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Post by crystallogic13 on Apr 25, 2022 10:46:08 GMT -5
Greetings dungeon dwellers!! I was not sure where to put the bellow post so since we don't have any "audiobook" thread I decided to instead create one and start it, about audiobooks, which I'm not a usual fan (I prefer reading the books always/personal preference).. But how I ended up researching audiobooks ? Well, if you've been paying attention to my rants in this forum (eg dungeonsynth.proboards.com/post/15126/thread ) I really REALLY enjoy the great cheesy-crpgy-almost naive and pure Corvus Neblus project (of greek Macabre Omen) and its two classic Ravenloft inspired albums.. I won't try to find more words for how much I enjoy it, a very important part of which , besides the GREATLY fitting music, being it's samples of speech regarding Ravenloft, of unknown to me origin.. I've always thought that they were ripped either one of SSI's classics early-mid nineties Ravenloft 1 & 2 releases for the PC.. I own both those physical (in "Masterpiece Collection") and have started Ravenloft 1 multiple times but never heard any speech in it.. Recently I again was looking for it and again, no clue found so I thought then the samples must have been from Ravenloft 2.. But instead of loading it up ( I wanna finish sometime in this lifetime 1 and then get to two wishful thinking ), I started searching maybe for just a playthrough on youtube to check for (if it had speech and if it sort of matched with Corvus Neblus releases).. But lo and behold, after hitting enter on the search I see that there are some Ravenloft audiobooks some random nice dude has uploaded 3 months back.. The possibility of the source being and audiobook never came to me since I'm not an audiobook user and didn't think at all that SSI would have released the standard fiction book novels it releases of various realms on audiobook back then.. Now, I only checked one of the following parts and while it definitely sounds it could have been ripped by it, but I didn't find the specific parts or very similar parts/voice but I will probably listen to them all in due time.. So for now no news here about Corvus Neblus samples yet, but I really wanted to share for anyone interested that these things exist : "I, Strahd: Memoirs of a Vampire, 1993 Ravenloft Audio Book" (2 cassetes, 4 sides total)
Unfortunately the other stuff of the series is nowhere to be found in youtube or google and searches in some usual places, but at least there's that for now from whoever took the trouble to rip it.. There seems to be one more book in the first series and another series with some more in audiobooks.. I was never into audiobooks btw, but listening to the very nice readings and atmosphere of the above I'll for sure try to "listen" to some highly rated narrations of mostly fiction works (for non-fiction only one audiobook with Stephen's Hawking mechanical voice made it for me, very spacy and trippy, God bless him wherever he's travelling in space now )..
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Post by andrewwerdna on Apr 26, 2022 1:25:26 GMT -5
I'm all about this thread! I remember some years ago somebody here recommended the audiobooks for The Conan Chronicles by Robert Jordan, and even though I could never get into any other Conan stuff, I enjoyed those a lot. The last good audiobooks I listened to was the Myst books. Myst is something that always interested me, though I only finished recently, because despite thinking the atmosphere is amazing, I've always hated those kinds of mechanical logic puzzles in adventure games. What I'd heard about the story strongly interested me though so I checked these audiobooks out and thought they were excellent!: archive.org/details/mystaudiobooks I listened to those like a year ago, but I keep feeling drawn to play the other games purely for the story, visuals, and atmosphere. I'm definitely going to give this Ravenloft book a listen soon.
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Post by crystallogic13 on Apr 26, 2022 14:57:44 GMT -5
Glad you like it Andrew and already thanx for the lead into more fantasy stuff I wouldn't think to check on audiobook version..! Great suggestions - appreciated!! Aaaah Myst . I own even collectors editions of most of them, but only played and finished (using a walkthrough multiple times ) the original one! It was and is as good, atmospheric, perfect as it can get and I remember just wandering a lot of time enjoying mostly the first island.. Love it.. I'm always looking for time to play rest of the series, for like 20 years now looking for the appropriate time but as you can guess I always leave it to enjoy in better days.. I'll get to them I hope, at least Riven which looks fantastic for some summer gaming.. I'll check out the audiobooks of Myst series for sure (as well as the fantasy ones, again, thank you for all recommendations!).. Currently looking at some audiobooks and will check to report of the narration style in due time (including Neuromancer, Salvatore's Demon Awakens, Phillip Dick etc.).. Hopefully I'm not engaged in a hunt for great audiobook adaptations because that's a big timesinkhole I maybe want to avoid no matter how much I'll enjoy
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Post by andrewwerdna on Apr 27, 2022 9:56:51 GMT -5
I listened to the Ravenloft book yesterday, and I actually really liked it. In the past when I've read books based on D&D it seems like there are always a lot of really long over-described fight scenes, and I'm glad that wasn't the case here at all. Just a really cool and engaging vampire origin story, a bit cheesy at times but also less so than other D&D-based books I've read. The narration was really good too, guy has an effete voice which fits the sort of aristocratic characters, but gets intense and growly at the right moments.
It seems like the first video just repeats itself at the 45 minute mark, so I just moved onto the next videos after that and they continued right where it left off. Also the audio quality isn't great on headphones at first, but either it got better or I got used to it because I didn't really notice it after the first ten minutes or so.
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Post by crystallogic13 on Apr 28, 2022 9:03:20 GMT -5
Awesome andrewwerdna , for diving into them !! I did only some parts to check for maybe similar to Corvus Neblus samples, so since you'll hopefully go through it, if you find the passages Corvus Neblus uses please do report to us Since the guy is greek if I "run" onto him, internet or otherwise I'll be sure to ask (and congrats) the dude if he remembers what the source was but after so many years even he probably couldn't remember, but who knows?? One other audiobook I have to suggest I'd be discussing real life is of course for all fans of Twin Peaks and David Lynch "Diane ... The Twin Peaks Tapes of Agent Cooper" .. Of course this is only after someone has watched this one of the best series of all times (both original seasons and movie and addon the recent season 3 which is different but deserving of the name.. Just listening to Agent Cooper starting recording talking to (prob imaginary) "Diane" will bring you back to the time you watched the series for the first time!
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Post by andrewwerdna on Apr 28, 2022 19:12:19 GMT -5
Awesome andrewwerdna , for diving into them !! I did only some parts to check for maybe similar to Corvus Neblus samples, so since you'll hopefully go through it, if you find the passages Corvus Neblus uses please do report to us I just relistened to that Corvus Neblus album, and it doesn't sound like any of the samples are from that audiobook. Hopefully the other ones are uploaded somewhere at some point, I'd like to give them a listen too.
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Post by myrrys on May 6, 2022 3:04:03 GMT -5
Initially I had hard time getting into audiobooks, but then I realised they are perfect for doing menial everyday tasks like cutting grass or doing the dishes. Now I listen to them pretty much everyday. For the past year I have been going through Terry Pratchett books, the two narrators they have are both perfect for the books. Really bring the characters to life. Just finished with the witches books, now I jumped at the very beginning to spend some time with Rincewind and Twoflower.
Other good ones I've listened to are: Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer, Traitor Baru Cormorant by Seth Dickinson, The Broken Earth Series by N. K. Jemisin, The Golem and the Djinni by Helene Wecker and Daevabad Trilogy by Chakraborty, S.A.
And the two Sandman Audio Dramas were also absolutely great. Having a full cast of characters, orchestral music and Gaiman himself narrating was an experience. I never would have thought that a comic adaptation would work so well in just sound.
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Post by crystallogic13 on May 8, 2022 3:54:59 GMT -5
Thanx for the update andrewwerdna , so the quest continues for finding the origin of Corvus Neblus samples.. Hopefully we'll get it someday! By the way I think I found the rest of the audiobooks on Ravenloft, they were at "usual places" but I just overlook em, I'll fetch them of course and pass em up for more, I'll pm you!! myrrys , it's always great to get more recommendations, many thanx, I never (unfortunately) heard, or read actually anything of your mentions so this makes for a very much worthy list of investigating.. Since we're at it, lately I mostly go and read (peoples) reviews at goodreads when I want to evaluate a book, only if it's not there I check amazon reviews or more places.. Again, thanx for the recs, bring em on !!
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Post by myrrys on May 8, 2022 4:57:49 GMT -5
myrrys , it's always great to get more recommendations, many thanx, I never (unfortunately) heard, or read actually anything of your mentions so this makes for a very much worthy list of investigating.. Since we're at it, lately I mostly go and read (peoples) reviews at goodreads when I want to evaluate a book, only if it's not there I check amazon reviews or more places.. Again, thanx for the recs, bring em on !! Always happy to share good reads&listens! I intentionally try to promote stuff that isn't as well known as your usual Wheel of Times, Stephen Kings and whatnot. Since mostly everyone is already aware of those. Goodreads is great place to gauge for interesting books. I've noticed that reading the 1-3 star reviews usually gives me better impression if I will like it, than the 4-5 stars though :D. Another great listen I can recommend is The Deverry Cycle books by Katharine Kerr, narrated by Ruth Urquhart. She has slight scottish? accent, that fits the celtic-influenced books perfectly without being too distracting.
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Post by crystallogic13 on Mar 10, 2023 3:32:06 GMT -5
So I just took notice that there's a fresh vinyl release of the beloved Strahd's Possession I & II : livormortis.bandcamp.com/album/sthrads-possession-i-iiWhat is also very interesting is that, for me at least, this was a first time I listened to these favorites at their intended/normal speed.. As before with Solanus (of Depressive Silence) release, this one being circulating as tape and all rips available being for years and years of tapes, most I guess like me are used to the kinda sped up bootleg/ripped versions!! But as with Solanum I'm sure I'll get used to the intended pace and love it as much!! By the way there is a typo on the Bandcamp page of the release by the label, with Strahd mispelled as "Sthrad" Hope they fix it!! Either way great opportunity for anyone having a working vinyl player to get em.. I personally would only nowadays be interested in the CD and its quality of life but I'm sure many people would be interested in this classic DS release, legendary in my humble opinion. P.s. I didn't know where to post it since we have discussed these ones lots of times, but since the mystery of the audio samples being used (their origin) I thought I might just post it here, what the heck
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Post by andrewwerdna on Mar 14, 2024 22:50:55 GMT -5
I've been listening to the Dark Elf Trilogy by R.A. Salvatore, the origin story of Drizzt Do'Urden, the drow with the two scimitars and the panther, set in the "underdark" of D&D/Forgotten Realms world. I recently finished Homeland and am halfway through Exile. I really loved a bunch of these Salvatore books when I was a kid, and thought it might be fun to revisit them all these years later, even though it would probably be cheesy and have way too much combat description. I am enjoying them a lot though, they are entertaining and easy to listen to, and I've actually been surprised that it has gotten me feeling emotional at times. I think I will go on a bit of Drizzt binge for a while, and then maybe I will revisit the early Dragonlance books which I also remember being quite fond of back in the day.
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Post by knight12 on Mar 26, 2024 16:40:32 GMT -5
I've been listening to the Dark Elf Trilogy by R.A. Salvatore, the origin story of Drizzt Do'Urden, the drow with the two scimitars and the panther, set in the "underdark" of D&D/Forgotten Realms world. I recently finished Homeland and am halfway through Exile. I really loved a bunch of these Salvatore books when I was a kid, and thought it might be fun to revisit them all these years later, even though it would probably be cheesy and have way too much combat description. I am enjoying them a lot though, they are entertaining and easy to listen to, and I've actually been surprised that it has gotten me feeling emotional at times. I think I will go on a bit of Drizzt binge for a while, and then maybe I will revisit the early Dragonlance books which I also remember being quite fond of back in the day. Some of my favourites are preciselly Salvatore and the story of Drizzt. Really a complex character with depth and not the modern shallow and cynical ones that are supposed to be more honest or whatever.
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