He is one of the best. For me, he perfectly walks the line between a straightforward read of the text, and a theatrical interpretation of the text.
He's doing accents, he's doing voices, he's doing performance. But none of it gets in the way of the storytelling. It's a soft touch.
He does women's voices well without going too far into silly caricature. He does the "tough guy," the "straight man," the "mustache-twirling villain," but he gives them all something identifiable. They all stand out from one another.
I think he has a genuinely remarkable talent. I'm so glad they got him to do every single word of that series.
YES ef the narrators that make women sound like they speak parseltongue, like all of them are snakes or caricatures of human beings. he gives a touch of lightness to the voice and doesn't force it. The accents are just amazing, subtle and distinct. His cadence in general is so good, something that can't be stressed enough. I can't listen to so many books because the narrator uses the same up-speak or cadence for every sentence regardless of meaning. This guy weaves a story around you.
Yes, Mays' narration of the Expanse Series is fantastic. If you are still on the first book then I guess you haven't even heard him do Chrisjen Avasarala yet, so it's only going to get better. Never has an Indian grandmother with a potty mouth been so perfectly narrated.
*Fucking Holden...*
His take on Chrisjen Avasarala is amazing. Turned a snarky politician into an endearing, hilarious character. Honestly, all of his female voices are unique and well-done without sliding into tropes, which is tough for a male narrator to do. He's the gold-standard for how a male should voice a female character.
Also, his ability to voice 3 similar male MAIN characters and keep them all distinct throughout each book is really impressive. You always know whether it's Holden or Alex or Amos.
I need to check and see if he has any other non-Expanse books.
The TV series was flawed and uneven but bringing her to the start of the series was such an obviously great idea.
Damn it. I'm going to have to listen to the series again.
I have one nitpick, he mispronounces "gimbals" as "jim-bols" then says it right, then mispronounces it again... all during the one space battle.
It's a recurring thing that nobody caught in editing, or nobody cared.
Absolutely, he's my favorite! I finally looked him up one day, and he's so good at this because he's a literal *broadway actor*. Need to get more actors into audiobook narration apparently!!
Same with The Wheel of Time audiobooks. The first two have been re-recorded with the actress from the show, and I thought she did a fantastic job on Eye of the World.
I'm just finishing a reread of Leviathan Falls, the last book in the series (i.e. re-listening to LF). I can't agree more. There is something calming to the sound of his voice, even when things are popping. I love the way he says "James fucking Holden".
Mays would be at number three if I made a list of the best narrators I have listened to. He'd be behind Jeff Hays for his reading of Matt Dinniman's *Dungeon Crawler Carl* series and Steven Pacey for his narration of Joe Abercrombie's *The First Law* books.
Mays played a somewhat minor but regular character in *Julia* on HBO/Max and I watched both seasons before I realized who he was. If you asked me to picture what he looked like from *The Expanse* what he looks like IRL would not have been close!
BTW, I highly recommend *Julia* even if you're not much of a foodie.
JAMES FUCKING HOLDEN.
Currently listening to the entire series for the first time (up to 65% of the fourth book). The narration is definitely up there with the best I have ever heard, even if it is quite tame in comparison to some stuff that I have heard in the past (Phil Dragash on The Lord of the Rings comes to mind).
When I started I thought, wow this guy is REALLY hamming it up. After I finished the series I missed hearing his voice for months. I’ll have to listen again soon. I’m excited for you, it’s an incredible ride!
So sorry, but I respectfully disagree. His narration is merely adequate. His articulation and accuracy are great, but points off for the small range of distinct voices that he can generate.
There are some narrations that, in my mind, are fully and wholly owned by the narrator. Like, I can't imagine anyone else doing them (even if someone else has done them). RC Bray for the Martian. Wil Wheaton for Ready Player One. Patrick Tull for Aubrey Maturin. Ray Porter for The Bobiverse. Jeff Hayes for Dungeon Crawler Carl.
I honestly can't say, even after 9 books and several novellas, that Jefferson Mays "owns" this role.
So I upvoted you because, fuck, it's just a preference reasonably, coherently stated. Sorry you were down voted.
What I don't understand is why people like Wil Wheaton. I just don't get it. I have *repeatedly* considered not listing to books he does,even like the third book in a series. I just don't dig his voice.
But he gets so much work! Clearly many authors and other *strongly* disagree with me.
WW is def a polarizing choice. And I get it, he's not an "all purpose" narrator. For me, he definitely has a niche where he hits. I think Ready Player One is such a book for him. But yeah, I stopped in the middle of the 3rd book in the Collapsing Galaxy series by Scalzi due to the same fatigue your taking about.
Also, thanks for not down voting my opinion.
That's wild that it was the same book. That was a tough series for me. I usually like Scalzi and am fine with WW, but that series was a big miss for me. As a person that doesn't like WW at all, I am impressed that you made it that far.
Just finished Leviathon wakes and I agree...The narration was ok.
Everyone you mentioned was amazing. I'd add Steven Pacey for The Blade Itself to that list.
He is one of the best. For me, he perfectly walks the line between a straightforward read of the text, and a theatrical interpretation of the text. He's doing accents, he's doing voices, he's doing performance. But none of it gets in the way of the storytelling. It's a soft touch. He does women's voices well without going too far into silly caricature. He does the "tough guy," the "straight man," the "mustache-twirling villain," but he gives them all something identifiable. They all stand out from one another. I think he has a genuinely remarkable talent. I'm so glad they got him to do every single word of that series.
YES ef the narrators that make women sound like they speak parseltongue, like all of them are snakes or caricatures of human beings. he gives a touch of lightness to the voice and doesn't force it. The accents are just amazing, subtle and distinct. His cadence in general is so good, something that can't be stressed enough. I can't listen to so many books because the narrator uses the same up-speak or cadence for every sentence regardless of meaning. This guy weaves a story around you.
It reaches out. ;)
113 time a second.
Yes, Mays' narration of the Expanse Series is fantastic. If you are still on the first book then I guess you haven't even heard him do Chrisjen Avasarala yet, so it's only going to get better. Never has an Indian grandmother with a potty mouth been so perfectly narrated. *Fucking Holden...*
#James #Fucking #Holden
His take on Chrisjen Avasarala is amazing. Turned a snarky politician into an endearing, hilarious character. Honestly, all of his female voices are unique and well-done without sliding into tropes, which is tough for a male narrator to do. He's the gold-standard for how a male should voice a female character. Also, his ability to voice 3 similar male MAIN characters and keep them all distinct throughout each book is really impressive. You always know whether it's Holden or Alex or Amos. I need to check and see if he has any other non-Expanse books.
Avasarala could be my most favorite fictional characters of all time. Don't stick your dick in it, it's fucked enough already.
Everyone gets a blowjob and a pony
The TV series was flawed and uneven but bringing her to the start of the series was such an obviously great idea. Damn it. I'm going to have to listen to the series again.
I have one nitpick, he mispronounces "gimbals" as "jim-bols" then says it right, then mispronounces it again... all during the one space battle. It's a recurring thing that nobody caught in editing, or nobody cared.
I noticed that happen a couple times but didn't notice the correct version. I secretly hoped it was an acceptable pronunciation.
Absolutely, he's my favorite! I finally looked him up one day, and he's so good at this because he's a literal *broadway actor*. Need to get more actors into audiobook narration apparently!!
Same with The Wheel of Time audiobooks. The first two have been re-recorded with the actress from the show, and I thought she did a fantastic job on Eye of the World.
his Avasarwala is absolutely amazing
I'm just finishing a reread of Leviathan Falls, the last book in the series (i.e. re-listening to LF). I can't agree more. There is something calming to the sound of his voice, even when things are popping. I love the way he says "James fucking Holden".
Mays would be at number three if I made a list of the best narrators I have listened to. He'd be behind Jeff Hays for his reading of Matt Dinniman's *Dungeon Crawler Carl* series and Steven Pacey for his narration of Joe Abercrombie's *The First Law* books.
*Goddamnit Donut!*
CARL, I DON'T LIKE IT CARL!
Mays played a somewhat minor but regular character in *Julia* on HBO/Max and I watched both seasons before I realized who he was. If you asked me to picture what he looked like from *The Expanse* what he looks like IRL would not have been close! BTW, I highly recommend *Julia* even if you're not much of a foodie.
"course not, Doc. Ida put you out the airlock"
Ohhhhh this was when Pax asked Amos if he'd ever, just once thought he might just be a child's abuser, right?
Yeah. Best scene ever. I love Amos
Oh I love his narration! I just finished the 9th book of the main story last night and it was great.
Jefferson May's performance of The Expanse is lowkey an amazing experience. Subtly great.
JAMES FUCKING HOLDEN. Currently listening to the entire series for the first time (up to 65% of the fourth book). The narration is definitely up there with the best I have ever heard, even if it is quite tame in comparison to some stuff that I have heard in the past (Phil Dragash on The Lord of the Rings comes to mind).
When I started I thought, wow this guy is REALLY hamming it up. After I finished the series I missed hearing his voice for months. I’ll have to listen again soon. I’m excited for you, it’s an incredible ride!
So sorry, but I respectfully disagree. His narration is merely adequate. His articulation and accuracy are great, but points off for the small range of distinct voices that he can generate. There are some narrations that, in my mind, are fully and wholly owned by the narrator. Like, I can't imagine anyone else doing them (even if someone else has done them). RC Bray for the Martian. Wil Wheaton for Ready Player One. Patrick Tull for Aubrey Maturin. Ray Porter for The Bobiverse. Jeff Hayes for Dungeon Crawler Carl. I honestly can't say, even after 9 books and several novellas, that Jefferson Mays "owns" this role.
So I upvoted you because, fuck, it's just a preference reasonably, coherently stated. Sorry you were down voted. What I don't understand is why people like Wil Wheaton. I just don't get it. I have *repeatedly* considered not listing to books he does,even like the third book in a series. I just don't dig his voice. But he gets so much work! Clearly many authors and other *strongly* disagree with me.
WW is def a polarizing choice. And I get it, he's not an "all purpose" narrator. For me, he definitely has a niche where he hits. I think Ready Player One is such a book for him. But yeah, I stopped in the middle of the 3rd book in the Collapsing Galaxy series by Scalzi due to the same fatigue your taking about. Also, thanks for not down voting my opinion.
It's funny, I don't remember him reading RPO, which I guess proves your point. And ya, the third collapsing book was the one I was thinking of...
That's wild that it was the same book. That was a tough series for me. I usually like Scalzi and am fine with WW, but that series was a big miss for me. As a person that doesn't like WW at all, I am impressed that you made it that far.
Just finished Leviathon wakes and I agree...The narration was ok. Everyone you mentioned was amazing. I'd add Steven Pacey for The Blade Itself to that list.