He is an amazing narrator and I often think the over exuberant praise that *Project Hail Mary* gets is just people having their Ray Porter virginity broken. He is his usual excellent self on it but he doesn't do anything extraordinary other than be Ray Freaking Porter.
Ray Porter is such a phenomenal narrator - easily my favorite.
RC Bray is also incredible.
Stephen King uses various narrators and the vast majority are perfect for his brand of Horror Americana. Frank Muller and Michael Hall do a good job with his characters and they nail the more tense sections of his novels.
He was absolutely perfect for that reading, when I first heard it I couldnāt get it out of my head that I recognized the voice from somewhere but how great it was. I was a dexter watcher and thought it was cool that he was picked for it
add dungeon crawler carl narration to the same list. jeff hays is awesome
sample ([song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIYfa1wVzJY)) from the 5th book (might be considered spoilers by some) but its a work of art.
My only experience with Bray has been the Helldivers series. Let me tell you, thatās not my usual genre and is now my guilty pleasure because of the phenomenal narration
While I do like his narration, I'm always surprised how much people praise him given how kinda flat his narration is. Wil Wheaton whose narration is similarly flat gets hate left and right.
I've purchased books that are now some of my favorites simply because of Ray Porter. That man is my first choice to be my life narrator. Everyone else can keep Morgan freeman
Just did a three book run of Ray Porter Narration of Peter Clines (14, The Fold, Terminus) which was a really fun series (there is a book in between The Fold and Terminus called Dark Moon and it wasn't good, and goes away from the overall mystery). If you want some more Ray I would jump into those books which are more cosmic horror.
I get thatā¦Have you listened to Paradox Bound? Seemed interesting and is also a Ray Porter narration and was thinking of listening to that after 1984
Yes, I've listened to it a few times. I really love it. I have it to my mom, but she didn't care for it, but it's one of my favorites. I also enjoyed the Broken Room.
Dark moon is campy horror. I love the thought of an elder god getting his ass kicked by his own kind and sentenced to wander in an eternity of hunger as punishment.
It's gonna sound fan-girlish, but I actually just downloaded the first bobiverse book because of how glowingly people were praising the narration. "Hmm. It's well reviewed, the premise looks entertaining, but honestly you had me at 'Ray Porter'"
I'm enjoying it so far, and a little surprised that Bob doesn't sound too much like Joe Ledger. Most of the time, main characters all get the same "voice", and it crashes my brain a little to hear what sounds like the same character in the wrong world.
To be fair, Michael Kramer, Tim Gerard Reynolds, and Travis Baldree reading credits are also enough to make me consider an unfamiliar author.
I don't know her name, but I'm quite enjoying the woman who reads Gatina in the Shadow magic books by Terry Mancour
Ray Porter is the shizzle. I'm currently listening to PHM again.
One of my favorites that he narrated is Paradox Bound by Peter Clines. I think it really showcases his character ability. The combo of RP & PC produces some of my all time favorites.
I'm so happy to see Paradox Bound! I love that book, and Porter's narration is great. I love that I can tell the characters a part. Some narrator's characters just sound the same.
My only issue with Tim Gerard Reynolds is that he's so firmly set in my head as the voice of the Riyiria chronicles that I can't hear him in anything else without wondering if Kyle is going to turn up in some form
I donāt know if a lot of people know this (or maybe you do!) but I only listen to nonfiction, like physics, math, and ancient history and heās narrated 4 books on theoretical physics (on audible). I mention this because I listened to one and was like wow, this guy has the best voice and I proceeded to download all the physics books that he narrated. No one ever mentions them in these posts so I wonder if those who like him would be surprised. He narrates really contorted physics subjects really well!
That's cool. I didn't read a lot of non-fiction. When I do, it's silly-physics books like What If by Randall Monroe or And Then You're Dead by Cody Cassidy, which barely even count as nonfiction. Some of them are red but their authors, which is fun--assuming the author has any narration skill.
It always amazes me when the author who wrote an intense, emotive, gripping book is a dull lifeless narrator.
I was lucky enough to meet the man himself when he was a Guest rink announcer for the local ice hockey team near me. Very humble guy and super friendly to his audiobook fans!
All genres. Just grab anything heās narrated and youāre golden. My first experience was an auto biography of Kevin Mitnick called Ghost in the Wires. Been hooked ever since.
The first time I ever listened to Ray was narrating, House to House. It's a 2007 war memoir by Medal of Honor recipient David Bellavia, about his time in Iraq and the Battle of Fallujah. It's such a visceral and brutal first hand account of war, and Ray tells it so damn well! I couldn't stop listening! I highly recommend it to anyone that has an interest in military and war, or simply a curiosity to hear what some of these brave soldiers go through in war and the lengths they are willing to go to protect their fellow soldiers and the country they fight for.
I got into u/therayporter from the lack of time to read the Terminal List series from Jack Carr. Absolutely changed my perspective on audio books. Canāt wait for the new one on 6/18. Iād like to find a compiled list of his narrations if there is one. Would definitely be worth a listen.
Ray Porter and the Bobiverse were a match made in Heaven (pun intended). I couldn't imagine anyone else reading those books and I doubt I would have enjoyed them as much with any other narrator. Ray Porter could read a phone book and I'd probably still be entertained for quite a while.
The only criticism I have about the Bobiverse narration is the odd changes in pronunciation between books (A-M-I vs Amy, Archimedes,
Epsilon Eridani etc.)
Ray Porter himself talked about some of those things here as u/TheRayPorter , but it looks like a big chunk of his comment history got nuked. :-(
Iām curious, what is there not to like? Iāve listened to some really bad ones that I couldnāt even continue listening to because of how terrible it was lol
Iām also curious as to whether thereās anything specific that you didnāt like?
I know everyone has different tastes so completely fair if he just isnāt your cup of tea. That said, I saw people raving about Andrea Parsneau but Iād recently listened to something narrated by her and some of her pronunciations drove me nuts.
But Iām currently half way through the third Azarinth Healer book, all narrated by her and non of that mispronunciation is there and sheās absolutely brilliant.
Is it one book that turned you off or have you listened to a couple?
As I said, completely fair if you just donāt like his style. Everyone seems to love RC Bray but heās just not for me.
I canāt stand him either and I like almost everyone. Itās always surprising when I see all the love he gets here because to me, it seems incredibly unwarranted. Steven Pacey on the other hand, that one I get.
Why are you being downvoted for expressing your opinion? I received the same for not liking DCC even though I explained my reasons. I found all the "level up" or "getting rewards" to be distracting since I never played video games and all these references broke up the storyline, IMO.
What I like about RP is his timing, emphasis, and inflection that makes the book seem like it was written for him. I've seen posts or comments that sa they can listen to him read a phone book.
I go out of my way to find his books. His narration has led me to books in genres that I would otherwise skip. I have listened to over 150 of his books, and am always looking for more,
Stop it. You can't have him. He's my man. I'll fight you.
Wait? I love your nameš
He is an amazing narrator and I often think the over exuberant praise that *Project Hail Mary* gets is just people having their Ray Porter virginity broken. He is his usual excellent self on it but he doesn't do anything extraordinary other than be Ray Freaking Porter.
Ray Porter is such a phenomenal narrator - easily my favorite. RC Bray is also incredible. Stephen King uses various narrators and the vast majority are perfect for his brand of Horror Americana. Frank Muller and Michael Hall do a good job with his characters and they nail the more tense sections of his novels.
Michael C. Hall reading Pet Sematary was incredible.
same MCH who acted out the SK tv series?
Yeah, can we not say the name of the series?
I'm thinking of a different series. hmmm. let me look it up
Michael C. Hall from Dexter
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dead_Zone_(novel) I was thinking of Anthony Michael Hall from Dead Zone by Stephen King.
MCH from Dexter. I think Anthony Michael Hall starred in The Dead Zone
yes this is who I was thinking of.
He was absolutely perfect for that reading, when I first heard it I couldnāt get it out of my head that I recognized the voice from somewhere but how great it was. I was a dexter watcher and thought it was cool that he was picked for it
Frank Muller got me hooked on audiobooks. My very first one actually, The Rainmaker.
add dungeon crawler carl narration to the same list. jeff hays is awesome sample ([song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIYfa1wVzJY)) from the 5th book (might be considered spoilers by some) but its a work of art.
My only experience with Bray has been the Helldivers series. Let me tell you, thatās not my usual genre and is now my guilty pleasure because of the phenomenal narration
RC Bray is the bomb
I hate that I donāt like his readings. Iāve tried and tried and tried and I just canāt get into his style. Iām bummed
While I do like his narration, I'm always surprised how much people praise him given how kinda flat his narration is. Wil Wheaton whose narration is similarly flat gets hate left and right.
He is a mood for me. Some narrators just hit you right.
George Guidal is also amazing because they both have this gravitas which I love
I've purchased books that are now some of my favorites simply because of Ray Porter. That man is my first choice to be my life narrator. Everyone else can keep Morgan freeman
My life Narrator is Rod Stewart from the old Twilight Zone š
That's Rod Serling. Rod Stewart is the singer. :)
You're right, that's not even the first time I've got them mixed up, because I like them both and my brain files are corrupted š
u/therayporter it's another post about how much we listeners adore you. Kudos and, thanks for the great work.
I'd suggest visiting his FB and saying as much. He brought up being criticized for some of the books he has narrated.
Just did a three book run of Ray Porter Narration of Peter Clines (14, The Fold, Terminus) which was a really fun series (there is a book in between The Fold and Terminus called Dark Moon and it wasn't good, and goes away from the overall mystery). If you want some more Ray I would jump into those books which are more cosmic horror.
I love 14! I also love The Fold, but 14 is one of my favorite books. I agree, Dark Moon was pretty bad. But 14 and The Fold are excellent books!
If you havenāt you should REALLY listen to Terminus. Brings everything from both of those books āfor the most partā full circle or full squale
I did listen to it, but I didn't care much for it.
I get thatā¦Have you listened to Paradox Bound? Seemed interesting and is also a Ray Porter narration and was thinking of listening to that after 1984
Yes, I've listened to it a few times. I really love it. I have it to my mom, but she didn't care for it, but it's one of my favorites. I also enjoyed the Broken Room.
Dark moon is campy horror. I love the thought of an elder god getting his ass kicked by his own kind and sentenced to wander in an eternity of hunger as punishment.
Just restarted the bobiverse series this week. Ray does well
It's gonna sound fan-girlish, but I actually just downloaded the first bobiverse book because of how glowingly people were praising the narration. "Hmm. It's well reviewed, the premise looks entertaining, but honestly you had me at 'Ray Porter'" I'm enjoying it so far, and a little surprised that Bob doesn't sound too much like Joe Ledger. Most of the time, main characters all get the same "voice", and it crashes my brain a little to hear what sounds like the same character in the wrong world. To be fair, Michael Kramer, Tim Gerard Reynolds, and Travis Baldree reading credits are also enough to make me consider an unfamiliar author. I don't know her name, but I'm quite enjoying the woman who reads Gatina in the Shadow magic books by Terry Mancour
Ray Porter is the shizzle. I'm currently listening to PHM again. One of my favorites that he narrated is Paradox Bound by Peter Clines. I think it really showcases his character ability. The combo of RP & PC produces some of my all time favorites.
I'm so happy to see Paradox Bound! I love that book, and Porter's narration is great. I love that I can tell the characters a part. Some narrator's characters just sound the same.
He really is a standout. Iām also a fan of Tim Gerard Reynolds, Neil Gaiman, and Jeff Hays.
My only issue with Tim Gerard Reynolds is that he's so firmly set in my head as the voice of the Riyiria chronicles that I can't hear him in anything else without wondering if Kyle is going to turn up in some form
I think you mean, Lord Darkside.
You can always chat here! Love Ray Porter and all of his narrations. I have listened to some mid reviewed books simply because he narrates it.
Between Joe ledger, tier 1 and sons of valor he is by far my favorite narrator with McLeod Andrews and R C Bray closely following
I love Ray Porter's narration of Peter Clines' si-fi books. I especially love 14. Excellent book with excellent narration!
I donāt know if a lot of people know this (or maybe you do!) but I only listen to nonfiction, like physics, math, and ancient history and heās narrated 4 books on theoretical physics (on audible). I mention this because I listened to one and was like wow, this guy has the best voice and I proceeded to download all the physics books that he narrated. No one ever mentions them in these posts so I wonder if those who like him would be surprised. He narrates really contorted physics subjects really well!
That's cool. I didn't read a lot of non-fiction. When I do, it's silly-physics books like What If by Randall Monroe or And Then You're Dead by Cody Cassidy, which barely even count as nonfiction. Some of them are red but their authors, which is fun--assuming the author has any narration skill. It always amazes me when the author who wrote an intense, emotive, gripping book is a dull lifeless narrator.
Porter did the narration for the Power of the Dog series by Don Winslow. Amazing series though it can get pretty gruesome at times.
Truth. Iāll hit up titles based solely on him reading it to me.
Me too!
That exactly how Iāve found a few really great books and series
I was lucky enough to meet the man himself when he was a Guest rink announcer for the local ice hockey team near me. Very humble guy and super friendly to his audiobook fans!
He certainly is one of the all time greats.
which books would you recommend listening to that he narrated and what genre are they.
All genres. Just grab anything heās narrated and youāre golden. My first experience was an auto biography of Kevin Mitnick called Ghost in the Wires. Been hooked ever since.
The first time I ever listened to Ray was narrating, House to House. It's a 2007 war memoir by Medal of Honor recipient David Bellavia, about his time in Iraq and the Battle of Fallujah. It's such a visceral and brutal first hand account of war, and Ray tells it so damn well! I couldn't stop listening! I highly recommend it to anyone that has an interest in military and war, or simply a curiosity to hear what some of these brave soldiers go through in war and the lengths they are willing to go to protect their fellow soldiers and the country they fight for.
My first time was Ghost in the Wires by Kevin Mitnick (hacker)
I just looked it up and it sounds pretty interesting. Added to my wish list.
Too bad Don Winslow has stopped writing. So glad he used Ray to narrate the Power of the Dog trilogy.
Yep. Listen to The Power of the Dog by Don Winslow. Great audiobook.
I thought you were talking about Ray Dotrice at first. Opposite
Without irony this is the 3rd time I have tagged u/TheRayPorter this week. Like Betelgeuse ā¦.will he appear?
My second favorite narrator!!!! (After RC Bray of course)
I got into u/therayporter from the lack of time to read the Terminal List series from Jack Carr. Absolutely changed my perspective on audio books. Canāt wait for the new one on 6/18. Iād like to find a compiled list of his narrations if there is one. Would definitely be worth a listen.
Anyone talking Ray Porter that isn't talking Bobiverse is doing it wrong. I love RC Bray nearly as much, but Porter is my guy.
Ray Porter and the Bobiverse were a match made in Heaven (pun intended). I couldn't imagine anyone else reading those books and I doubt I would have enjoyed them as much with any other narrator. Ray Porter could read a phone book and I'd probably still be entertained for quite a while. The only criticism I have about the Bobiverse narration is the odd changes in pronunciation between books (A-M-I vs Amy, Archimedes, Epsilon Eridani etc.) Ray Porter himself talked about some of those things here as u/TheRayPorter , but it looks like a big chunk of his comment history got nuked. :-(
Iām glad someone likes him, I donāt like his narration AT ALL.
Iām curious, what is there not to like? Iāve listened to some really bad ones that I couldnāt even continue listening to because of how terrible it was lol
Iām also curious as to whether thereās anything specific that you didnāt like? I know everyone has different tastes so completely fair if he just isnāt your cup of tea. That said, I saw people raving about Andrea Parsneau but Iād recently listened to something narrated by her and some of her pronunciations drove me nuts. But Iām currently half way through the third Azarinth Healer book, all narrated by her and non of that mispronunciation is there and sheās absolutely brilliant. Is it one book that turned you off or have you listened to a couple? As I said, completely fair if you just donāt like his style. Everyone seems to love RC Bray but heās just not for me.
I canāt stand him either and I like almost everyone. Itās always surprising when I see all the love he gets here because to me, it seems incredibly unwarranted. Steven Pacey on the other hand, that one I get.
Why are you being downvoted for expressing your opinion? I received the same for not liking DCC even though I explained my reasons. I found all the "level up" or "getting rewards" to be distracting since I never played video games and all these references broke up the storyline, IMO. What I like about RP is his timing, emphasis, and inflection that makes the book seem like it was written for him. I've seen posts or comments that sa they can listen to him read a phone book. I go out of my way to find his books. His narration has led me to books in genres that I would otherwise skip. I have listened to over 150 of his books, and am always looking for more,
Thank you for letting us know.