The female voice.. .

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Dana Jean

Dirty Pirate Hooker, The Return
Moderator
Apr 11, 2006
53,634
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The High Seas
I am a new Stephen King fan. When I was younger I tried reading his books but, according to my superstitious christian parents, the author might as well have been Satan himself and so I never got very far before feeling too guilty (and creeped out) and putting them down. All grown up now, I am no longer subject to those beliefs, but I don't have time to read anymore, accept for children's bedtime stories. So, I listen to audio books while I perform mindless tasks. I have become utterly hooked on several of Stephen King's books this way. I just finished this one. It was mostly fantastic and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I got thinking about what I didn't enjoy about it though and found a common thread with issues I took with other Stephen King audio books. Its the women. I suspect that if I were reading them myself, I wouldn't have this problem.

His narrators are really great. I love their work, I really do. But, they are men pretending to be women. Most of the time, this isn't really an issue. However, when the character fills a romantic role in the story, these men in vocal drag create a disgust factor that makes the love stories hard to believe.

Am I right? Is it just an issue with the audio versions? I wish they'd get a female to read those lines. Keep the trend of narrators for the rest of it all. But when a woman is supposed to be lovely and fallen in love with, I think its important she have a beautiful voice. At least a female one. Just a thought.
I listened to this book on audio and although I loved Craig Wasson and thought he did a super job, I just did NOT hook into the romance because I just couldn't with him reading the female part. I've never really had this problem before, but with this book, I did.

Welcome to the community.
 

FlakeNoir

Original Kiwi© SKMB®
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Apr 11, 2006
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New Zealand

Lisey Landon

Well-Known Member
May 20, 2009
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Germany
I haven't had a problem with the other SK audiobook, but the guy who reads 11/22/63 was seriously annoying to me, and particularly so when reading the female voices. I really cringed towards the end of the story. A shame, really, but don't let that discourage you from listening to the other audiobooks. Lisey's Story is read by a woman, and the other male narrators I have heard in SK audiobooks are not at all annoying.
And welcome! :)
 

The Nameless

M-O-O-N - That spells Nameless
Jul 10, 2011
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8,261
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The Darkside of the Moon (England really)
I am a new Stephen King fan. When I was younger I tried reading his books but, according to my superstitious christian parents, the author might as well have been Satan himself and so I never got very far before feeling too guilty (and creeped out) and putting them down. All grown up now, I am no longer subject to those beliefs, but I don't have time to read anymore, accept for children's bedtime stories. So, I listen to audio books while I perform mindless tasks. I have become utterly hooked on several of Stephen King's books this way. I just finished this one. It was mostly fantastic and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I got thinking about what I didn't enjoy about it though and found a common thread with issues I took with other Stephen King audio books. Its the women. I suspect that if I were reading them myself, I wouldn't have this problem.

His narrators are really great. I love their work, I really do. But, they are men pretending to be women. Most of the time, this isn't really an issue. However, when the character fills a romantic role in the story, these men in vocal drag create a disgust factor that makes the love stories hard to believe.

Am I right? Is it just an issue with the audio versions? I wish they'd get a female to read those lines. Keep the trend of narrators for the rest of it all. But when a woman is supposed to be lovely and fallen in love with, I think its important she have a beautiful voice. At least a female one. Just a thought.
Hi, welcome to the board, and welcome back to King. I personally have only listened to one audio book - the short story "Night Surf" and there weren't too much love in it. But I do see your point, when I first heard the guy doing one of the female voices, it was a whiney character who was being sulky, so it made me laugh. By the end of the story though, it was a bit annoying to be honest.

However, I can confirm the actual books have never made me think of any female character as anything other than just that - a female character. In no way (for me anyway) does it even seem like a man writing a woman.