July 9, 2011 -
PRLog -- True, it is subjective, once you get away from sales figures. And there are loads of Top 10 lists online, and hundreds of bloggers claiming this or that is THE BEST. So can such people be trusted? "Probably not," says reviewer Jonathan Lowe. "Take the case of audiobooks. Could a blogger actually mean the best mysteries by the few authors he or she has heard? And what about a magazine's 'Best of' list? It's probably compiled by one writer, possibly using other reviewers opinions, who in turn use sales figures to form their bias." What's wrong with using sales figures? "Nothing,"
says Lowe, "if that's what the list is about. If it's not, it has to be a judgment call, and that's what reviewers are for. . .it's their purpose. If you just want bestsellers, stick to those lists, but I guarantee you'll miss out on some masterful, powerful books, movies, and records." As a reviewer of audiobooks with over 16 years experience for various publications, including XM Satellite radio, Lowe has listened to literally thousands of audiobooks, and sampled thousands more. What defines 'best'? "Simple. By 'best,' I mean most powerful, original, memorable. This is in my opinion, granted, but then again, I’m not your typical listener. Furthermore, I'm not saying these particular books are the best as books. Because if someone else had narrated them, they would not be nearly as great. It is the book and the performance of it combined that influences my choices." A couple on Lowe's list might be hard to find now, like THE BREAKER by Kitt Denton, read by Terence Donovan. He didn't put his own novel POSTAL, read by the late great Frank Muller, on the list, although Muller won one of his many Earphones awards for it. "I’m being as objective as I can, although it is still subjective to an extent. Some won awards after I reviewed them, too, so I’m not just whistling Dixie, as they say in the South." The list of Best Audiobooks Ever Recorded can be found at TowerReview.com.
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Author interviews and audiobook reviews, with links to download and enjoy books from the internet. Which books are going to the movies, and what books have already been adapted, plus commentary and youtube video excerpts.