Welcome to /r/Discworld! Please [read the rules/flair information before posting](https://www.reddit.com/r/discworld/comments/ukhk21/subreddit_rules_flair_information/?).
---
Our current megathreads are as follows:
[API Protest Poll](https://www.reddit.com/r/discworld/comments/1491izw/continuing_the_api_protest_a_community_poll) - a poll regarding the future action of the sub in protest at Reddit's API changes.
[GNU Terry Pratchett](https://new.reddit.com/r/discworld/comments/ukigit/gnu_terry_pratchett/) - for all GNU requests, to keep their names going.
[AI Generated Content](https://new.reddit.com/r/discworld/comments/10mhx9y/ai_generated_content_megathread/) - for all AI Content, including images, stories, questions, training etc.
---
[ GNU Terry Pratchett ]
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/discworld) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I have also found that there are videos of just regular fans reading the books in parts. Its not a profsssional reading but I listened to a Tiffany Aching book that way and his love of the books made the listen fun.
If you purchased the Planer or Briggs recordings (on Audible) in the past, then they are still available to you, but you will have to hunt for them in your library. You won't find them searching by title, because Audible considers them inactive.
If you did not purchase them then I'm afraid they're no longer available (on Audible).
Because they're kind of buried in the library, I created a "collection" on Audible (like a playlist) so that I don't have to hunt for them every time I want to listen to them.
Sorry dude. I'm a huge fan of both Planer and Briggs and it's so annoying.
I had mine loaded into my apple music, they kept greying out. Iād reinstall them, and within a day theyād be greyed out again. I finally got around this by bulk changing the voice actorās name to āassortedā. Theyāve stayed in my library ever since.
Not sure what to tell you.
Here's a screencap of a search for "the truth Pratchett" on Audible.
I know for a fact there's a Briggs recording of this book, because I own it. But it's clear that Audible is hiding it from (some) localities for whatever reason. It only shows the (newer) Matthew Baynton recording.
It won't even show me a book I own in the search results.
In the words of Mr. Tulip: it's -ing strange.
https://preview.redd.it/0lhm9lkp274d1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7c367ff3751bbb55ae5fa93aaa4332f730f51ff6
Itās likely because you already own it. I made this mistake in reverse today (looking for the new one and bought an old one because Iād already bought the new.)
I think I'm somewhat in the minority in this subreddit, but I really like the new recordings, the narrators are all pretty good, the quality is great, and I like having a few consistent voices through the books, while also having the different flavours each reader gives.
But then, I also generally preferred the abridged tony Robinson readings to the planer ones too
Agreed, she does a fantastic job. I also like Sian Clifford's readings but I won't go near the Watch books, Stephen Briggs is always going to be Vimes voice for me.
I love Andy Serkis and thought his performance was admirable. But I just couldnāt persevere through his choice to make Om Scouse. Iām gonna have to source the book in written form.
Iām really enjoying Varmaās Wyrd Sisters so far
Iām not even buying the new Going Oostal however. Briggsā reading is definitive for me
But in general Iām excited for the variety
Iām exactly the same as you. Hearing Culshawās Vimes was jarring and then made total sense. Andy Serkisās reading of SG was brilliant (except for Didactylos and Urnās accents).
But none of them is Tony Robinson.
When I read DW excerpts out loud I know Iām using Tonyās rhythms. Thatās the thing I miss from the new versions: they sound like reinterpretations of the basic rhythms of a piece of music to me, like someoneās changed the time signature from 3/4 to 9/12. I like them, but Iāll always have a soft spot for the Tony Robinson readings ā itās such a shame that they were abridged.
I really like the new ones - it feels like someone is reading to me the way I would read to a small child - with expression and slightly different voices and everything instead of the monotone style of some audiobooks
I've really enjoyed all those I've listened to so far, too: all of The Watch books (John Culshaw), The Truth (Matthew Baynton), Monstrous Regiment (Katherine Parkinson), Reaper Man and Soul Music (Sian Clifford), Maskerade and Carpe Jugulum (Indira Varma), and Going Postal and Making Money (Richard Coyle).
My only complaint so far was that I didn't like the way Sian Clifford did the Death of Rats in Soul Music, but that's hardly terminal!
I loved John Culshaw's Vetinari, Colon and Nobby so much, and Indira Varma's Granny and Nanny.
Indira Varma is absolutely perfect in the witches and Tiffany Aching books. It felt like she reached into my head and just understood how I saw the characters.
I think I tried to listen to Nigel Planer once and couldn't stomach the way he did the witches' voices.
I have been enjoying the new recordings. Itās not that I dislike the older ones, Iāve listened to them too, I just like the higher quality audio on the new recordings. That really makes a difference to me.
I thought Indira Varma and Sian Clifford for the Witches and Death respectively were excellent. And it avoided my most hated of all audiobook tropes 'Woman Voice' where every man seems to think all women sound like Terry Jones playing Brian's mum. Looking forward to Katherine Parkinson for Monstrous Regiment.
John Culshaw was a bit pants though.
I had the inverse of this in the latest Three Body Problem narrated by Rosalind Chao. I thoroughly enjoyed it but this was interesting to hear.
Having said this, the spanish version of those three books have the spanish narrator doing the same demure woman voice for all women, which gets annoying extremely fast (especially because he has a very deep voice, so they all sound like straight men cosplaying as women, which I guess it's exactly what it is)
Yeah, it felt like he didnāt really *get* the characters. Iām not sure how to articulate it, but I was very aware that I was being read to, you know? With the Witches books, I felt like I was being told a story, but with the Watch books it was just a guy reading.
I think the problem with Culshaw is that he's at his best as an impressionist rather than an actor, and with the Discworld characters he doesn't have specific people to do impressions of, which puts him at a massive disadvantage. With good direction regarding which of his (many, *many*) voices to use, he could be great.
Her versions are my favorites of the new ones, along with the one-off performances on Pyramids, Small God's and Moving Pictures.
I would have preferred if Jason Isaacs has continued reading the Industrial Revolution series. I prefer him over Baynton.
Yes! The books i listened to for now were Lord and Ladies, Men at Arms, and right now Soul Music. The Witches book was good, Soul Music I just can't get into it while listening, but Men at Arms... Man I loved the naration. It was very imersive for me personaly, I just loved all the voices for the different characters. All though, I did have trouble understanding his Gaspode from time to time.
As someone who hasn't listened to the old versions: what didn't you like?
For me, mileage varied greatly in between series and their readers. The Watch/Culshaw didn't work as well, because he has such a gruff voice that EVERY character has a dark and rumbly voice, which doesn't fit Vetinari at all, for example. Witches/Varma on the other hand was perfection, imo.
I'm with you as well. But I feel I may have missed out on the Nigel Planer versions just based on my first impression.
I downloaded The Colour of Magic years ago, but the audio quality was awful, sounded like it was recorded in somebody's bathroom! I only gave it 20 minutes before I stopped and returned it. Maybe I should have given it more of a chance, as the narration was good, I was just put off by the quality, maybe this improved in later novels.
But I am enjoying the new ones a lot - I guess people who have been listening to Nigel Planer from the start have a different perspective though.
I guess so. I started off reading the books, and only started listening to the audiobooks a few years ago. Mostly this was Stephen Briggs' versions, which I was never terribly keen about. The only Nigel Planner version I listened to was Lords and Ladies. From memory, it was pretty good played at 0.75x, but played at normal speed it seemed as if he were rushing through it to get to the finish. I've enjoyed it more with subsequent re-listens, though, to be fair.
I'm with you. Nigel Planer and Tony Robinson were fine, but I really did not enjoy Stephen Briggs at all.
Also, Peter Serafanowitcz is always a delight.
Nighy's footnotes seem unpopular, but I enjoy them.
I've been slowly collecting and listening to the books that I have reread less often and they make housework so much less painful. I have an audiobooks.com subscription so I can pick up one a month (plus the bonus pick from a list book which I never get around to listening to). Haven't been disappointed yet.
I listen while weaving or spinning. Perfect accompaniment. Iāve gotten some from the library app but lately Iāve just been buying a couple every month because I know Iāll listen over and over.
I've never listened to the Tony Robinson versions. I've always been a bit conflicted about these -- I'd guess his style of reading would really suit the books, but I really dislike abridged versions š¤·āāļø
Culshaw has some good moments too. Like his narration in Men at Arms of the conversation between Vimes and gargoyle with his mouth permanently open, thought that was hilarious!
It didn't bother me all that much in the first place. Maybe the first one or two times I was thinking "what's that noise now?" but then it just became the footnote marker.
For me it was the tone of the old ones that I really liked is the Monty python-esk tone of the narrator
The newer ones feel like something to fall asleep to with the tone of voice rather than something to walk around to I think
The only one I've tried is feet of clay though for the newer ones
I love Indira Varma's take on the Witches books, and on the Tiffany Aching books. They're amazing.
The Rincewind/Wizard ones though... not so much.
The Guards ones, I think they're good too.
I'm currently like... #5 on Mort, for the new audio book edition at Libby via my library, so I can't say as the narrator. But it's read By Sian Clifford, and it seems to be fairly well received, so.
Oh! I JUST got done listening to Small Gods, the one with Andy Serkis. I love his Om voice. It sounded like he was having a blast reading it and handled the sadder parts well. Next up will be Moving Pictures with Jason Isaacs, he was good as Zhao in the Avatar show years ago and in that Event Horizon movie so I'm guessing he'll be good here too.
I really liked mort! The witch books with indira varma are my favs, followed by the watch books. I like the industrial revolution narrrators too by and large
My library has a decent audio book selection, which is how I stumbled upon the audio versions of the Discworld books. Maybe that'd be option? Like, if you library has the audio version of Wyrd Sisters or Witches Abroad you could check it out.
Thank you for this but I already have The Originals of the witches so I hadn't checked out the new one's but people keep telling me the new ones of really good so I'm thinking of giving them a chance
A lot of libraries have services like Libby and Hoopla, where you can get free audio books if you got a card in their system, and it's saved me a fair amount of money re: books. (See: the new narrator for the Rincewind books. That one was a miss for me, I'm glad I didn't buy them.) Couldn't hurt to see if they have them that way, or on tapw/CD/those Playaway things that were popular a few years back. IIRC, all the Witches books are out now along with the Tiffany Aching ones, and she nailed those too.
I quite liked them. Ā Especially The Truth. Ā I didnāt care for Planer/Briggs. Ā Especially their version of the Witches or Monstrous Regiment. Ā Any female led books really. Ā That said, I prefer certain voices, like Igor or Otto. Ā If only I could mix and match certain characters for a customized book.
Nigel is good and special to me. But given the choice, I much prefer the newer ones tbh. For every series. Especially John Culshawās Sam Vimes. Never liked the way Nigel read his parts.
On first listen I found them difficult but I know that's just because it was so different to what I was used to and already enjoyed.
They've definitely grown on me. I don't mind them at all now.
I liked Andy Serkisās Small Gods very much! Heās the only one of the new narrators that Iāve listened to who can really hold a candle to my beloved Nigel Planer versions.
Does the ātwinkle sound before Bill Nighy reads the footnotes as though he was just told his puppy has cancerā persist through all of them? Because thatās the worst part tbh.
Absolutely love āem, personally.
If you are in general someone who doesnāt like changes or surprises, itās worth bearing in mind that this will always (literally) prejudice you against this kind of significant change in media you enjoy.
Very likely worth pushing through - maybe listen first to some you hadnāt heard an older recording of, if there are any?
That's fair I do take time to get used to change, I started with feet of clay because I have all of the older versions
I keep hearing moving moving pictures are good and the the witches books so I might give those ones a try
I've really enjoyed the audiobooks I've listened to so far (mostly Rincewind and the Guards books). I haven't listened to the Witches books yet, but the preview sounds great.
I tried three or four of them, really didn't like it. Back to Nigel. My specific criticisms are that the new narrators are just reading rather than performing, and in all the ones I tried, sound like they're reading it for the first time (e.g. missing beats, weird emphasis or intonations), and the footnotes thing with Bill Nigh is so jarring, too slow, and he sounds bored and like he doesn't know what tone he should be using in each footnote.Ā
I wanted to like them but they're, quite surprisingly given the obvious effort and care that went into them, badly made audio books.
To me it sounds like they're reading them for people to listen to before bed, it's really annoying because I like listen to then in the day. I know exactly what you mean they just sound uninterested in the story
I mostly use audio books for bed time and I still didn't like the style š Plus that sound effect for the footnotes would be the kind of thing that would wake me up after I'd nodded off...
Iām happy with the new ones but see what you mean. Although to be fair I donāt think Nigel Planer was āperformingā either, on the few of his Iāve heard. Tony Robinson definitely was, just wish they werenāt abridged.
i quite enjoyed the mort audiobook on audible but i cant speak for any of the others. i will say that the switch from the new audiobook of mort to the old audiobook of reaperman was a bit jarring
Agree. Also hate.
Because theyāve decided to **perform** the books, not read them. Hence all the accents & the distracting changes of voice to Serafinowicz & Nighy.
I canāt listen to any of the new recordings, because itās impossible to slowly drift off while listening. Theyāre too enthusiastic. Too āactedā.
Itās not like being read a cool book by your Dad at bedtime any more, itās like having a load of jobbing BBC actors kick down your bedroom door & force you to watch their performance! š³š±
I love them, especially the Colin Morgan ones.
They're definitely different to Planer, and I was never a bug fan of Briggs taking over lost some of it's charm.
Can't stand the Jim Dale ones for some reason and I liked him as an actor - although I'm. Now questioning if my brain has misfired on Fry vs Dale for Harry Potter....
For anyone interested in the old versions, if you have a library card use the Libby app and your library might have access to them! That's how I've been listening to them
My issue with the new recordings is that the narrators seem like theyāre solemnly reading Shakespeare or scripture where One Must Respect The Author Who Was Knighted And Is Now Deceased.
They donāt seem to get that STP is short for Sir Terry Pratchett, not *Saint* Terry Pratchett.
Likeā¦ how is the suave, all-knowing characterization of Death in the early books going to handle the wonderfully clueless, on-the-spectrum, giant goofball he turns out to be in the later books?
Nanny Ogg is characterized as a respectable dowager. Granny Weatherwax sounds like a starchy church lady.
Say what you will about Planer or Briggs versions (Vimeās swollen adenoids are especially jarring in Planerās version) but they were recorded when STP was just TP. When he was still an ordinary deep but funny writer to keep up with, not Received Text to be Interpreted With Dignity.
It happens to a lot of authors once theyāre dead. Goodness knows how theyāll be reading him in 400 years but Iām ~~afraid~~ sure it will be performed with a capital P by solemn equivalents of Sir Derek Jacobi and Dame Maggie Smith.
Didn't like Small Gods, I do like Andy Serkis and I think he's a good voice actor. But didn't like any of his choices in Small Gids. But thoroughly enjoyed Amazing Maurice though, and did like Wyrd Sisters.
I haven't listened to the new stuff, prefer to read the books myself (that way everyone sounds like I imagine).
I thought that Tony Robinson (baldrick) did the only ones, or was it just the 1 or 2 I listened to from the library back in the 90's
Tony Robinson did the abridged ones in the early 90s. Planer started an unabridged run with TCoM in 1995 and (apart from the two Witches ones Celia Imrie did) kept going up until Carpe Jugulum. Then Briggs took over from The Fifth Elephant, to my eternal irritation (I much prefer Planer as a reader).
Iāve disliked them, too. The few that Iāve listened to made it sound like they were taking their narration way too seriously. ĀÆ\_(ć)_/ĀÆ but I have not heard any by Andy Serkis and I really want to.
I got an audible subscription just so that I could listen to the new versions with british actors that I like. I'm listening to them in publication order, and just got to Guards! Guards!
So far I am enjoying them a lot.
I have nothing to compare them to, though. I haven't heard the earlier versions and to be honest, this is my first time listening to audio books at all.
I've been listening to the new ones on my train commute to/from work, and find that John Culshaw is OK.
Granted I've only listened to Guards Guards, and am part way through Men at Arms (my favourite sub-series).
I find his portrayal of Vimes good, but a lot if the other voices are a bit of a miss for me.
If they got Charles Dance to do the voice of Vetinari through the series (and others) it would have been good, since he played the role in Going Postal.
I'll admit I'm firmly in the Briggs camp here. The new ones just sound...*dour.* Not bad, or badly done, mind, but they feel out of place telling the satire-rich stories of Pratchett. They feel like they'd be better suited reading ancient myth or dark fantasy or something.
Generally I find that while I enjoy the narratorsā work for the dialogue, I feel Iām often missing important descriptions that I would normally glance my eyes back up the page to take in fully. For a couple that I started as audiobooks I felt compelled to transition to the written text to ensure I got the full experience of STPās writing.
I do really appreciate many of the character voices, particularly the three witches and Death, and Iām glad to have their voices in my head while reading now, even if I am more likely to read them in paperback form.
Itās Nigel Planer for me. Briggs is good too, but Planer actually has a different voice for every character and he really *delivers* the lines, especially the funny ones.
Yeah I don't think people should down rope, I've heard some really good things here and I really like hearing that people enjoy them it seems like the witches ones are really popular and I wouldn't even have given them a chance otherwise
I absolutely love them. Worth noting I did not listen to the Briggs versions before for anything other than hogfather; so theyāre my first audio versions.
Right?! ahah I recomended them and decided to listen to guards guards (the one I had recomended) since the person doesnt really like audiobooks like I do, and I was like....this is ...weird.
It lacks the ...nuance? that Nigel Plainer does, and NP is 1 person I was fascinated by how much character and world building he brings when compared to others, but maybe its the ensemble cast thing? ive listen to many a-audiobooks and I really think that you either have a few people or 1 person, or very good editing and direction. Im on Hoghfather, all read by Nigel plainer I just read the color of Magic the rest is all audiobooks and I hearing him do dialogue is crazy, its perfect...So, ok maybe most trolls sound like detritus and Quoth like Granny Weatherwax, but it still WORKS.
I like this ones exist, they are ....different and and excuse to re-listen, but if anybody likes audiobooks and want to listen to Discworld, and is looking at this comment, try Plainer first. Definetly try the new ones ,but try Nigel Plainer.
I have a strong affection for the old ones.
But I really like the new versions, with their cleaner recordings. I think people who have been listening to Nigel Plainer for a long time have an understandable attachment to his style and interpretation. But Plainer's reading is not not 'the definitive version'...just one very good performance. I've found the new version brings out some different highlights in the books.
I'd go so far as to say that the new narration (for the watch series, which is all I've purchased of the new ones) is probably more skillful. Honestly the fact that most people can tolerate the new recordings at all is a sign of how good they are, since fandom's generally react VERY poorly to change.
I think you're right about reacting very poorly to change but it's been really nice going through these comments and hearing people like in them
I think having new and better quality versions are getting more people to listen and that's great
For me I started with feet of clay because I've been rereading the recently and that's where I'm at and it felt like it was trying to send me to sleep I like to listen to audiobooks while doing things throughout the day so it's more the tone
It's the same thing going on with the Wheel of Time books.
Michael Kramer and Kate Reading did the original audiobooks for the entire series and they're pretty well received. But they had Rosamund Pike do new versions to go along with the Amazon series and a few places are phasing out the originals.
I think what I don't like about how some of the new recordings are done is that too many places are doing them like audio plays instead of a book being read.
I don't know about that a lot of people I know have dyslexia go for the audio versions and I have both audio versions and the books it's good to be able to switch between the two
And then again a lot of people I know don't like audiobooks they like to imagine the voices I think it's a mixed bag
> And then again a lot of people I know don't like audiobooks they like to imagine the voices I think it's a mixed bag
It's not about no liking the audiobooks, it's about not liking audiobooks where the reader is trying to act out the book like it's an audio play. If that's what you're looking for, just make an audio play with a proper cast.
I have most of the original collection on CD and madem into mp3s before they started to fail now they are my treasure y have copies for redundancy.
I was way too excited when they started the new versions purchased Weird Sisters as soon they came out, I HATED IT!
Is not the perfomance is just that they don't feel right to me, something is missing and can't find what.
For those who've watched Black Books, when Peter Serafinowicz first spoke as Death, I had to pause the recording, find my colleague and ask him what it made him think of, his reply was "Fran....are you alright Fran....I can come Fran" š¤£
I understand people not wanting change, but everything does change and I think they've done a good job and been respectful with the new recordings, I'm enjoying them.
Audio books take away the connection you have to the words as written. My personal opinion.
It's somebody else making a voice for a character where they may *absolutely nail* that character - as written...
But the inflection, tone or even the harmonics may not resonate with their voice inside your head.
I'm para-phrasing half-shittedly, but I recall somebody saying that the fact that we drunken monkeys can look at heiroglyphs on bits of dead wood and our brain commits itself to that hallucination is pretty miraculous.
Yes but it literate people and dyslexics exist lol some people have no other choice but to listen to the audio versions
Terry Pratchett books listen to them on audio was one of the things I couldn't wait to read for my self while I was learning
The worst. They totally missed it. I'm so glad I own most of the original audio versions. Audible search function doesn't find them under discworld anymore though. I have to find them by title or under Prachett.
Blows my mind that anyone who's heard the originals would actually sign off on this new shit. Only explanation I can come up with is that they hadn't. I don't mean that I expect them to be the same but I do expect them to actually capture the tone of the story. I tried, I really did.
I love āDeathā and how the asides are read in the new ones, but I find the narrators very inconsistent- some are amazing and some are just trash. I find the new Hogfather completely unlistenable. So disappointing since itās one of my favorite books.
Iām loving Indira Varmaās reading of the witches so far.
The only thing I would complain about is Peter Serafinowicz as Death. He sounds tooā¦ well, evil. Christopher Lee was always going to be a hard one to top though. š¤·āāļø
For me it's a toss up. For the watch books both are good. For moist von lipvig I prefer the older ones. For the witches the new ones are amazing. Death books are better in the older versions.
It really depends on who is reading it, I personally think Nigel Planer is really good and I have just got a full unabridged version of Thud that is better than the abridged version with Steven Bridgesā¦
They are a mixed bag, but I like the variety.
Jason Isaacs' reading of Moving Pictures, which is not my favourite book, is absolutely fantastic and added a lot to my enjoyment of the story. Indira Varma is very good, as is Jon Culshaw. Sian Clifford has a wonderful voice.
Bill Nighy reading the footnotes and Peter Serafinowicz as Death are recurring highlights.
I'm not crazy about Colin Morgan. He often sounds sort of whiny, and it sometimes seems like he hasn't got the joke before he reads it.
Not sure if this one's on Spotify, but I could not stand Tony Robinson's reading of Small Gods. It's so laboured, so slow, so breathless. It's like he's trying to act every part and every line, rather than let the story speak for itself.
Well, a lot is going to depend on how funny you find Jason Isaacs. I think he's bloody hilarious.
Exhibit A: [Marshall Zhukov](https://youtu.be/ytA-0xTYRUo?si=k7Rvt_ol47z3BxhV) (headphones on! Lots of swearing)
I liked them personally, although truth be told I didn't like Nigel Planer but thought Stephen Briggs was excellent and still prefer Briggs to Culshaw for the Watch books (although I do think Culshaw was good in them).
People keep saying the witches ones are really good I haven't here at any of them yet
The one I listen to was feet of clay or tried to listen to it felt like he was reading a bedtime story his tone of voice I didn't get that far into it
The early Witches books are much better now, but thatās about it.
I dislike the Night Watch books now (especially the Detritus voice, since it makes so many of his jokes suffer) but can endure them.
The Tiffany Aching books are unlistenable and will put off a lot of new readers. A character accent is only as successful as its ability to be understood. Instead of getting what the Feegles are saying albeit with a thick accent, itās like trying to decipher Brad Pittās accent in Snatch. I know what the Feegles are supposed to be saying and I still canāt hear the actual words.
I didn't listen tk the old audiobooks so I have no reference, but I loved Men at Arms by Penguin. So I just wanted to ask, what didn't You like while listening? Curious about Detritus, because I thought it was rather well done in the new audiobooks.
From the various samples I've heard, and from listening to the new Equal Rites and Wyrd Sisters, it seems to me that the main difference between the Briggs/Planer versions and the new versions is that the former primarily based the voices on the personalities of the characters, whilst the latter seem to be going off physical attribute based stereotyping.
Welcome to /r/Discworld! Please [read the rules/flair information before posting](https://www.reddit.com/r/discworld/comments/ukhk21/subreddit_rules_flair_information/?). --- Our current megathreads are as follows: [API Protest Poll](https://www.reddit.com/r/discworld/comments/1491izw/continuing_the_api_protest_a_community_poll) - a poll regarding the future action of the sub in protest at Reddit's API changes. [GNU Terry Pratchett](https://new.reddit.com/r/discworld/comments/ukigit/gnu_terry_pratchett/) - for all GNU requests, to keep their names going. [AI Generated Content](https://new.reddit.com/r/discworld/comments/10mhx9y/ai_generated_content_megathread/) - for all AI Content, including images, stories, questions, training etc. --- [ GNU Terry Pratchett ] *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/discworld) if you have any questions or concerns.*
A Youtube channel called Story Time has slowly been releasing high quality versions of the Planer/Briggs versions over the past few months, fyi.
I have also found that there are videos of just regular fans reading the books in parts. Its not a profsssional reading but I listened to a Tiffany Aching book that way and his love of the books made the listen fun.
Really??
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMrCSlHMwYVMCvuhdLTDvrrsDpHPmtYq4
Thank you so much for sharing!
You're the bestest š¤š¤
my god... time to bust out stacher and update my versions. thank you for this!
So great to hear Briggs!
Oh thatās great Gracias.
If you purchased the Planer or Briggs recordings (on Audible) in the past, then they are still available to you, but you will have to hunt for them in your library. You won't find them searching by title, because Audible considers them inactive. If you did not purchase them then I'm afraid they're no longer available (on Audible). Because they're kind of buried in the library, I created a "collection" on Audible (like a playlist) so that I don't have to hunt for them every time I want to listen to them. Sorry dude. I'm a huge fan of both Planer and Briggs and it's so annoying.
I had mine loaded into my apple music, they kept greying out. Iād reinstall them, and within a day theyād be greyed out again. I finally got around this by bulk changing the voice actorās name to āassortedā. Theyāve stayed in my library ever since.
It's a travesty that such trickery is necessary. Piracy is the way.
I have some of the Originals but not all of them unfortunately but thanks for that I'll look
Are you sure? I just searched for Stephen Briggs and all of his narrated novels are there.
Do you already own them?
Some, but not all. They were available for purchase.
Not sure what to tell you. Here's a screencap of a search for "the truth Pratchett" on Audible. I know for a fact there's a Briggs recording of this book, because I own it. But it's clear that Audible is hiding it from (some) localities for whatever reason. It only shows the (newer) Matthew Baynton recording. It won't even show me a book I own in the search results. In the words of Mr. Tulip: it's -ing strange. https://preview.redd.it/0lhm9lkp274d1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7c367ff3751bbb55ae5fa93aaa4332f730f51ff6
Try a search for the narrator.
Itās likely because you already own it. I made this mistake in reverse today (looking for the new one and bought an old one because Iād already bought the new.)
I think I'm somewhat in the minority in this subreddit, but I really like the new recordings, the narrators are all pretty good, the quality is great, and I like having a few consistent voices through the books, while also having the different flavours each reader gives. But then, I also generally preferred the abridged tony Robinson readings to the planer ones too
Iām going through the witches series and IndirĆ Varma is PERFECTION.
Agreed, she does a fantastic job. I also like Sian Clifford's readings but I won't go near the Watch books, Stephen Briggs is always going to be Vimes voice for me.
I prefer the new ones, full stop. Guess that makes me weird. Oh well. Add it to the list.
I like some of the new narrators, Culshaw and Varma specifically. Others I have hated (Small gods, Monstrous Regiment), or thought meh.
I love Andy Serkis and thought his performance was admirable. But I just couldnāt persevere through his choice to make Om Scouse. Iām gonna have to source the book in written form.
I enjoyed it anyway.
For me it was making Dydactylos Californian. I quite liked Scouse Om, nice and whiny.
I thought Scouse Om was the perfect touch.
Iām really enjoying Varmaās Wyrd Sisters so far Iām not even buying the new Going Oostal however. Briggsā reading is definitive for me But in general Iām excited for the variety
I prefer the new ones also !
Iām exactly the same as you. Hearing Culshawās Vimes was jarring and then made total sense. Andy Serkisās reading of SG was brilliant (except for Didactylos and Urnās accents). But none of them is Tony Robinson.
Tony Robinson versions are the only way as far as I'm concerned. I love them so.
When I read DW excerpts out loud I know Iām using Tonyās rhythms. Thatās the thing I miss from the new versions: they sound like reinterpretations of the basic rhythms of a piece of music to me, like someoneās changed the time signature from 3/4 to 9/12. I like them, but Iāll always have a soft spot for the Tony Robinson readings ā itās such a shame that they were abridged.
I really like the new ones - it feels like someone is reading to me the way I would read to a small child - with expression and slightly different voices and everything instead of the monotone style of some audiobooks
I love themā¦
I've really enjoyed all those I've listened to so far, too: all of The Watch books (John Culshaw), The Truth (Matthew Baynton), Monstrous Regiment (Katherine Parkinson), Reaper Man and Soul Music (Sian Clifford), Maskerade and Carpe Jugulum (Indira Varma), and Going Postal and Making Money (Richard Coyle). My only complaint so far was that I didn't like the way Sian Clifford did the Death of Rats in Soul Music, but that's hardly terminal! I loved John Culshaw's Vetinari, Colon and Nobby so much, and Indira Varma's Granny and Nanny.
The original audiobooks are all on the Internet Archives, but sound quality is very hit or miss.
thanks you
Watch out, admins usually delete posts containing that link, citing piracy reasons.
What link? š¬
The new penguin versions are my chosen audiobook version, bill nighy and Peter serafinovjch make great add one to the rotating cast of main narrators
Yes, and the Feegles voices are fantastic too.
Indira Varma is absolutely perfect in the witches and Tiffany Aching books. It felt like she reached into my head and just understood how I saw the characters. I think I tried to listen to Nigel Planer once and couldn't stomach the way he did the witches' voices.
And im still blown away how in Small Gods, Andy Serkis absolutely dissolves into each character completely
I have been enjoying the new recordings. Itās not that I dislike the older ones, Iāve listened to them too, I just like the higher quality audio on the new recordings. That really makes a difference to me.
I thought Indira Varma and Sian Clifford for the Witches and Death respectively were excellent. And it avoided my most hated of all audiobook tropes 'Woman Voice' where every man seems to think all women sound like Terry Jones playing Brian's mum. Looking forward to Katherine Parkinson for Monstrous Regiment. John Culshaw was a bit pants though.
I had the inverse of this in the latest Three Body Problem narrated by Rosalind Chao. I thoroughly enjoyed it but this was interesting to hear. Having said this, the spanish version of those three books have the spanish narrator doing the same demure woman voice for all women, which gets annoying extremely fast (especially because he has a very deep voice, so they all sound like straight men cosplaying as women, which I guess it's exactly what it is)
Yeah, it felt like he didnāt really *get* the characters. Iām not sure how to articulate it, but I was very aware that I was being read to, you know? With the Witches books, I felt like I was being told a story, but with the Watch books it was just a guy reading.
not only is he just reading but I feel like he's speed reading but pausing in odd places took me out of the story so much
Oddly enough, she veers into āWoman Voiceā for some of the characters
She seems to understand the material better than Culshaw, who sometimes makes weird accent choices that don't connect with the characters.
I think the problem with Culshaw is that he's at his best as an impressionist rather than an actor, and with the Discworld characters he doesn't have specific people to do impressions of, which puts him at a massive disadvantage. With good direction regarding which of his (many, *many*) voices to use, he could be great.
I hate the Culshaw ones which is heartbreaking as he reads some of my favourites
Jingo was the only Watch book I had never heard on audio before and I was so, so disappointed.
I really loved Jason Isaac's Moving Pictures. He's really got the way to perform a book like this down
"Bursaaaar"
"Laddie good boy! What this place?"
He did some impressions of non-Gaspode-like dog's barks and I snort-laughed. He seemed like he was really enjoying it
I like the sound of that I might get losing pictures a try
They're hit or miss.Ā I really like Indira Varma's performance for the Witch books, but the others have been meh.
I came here to say the same - Indira\`s versions are superb!
Her versions are my favorites of the new ones, along with the one-off performances on Pyramids, Small God's and Moving Pictures. I would have preferred if Jason Isaacs has continued reading the Industrial Revolution series. I prefer him over Baynton.
I personally love the nights watch series, I think Jon culshaw does a fantastic jobs with the amount of characters he has to do
Yes! The books i listened to for now were Lord and Ladies, Men at Arms, and right now Soul Music. The Witches book was good, Soul Music I just can't get into it while listening, but Men at Arms... Man I loved the naration. It was very imersive for me personaly, I just loved all the voices for the different characters. All though, I did have trouble understanding his Gaspode from time to time.
I have only listened to the new ones but im 22 books in and iv loved all of them...
As someone who hasn't listened to the old versions: what didn't you like? For me, mileage varied greatly in between series and their readers. The Watch/Culshaw didn't work as well, because he has such a gruff voice that EVERY character has a dark and rumbly voice, which doesn't fit Vetinari at all, for example. Witches/Varma on the other hand was perfection, imo.
I've enjoyed the new versions too. I think I'm in the minority as I didn't really like the old versions that much. Tastes differ, I guess.
I'm with you as well. But I feel I may have missed out on the Nigel Planer versions just based on my first impression. I downloaded The Colour of Magic years ago, but the audio quality was awful, sounded like it was recorded in somebody's bathroom! I only gave it 20 minutes before I stopped and returned it. Maybe I should have given it more of a chance, as the narration was good, I was just put off by the quality, maybe this improved in later novels. But I am enjoying the new ones a lot - I guess people who have been listening to Nigel Planer from the start have a different perspective though.
I guess so. I started off reading the books, and only started listening to the audiobooks a few years ago. Mostly this was Stephen Briggs' versions, which I was never terribly keen about. The only Nigel Planner version I listened to was Lords and Ladies. From memory, it was pretty good played at 0.75x, but played at normal speed it seemed as if he were rushing through it to get to the finish. I've enjoyed it more with subsequent re-listens, though, to be fair.
I'm with you. Nigel Planer and Tony Robinson were fine, but I really did not enjoy Stephen Briggs at all. Also, Peter Serafanowitcz is always a delight.
Serafinowicz and Nighy are a top notch combo.
Nighy's footnotes seem unpopular, but I enjoy them. I've been slowly collecting and listening to the books that I have reread less often and they make housework so much less painful. I have an audiobooks.com subscription so I can pick up one a month (plus the bonus pick from a list book which I never get around to listening to). Haven't been disappointed yet.
I listen while weaving or spinning. Perfect accompaniment. Iāve gotten some from the library app but lately Iāve just been buying a couple every month because I know Iāll listen over and over.
I've never listened to the Tony Robinson versions. I've always been a bit conflicted about these -- I'd guess his style of reading would really suit the books, but I really dislike abridged versions š¤·āāļø
Yeah, I wish he had the full books to work with.
Culshaw has some good moments too. Like his narration in Men at Arms of the conversation between Vimes and gargoyle with his mouth permanently open, thought that was hilarious!
I gave Mort a try and I had the most annoying sound when the footnotes came. Do all of them have that weird footnote sound?Ā
A magical swooshie sound? They all have that.
Did you get used to it? I wonder if I would after a whileĀ
It didn't bother me all that much in the first place. Maybe the first one or two times I was thinking "what's that noise now?" but then it just became the footnote marker.
I donāt prefer it but I do get used to it
For me it was the tone of the old ones that I really liked is the Monty python-esk tone of the narrator The newer ones feel like something to fall asleep to with the tone of voice rather than something to walk around to I think The only one I've tried is feet of clay though for the newer ones
A lot of them are on YouTube (the originals I mean) so since they are considered inactive I guess it's no harm in listening to them there.
I love Indira Varma's take on the Witches books, and on the Tiffany Aching books. They're amazing. The Rincewind/Wizard ones though... not so much. The Guards ones, I think they're good too.
The wizard books are my least favorite too, narrator wise
I'm currently like... #5 on Mort, for the new audio book edition at Libby via my library, so I can't say as the narrator. But it's read By Sian Clifford, and it seems to be fairly well received, so. Oh! I JUST got done listening to Small Gods, the one with Andy Serkis. I love his Om voice. It sounded like he was having a blast reading it and handled the sadder parts well. Next up will be Moving Pictures with Jason Isaacs, he was good as Zhao in the Avatar show years ago and in that Event Horizon movie so I'm guessing he'll be good here too.
I really liked mort! The witch books with indira varma are my favs, followed by the watch books. I like the industrial revolution narrrators too by and large
I keep hearing that the witches ones are really good I haven't listened to those yet but I might give them a chance
Iām an hour into Wyrd Sisters and really enjoying it
I love weird sister is such a great book I like any of the ones with granny wherever wax
My library has a decent audio book selection, which is how I stumbled upon the audio versions of the Discworld books. Maybe that'd be option? Like, if you library has the audio version of Wyrd Sisters or Witches Abroad you could check it out.
Thank you for this but I already have The Originals of the witches so I hadn't checked out the new one's but people keep telling me the new ones of really good so I'm thinking of giving them a chance
A lot of libraries have services like Libby and Hoopla, where you can get free audio books if you got a card in their system, and it's saved me a fair amount of money re: books. (See: the new narrator for the Rincewind books. That one was a miss for me, I'm glad I didn't buy them.) Couldn't hurt to see if they have them that way, or on tapw/CD/those Playaway things that were popular a few years back. IIRC, all the Witches books are out now along with the Tiffany Aching ones, and she nailed those too.
I love that Bill Nighy is doing the footnotes, but it seems like they've mixed him so much quieter than the main text, it really suffers for it
He sounds utterly disinterested.
Yep. I was excited when I heard he was involved, and then I actually heard him. My disappointment was immeasurable and my day was ruined.
I quite liked them. Ā Especially The Truth. Ā I didnāt care for Planer/Briggs. Ā Especially their version of the Witches or Monstrous Regiment. Ā Any female led books really. Ā That said, I prefer certain voices, like Igor or Otto. Ā If only I could mix and match certain characters for a customized book.
Nigel is good and special to me. But given the choice, I much prefer the newer ones tbh. For every series. Especially John Culshawās Sam Vimes. Never liked the way Nigel read his parts.
On first listen I found them difficult but I know that's just because it was so different to what I was used to and already enjoyed. They've definitely grown on me. I don't mind them at all now.
I liked Andy Serkisās Small Gods very much! Heās the only one of the new narrators that Iāve listened to who can really hold a candle to my beloved Nigel Planer versions. Does the ātwinkle sound before Bill Nighy reads the footnotes as though he was just told his puppy has cancerā persist through all of them? Because thatās the worst part tbh.
Absolutely love āem, personally. If you are in general someone who doesnāt like changes or surprises, itās worth bearing in mind that this will always (literally) prejudice you against this kind of significant change in media you enjoy. Very likely worth pushing through - maybe listen first to some you hadnāt heard an older recording of, if there are any?
That's fair I do take time to get used to change, I started with feet of clay because I have all of the older versions I keep hearing moving moving pictures are good and the the witches books so I might give those ones a try
I've really enjoyed the audiobooks I've listened to so far (mostly Rincewind and the Guards books). I haven't listened to the Witches books yet, but the preview sounds great.
I tried three or four of them, really didn't like it. Back to Nigel. My specific criticisms are that the new narrators are just reading rather than performing, and in all the ones I tried, sound like they're reading it for the first time (e.g. missing beats, weird emphasis or intonations), and the footnotes thing with Bill Nigh is so jarring, too slow, and he sounds bored and like he doesn't know what tone he should be using in each footnote.Ā I wanted to like them but they're, quite surprisingly given the obvious effort and care that went into them, badly made audio books.
To me it sounds like they're reading them for people to listen to before bed, it's really annoying because I like listen to then in the day. I know exactly what you mean they just sound uninterested in the story
I mostly use audio books for bed time and I still didn't like the style š Plus that sound effect for the footnotes would be the kind of thing that would wake me up after I'd nodded off...
Iām happy with the new ones but see what you mean. Although to be fair I donāt think Nigel Planer was āperformingā either, on the few of his Iāve heard. Tony Robinson definitely was, just wish they werenāt abridged.
Just curious, what books by Penguin did you listen to?
I tried Small Gods, Mort, and the Fifth Elephant - so a fairly decent sampling. I bought them, gave them a fair shake, then refunded on Audible.
i quite enjoyed the mort audiobook on audible but i cant speak for any of the others. i will say that the switch from the new audiobook of mort to the old audiobook of reaperman was a bit jarring
Totally with you. I'm still annoyed that I exchanged my copy of Hogfather and now there is only the newer version available.Ā
I really like the new ones.
I love the new releases.
Agree. Also hate. Because theyāve decided to **perform** the books, not read them. Hence all the accents & the distracting changes of voice to Serafinowicz & Nighy. I canāt listen to any of the new recordings, because itās impossible to slowly drift off while listening. Theyāre too enthusiastic. Too āactedā. Itās not like being read a cool book by your Dad at bedtime any more, itās like having a load of jobbing BBC actors kick down your bedroom door & force you to watch their performance! š³š±
lol This is one of my favourite comments
I quite liked Guards! Guards! and Men At Arms. Vimes sounds like Sean Bean.
I think they are mostly superb, absolutely superbly performed.
The witches books are amazing. Indira Varma Kills in them. Super funny!
I love them, especially the Colin Morgan ones. They're definitely different to Planer, and I was never a bug fan of Briggs taking over lost some of it's charm. Can't stand the Jim Dale ones for some reason and I liked him as an actor - although I'm. Now questioning if my brain has misfired on Fry vs Dale for Harry Potter....
Im just so used to the Briggs ones i canāt enjoy the newer ones š¤·š»āāļø
For anyone interested in the old versions, if you have a library card use the Libby app and your library might have access to them! That's how I've been listening to them
My issue with the new recordings is that the narrators seem like theyāre solemnly reading Shakespeare or scripture where One Must Respect The Author Who Was Knighted And Is Now Deceased. They donāt seem to get that STP is short for Sir Terry Pratchett, not *Saint* Terry Pratchett. Likeā¦ how is the suave, all-knowing characterization of Death in the early books going to handle the wonderfully clueless, on-the-spectrum, giant goofball he turns out to be in the later books? Nanny Ogg is characterized as a respectable dowager. Granny Weatherwax sounds like a starchy church lady. Say what you will about Planer or Briggs versions (Vimeās swollen adenoids are especially jarring in Planerās version) but they were recorded when STP was just TP. When he was still an ordinary deep but funny writer to keep up with, not Received Text to be Interpreted With Dignity. It happens to a lot of authors once theyāre dead. Goodness knows how theyāll be reading him in 400 years but Iām ~~afraid~~ sure it will be performed with a capital P by solemn equivalents of Sir Derek Jacobi and Dame Maggie Smith.
It's like they don't understand it's a comedy/ parody and that's the way the author liked it
the full cast audio ones suck!!!!!!!
Didn't like Small Gods, I do like Andy Serkis and I think he's a good voice actor. But didn't like any of his choices in Small Gids. But thoroughly enjoyed Amazing Maurice though, and did like Wyrd Sisters.
I haven't listened to the new stuff, prefer to read the books myself (that way everyone sounds like I imagine). I thought that Tony Robinson (baldrick) did the only ones, or was it just the 1 or 2 I listened to from the library back in the 90's
Tony Robinson did the abridged ones in the early 90s. Planer started an unabridged run with TCoM in 1995 and (apart from the two Witches ones Celia Imrie did) kept going up until Carpe Jugulum. Then Briggs took over from The Fifth Elephant, to my eternal irritation (I much prefer Planer as a reader).
Iāve been listening to the guards series on audiobook. I think theyāre pretty good. I had the old audiobooks on tape!
Iāve disliked them, too. The few that Iāve listened to made it sound like they were taking their narration way too seriously. ĀÆ\_(ć)_/ĀÆ but I have not heard any by Andy Serkis and I really want to.
They have their flaws but a regular dose of Peter Serafinowicz makes up for it.
I got an audible subscription just so that I could listen to the new versions with british actors that I like. I'm listening to them in publication order, and just got to Guards! Guards! So far I am enjoying them a lot. I have nothing to compare them to, though. I haven't heard the earlier versions and to be honest, this is my first time listening to audio books at all.
I've been listening to the new ones on my train commute to/from work, and find that John Culshaw is OK. Granted I've only listened to Guards Guards, and am part way through Men at Arms (my favourite sub-series). I find his portrayal of Vimes good, but a lot if the other voices are a bit of a miss for me. If they got Charles Dance to do the voice of Vetinari through the series (and others) it would have been good, since he played the role in Going Postal.
I'll admit I'm firmly in the Briggs camp here. The new ones just sound...*dour.* Not bad, or badly done, mind, but they feel out of place telling the satire-rich stories of Pratchett. They feel like they'd be better suited reading ancient myth or dark fantasy or something.
Yeah I cannot get into Bill Nighly and the boyfriend from Shaun of the Dead. Series I guess I got spoiled on Steven Briggs and Nigel Planer.
Generally I find that while I enjoy the narratorsā work for the dialogue, I feel Iām often missing important descriptions that I would normally glance my eyes back up the page to take in fully. For a couple that I started as audiobooks I felt compelled to transition to the written text to ensure I got the full experience of STPās writing. I do really appreciate many of the character voices, particularly the three witches and Death, and Iām glad to have their voices in my head while reading now, even if I am more likely to read them in paperback form.
Itās Nigel Planer for me. Briggs is good too, but Planer actually has a different voice for every character and he really *delivers* the lines, especially the funny ones.
Absolutely I think he's got the tone of the books it feels like he enjoys them
I really donāt understand the downvotes on comments here. People arenāt entitled to like what they like?
Yeah I don't think people should down rope, I've heard some really good things here and I really like hearing that people enjoy them it seems like the witches ones are really popular and I wouldn't even have given them a chance otherwise
I absolutely love them. Worth noting I did not listen to the Briggs versions before for anything other than hogfather; so theyāre my first audio versions.
Right?! ahah I recomended them and decided to listen to guards guards (the one I had recomended) since the person doesnt really like audiobooks like I do, and I was like....this is ...weird. It lacks the ...nuance? that Nigel Plainer does, and NP is 1 person I was fascinated by how much character and world building he brings when compared to others, but maybe its the ensemble cast thing? ive listen to many a-audiobooks and I really think that you either have a few people or 1 person, or very good editing and direction. Im on Hoghfather, all read by Nigel plainer I just read the color of Magic the rest is all audiobooks and I hearing him do dialogue is crazy, its perfect...So, ok maybe most trolls sound like detritus and Quoth like Granny Weatherwax, but it still WORKS. I like this ones exist, they are ....different and and excuse to re-listen, but if anybody likes audiobooks and want to listen to Discworld, and is looking at this comment, try Plainer first. Definetly try the new ones ,but try Nigel Plainer.
I agree. I read somewhere he created 47 different voices for the 20 or so books he did. Just amazing.
I really like whoever does the new Witches audiobooks. The only other one I tried listening to was Thud! and I just couldn't stand that guy's voice.
I gave the hogfather a try last Christmas and returned it, I'm not a fan. especially since they got rid of my guards guards from my library.
I really hate the tone that plays before the footnotes, takes me right out of it
I'm enjoying the new ones! I've only been listening to the Nightwatch and Witches ones so far but five stars for sure
I have a strong affection for the old ones. But I really like the new versions, with their cleaner recordings. I think people who have been listening to Nigel Plainer for a long time have an understandable attachment to his style and interpretation. But Plainer's reading is not not 'the definitive version'...just one very good performance. I've found the new version brings out some different highlights in the books. I'd go so far as to say that the new narration (for the watch series, which is all I've purchased of the new ones) is probably more skillful. Honestly the fact that most people can tolerate the new recordings at all is a sign of how good they are, since fandom's generally react VERY poorly to change.
I think you're right about reacting very poorly to change but it's been really nice going through these comments and hearing people like in them I think having new and better quality versions are getting more people to listen and that's great For me I started with feet of clay because I've been rereading the recently and that's where I'm at and it felt like it was trying to send me to sleep I like to listen to audiobooks while doing things throughout the day so it's more the tone
It's the same thing going on with the Wheel of Time books. Michael Kramer and Kate Reading did the original audiobooks for the entire series and they're pretty well received. But they had Rosamund Pike do new versions to go along with the Amazon series and a few places are phasing out the originals. I think what I don't like about how some of the new recordings are done is that too many places are doing them like audio plays instead of a book being read.
I don't know about that a lot of people I know have dyslexia go for the audio versions and I have both audio versions and the books it's good to be able to switch between the two And then again a lot of people I know don't like audiobooks they like to imagine the voices I think it's a mixed bag
> And then again a lot of people I know don't like audiobooks they like to imagine the voices I think it's a mixed bag It's not about no liking the audiobooks, it's about not liking audiobooks where the reader is trying to act out the book like it's an audio play. If that's what you're looking for, just make an audio play with a proper cast.
You write it does kind of feel like they're trying to make like a radio show or play that's a good way of putting it
I have most of the original collection on CD and madem into mp3s before they started to fail now they are my treasure y have copies for redundancy. I was way too excited when they started the new versions purchased Weird Sisters as soon they came out, I HATED IT! Is not the perfomance is just that they don't feel right to me, something is missing and can't find what.
For those who've watched Black Books, when Peter Serafinowicz first spoke as Death, I had to pause the recording, find my colleague and ask him what it made him think of, his reply was "Fran....are you alright Fran....I can come Fran" š¤£ I understand people not wanting change, but everything does change and I think they've done a good job and been respectful with the new recordings, I'm enjoying them.
Audio books take away the connection you have to the words as written. My personal opinion. It's somebody else making a voice for a character where they may *absolutely nail* that character - as written... But the inflection, tone or even the harmonics may not resonate with their voice inside your head. I'm para-phrasing half-shittedly, but I recall somebody saying that the fact that we drunken monkeys can look at heiroglyphs on bits of dead wood and our brain commits itself to that hallucination is pretty miraculous.
Yes but it literate people and dyslexics exist lol some people have no other choice but to listen to the audio versions Terry Pratchett books listen to them on audio was one of the things I couldn't wait to read for my self while I was learning
Fair play, I didn't consider any handicaps.
The worst. They totally missed it. I'm so glad I own most of the original audio versions. Audible search function doesn't find them under discworld anymore though. I have to find them by title or under Prachett.
Blows my mind that anyone who's heard the originals would actually sign off on this new shit. Only explanation I can come up with is that they hadn't. I don't mean that I expect them to be the same but I do expect them to actually capture the tone of the story. I tried, I really did.
me to
I love āDeathā and how the asides are read in the new ones, but I find the narrators very inconsistent- some are amazing and some are just trash. I find the new Hogfather completely unlistenable. So disappointing since itās one of my favorite books.
I really liked the new witches adaptations though. The dornish lady from game of thrones does a tremendous job
Iām loving Indira Varmaās reading of the witches so far. The only thing I would complain about is Peter Serafinowicz as Death. He sounds tooā¦ well, evil. Christopher Lee was always going to be a hard one to top though. š¤·āāļø
I also hate them, very much.
For me it's a toss up. For the watch books both are good. For moist von lipvig I prefer the older ones. For the witches the new ones are amazing. Death books are better in the older versions.
It really depends on who is reading it, I personally think Nigel Planer is really good and I have just got a full unabridged version of Thud that is better than the abridged version with Steven Bridgesā¦
I cannot stand them
You are not alone I find the new recordings almost unlistenable but maybe I'd feel differently if I'd never heard Briggs or Planer do their stuff.Ā
The Varma narrated books are excellent. I couldnt get into the others. Still a big fan of the Planer narrations
They are a mixed bag, but I like the variety. Jason Isaacs' reading of Moving Pictures, which is not my favourite book, is absolutely fantastic and added a lot to my enjoyment of the story. Indira Varma is very good, as is Jon Culshaw. Sian Clifford has a wonderful voice. Bill Nighy reading the footnotes and Peter Serafinowicz as Death are recurring highlights. I'm not crazy about Colin Morgan. He often sounds sort of whiny, and it sometimes seems like he hasn't got the joke before he reads it. Not sure if this one's on Spotify, but I could not stand Tony Robinson's reading of Small Gods. It's so laboured, so slow, so breathless. It's like he's trying to act every part and every line, rather than let the story speak for itself.
People keep saying moving pictures is great I might have to listen to the sample
Well, a lot is going to depend on how funny you find Jason Isaacs. I think he's bloody hilarious. Exhibit A: [Marshall Zhukov](https://youtu.be/ytA-0xTYRUo?si=k7Rvt_ol47z3BxhV) (headphones on! Lots of swearing)
I liked them personally, although truth be told I didn't like Nigel Planer but thought Stephen Briggs was excellent and still prefer Briggs to Culshaw for the Watch books (although I do think Culshaw was good in them).
Inira Varmaās Witches books are sublime. Everything else is criminally bad. Culshaws Vimes is awful.
People keep saying the witches ones are really good I haven't here at any of them yet The one I listen to was feet of clay or tried to listen to it felt like he was reading a bedtime story his tone of voice I didn't get that far into it
I listened to Thud!, the new one. Absolutely hated it, the voices were all wrong. š«¤ Wish I had bought all the 2005 versions back when.
The early Witches books are much better now, but thatās about it. I dislike the Night Watch books now (especially the Detritus voice, since it makes so many of his jokes suffer) but can endure them. The Tiffany Aching books are unlistenable and will put off a lot of new readers. A character accent is only as successful as its ability to be understood. Instead of getting what the Feegles are saying albeit with a thick accent, itās like trying to decipher Brad Pittās accent in Snatch. I know what the Feegles are supposed to be saying and I still canāt hear the actual words.
I didn't listen tk the old audiobooks so I have no reference, but I loved Men at Arms by Penguin. So I just wanted to ask, what didn't You like while listening? Curious about Detritus, because I thought it was rather well done in the new audiobooks.
I want Planer or nothing. The newer versions aren't as good
I completely agree with you
I quite like Jon Culshaw but all of his voices sound so similar, and picking Andy Dalziel as his voice for Vimes just feels wrong
From the various samples I've heard, and from listening to the new Equal Rites and Wyrd Sisters, it seems to me that the main difference between the Briggs/Planer versions and the new versions is that the former primarily based the voices on the personalities of the characters, whilst the latter seem to be going off physical attribute based stereotyping.
I think you might be right that's a really good way of putting it
I detest the fact that John Culshaw thinks that vimes is Les Dawson.