a falsetto voice, 
where as Fry's do.  Dale gives McGonagall a realistic Scottish brogue, 
and Seamus Finnegan an Irish one.  Fry does the Irish for Seamus, but 
nothing noticable for Minerva.

Jim Dale 'sings' whenever there is a 'song' in the books, Steven Fry 
just 'reads' the songs.  The sorting hat songs, the school songs, 
Weasley is Our King, the Valentines song, etc.  I found that I really 
missed that with Fry's version.

Steven Fry does Snape more in tune with what I think Snape would sound 
like, very low and smooth and cultured. The Fry edition CD's have more 
special effects like an echoing sound when talking out of the 
pensieves or very loud when receiving a Howler, etc.

I like both sets very much, but if I had to choose one set over the 
other as being 'better', I would choose the Jim Dale set.

This is just my own opinion, so take it for what it is worth, but I 
thought you might like to hear from someone who's heard both--
incessantly. :)

Shanti, aka world's #1 sufferer of near-terminal Severitus.