I've been in a history mood these last few months so I listen to various history audiobooks in the background while I do other things via audible. It just now hit me that I can get the star wars audiobooks through audible, but do you think the audio format is better than reading the words itself? I would like the information to be retained in my head, so audiobook format might not really be the best for me. What do any of you think about them for Star Wars stuff?
The good thing about audiobooks is you can listen to them while you do other things - driving, walking the dogs, housework, cooking, etc. I can usually sneak in an hour or two at least of audiobooks a day, which increases the number of books I'm able to read. Marc Thompson is awesome. I have enjoyed the narrator who did Bloodline, but I recognize her voice where she reads the Anita Blake Vampire Hunter series under a different name. It's a little surreal to hear Leia talking with Anita Blake's voice.
I like audiobooks in theory, but personally I can't pay attention to them if i'm not also reading along. and if i'm reading along, i tend to read much faster than the book, so that doesn't work too well for me either. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I love audiobooks better then books. I can't concentrate while reading I need to do other things. Plus the way that make these things it's like watching a movie which I prefer anyway.
I'd recommend listening to the radio dramas as well--especially if you're a Luke or Threepio fan, as Mark Hamill and Anthony Daniels came back to do the voices for ANH and TESB. Brock Peters and John Lithgow's alternate takes on Vader and Yoda are not to be missed either. The other audio dramas (Tales of the Jedi, Dark Empire, etc,) are more...entertaining than they are good. Still worth it for fans, especially the ones that don't feature the film characters. (Dark Force and Crimson Empire, particularly.) TC
Audible is the primary way I read new Star Wars novels now (and other novels in general). It works so much better with my lifestyle, and I get to experience many, many more books than I otherwise would have. Also: the production values on the SW audiobooks are fantastic.
For whatever reason, I just cannot keep my attention focused on audiobooks the way I can while reading myself. My mind wanders and the next thing I know, I have missed an entire chapter. That said, the production values on Star Wars audiobooks are generally quite good. I did listen to Dark Lord on a cross-country road trip and found it to be really well done. I had already read the novel at that point, though, so it wasn't an issue if my mind wandered off at times.
The Audiobooks have their merits. Heck I recently got the Thrawn trilogy on my iPod. What I really like is the 20th edition which is unabridged and the sound effects and sound track from the Star Wars universe we all know and love.
No new canon novels are abridged. They are complete, full length, un-cut. Also, as TH pointed out, excellent 20th Anniversary editions of unabridged Thrawn Trilogy audio were also produced. While several later-run ones did, most early Legends books (especially Bantam era) never had an unabridged audio produced, however.
I'm a audio book veteran and I have listened to several Star Wars audiobooks and I have enjoyed them tremendously. Not just Star Wars but all types of books. I have a job what allows me to do often listen and work. The thing you should know is you will not, (or I don't anyway) retain as much of the story listing as you do when reading and you may need to replay parts of the book from time to time depending on what you're doing while listening. I often don't walk away thinking I am the expert on the story especially weeks later the re****able details dont stick quite as much like It does when I actually reading the book. So if I listen to it and really like it I will often actually read those books as well. So it's not perfect but it but it's definitely enjoyable and it lets you be exposed to stories that i would not other wise get to know . As a side note it also builds your listening skills in a particular way, i'm know very conscious of what passive listening, and active listening feels like and what the difference in retention is. Also I'm generally not a fan of abridged novels. it's a shame that that several of the Star Wars books I would like to read are only available abridged. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Prior to 2010, most Star Wars novels were released as abridged versions, which I agree, sucks. Abridged audiobooks are a travesty IMO. Since 2010, however, every single Star Wars audiobook has been unabridged. FYI. Thank the maker. I'm a total audiobook fan and advocate. As a single parent of twins, it's really the only way I can read more that 2 to 3 books a year. Former English major...So I am not advocating for only audio. Actual reading and literacy are, obviously, hugely important. And whichever anyone prefers really makes no difference to me. But I will say... Storytelling roots are from the oral tradition. Audiobooks are, in ways, a purer form of story.
I'm on the road for work quite often, and I love Star Wars audiobooks! Finished listening to Catalyst before Rogue One opened and thought it was an excellent prelude!
Audiobooks are currently my preferred method as I can listen to them while I work; most of the narrators are pretty good, but I'm not a fan of the two who did Lost Stars and Bloodline (Though Lost Stars was worth the listen regardless; Bloodline was okay but kind of boring and contrived plotlines) Marc Thompson is generally the best one of the bunch, though that guy that did the Darth Plagueis novel...man, that guy really brought that novel to life.
