Space

Good book but the audiobook needs revision

Any additional comments?

I had already read SPACE years ago and enjoyed the book. I am glad that It is finally out on audiobook. The narration by Larry McKeever is a little slow and robotic but at least it is understandable. One glaring mistake by the narrator is that he repeatedly calls the mission that first landed man on the moon "Apollo Two" instead of "Apollo Eleven". Perhaps the Roman numerals used in the text confused him? This should be corrected.

14 sur 14 personne(s) ont trouvé cet avis utile.

Solid Michener, Ponderous and Laborious Narration

What did you love best about Space?

Typical Michener, starts at the beginning of time, goes on until present day. Well researched, technically correct in depth. Solid storytelling with a grand sweep.

What did you like best about this story?

Getting behind the scenes with his fictitious (but representative) astronauts. Also, the very strong thread of NASA's preoccupation with public relations and creating a narrative that the U.S. population will swallow, ostensibly to keep the public funds flowing. Also, the fraudulent preacher/intellectual was a great character.

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Larry McKeever?

Anyone. The narration was astoundingly slow and ponderous with noticeable pauses after almost every sentence. I nearly returned the book when out of desperation I put my iPOD on 2x playback speed, which in fact sped things up to about a normal cadence.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Not really.

Any additional comments?

If you like Michener, and you can stand the remarkably slow and laborious narration, go ahead any get it.

10 sur 10 personne(s) ont trouvé cet avis utile.

Great book, terrible narration

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

Yes, in that the story is one of the best. But the narration was so poor that it spoiled the story. Very disappointed.

How could the performance have been better?

Any other narrator could probably have done a better job. Especially someone who could perform accents and differentiate voices.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

Absolutely!

Any additional comments?

So sad that one of the best books I've ever read is spoiled by the poor narration and sadder yet to find that McKeever is narrating all Michener's books. At times I wasn't even sure it was a human speaking. Still not convinced it was as there was very little emotion which was unfortunate considering the breadth of the story.

I know it's a big job, but I hope Audible redoes the rest of Michener's books. I want to hear them but won't buy them if McKeever is the narrator.

4 sur 4 personne(s) ont trouvé cet avis utile.

Great story. Give the narration some time.

The recording is old and is "read" as opposed to "performed" like current audio books. This takes some getting used to, it's jarring at first, however if you stick with the book for a couple of hours you get used to it and can enjoy the story.

3 sur 3 personne(s) ont trouvé cet avis utile.

Sounded like it was read by a computer

Worst performance ever. Story was good but a bit strange, like if the space program was more than it really was. I was expecting historical fiction but this was a bit more, not bad but different. My first Michener novel maybe I should have known better?

3 sur 3 personne(s) ont trouvé cet avis utile.

Great story, poor narration

Very enjoyable story about the beginnings of the space program into the shuttle era. However, the narrator was incredibly slow in his reading and consequently very boring. For the first time ever, nearing 300 audiobooks listened to, I had to go in and adjust the speed of the near ration to1.5 X.This narrator spoke so slowly, and with virtually zero emotion that I had to speed up the reading to get through the book at a normal pace. Again, great story, but beware the narrator.

2 sur 2 personne(s) ont trouvé cet avis utile.

It took 400 pages to kick in...

A stunning work of historical fiction, good character development、An epic story. It just didn't kick in with me, so to speak, until abt. p. 400 or so. I kept sloughing through because I've not yet read a Michener book that wasn't worth it, and I'm glad I finished this one.

2 sur 2 personne(s) ont trouvé cet avis utile.

Read it, don't listen

The story is engaging and brings together disparate elements at the beginning to a cohesive page turner at the end but I couldn't get past the robotic narration, having to switch to print version a fifth of the way in. I was taken out of the story completely, at times, do to the stilted staccato monotone of McKeever. I laughed out loud as particularly emotional passages were read by HAL 2000. Buy the print version. Stay away from the audio book.

Captured the Mystery & Science of our history

intertwining the political, mechanical, emotional, and religious views of that era, this story captures the attention of the listener by revealing the mystery and complexity of our universe. Elaborating on the details and personal triumphs of our journey to travel amount the stars.

This was a great book

I have grown to love the voice of this narrator. I have only a few James Mitchner books left unread.
I'll read this one again and again.