My favorite author, least favorite reader

[Corneleous]

Good Morning,

I stumbled across this site looking for a fan email. I would be surprised if Mr. King actually reads this forum, but I'll give it a shot just in case.


Mr. King, I am a huge fan of your books. I have been an avid reader since the early 80s. As I get older, it is more an more difficult to read with my eyes and have turned to the audio version of your books. I love your writing. However, I'm not a big fan of your reading. I wonder if you would consider leaving the reading up to the professionals. The different voices, the inflection, and the tempo are what I have grown to enjoy about audio books. You read well, obviously, but you are mostly monotone, and quite frankly make the books a little boring. I apologize for the harsh criticism, but, as a long time fan, I implore you to keep writing and stop reading.

 

[FlakeNoir]

Welcome to the site. Stephen has been known to drop by on occasion to read messages, no guarantees though.

 

[GNTLGNT]

 

[Doc Creed]

Good Morning,

I stumbled across this site looking for a fan email. I would be surprised if Mr. King actually reads this forum, but I'll give it a shot just in case.


Mr. King, I am a huge fan of your books. I have been an avid reader since the early 80s. As I get older, it is more an more difficult to read with my eyes and have turned to the audio version of your books. I love your writing. However, I'm not a big fan of your reading. I wonder if you would consider leaving the reading up to the professionals. The different voices, the inflection, and the tempo are what I have grown to enjoy about audio books. You read well, obviously, but you are mostly monotone, and quite frankly make the books a little boring. I apologize for the harsh criticism, but, as a long time fan, I implore you to keep writing and stop reading.

Hi, was there a particular audiobook that you thought he narrated poorly? Are you speaking in general terms? That's interesting, and I'm not a fan that automatically jumps to his defense, but I think King's narrations are some of the best. Bag of Bones and On Writing were simply mesmerizing. He actually does a nice job of performing and doing voices, too. I don't understand when you say he's monotone. Could you be specific? Thanks, and welcome!

 

[ghost19]

Did you say you were a fan of Stephen King?

Welcome.

 

[Dana Jean]

Good Morning,

I stumbled across this site looking for a fan email. I would be surprised if Mr. King actually reads this forum, but I'll give it a shot just in case.


Mr. King, I am a huge fan of your books. I have been an avid reader since the early 80s. As I get older, it is more an more difficult to read with my eyes and have turned to the audio version of your books. I love your writing. However, I'm not a big fan of your reading. I wonder if you would consider leaving the reading up to the professionals. The different voices, the inflection, and the tempo are what I have grown to enjoy about audio books. You read well, obviously, but you are mostly monotone, and quite frankly make the books a little boring. I apologize for the harsh criticism, but, as a long time fan, I implore you to keep writing and stop reading.

I love Stephen narrating his own work. By him doing it, I know exactly his intent, intonations, expressions, emphasis. I know how he heard it in his own head as he put it down on paper. LOVE his audios and I wish he would go back and read every single one of his works. I would buy them all again.

 

[GNTLGNT]

...all these above......and I have stated elsewhere that Steve is well-spoken and articulate, I was simply surprised by the higher pitch and tone to his voice....being a larger man, I would've guessed lower register.....and who is going to know the characters better than their Creator?......

 

[king family fan]

 

[Neesy]

Good Morning,

I stumbled across this site looking for a fan email. I would be surprised if Mr. King actually reads this forum, but I'll give it a shot just in case.


Mr. King, I am a huge fan of your books. I have been an avid reader since the early 80s. As I get older, it is more an more difficult to read with my eyes and have turned to the audio version of your books. I love your writing. However, I'm not a big fan of your reading. I wonder if you would consider leaving the reading up to the professionals. The different voices, the inflection, and the tempo are what I have grown to enjoy about audio books. You read well, obviously, but you are mostly monotone, and quite frankly make the books a little boring. I apologize for the harsh criticism, but, as a long time fan, I implore you to keep writing and stop reading.

Watch the video (then you will understand the smiley I posted)


I did not think his reading was bad at all (the guy laughing, however, was a bit distracting)

 

[Maddie]

Good Morning,

I stumbled across this site looking for a fan email. I would be surprised if Mr. King actually reads this forum, but I'll give it a shot just in case.


Mr. King, I am a huge fan of your books. I have been an avid reader since the early 80s. As I get older, it is more an more difficult to read with my eyes and have turned to the audio version of your books. I love your writing. However, I'm not a big fan of your reading. I wonder if you would consider leaving the reading up to the professionals. The different voices, the inflection, and the tempo are what I have grown to enjoy about audio books. You read well, obviously, but you are mostly monotone, and quite frankly make the books a little boring. I apologize for the harsh criticism, but, as a long time fan, I implore you to keep writing and stop reading.

Really? Its hard to imagine. It not surprising that NO one here will agree with you. We hope if he ever does pop in here he doesn't read

Spoiler: ummm

THAT

its like a fresh baked cookie with something that crawls in the middle but you just got to have a bite. Listen to the man himself. Welcome to the board. ; )

 

[Ebdim9th]

The first time I saw and heard Steve it was as Jordy Verrill, great voice, great character, and his own grim (and goofy?) sense of humor. It's only gotten better from there. Also interesting choice of words. Implore him to keep writing but stop reading. Maybe the act of reading your own work aloud is in someways a similar process to reading the works of others. Stop doing the one, and you gradually stop doing the other. And Steve was right on when he said you need to read a lot if you're going to be a writer.

 

[Steffen]

Welcome to the board. There are other versions of SK's audio-books read by professional actors/narrators which you may enjoy. I would recommend IT read by Steven Weber. Speaking for myself though: I love the sound of my Master's Voice.

 

[AchtungBaby]

I agree, OP. I love King's novels but don't like his reading voice. To each his own.

 

[Doc Creed]

I agree, OP. I love King's novels but don't like his reading voice. To each his own.

I hope you will try listening to his narration of Needful Things, if for no other reason just to see how hilarious he is. He really gets into it.

 

[doowopgirl]

Welcome to the board. While he knows what he wrote and the inflections he intended when he wrote, his voice wouldn't be my favorite, either. But I love listening to him waxing lyrical about something or being interviewed.