I started with Wil Wheaton's brilliant Just A Geek which is funny, frank and honest (i.e. there's a lot of swears) and is a great insight into the actor/writer's life post-Star Trek: The Next Generation and coming to terms with the concept of "what happens next?" It was also not a straight reading, but broken up with audio footnotes from Wheaton, as he added further background to some of his anecdotes.
After that came H.G. Wells' Time Machine, a free CD collection from Tantor, which was a pleasant surprise as well. While I'd never assumed that the Rod Taylor 1960 movie (which I love and adore) was a literal retelling of the book, it shocked me just how different the book was; how much darker and clinical the central "Time Traveler" character was and how his stops before arriving in the time of Morlocks were purely the invention of the film makers.
I was also particularly taken with his travels further forward in time which took on a Jule Verne-like travelogue quality as he watched the end of life on Earth, but could take no part in events.
Thinking about what to listen to next, my mind strayed in to the area of 'urban fantasy' which is once again riding high in my enthusiasms. Having been surprisingly entertained by Twilight the movie, I'd been considering reading the novel - to see what all the fandom-dividing fuss was about - but, according to its Amazon listing, it's almost 500 pages long and I couldn't see myself sticking to that with so much else to distract me.
So, instead I have downloaded the unabridged audio book and am about to begin my descent to the dark side... give me strength, brothers... and pray I don't emerge from the other side wearing a 'Team Edward' t-shirt!
For a couple of weeks I was reading The Host on the tube and was acutely aware I was the only male reader of this book. I gave it quite a positive review. I still haven't read Twilight so I look forward to your thoughts on it.
ReplyDeleteI also enjoyed Just A Geek, and from the perspective of someone who abandoned Star Trek about half way through DS9 so cannot in any way be called a trekkie, it is a really good book. Wheatons added little bits in the audio book are a treat as well!
ReplyDeleteI also got Tantor's Time Machine, but I haven't gotten around to listening to it yet! You just managed to bump it up my list a good few notches.
As for Twiglet, oops sorry I mean Twilight, nope I can't work myself up to try that one. I am enjoying True Blood (wow UK season 2 finale tonight), but that is enough of the vampires for me.
Won't the unabridged audio book take as long as reading the novel itself? Or is your reading speed quite slow compared to these audio books?
ReplyDeleteUrban fantasy suggestions: the Felix Castor series of books by Mike Carey (the comic book writer) and, of course, the Harry Dresden books by Jim Butcher.
It's simply a question of concentration.
ReplyDeleteSince my stroke my attention span has a habit of wandering - audio books are a relaxing change from the concentration of actual reading, although I have to be wary of being too relaxed, drifting off and missing chunks of the narrative!
Thanks for the recommendations - Dresden is, of course, well known in these parts, but I like the sound of Felix Castor, very John Constantine ;)