As a professional narrator, I listen to a lot of audiobooks, not merely for pleasure, but for research and to try to get some tips on performance (both what is great and....not so great). So, I decided that I'm going to start doing audiobook reviews on my blog! I know, there are a LOT of audiobook review sites out there, and they're all very important to our industry. They help us (narrators) know what listeners like and what they don't like. But, I'm going to review from a narrators point of view. I'll be talking not only about the things that 'normal' listeners talk about, but I'll throw in some technical reviews of the production - things like room noise, sound levels, differences in recording times of the book - that a non-narrator would probably not pick up on. My intent is NOT to cheese off my fellow narrators, but to offer an honest review, from a narrators point of view!
For my first entry, I'm going to review Appetizers of the Gods: The Brothers Four, Book One by Basil Sands. Now, the interesting thing here is that not only did Mr. Sands write this book, he also narrates it. Which is pretty cool. Full disclosure: Basil is a friend of mine (from Facebook) and he did 'gift' me a copy of this audiobook. But do not be alarmed...even though he and are are friends, that will not influence my review.
Synopsis: Colin Farnsworth was a loser. Eking an existence from writing cheap sci-fi novels and the few dollars he makes at Fantasy Underworld card game tournaments, he lives in the house where he grew up. His only companion is Heimdall, a three pound Yorkie with big plans. Until, that is, The Brothers Four arrive on his doorstep looking for rooms to rent and with a giant troll in pursuit.
Colin's life is turned upside as he finds himself in a real world that is much stranger than the fiction he writes or the fantasy games he plays.
Leprechauns, Trolls, Faerie Folk, talking animals, and crazed municipal building inspectors galore: Welcome to the other side of Anchorage!
In a style reminiscent of Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchett, The Four Brothers series is relatively safe for all ages, at least those who know how to giggle.
Thoughts - Story: Ok, I'm a geek. I love stories that aren't necessarily in the realm of the real world. I love Douglas Adams (Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy), Piers Anthony (Xanth series), etc., and Appetizers reminded me a great deal of this type of creative and off the wall style. Without giving away too much, the story introduces us to four brothers - Leprechauns no less - that enter a young mans life and shakes things up quite a bit, for the better. The adventure that our hero Colin embarks on (with the 'nudge' of the brothers) is as comical as it is entertaining. Side note: As I mentioned, Basil Sands and I are friends (via social media) and through his posts, and his video podcast on YouTube (Voice In My Head), we were introduced to these four mischievous Leprechaun brothers who would pester Basil as he recorded, or in general caused havoc for him and his family. So, it's fun to finally hear them in their very own story, and to hear a bit about who and what they really are! The story is well written and very well voiced. Basil's command of accents is inspiring. He voices a British and Irish accent that could convincingly pass for the real deal. And, the way he voices female characters is also very impressive. With an eclectic cast of characters to voice, Basil really delivers on the believability scale. If you're a fan of, well anything entertaining, Appetizers of the Gods is an audiobook that you won't regret getting. And at just over two and a half hours, it's short enough to listen to in one sitting, and long enough to really hook you.
Thoughts - Acting: Yeah, well, what can I say? Basil Sands is an experienced narrator and actor, which is surely evident in this story. From the very beginning, his delivery 'hooks' you in and makes you feel right at home. As I mentioned above, Basils command of accents is impressive. He delivers a 'snooty' British accent with the same apparent ease as he does his 'Merican' and Cockney English accents. He also performs female voices quite well. As an actor, Basil is certainly a narrator I will listen to many times to pick up 'tips and tricks' for my own narrations.
Thoughts - Technical Production: Ok, this is were things are going to get a little different. As I said, I'm going to talk about things that most 'regular' audiobook listeners won't catch, notice or even think is worth mentioning. But, since I AM a narrator, I pick up on things....for the most part, the technical production of Appetizers is spot on perfect. There were a few spots where I could hear the clicking of a keyboard (maybe) as Basil was 'punching in' during the recording process. The audio levels are spot on perfect. No where in the audio could I pick up where one section may be a tad louder than another, or if maybe the narrator moved father from the microphone than at other times. All in all, it's easy to see why Basil is a successful audiobook narrator.
Final Thoughts - All in all, Appetizers of the Gods: The Four Brothers, Book One is a well written, well acted and well produced audiobook. I highly recommend this audiobook to anyone who enjoys the writing style of Douglas Adams, or maybe Terry Pratchett, or, for that matter, for anyone who enjoys a nice escape from reality via four very mischievous Leprechauns!
Appetizers of the Gods, The Brothers Four, Book One by Basil Sands is now available on audible.com and in iTunes.
