I love to read books. I also realize that for many of us, we find ourselves in the consuming vortex of our busy lives. There is enough to do with work, family, friends, and all the joys and obligations that come with them; we may have even stopped trying to make time to read.
Though I still make time to read actual books, audiobooks allow me to "read" more. I have an iPhone and love the
Audiobooks app (there are others but this one is my preference). For $14.99 a month I get a credit for a book of my choice. Once I use the credit for my book with my paid subscription, I get to keep it even if I cancel my subscription. There is also a bunch of free books that you can listen to without a paid subscription. You can get free audiobooks from the local library too, of course. Books on CD/tape may not be as portable these days but are still a viable option and perfect for long car rides.
I am into the Science Fiction/Fantasy genre of books. More Fantasy than Sci/Fi as you may notice from the list below. If you are interested in Fantasy here is a list of my personal recommendations:
'Game of Thrones' by George R.R. Martin read by Roy Dotrice. The first of 7 planned books in a epic series called 'A Song for Ice and Fire'. I recommend reading these books too but if you find that Martin's tomes
seem too voluminous, let Roy Dotrice tell you a story. He will take you
through the war-torn world of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros and to
the faraway lands still trying to get there. There will be honor,
intrigue, & death but there is hope sometimes too. I'm not going to
say the 'ASOIAF' series is always easy but it is definitely worth it. Follow this up with next four published books in the series, 'Clash of Kings', 'A Storm of Swords', 'A Feast for Crows', and 'A Dance with Dragons'. All are read by Dotrice who epitomizes how an epic story should be narrated. I've given up on many audiobooks due to lackluster narrators. Roy Dotrice won't disappoint!
'The Lies of Locke Lamora' by Scott Lynch read by Michael Page. The first of several planned books called The Gentleman Bastards series (3 of which are currently published). This is a great listen, fast paced and exciting in the vein of Ocean's 11 but in a post-medieval fictional landscape. Our protagonists, The Gentleman Bastards, are a society of educated thieves that work together in a long, dangerous cons. The story will keep you on edge. Michael Page brings the world of Camorr to life with his dramatic and humorous narration. Follow this up with 'Red Seas Under Red Skies' and 'A Republic of Thieves'.
'The Name of the Wind' by Patrick Rothfuss read by Nick Podehl.The first of a trilogy called The Kingkiller Chronicles (2 of which are currently published). I read this book right before listening to it which I don't usually do. At first, I couldn't get into the narrator Nick Podehl. His voice was, I don't know...Bland? Eventually the story consumed me and I soon found his narration acceptable though it took some getting used to. That said, I still highly recommend it. This is a story about secret names. It is a story about Kvothe, a legend by way of perception, as he tells his life story to a Chronicler. Follow this up with a 'A Wise Man's Fear'.
'American Gods' (the tenth anniversary edition) by Neil Gaiman read by Dennis Boutsikaris, Neil Gaiman, and a Full Cast I don't think there is enough great things I can say about this audiobook. 'American Gods' is in my top 10 books of all time right up there with 'ASOIAF'. Do yourself a favor and make sure you listen to the full cast version. It really is a treasure and Neil Himself reads the 'Coming to America' parts. I love this production so much. It is a story about the Old Gods (the mythological ones that are weakened due to lack of worship) versus the New Gods (the technology age that wants you to be consumed by things like television and phones).
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