The Sword and Laser discussion

Anyone else listening to the audiobook, as read by Ellen Archer? What do you make of it?
I'm listening, and I'm struggling with it, tbh. Specifically, Archer does these weird accents (they sound sort-of Scottish) for several characters, which I find really distracting.
Has anyone else found the same thing? Did you get used to it?

I finished the audio version and liked it. The accents didn't bother me. Generally I find accents easier to get accustomed to than extreme voices / pitch changes.

I feel like a large number of the narrators I listen to have some sort of accent (relative to my northeastern US ears) for even the base story narration so I'm used to forgetting about it after the story starts.

The accents didn’t bother me either I’m just mad the sequel doesn’t have a audiobook. I had to read the Ebook version

Ruth wrote: "Anyone else listening to the audiobook, as read by Ellen Archer? What do you make of it?
I'm listening, and I'm struggling with it, tbh. Specifically, Archer does these weird accents (they sound so..."

I do not like Archer narration at all. and your right her accents they're awful. am enjoying the story though.

Ruth wrote: "Anyone else listening to the audiobook, as read by Ellen Archer? What do you make of it?
I'm listening, and I'm struggling with it, tbh. Specifically, Archer does these weird accents (they sound so..."
Yes. I too found all the accents very distracting. And what was worse, after listening for an hour, I found myself talking like Moon to my family. On the other hand, the language was beautiful & I enjoyed the exposition parts, if not the dialogues.

Lee wrote: "Ruth wrote: "Anyone else listening to the audiobook, as read by Ellen Archer? What do you make of it?
I'm listening, and I'm struggling with it, tbh. Specifically, Archer does these weird accents (..."

I have persevered with it (decided, based on a comment in another thread, to give it until at least 25% before giving up) and I am gradually getting more used to the accents. Still seems like a weird choice though, and I don’t think I’ll be seeking out any other books with this narrator.

I have encountered this before with other sci-fi novels on audio. everyone has a idea of mages or paladins accents or inflection. aliens must be hard to do unique accents for. Scott brick in my opinion is one of the best sci-fi narrator, but then again he got a gimme in dune with the fremmin middle eastern accents was a obvious choice.

but back to your point the scot-irish is a jarring accent choice. can really ruin your enjoyment. I like her voice doing jerusa and the snow queen.

I just started it the other day. It's OK, but not amazing. Honestly I went for audio book more out of covienence that being blown away by the sample.

I'm only an hour or so in and I guess I'm wasn't noticing the Scottish accents. But now that you say something it does ring a bell.

I wonder if it will bother me for the rest of the book now. If so, I know who to blame. :-D

My wife and I heard the sample, looked at each other, and laughed when we heard the accent. So, no, I did not get the audio; and so, I'm only 20% through the book. :-)

She also pronounced 'quay' like 'kway' which was... also distracting. Did she (and the producer) think people wouldn't know what it was if she pronounced it like 'key'?
(I've had a similar issue in the past with audiobook narrators saying 'buoy' as 'boo-ee' instead of 'boy')

Ruth, "boo-ee" is the usual North American pronunciation so I don't see an issue there. :) Also, the online dictionary shows quay pronounced either kway or key, so I guess it depends on where they're narrating from. Sorry you have to deal with American narrators at least!

David H. wrote: "Ruth, "boo-ee" is the usual North American pronunciation so I don't see an issue there. :) Also, the online dictionary shows quay pronounced either kway or key, so I guess it depends on where they'..."

Thats cause Mericans don't speak English!


;-)

Putting on duff accents is a terrible narration choice and usually unnecessary unless the characters have a very specific background (in which case get a narrator who has that accent).

When I lived in Chicago I went to a production of a Shakespeares play in which all the accents were American (the Barbarians were Texan)... Worked perfectly..

Currently listening to Black Leiopard, Red Wolf which has wonderful narration from Dion Graham who give the book a real feel of Africa.

David H. wrote: "Ruth, "boo-ee" is the usual North American pronunciation so I don't see an issue there. :) Also, the online dictionary shows quay pronounced either kway or key, so I guess it depends on where they'..."

As an American, I certainly pronounced it "boo-ee" growing up, but joined the Navy and found out the pronunciation among people who deal with the things professionally is much closer to "boy," even in the US.

As for dictionaries, they usually reflect the actual usage and pronunciation of the times rather than telling you the "right" way to do things. I don't think I've ever heard that word pronounced as anything other than 'key.'

Ruth wrote: "She also pronounced 'quay' like 'kway' which was... also distracting. Did she (and the producer) think people wouldn't know what it was if she pronounced it like 'key'?
(I've had a similar issue in..."

I caught that too. I've noticed that the QC process for audiobooks seems to be lacking. I hear narrators redo a line sometimes & it doesn't get edited out. Catching errors like pronouncing quay wrong should also be part of the process. I'm regularly rolling my eyes at narrators.

I am really enjoying the audio. I'm 40% in but I like the different accents for the different characters. Hasn't bothered me at all

The narrator, Ellen Archer is a very highly accomplished voice artist. She's not a Brit, so I don't know why she went with Scottish and Russian accents lol.

Regardless, I'm really enjoying her performance.

I bit the bullet and got the audio. I quickly got used to the various brogues, but the Russian ones were a little over the top. I keep thinking borris and natasha from Rocky and Bullwinkle as the cops :-) . I'll admit, I'm moving a lot faster through the book now.

Well, I struggled on to about a third of the way through. The book has some interesting stuff in it, although the pacing feels pretty slow, and the voice performance was actively detracting from my enjoyment rather than enhancing it as a good audiobook does.
Then they arrived on the planet and met the people who talk like Yoda and... nope.
DNF. A shame. I might try this again if I ever see a paperback copy going cheap (or if it becomes available in ebook in the UK) but the audiobook has defeated me! :(

Richard wrote: "... borris and natasha from Rocky and Bullwinkle..."

YES!! lol!

Moon and Sparks...Moose and Squirrel...same thing!

Ruth wrote: "Well, I struggled on to about a third of the way through. The book has some interesting stuff in it, although the pacing feels pretty slow, and the voice performance was actively detracting from my..."

I'm still trying to get my way through the audio book but it may be one of the few I end up returning.

I enjoyed the audiobook quite a bit!

I enjoyed the audiobook too. Some people complained about the Scottish accent, but I noticed it was consistent with the characters (in a couple of places, people recognized where Sparks and Moon came from because of the "burr" in their voices).