Audiobooks discussion

Matthew Bracken's Enemies trilogy is free again, and I think $1.99 each for the books. They are long 25h+ books, and I'd personally highly recommend them. They are a great listen.

A lot of people don't like the narrator, but personally I quite liked it once I got used to it. The actual sound quality on first book is a bit harsh from memory (sounded a bit noisy), but the second and third are fine. If you can get used to the narration, it is really a fantastic trilogy.

http://www.audible.com/series/ref=a_p...

EDIT: Looks like whispersync is currently broken on the first book at the moment. It previously wasn't, and might come back. Can't hurt to grab the kindle editions anyhow and wait

I listened to the sample, and the narration didn't bother me (although that could be because I was raised in the South so I am already quite used to the accent and the timing of his speech). I am still going to wait to but the set to see if the WS price comes back to book one. I would kick myself if I spent a credit to buy it and then have it come out at 1.99 shortly thereafter. I did download the books from Amazon though.

Jeffrey wrote: "I listened to the sample, and the narration didn't bother me (although that could be because I was raised in the South so I am already quite used to the accent and the timing of his speech). I am s..."

I got accustomed to it pretty quickly.

Yes, grabbing the free Kindle versions is definitely worth it. I hope the first one goes Whispersync again. You could always maybe try contacting the author if he is on goodreads. He is on twitter, but I'm not. I've done that before (contact author) on broken whispersync, and have had success getting them to follow up.

I should write a review of those books, especially on audible to counter a lot of the negative ones.

Re: Enemies....I read the synopsis and the subject matter sounds like 2nd amendment propaganda.....not sure it's for me. In light of yesterday's shootings in San Bernardino, my patience for gun control rhetoric is wearing a little thin. Is it a balanced story?

Janet wrote: "Re: Enemies....I read the synopsis and the subject matter sounds like 2nd amendment propaganda.....not sure it's for me. In light of yesterday's shootings in San Bernardino, my patience for gun con..."

Not sure. I'd call it a political apocalypse trilogy, more about corrupt government and business, and traitors, rather than a take my guns "out of my cold dead hands" gun "nut" type fantasy. Honestly, I didn't really even find the existence and use of guns that big a part of the whole story, more that it was just a plot device. I liked the structure of the trilogy too. Each book was separate with a separate lead character, but linked to the prior.

OK, good to know.

Winter Journey is $1.99 and $4.49 for the audio.

Can anyone remind me how to find the page on amazon that lists the whispersync available for all the books I bought?

If you type in Whispersync in the search on Amazon there is a link that shows up under the search that says: View Audio Companions for Your Kindle Books |

Karen wrote: "Can anyone remind me how to find the page on amazon that lists the whispersync available for all the books I bought?"

I just search for "Whispersync for voice" and the option to "View audio companions for your Kindle books" shows up at the top of the result page

Karen wrote: "Can anyone remind me how to find the page on amazon that lists the whispersync available for all the books I bought?"

Jan,

If you click on this link and then scroll down the page, you'll see the Find Your Match hyperlink. Click on it to find all of your companions.

http://amzn.to/1QlllA3

If you like literary fiction, there is a deal at Amazon today on All My Puny Sorrows by Canadian author Miriam Toews. It was one of my favorite reads this year. The Kindle price is $1.99 but you can add Whispersync for $3.99.

The Last Call (The Bill Travis Mysteries Book 1) is free and the audio is $1.99.


1929: Book One (The 1929 Series) is free and the audio is $1.99. I read this story before it was an audiobook. I liked it. It's a family saga about several rich families reduced to poverty by the crash. The author gives a lot of detail about day-to-day survival.

I have my monthly Whispersync deal roundup up for December: Wil Wheaton​ reading Cherie Priest​'s Boneshaker​, Simon Vance​ reading Brian Staveley​, Neil Gaiman​ reading his own Odd and the Frost Giants​, and tons more including Linda Nagata​, Nancy Farmer​, Carrie Fisher​, Kurt Vonnegut​, Christopher Priest​, Colin Meloy​, Dan Wells​, Jo Walton​, and yet more. Over 390 Whispersync-enabled titles in this month's Kindle monthly deals listings.

The Girl in the Glass: A McCabe and Savage Thriller (McCabe and Savage Thrillers) is on sale for 99 cents. Audio is $3.99.

I'm at over 50% of this story and really enjoying it.

I just noticed that The Hangman's Daughter series - 5 books - is $1.99 per book and the same for the Whispersync audio. They all get high ratings. I'm so tempted. I did read the first book years ago and liked it.

Oh, and Grover Gardner reads all of The Hangman's Daughter series.

Kathleen wrote: "I just noticed that The Hangman's Daughter series - 5 books - is $1.99 per book and the same for the Whispersync audio. They all get high ratings. I'm so tempted. I did read the firs..."

I bought the first of those, then discovered there was a bit too much gore for my delicate ears. YMMV, as they say.

I picked up Binds That Tie by, Kate Moretti for .99 cents and whispersync'ed the audiobook for $1.99

I have my January Whispersync deal roundup post up: Kameron Hurley's fantastic Worldbreaker Saga, Leigh Bardugo's Shadow and Bone, Catherynne M. Valente's The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland, A.J. Hartley's Macbeth read by Alan Cumming, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's Mycroft Holmes, The Mongoliad, Joyce Carol Oates, Gutenberg's Apprentice, and more. Enjoy!

I love these round ups! Thanks for all your hard work to help me empty my pockets ;)

My pleasure. :)

Samuel wrote: "I have my January Whispersync deal roundup post up: Kameron Hurley's fantastic Worldbreaker Saga, Leigh Bardugo's Shadow and Bone, Catherynne M. Valente's The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland, A...."

Thank you for your hard work. This really helps save me money!

Samuel wrote: "I have my January Whispersync deal roundup post up: Kameron Hurley's fantastic Worldbreaker Saga, Leigh Bardugo's Shadow and Bone, Catherynne M. Valente's The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland, A...."

Thanks again; these are always good for a couple of great book bargains.

Thank you for the hard work :)

Last night I loaded both the ebook and audiobook of The Name of the Wind to my Kindle Fire. I wanted to try listening/reading, since I keep stalling out on this book - I like the narration, but I lose track of the characters - and I thought this method would help me get past my stall-point.

But I couldn't get the Whispersync thing to work. Amazon says I own the ebook, and I got the audio from Audible. Anyone have any ideas why this might not work?

This has worked on my Fire for other books, very easily, and quite recently. So I don't think it's my Fire.

Sometimes, when my wireless has been off for a while, I can't switch between the two. So I log on and then read or listen to some of the book; then when I switch over, I get a message to update to my last position.

I have bought the kindle book then bought the audible assuming that it links up and it doesn't if it is not listed as a whisper sync. Audible has to have it read specifically for whisper sync so that it matches up. I hope that made sense.

A Flicker of Light is free; a/b is $1.99

Stacy wrote: "I have bought the kindle book then bought the audible assuming that it links up and it doesn't if it is not listed as a whisper sync. Audible has to have it read specifically for whisper sync so th..."

Yes, it does; you mean that you have to have a Whispersync message on the Audible page, and you have to buy the exact version that is linked to the audio. Also, not all books are Whispersync'd.

Stacy wrote: "I have bought the kindle book then bought the audible assuming that it links up and it doesn't if it is not listed as a whisper sync. Audible has to have it read specifically for whisper sync so th..."

I agree. A difference between the two of only a word or so will mean they can't be W'synced and the link won't work. So if you want to do it you have to buy only those specifically marked as Whispersynced.

The weird thing is that I get a small-print message at the bottom of the ebook page that it's getting the 'professional narration of this book', and there's a small orange circle at the left that spins, but it never seems to finish. I've tried loading the ebook first, the audiobook first, yada.

Most annoying.

CatBookMom wrote: "The weird thing is that I get a small-print message at the bottom of the ebook page that it's getting the 'professional narration of this book', and there's a small orange circle at the left that s..."

You might try turning off your Kindle and then restarting it.

Go into your settings on your Kindle and adjust your Font size, and your Bold setting.

CatBookMom wrote: "Last night I loaded both the ebook and audiobook of The Name of the Wind to my Kindle Fire. I wanted to try listening/reading, since I keep stalling out on this book - I like the narr..."


So, it turns out that The Name of the Wind isn't actually set up for 'immersion reading', that is, it's not Whispersync'd even though the Audible pages says it is. Talked to a CS rep about this.

Yes, I think they are slightly different things. Whispersync is only accurate to about a page. Immersion Reading highlights the ebook text as its being read in audio - it's really cool! - so it needs to be a lot more accurate. So not all WS book are IR capable.

Hunchback Jack wrote: "Yes, I think they are slightly different things. Whispersync is only accurate to about a page. Immersion Reading highlights the ebook text as its being read in audio - it's really cool! - so it needs to be a lot more accurate. So not all WS book are IR capable. "

Aha! Thank you, Jack, for that clarification.

CatBookMom wrote: "CatBookMom wrote: "Last night I loaded both the ebook and audiobook of The Name of the Wind to my Kindle Fire. I wanted to try listening/reading, since I keep stalling out on this boo..."

Strange, as I had no trouble doing an immersion read when I read/listened to this book about 6 months ago.

I've never even heard of an immersion read! Is it a new thing?

Leslie wrote: "Strange, as I had no trouble doing an immersion read when I read/listened to this book about 6 months ago. ..."

Yes, it is strange. Another friend at Ravelry posted yesterday that she was able to download and listen/read just fine.

I'm done with fiddling with it for now. Enough time spent on this, and far more than enough frustration.

HJ wrote: "I've never even heard of an immersion read! Is it a new thing?"

Not really new. It is when you read while listening to the audio. I do it only infrequently as I read much faster than the audio so that I am always getting out of sync (even if I speed the audio up to 3x).

CatBookMom, perhaps the problem isn't with the audiobook but with the Kindle book? I do recall that sometime after I had finished, my Kindle edition was 'updated'. Maybe the new one doesn't work as well as the old one did!

Leslie wrote: "...CatBookMom, perhaps the problem isn't with the audiobook but with the Kindle book? I ..."

Good thought. One of my friends at Ravelry just got hers to work perfectly. *shrug* - I give up.

I think when I next am in the mood to try, I'll delete both ebook and audiobook and download each of them fresh.

CatBookMom wrote: "Leslie wrote: "...CatBookMom, perhaps the problem isn't with the audiobook but with the Kindle book? I ..."

Good thought. One of my friends at Ravelry just got hers to work perfectly. *shrug* - I ..."

I've had to do that a few times. I also did a "reboot" of my kindle before I downloaded each again. Once I had to do this a couple of times, but I finally got it to work.

Snatched


is free and the audiobook is $1.99. The story is written by a British author and the narrator is also British. Just found this author, so I'll see what I think of his work.

A Pledge of Silence



$1.99 each for e-bk and audio book

Kathy wrote: "A Pledge of Silence


$1.99 each for e-bk and audio book"

Kathy, this one is showing up for me as $3.99 for the e-book?

Donna wrote: "Kathy wrote: "A Pledge of Silence


$1.99 each for e-bk and audio book"

Kathy, this one is showing up for me as $3.99 for the e-book?"

Hi, Donna, it seems the sale is over. I probably caught this one in between the time the sale started and ended. It seems like such an intense read.

this is a tread I want to be on

In the BOGO sale
I couldn't decide to select
Rosemary: The Hidden Kennedy Daughter

but today it is $2.99 kindle book and you may add the audible for $3.99. I got the book and now can add the audible later.

http://www.amazon.com/Death-Nightinga...

is 1.99; audio is $4.49.