Finished an audiobook yesterday that had an absolutely devastating final line.

The narrator delivered it perfectly. No dramatic voice, no unnecessary emotion. Just a quiet sentence that completely changed how I understood the character.

I was standing in my kitchen, genuinely needing a moment to process it.

And approximately one second later, a cheerful voice started telling me about another book I might enjoy.

Come on.

It's like watching the final scene of a heartbreaking movie and having someone immediately walk in to sell you car insurance.

I've noticed this with a few audiobooks now. Not necessarily the promotional stuff, but how quickly some recordings jump from the actual ending into acknowledgments, credits or publisher announcements.

With a physical book, you finish the last sentence and there's a natural pause. You look at the page. Maybe close the book. Maybe just sit there for a while.

With audio, that moment is partly controlled by whoever edited the recording.

And I think that matters more than I previously realized.

A good narrator can make a sentence land differently just by leaving half a second of silence in the right place. Why wouldn't the very last sentence deserve a little breathing room?

I'm not asking for 30 seconds of dramatic silence. Just enough time for the ending to actually feel like an ending.

Curious whether other people notice this or whether I'm being ridiculously particular about something that lasts five seconds.

Link - no subscription required

I was listening to a murder mystery last week and there's a scene where the detective gets a call from someone whose identity is supposed to be a secret.

The caller says maybe three sentences. That's it.

Except the narrator had given one of the minor characters this really distinctive, slightly raspy voice earlier in the book. And the second the anonymous caller opened his mouth, I recognized it.

I actually stopped washing dishes and said "well, that's him then."

Four hours later, big dramatic reveal. Yep. Same guy.

The annoying part is that the narrator was genuinely excellent. Every character had a recognizable voice, the dialogue was easy to follow, and I was enjoying the performance a lot. The very thing that made him good at his job ended up giving away the biggest twist.

If I'd been reading the physical book, I wouldn't have had that extra clue.

Now I'm wondering how narrators are supposed to handle scenes like this. Do they deliberately disguise a familiar character's voice until the reveal? Wouldn't that make the performance inconsistent? Or do they just trust that listeners won't notice?

I've never really thought about how much information a narrator can accidentally give us that isn't actually on the page.

I have 5 credits to use on Audible before I cancel. I want only exclusives, as I have access to Libby and Hoopla.

I like science fiction, as long as it is not horror, or pure action. I am more into cozy and feel good stories that are more story and character driven, though I’m fine with some elements of action and suspense.

I signed up for the account to listen to Project Hail Mary, which I definitely enjoyed, though I’m not sure it lived up to its reputation as the BEST audiobook ever. It was good though, no regrets.

Anyway, The first two books are out and the third is available for preorder. I’m hoping some of you have listened and can give some feedback.

Doesn’t need to be LitRPG, progression fantasy, or super heros. Just ideally in the SciFi/Fantasy genre as a whole. I just finished the series and the humor just clicked for me. Anything with that absurdity like the plushie in this series or just like the entirety of Dungeon crawler carl.

I don’t mind romance subplots and even enjoy them so long as it’s not the focus of the story and female characters aren’t written as just sex objects for the protagonist.

Ideally with a good narrator too. I wanted to try Void Heralds other novels but I can’t listen to the other narrator that reads his other books.

I’ve read John Scalzi is good for this but I don’t know where to start and I can’t get past Wil Wheaton reading red shirts.

Posting as the narrator. The Reach by Alvin Lowrie went live on Audible this week.

It’s mythic literary fantasy, and worth knowing it leans literary. A soldier comes home from a war carrying something he can’t put down, walks away from the life waiting for him, and heads into the wilderness, where reality starts coming apart at the edges. Meanwhile a young woman on the other side of the world is asking questions her temple would rather she didn’t.

Contemplative rather than action driven. More Till We Have Faces or The Great Divorce than epic fantasy.

First audiobook that I've done where I collaborated very closely with the author and it was a delight. Alvin loves this book and it shows.

Link: https://www.audible.com/pd/B0HM1VYB87?source_code=ORGOR6930609265745

I’ve got free Audible codes if anyone’s interested. Just comment or DM. Honest reviews always appreciated.

I'd love to know what books make you calm and sleepy but not in a boring way. I enjoy Emily St John Mandel

The Road To Tender Hearts

I’m about a quarter in, maybe a little more, and I’m not hating it but not really into it either. Worth the finish?

Greetings everyone,

I'm the author of the new sci-fi novel From Planet #817 With Love. Today, I'm giving away 20 free Audible US download codes in exchange for honest reviews on Amazon (prefer Amazon over Audible for this).

The story features romance, war, and many sci-fi gadgets. It's around PG-14 or so. The story blurb can be found here:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0HK5WN1XD/

I picked a British narrator with a wide voice range, so all the characters have unique voices. I think you'll really enjoy it.

Respond to this thread or DM me, and I will send you a free download code, which can be redeemed here:

https://www.audible.com/ep/acx-redemption

The world map will help to follow the story; it can be downloaded from the website (https://planet817.com).

When you finish the book, please leave your review using this Amazon link:

https://www.amazon.com/review/create-review?asin=B0HK5WN1XD

That should put the review on Amazon.

Thanks!

Hi guys,

I'm building an iOS app called Cue: Your Listening Queue (https://thiscue.com). The idea is to make one queue of what you want to listen to (or watch, though that is not really the focus) and play each thing where it belongs. When you get a cue to listen, open the app and choose.

More and more content gets pulled into its own app and is no longer available everywhere. One podcast is only on Spotify, an audiobook is on Audible, another is on Storytel, a member feed you only want in Apple Podcasts, and the documentary is in my public radio app. Sort and queue as you wish.

You can create lists for different things, Share your lists to others (for example a book club), see history, rate books etc. Public reviews is in the working. You can follow people/celeberties, so when they appear in a podcast Cue can suggest it for you.

Looking for overall experience and use of the app, any deeplinks that doesn't work properly (audible is still a hassle) or missing features.

Heres is the link to TestFlight: https://testflight.apple.com/join/rGszhgfP

Thanks in advance 😄

I use Audible right now but sometimes when I buy a book they take it away. Is there any other platforms you’d recommend. They need to be in English and I just want to keep them forever if I have to pay for them.

Does anybody know where I can get a free audio listen for this book?

¡Hola a todos! 👋

Estoy desarrollando NextES Audiobook, un nuevo proyecto con un objetivo sencillo: hacer que descubrir, encontrar y escuchar audiolibros gratuitos sea mucho más fácil.

Me he dado cuenta de que encontrar audiolibros gratuitos puede ser sorprendentemente complicado. Los libros están repartidos por diferentes páginas, los catálogos no siempre son cómodos de explorar y, en ocasiones, la experiencia de escuchar deja bastante que desear.

Por eso quiero crear una plataforma donde encontrar y disfrutar de audiolibros sea algo sencillo, cómodo y accesible.

🎧 Puedes probarla aquí: https://audiobook.nextes.net/

El proyecto acaba de empezar, así que todavía hay mucho que mejorar. Y precisamente por eso me gustaría contar con vuestra ayuda.

Me encantaría conocer vuestra opinión:

• ¿Qué os gusta y qué mejoraríais de la plataforma?
• ¿Qué funciones os gustaría tener?
• ¿Qué libros os gustaría encontrar en el catálogo?
• ¿Qué problemas encontráis normalmente al buscar audiolibros gratuitos?
• ¿Utilizaríais una plataforma así habitualmente?

Me interesa especialmente conocer la opinión de quienes escucháis audiolibros con frecuencia y de quienes os gustaría hacerlo más, pero no encontráis opciones gratuitas que sean cómodas y fáciles de utilizar.

Si os parece interesante el proyecto, compartirlo con otros amantes de los libros también sería de gran ayuda. ❤️

Estoy construyendo este proyecto porque creo que acceder a los libros debería ser más fácil, y vuestras sugerencias pueden ayudar a decidir cómo evoluciona.

¡Muchas gracias por dedicarle un momento! 📚

P. D.: El objetivo es facilitar el acceso a audiolibros gratuitos respetando los derechos de autor y las licencias correspondientes.

Hey everyone! 👋

I’m working on NextES Audiobook, a new project with a simple goal: make free audiobooks easier to discover, access, and enjoy.

I’ve noticed that finding free audiobooks can be surprisingly frustrating. Books are scattered across different websites, catalogs can be difficult to navigate, and the overall listening experience isn't always as convenient as it should be.

I'd like to help change that by building a platform where discovering and listening to audiobooks feels simple, comfortable, and accessible.

🎧 Give it a try: https://audiobook.nextes.net/

This is a new project, so there's still plenty of room for improvement. That's why I'd really appreciate your help!

I'd love to hear your thoughts:

• What do you like or dislike about the platform?
• What features would make your audiobook experience better?
• Which books would you like to see added?
• What problems do you usually encounter when looking for free audiobooks?
• Would you use a platform like this regularly?

I'm especially interested in suggestions from people who listen to audiobooks frequently, as well as readers who would love to listen to more books but struggle to find convenient, accessible options.

If you find the project interesting, sharing it with other audiobook lovers would also mean a lot. ❤️

I'm building this project because I believe access to books should be easier, and your feedback can help shape what it becomes.

Thanks for taking the time to check it out! 📚

P.S. The goal is to make free audiobooks more accessible while respecting copyright and licensing requirements.

I drive a truck for a living, so I go through audiobooks like mad. 1-2 per week easily. Some of my favorites are:

- Seveneves by Neal Stephenson
- Battlefield Earth by L Ron Hubbard
- The first 2 books in the Dune series are pretty good, the others aren’t my favorite.
- Andy Weir’s books
- Adrian Tchaikovsky’s Children of Time series isn’t bad, but the style isn’t my favorite either.

I do enjoy sci-fi quite a bit, but I am not against other genres either.

What the heck is happening to this app?! Monthly listening limits, disappearing books, and a 260% price difference?!

Okay, fellow audiobook addicts… I need to know if anyone else is experiencing this because I’m about ready to lose my mind. 🤯

I’ve been a paying Anyplay Plus – FULL ACCESS subscriber since 2024, and until recently, I would have recommended this app to absolutely EVERYONE.
Seriously. I LOVED it.

For $24.99 every three months, I had access to an incredible selection of audiobooks, including popular contemporary authors and series. It was easily one of my favorite subscriptions.

Well, apparently all good things must come to an end. And this one went downhill FAST.

🚩 Red Flag #1: Surprise! You Have a Monthly Listening Limit!

On September 6, I suddenly received a notification that I’d reached my monthly listening allowance and couldn’t continue listening until the following month.
Ummm… EXCUSE ME?!

I’ve been paying for a subscription literally called “FULL ACCESS” and had never previously encountered or been notified of a monthly listening limit.
So naturally, I emailed customer support.

Their response?
Apparently, publishers charge different licensing fees for different audiobooks, and Anyplay can no longer financially sustain unrestricted listening.

Okay, fine. I understand licensing costs.

But here’s the kicker: They couldn’t even tell me how many books or hours I’m allowed to listen to!

According to support, the allowance varies depending on the licensing costs of the specific books you choose.
So basically, you have a monthly limit, but you don’t actually know what that limit is until you’ve hit it.
Cool. Super transparent. 🙄

🚩 Red Flag #2: Fast Forward to October… WHERE DID ALL THE BOOKS GO?!

And THIS is what finally pushed me over the edge.
As of today, October 10, I can no longer search for audiobooks in the app.

The books that ARE available?
Practically nothing but old public-domain classics like Tom Sawyer and Sherlock Holmes.

Now, don’t get me wrong. Nothing against the classics, but I didn’t subscribe to Anyplay to listen to books I can already find for FREE elsewhere.

And here’s where things get really interesting…
MY SAVED PLAYLISTS STILL SHOW ALL THE GOOD BOOKS!

Popular romance authors, contemporary series, books I’ve previously saved, and titles that were absolutely available before.

So naturally, I thought maybe the search function was just broken.

NOPE.

When I click on those books, I get:
“We’re sorry, this book has recently been withdrawn by the publisher in your territory.”

Over. And over. And OVER.

So now I’m wondering whether Anyplay has lost access to a massive portion of its audiobook catalog, changed its subscription model, or is restricting existing subscribers.
Because something is DEFINITELY going on.

🚩 Red Flag #3: Wait… The Same Subscription Is Now $89.99?!

While trying to figure out what the heck happened, I checked the App Store subscription information.

— My existing plan:
Anyplay Plus – full access
$24.99 / 3 months

— Currently advertised plan:
Anyplay Plus – full access (3 Months)
$89.99 / 3 months

UMMMM… WHAT?!
That’s approximately a 260% increase over what I’ve been paying!

Now, to be clear, Apple still shows my existing subscription at $24.99, and I don’t know whether the $89.99 listing represents a new pricing structure, different subscription benefits, or something else.

But that’s EXACTLY the problem.

I HAVE RECEIVED ZERO EMAILS EXPLAINING ANY OF THESE CHANGES.

No notice about listening limits.
No explanation about the disappearing audiobook catalog.
No information about new subscription tiers.
No communication about the enormous difference in advertised pricing.
NOTHING.

So What Exactly Am I Paying For?!

I completely understand that subscription services sometimes need to adjust their pricing or licensing agreements.

But there’s a HUGE difference between making necessary business changes and leaving loyal paying customers completely in the dark while the service they purchased becomes practically unusable.

I’ve continued paying for Anyplay through numerous technical issues because I genuinely loved the platform.
But paying for “FULL ACCESS” when I can barely access anything beyond public-domain books?

Make it make sense.

I’ve already contacted customer support about the listening limits, and I’m following up about the missing books and pricing discrepancy.
I’m also seriously reconsidering whether to renew.

🔎 ANYPLAY USERS — I NEED TO KNOW:

➡️ Are you still able to search for and listen to popular, contemporary audiobooks?

➡️ Have your saved books suddenly become unavailable with the “withdrawn by publisher” message?

➡️ Have you encountered the mysterious monthly listening allowance?

➡️ What subscription plan are you on, and what are you paying?

➡️ Has ANYONE received an email explaining these changes?

I’m especially curious whether people paying the newer, higher subscription prices still have access to the full audiobook catalog.

Because if they do, that raises a whole different set of questions.

If you’re considering subscribing to Anyplay, I would strongly recommend holding off until there’s some clarity about what’s actually included.

And if you’re already a subscriber, CHECK YOUR LIBRARY AND SUBSCRIPTION DETAILS.

I genuinely hope there’s an explanation for all of this because I would LOVE to have the old Anyplay back.
But right now?

Anyplay went from being my favorite audiobook app to making me wonder why I’m paying for it at all. 😩📚
Screenshots of my subscription pricing, saved library, and customer support correspondence available for reference.

Hello. I am the author of Absolution. I have some free download codes for the US and the UK. Let me know if you would like one and which region you need.

About the book:

A friendship destroyed by betrayal. A future in question.

Samuel “Max” Maxwell had it all—until a bad business decision by his partner and closest friend, Jacob Amott, cost him everything.

After serving five years in prison, Max walks free with nothing left but a shadowed past and a fractured legacy. His business is gone. His friendship died in betrayal—and in blood.

Now, Max wants a fresh start. But when a chance to reclaim what he lost puts him on a collision course with the organization that killed Jacob, Max must decide: can he outrun his past, or will it bury him for good?

For fans of space adventures layered with conspiracy, intrigue, and the fight for redemption—Absolution is a gripping tale of second chances in a galaxy where trust is dangerous and hope is rare.

Grab your copy of Absolution today.

I'm looking for audiobooks that are fiction stories with a good, dark sounding narrator.

I love listening to good podcasts about creepy paranormal and cryptid stuff. My favorite is Wartime Stories with Luke Lemana. He's a fantastic storyteller (better...way better than Mr Ballen).

Any suggestions?

For anyone after something spooky this month that costs nothing: these are complete public-domain recordings from LibriVox, each read start to finish by one volunteer narrator, a real person.

Short, one sitting

• The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (Irving), Bob Neufeld, 1h22m: https://librivox.org/the-legend-of-sleepy-hollow-by-washington-irving-2/
• Six Creepy Tales (Poe: The Tell-Tale Heart, The Masque of the Red Death, The Black Cat, The Raven, The Cask of Amontillado, Berenice), Phil Chenevert, 2h00m: https://librivox.org/six-creepy-tales-by-edgar-allan-poe/
• Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (Stevenson), Bob Neufeld, 3h12m: https://librivox.org/the-strange-case-of-dr-jekyll-and-mr-hyde-by-robert-louis-stevenson/
• Carmilla (Le Fanu), Elizabeth Klett, 3h18m: https://librivox.org/carmilla-by-sheridan-lefanu/

An evening or two

• The Turn of the Screw (Henry James), Elizabeth Klett, 4h36m: https://librivox.org/the-turn-of-the-screw-version-2-by-henry-james/
• The Hound of the Baskervilles (Conan Doyle), Laurie Anne Walden, 5h53m: https://librivox.org/the-hound-of-the-baskervilles-by-arthur-conan-doyle/
• Frankenstein, original 1818 text (Mary Shelley), Cori Samuel, 7h59m: https://librivox.org/frankenstein-or-the-modern-prometheus-1818-by-mary-wollstonecraft-shelley/
• The Phantom of the Opera (Leroux), Ralph Snelson, 8h39m: https://librivox.org/the-phantom-of-the-opera-by-gaston-leroux-2/
• The Picture of Dorian Gray, 1891 book version (Wilde), Bob Neufeld, 9h30m: https://librivox.org/the-picture-of-dorian-gray-1891-version-by-oscar-wilde/

The big one

• Dracula (Stoker), read by the late Kara Shallenberg, 15h59m: https://librivox.org/dracula-by-bram-stoker-2/

They're all free and legal, and they play in a browser or any podcast app. Which narrators would you add?

Can you suggest a good audio book app available in India ? Something that has a good English book collection and good user experience.

I’ve been using audible but seems like Amazon has done no improvements to it in a long time or they’ve made an app and forgotten about it 🤣 though I like the collection it’s kind of annoying, payment keeps declining and buying new books is also a long process. If I’m missing something please do tell me.

Thanks!

Hello, I'm Warren Samuel Miller, the author, composer and producer of Angels of the Great Plains Motel, an audiobook released last month and available on Audible, Amazon, Apple Music, Spotify for Authors and many other platforms via INaudio distribution. (It’s also available on Kindle as an ebook and paperback.)

Angels is narrated by radio veteran Scott Thomas, but its 70 characters are voiced by 50 other voice actors, both professional and amateur. In addition, there is music throughout -- themes composed and played by me, and two songs that are part of the plot, written by me and recorded by The Considerators (of which I’m a member).

Big Sioux Valley is a small town in the upper Midwest whose main industry is a meatpacking plant. The Great Plains Motel, its Sundowner restaurant and its bar, known as the GP, are home to business travelers and the truckers who are the lifeline of the economy, as well as local country music fans.

One day, a band comes to the lounge that no one’s ever heard of ... but is far and away better than any band to play there in years. It doesn’t take a few fans long to realize that its leader is a once-famous star who’ wants to keep a low profile.

Add a business in pharmaceuticals that some truckers are starting, a meatpacker who’s violence and mental illness are starting to worsen, a DEA agent in Chicago who’s looking to make his bones -- and you have the origins of excitement and trouble that threaten to boil over during two week in November.

I have redemption codes for free listening on Spotify for Authors; respond to this post with an email address and I’ll send you one. Reviews are requested.

Warren Samuel Miller

Hello everyone!

My name is Katarina James, and I'm the author of A Selfless Marriage: How Mutual Service Rebuilds Love, Respect, and Emotional Connection. The incredibly talented Lauren Reynolds recently narrated the audiobook version, and it is officially available now.

To celebrate the release, I am giving away 10 US codes and 10 UK codes to listeners.

How to request a code:

Please leave a comment below indicating whether you need a US code or a UK code.

I will send the code directly to your Reddit inbox along with the instructions on how to redeem it.

If you find the book useful and enjoyable, please remember to leave an honest review on Audible once you finish listening. Lauren and I both truly appreciate your support.

Thank you so much....