Summer 2018: Our Casting Director's Favorite Audiobook Productions
As we move into fall, I’d like to share a few of my favorite audiobook productions from this past summer.
I hear voices. Lots of voices. As Lead Casting Coordinator, I’ve listened to hundreds of audiobooks and cast narrators for thousands.
It still never gets old when a great casting really clicks — those performances where the narrator lined up perfectly with the tone, story, and characters of a story. From thrilling suspense novels to captivating non-fiction performances, here are a handful of the many productions we helped produce over the past few months that I think really nailed it.
“Founder” by Judy K Walker, narrated by Alex Knox
Summary
In this second installment of Dead Hollow Psychological suspense trilogy, Judy K Walker takes the listener on a tense trip through the paranormal with Adam Rutledge as another child has been taken. As suspicions falls upon Adam, he must rush to find the missing child and discover answers to the things taking over his mind.
Why I loved it
This is a heart-stopping mix of mystery and paranormal thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat. The host of complex characters and compelling plot lines are exquisitely portrayed by dark, gripping narration that Alex Knox delivers. His portrayal of the Adam is edgy and provoking, evoking his internal and external struggles beautifully. His performance perfectly mirrors the ever increasing suspense of the story.
“Boundless Awareness” by Michael A. Rodriguez, narrated by Leslie Howard
Summary
This is a very compelling exploration into understanding and overcoming suffering in the human experience, Michael A Rodriguez illustrates how we are all really connected by the very nature of awareness.
Why I loved it
Leslie Howard’s performance is soothing and authentic, as she guides listener’s through the various concepts and exercises that this title offers. Nonfiction poses a completely different host of challenges to fiction narration, while there might not be multiple characters to have to embody, it can be difficult to maintain a compelling and convincing tone that keeps readers wanting to listen through large blocks of text and exposition. While this title is definitely not prone to this, Leslie does a particularly fantastic job of encouraging listeners throughout the title to stay an engaged participant in the text.
“Texas Matchmakers Series“ by Debra Clopton, narrated by Cici Dee
Summary
The first three titles in Debra Clopton’s Texas Matchmakers Series illustrate the enchanting, fun story of three older women that set off a national campaign to bring wives to their town of Mule Hollow to marry the lonely cowboys that live there.
Why I loved it
From an ancient pink convertible driving hair stylist to a grumpy horse trainer and busybody group of matchmakers, Cici Dee’s narration is endearing, sassy and perfectly embodies the big personalities highlighted in these titles. The matchmakers in particular are regular characters throughout the series, and Cici’s perfect, and hilarious portrayal of their big personalities, leaves listeners looking forward to their every appearance. Her fantastic accents and dynamic performance style get you invested in every twist and turn in these playful romances.
“The Sokolov Saga” by Ian Kharitonov, narrated by Dan Lee
Summary
In books 2 to 4 of the Sokolov Saga, we follow Eugene Sokolov throughout Europe, the Russian Wilderness, and across the Thailand to combat secret conspiracies, terrorist plots, and mysterious organizations that threaten the stability of the free world.
Why I loved it
Dan Lee’s performance perfectly captures the gritty element of these thrillers in an incredibly suspenseful way. There are also complex number of places, names, and accents that Dan delivers in a seamless articulate manner, saving listeners from the confusion and enabling them to stay entrenched in building story. From Russian agents, to the British Protagonist, and even an American supermodel, Dan delivers strong character performances and, critically, a performance that’s consistently great across a variety of accents and styles.
“The Dream of a Duchess” by Linda Rae Sande, narrated by Michael Troughton
Summary
Linda Rae Sande’s Historical Regency Romance develops a diverse and entertaining group of characters and a captivating plot that starts with the main character witnessing her mother’s murder, and carries you along on an interesting and unexpected path until the last minute.
Why I loved it
In this performance, Michael Troughton delivers a beautiful and engaging performance. He manages an extensive list of characters and their complex subplots seamlessly. He carries the listener through this regency romance with such period appropriate accents and style that it is easy to lose oneself in this fantastic first installment of The Widowers of the Aristocracy. Some of you might suspect that I wrote this blog post entirely to highlight that we’d worked with the son of the second Doctor Who as a big fan of the series — you might be right.
There’s a lot of other great audiobooks out there, I picked these fantastic new releases to highlight just how great an audiobook can be when the right book has the perfect voice. Finding the perfect narrator for your book can really elevate your audiobook — and the Findaway Voices team is always here to help.
