[HPforGrownups] AUDIO Books (in English)- comparative review

[Monika Huebner]

No: HPFGUIDX 25706

> -----Original Message-----
> From: wallaceelizabeth at msn.com [mailto:wallaceelizabeth at msn.com]

> Perhaps we are biased by first having heard Jim Dale, but we 
> both were greatly disappointed with the SF rendition in comparison.  
> We didn't like the voices used for a number of characters, or the 
> lack of inflection in a number of parts, the JD rendition of which is 
> so dear to us, we regularly immitate.  Also, the UK prices were 
> typically astronomical. 

Well, I think it's a matter of taste like everything else in life. I love
Stephen Fry's voice, and as a friend of mine once put it, he could
read the telephone book to me and I would still be listening. ;) 
I only listened to the samples of the Jim Dale readings on the
web, that is about 10 minutes per book, and I admit that I
wasn't impressed at all. I know ten minutes isn't much, but
it generally gives me an impression of the reader's voice. I know
that a lot of people prefer the Jim Dale readings because he
makes it more of a radio show than Stephen Fry. I think that is
just what I dislike. I considered buying the Jim Dale version of
GoF for awhile because it is much cheaper, but then I listened
to the sample at Random House, and it had the Sorting Hat's song
in it. Dale actually sings it, and this is exactly what put me off.
A lot of people may like it, I hated it. I dislike the German audio
books for very much the same reasons, because the reader does
"too much" in my opinion. But as I said, it's a matter of personal
taste. I think i.e. Fry's Snape and his Voldemort are just great, and
I am even getting used to the way he does Sirius. ;) He definitely
does different voices for the characters, but maybe a bit less
pronounced than Dale, what is just what I like about his performance.

Just my two knuts.

Monika

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