A good book crucified

Normally I listen to the narration sample before I buy a book, but the reviews on Amazon suggested it was a very good book ... which it is. The narrator however kills it, and I'm going to struggle to finish listening.
The book is written by an Australian who is widely published in British newspapers and whose wrting dripping with sardonic humour and irony. It struck me as rather strange when I started listening to the audio that they'd chosen an American narrator with the delivery style of a Discovery Channel documentary presenter - fantastic for talking about the wonder of sharks I'm sure, but it really didn't sit right with an irreverent and mocking writing style that pokes fun at the world. Maybe the production company were trying to dispel the suggestion by us Brits that Americans don't get irony ... well if this guy does get irony, his voice doesn't display it.
Then came the pronunciation of names. OK I can handle Moss-cow, it always makes me giggle but potato, tomato and all that each to their own. The fact that this guy when he wasn't sure seemed to go with the get the first syllable, mumble the middle, catch the last syllable that we all do with names we can't pronounce annoyed me - it's a book about the world and travel, the names matter I can't read them, I sort of expect the narrator to try and get them right. Can-toe-ner-esque, to describe a rant had me rewinding to work out the word he’d donated to the English language
Then came the accents. When he tried a British accent I got a mental image of Dick Vann Dyke and Mary Poppins tap dancing with penguins. His Albanian accent started off as Arnie, and then within a couple of sentences trotted the globe and visited Scandinavia, Pakistan and the Middle East. The first couple I thought he'd slipped into by mistake but he gained confidence and completely comedy accents flowed.
I'm sure this narrator is great when given the right style of content, but he completely fails at ironic travel biographies

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

How I wish you'd read your own book

I really enjoyed this book but there's no need for bad accents like this. I don't think the author would have attempted them.He certainly wouldn't have made Paddy Ashdown sound like Bono. It would be far more enjoyable without attempting any. Some chapters were excruciating. All the rest was brilliant informative listening.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!