Sheepfarmer's Daughter

The Deed of Paksenarrion, Book 1

By: Elizabeth Moon

Narrated by: Jennifer Van Dyck

Length: 15 hrs and 48 mins

Publisher's summary

Refusing to marry a pig farmer and joining the army, even if it means never seeing her family again, Paksenarrion begins an adventure that enables her to restore an overthrown ruler.

©1988 Elizabeth Moon (P)2010 Audible, Inc.

Sound was good, story was boring & slow

Would you try another book from Elizabeth Moon and/or Jennifer Van Dyck?

Not based on this book, no.

What was most disappointing about Elizabeth Moon’s story?

It was slow and boring. I WANTED to like it...but it just was boring and I never got "into" the character to care about her.

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Jennifer Van Dyck?

Not sure.

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

NO

Yes, the trilogy is one of my favorites, but...

Love the trilogy, but the narrator's ill-pronounced, melodramatic, and staccato reading is excruciatingly painful to listen through.

What a shame

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

Yes, the book is fantastic - the audio on this is terrible. The audio is stilted and very much like a computer with strange articulation and pauses.

Who was your favorite character and why?

No favorite character. This book is more about action. The only characters with substantial development are Paks and the Duke. I would say that the rest really are background extras that rely on stereotypical depiction rather than gleaning specific details to fully illustrate the nuance of each character.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

TERRIBLE diction, very clipped. Sounded like a computer put together pre-recorded phonetic sounds rather than an artist's performance.

Do you think Sheepfarmer's Daughter needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

Since Paks' character was slowly developing to figure out who she really is, yes I would want to read more. I would hope that she'd start making more deliberate choices rather than stumbling through her adventures with epiphanies at certain critical moments...I like very strong characters. I have watched my husband read and re-read the Paksenarrion series over and over again for the last 20 years, and we have two bookshelves of Elizabeth moon books, so I am sure they get even better.

Any additional comments?

Seems like a good foundation for a series. I

I wish I knew about this book 20 years ago

a stereotype breaker in a time when stereotypes were all that was being written.
a strong female character written by a female.

Entertaining tale, Excellent narration

I was pleasantly surprised to find the tale entertaining and it was further enhanced by the narrator. I bought the other two books in this series.

Well done all the way around.

Would you consider the audio edition of Sheepfarmer’s Daughter to be better than the print version?

No, both versions were very good. - I purchased this in addition to the The Deeds of Paksanarrion, omnibus edition, so I would have an option to listen to it as well as read it.

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

Yes, it may not be possible in all one sitting but I have no problem listening while doing other things and will find the time to finish it.

Any additional comments?

Great story and well told

Well read, with some exceptions.

The narrator's characters are excellent, with subtle accents, inflections, and tones to help differentiate as you listen. But she also has a habit of inserting long, almost William Shatter-style pauses for all characters. After a few chapters it starts to wear on you, and it ruins an otherwise great performance.

great book mediocre narrator

the narrator/reader isnt awful but they clearly did very little research in how the author wanted or pronounces the character's and places names.

awesome!

i had a hard time putting it down.
great story and adequate reading. i loved every word

Best book ever

This series has been my companion for many years. It's my favorite of all time.