# Is the written book always better than the audio book?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-written-book-always-better-than-the-audio-book/680776>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [February 7, 2014, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-written-book-always-better-than-the-audio-book/680776 "2014-02-07T18:31:28Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![G0sp3l](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c68b51/32.png) [@G0sp3l](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/G0sp3l)\
**Post date:** [February 11, 2014, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-written-book-always-better-than-the-audio-book/680776/41 "2014-02-11T00:15:54Z")

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Some are very good, I think they work best for books you’ve already read.

Some great ones are

A Song of Ice and Fire Series - Roy Dotrice  
The Dresden Files - James Marsters  
Harry Potter Series - Jim Dale  
Discworld - Nigel Planer

Stephen King uses various readers and it shows. Some are great some are lousy. The one’s he reads himself are pretty good.

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**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\
**Post date:** [February 11, 2014, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-written-book-always-better-than-the-audio-book/680776/42 "2014-02-11T00:38:54Z")

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> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#):
>
> David Sedaris’ books were what I came to post as well.

Hey, you, **zombywoof** and I should maybe start a fan club.

> [@CalMeacham](#):
>
> … **Truman** by David McCulloch, read by the author – includes audio clips from speeches by Truman when appropriate, and the closing credits are done under a recording of Truman on the piano…

Wow! I hadn’t known McCullough did audiobooks of his own stuff. He’s got a great voice; his narrations of the Ken Burns documentaries back the day were always good. I’m inordinately proud of the fact that he and I graduated from the same prep school (many years apart).

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**Author:** ![Helena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c68b51/32.png) [@Helena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena)\
**Post date:** [February 11, 2014, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-written-book-always-better-than-the-audio-book/680776/43 "2014-02-11T00:51:12Z")

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> [@Infovore](#):
>
> I love the Harry Dresden series, but I find that I enjoy it even more as audiobooks. James Marsters does a great job of nailing the voices (though his Thomas sounds nothing like I expected him to sound).

James Marsters can’t pronounce “chitinous” or “impotent,” but other than that I’ve enjoyed listening.

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