How to salvage this great story

This is a great story, horribly read!
The narrator is going for some rushed teeth-clenshed angry approach, giving the impression that every single sentence ends in an exclamation mark and all characters are just a breath away from a rampant murder spree.
This is one of my favourite SciFi stories, but the narration was like nails on a blackboard for me.
HOWEVER!
if you bring the speed down to 0.9, or maybe even 0.8, it actually becomes pretty decent (leading me to ponder if the original upload might have been made at a wrong tempo setting).

So if you do decide to give this book a try (and it really is a great story if you're more inclined towards technical rather than action-packed SciFi), be aware that you'll have to do some initial tinkering to get it right.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

The narrator has drunk too much coffee

It’s an amazing book. Read by someone that seems to have drunk too much coffee. It’s such a an easy book to read. So why is this narrator so intense. Spoils it.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

The scope of this novel is enormous

From one of the Grand Masters of Science Fiction is a story of the rebirth of the universe. It feels a bit dated, especially in terms of the personal relationships, but it is a MUST READ for any serious SciFi fan.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Awful narration

I am normalt more patient… but the narrations really got to me. Broken up and with no real flavor it got in the way of the story.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

Great hard SF - narrator style very odd

This is a great story from a master with study of the human condition combined with some hard science (of 40 years ago I admit but relativity has not changed that much).

The narrator however alternated from good, when relating actual conversation, to annoying when narrating storyline. His word inflexion focused on a breathy uplift at the end of each sentence which seemed to be trying to achieve "awesome SF suspense" at all times. It trivialised the true suspense moments and made it hard to appreciate some of the human experience parts of the book. It almost made me stop listening but as the Tau wound down I got engrossed enough in the story to manage to ignore it.

At least there were very few edit errors in this which we find in many of the audible books with lower production values.

So - enjoyed the story, narration could have been better.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

Decent story, not sure about the narration

As with the other reviewers, I'm not a fan of the narration. He doesn't seem to be reading it as a story, with the pace flowing as the situations change, it's just a handful of words at a time for 7 straight hours. it's hard to pick up when some sentences/ paragraphs start and finish and the tone of some conversations are twisted. I found I had to re-read the words in my head in the way an actual human would speak.

As the for the story, I think it has aged a little, particularly with the role of women within the various personal relationships. It is a book from 1970 though, so this is to be expected to a degree. From a sci-fi perspective it is great, and asks good questions about how such a journey would pan out, with a good climactic ending.

Enjoyed the book, would probably recommend that you just read it yourself rather than listen to this.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

disappointed

I have to agree with everybody, the narration is dreadful! Nothing to add on the topic, it's all been said.
I really like the premise of the story but the characters are terrible! Sure, the narration doesn't help, but still, they are judgy, condescending and get angry all the time for no reason. And then whingy because they are sad and miserable. No sympathy buddy, you're an awful person. I listened to the whole book because I wanted to find out what was going to happen, but I struggled.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

love the book but not narrator

I love this book, I have read it many times so I thought I would enjoy it on audible. However I find the narrator very hard to listen to. except when doing character voices he reads every sentence in a questioning tone, inflecting up at the end like its exciting, the problem is it almost makes it monotone, since if every sentence is exciting then none are and I find the action is therefore passing me by.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

Awful narration

I was really looking forward to listening to this story as I found the concept highly interesting. However, I couldn’t finish it due to the very poor narration. The diction was terrible and the narrator sounded like he was having breathing difficulties. The author has really been let down.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

the narration ruins it

get the book. a must read novel. but the narration is crap, terrible sorry no appalling.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful