Dragons of Autumn Twilight

By: Margaret Weis, Tracy Hickman

Narrated by: Paul Boehmer

Length: 20 hrs

Publisher's Summary

Lifelong friends, they went their separate ways. Now they are together again, though each holds secrets from the others in his heart. They speak of a world shadowed with rumors of war. They speak of tales of strange monsters, creatures of myth, creatures of legend. They do not speak of their secrets. Not then. Not until a chance encounter with a beautiful, sorrowful woman, who bears a magical crystal staff, draws the companions deeper into the shadows, forever changing their lives and shaping the fate of the world.

No one expected them to be heroes.

Least of all, them.

©1984 TSR, Inc., Cover Copyright 2000 Wizards of the Coast LLC (P)2013 Audible, Inc.

COULDN'T FINISH LISTENING

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

Love this book - but will not recommend ANYONE to listen to the audiobook version. I'm so very disappointed and upset that I wasted a credit on it. :(

How could the performance have been better?

I've read this book several years ago and LOVE the series, but I was absolutely disappointed with the audiobook by this reader. I had to stop listening. It was so very poorly read that I couldn't listen to the book itself. When others say "Shatneresque" quality - they truly weren't kidding. Why would anyone hire this person to read an audio book for them? I've never stopped listening before, but I just couldn't continue. It was so distracting. I only gave one star for performance because it wouldn't let me leave it with "0" stars.

93 of 99 people found this review helpful

Dissapointing Narration of a Classic Favorite

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Paul Boehmer?

I would have loved to have heard this narrated by Micheal Kramer or Dick Hill or really, almost anyone else. I'm really having a hard time understanding why anyone would go to the trouble of creating a whole new recording and not put in the effort to find a competent reader. The pace is jerky, and comes off almost as an advanced automatic reader program. The dialogue is better than the narration, but this only makes the entire performance more jarring as it switches between dialogue and narration. Another reviewer used "Shattner-esque" to describe the delivery, and I thought that was absolutely spot-on.

Any additional comments?

This book is a classic favorite for a lot of people, so it is very disappointing that a competent voice actor could not have been assigned to do the reading.

152 of 164 people found this review helpful

Shatner-esque reading distracting

What disappointed you about Dragons of Autumn Twilight?

The narrator randomly changes tempo and inflection between words. The voices are a little better than the story, but the Shatner-esque style of this narrator burns through even during his heaviest intonations.

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Paul Boehmer?

Michael Kramer would have been excellent.

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Disappointment. This narrator makes it very hard to concentrate on the story.

83 of 92 people found this review helpful

Classic book; terrible narration

Would you listen to Dragons of Autumn Twilight again? Why?

No. Not until they decide to get a competent narrator.

What did you like best about this story?

Classic fantasy based in the world of Dungeons and Dragons. Descriptive language and colorful characters.

What didn’t you like about Paul Boehmer’s performance?

He reads like a robot and emphasized every syllable in every word. He reminds me of some of the folks on NPR..not in a good way.

Any additional comments?

Do not waste your money on this audiobook until they get a proper narrator. Buy a physical copy and read it in your own voice, you will be much happier.

38 of 43 people found this review helpful

Painful to listen to

The story was very good, but the narrator had a lot of weird pauses in his reading. It was like random commas were thrown into the book and he was having to adjust for them.

5 of 5 people found this review helpful

Poor Narration

What didn’t you like about Paul Boehmer’s performance?

Paul makes the story way to choppy. His narration is very bumpy and makes listening to the story very difficult. After about a couple hours I just couldn't listen anymore.

10 of 11 people found this review helpful

Bland Performance Ruins Great Story

Why is Paul Boehmer getting work narrating fantasy? I suffered through his inept performance of Brent Weeks' Way of Shadows Trilogy. I purchased the Dragonlance Chronicles out of love for the story and in hopes that Boehmer had gotten better. No such luck. Boehmer gives us a lesson in diction and pronunciation rather than a dramatic performance. His voice characterizations are weak and often don't fit the character as described in the text. Many are so similar as to confuse the listener about which character is speaking. His pacing is awkward and does not match the action or pace the story demands (i.e. scenes of relaxed conversation are performed with the same level of emotion as scenes of combat and suspense). He punches every word in a sentence as if he went to the William Shatner School for the Dramatic Arts. Arrgh! I love these books but cringe every other minute as I listen to Boehmer's precise recitation of each consonant in every word! I long for a performance of the Chronicles by Steven Pacey or Roy Dotrice, even the original reading by Peter MacNichol was better.

51 of 60 people found this review helpful

Painful

The narration made this book unlistenable!! Very monotone, it felt like the narrator was reading a children's book!! Pass on this one.

44 of 53 people found this review helpful

A beloved book

I have loved this book since I was a teenager. I read my copies of the whole series until they were falling apart. I was excited to see Audible get them and scared at the same time, several of my beloved books had been ruined by the narration. I am very glad to report this one was not.

The narration lacked some emotion but I can not honestly say if that is the narrator or the writing. Obviously things read and loved as a teenager are not read and loved the same way as an adult. But even with this it still ranks high in story and performance for me.

The story itself is your typical D&D adventure, heroes, antagonist, monsters, magic, all woven together by a master Storyteller, and adventures. These are worlds I love and can get lost in. True fantasy through and though, a world to help you escape from the world around you. A beginning of a tale of adventures that you follow through the good and bad across the course of the series. A classic.

13 of 16 people found this review helpful

Good Perfromance

Would you listen to Dragons of Autumn Twilight again? Why?

Paul Boehmer has done a good job with this. I'm sorry Ax Norman didn't get the chance to re-record the books himself, as I'm sure he could have done a good job too. Unfortunately, his previous performance was not excellent. I'm back to reading Dragonlance books thanks to Audible, so I'm reading the War of Souls series and listening again to the Chronicled and I admit I was at first disappointed. That's why a second listening is "necessary", to reestablish "order" in the universe!

What was one of the most memorable moments of Dragons of Autumn Twilight?

I've always loved the inn scene, when we meet all the main characters. I think the authors did a great job there of introducing the characters, give information about them, and proceed with the story. Laurana's introduction too is a memorable moment for me. I remember when I read it the first time twenty years ago, I was besotted with her!

Have you listened to any of Paul Boehmer’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No, it's my first. Good job, nice characterization, the pacing is flawless. When you realize you want to go on listening to the rest, the performer has done their job. This guy certainly works. :-)

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

I do not like that. because I think it's too much information at once. I like to listen to audiobooks in more than one sitting in order to savour all the elements.

Any additional comments?

What about the legends? Do Audible plan to re-record those novels as well?

14 of 18 people found this review helpful

Great story but there are issues with narration

Would you try another book written by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman or narrated by Paul Boehmer?

I would certainly try another book written by Margaret Weis and/or Tracy Hickman.

What other book might you compare Dragons of Autumn Twilight to, and why?

This book is basically a Dungeons & Dragons adventure turned into a novel. Imagine the best D&D game you've had, but written down as a novel.

Would you be willing to try another one of Paul Boehmer’s performances?

Probably not. I have a problem with his delivery. His intonation and pacing is often wrong. My main issue is the way he reads the comma after dialogue as a full stop.

e.g. "Take hold of the staff!", Raistlin said.

is read by the narrator as:

"Take hold of the staff!". Raistlin said.

He intones upwards instead of down in these situations , after too great a pause and it grates on me somewhat.

Could you see Dragons of Autumn Twilight being made into a movie or a TV series? Who would the stars be?

It would make a very good TV series.

Any additional comments?

Its a shame Michael Kramer didn't get the job of reading this story.

15 of 15 people found this review helpful

Dreadful Performance

Stuttering, monotone and slow. There was no rhythm or performance. Unlistenable. The story itself is a childhood favourite and is fantastic.

10 of 10 people found this review helpful

Fantastic story but unemotional narrative

Where does Dragons of Autumn Twilight rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Pretty high because I just love this classic story, iti s everything that Dungeons and Dragons ought to be, put into story form and brought to life through an exciting storyline and colourful characters that have a depth and life of their own.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Raistlin, always the underdog, always hated and mistrusted yet the only one throughout the entire series with the greatest amount of power... and that underlying sense of moral guidance that redeems his character just at the last moment.

What didn’t you like about Paul Boehmer’s performance?

Terrible, too mechanical and totally unemotional. Every word is enunciated to the last syllable and the timing is well off. This narrator does not have a feel for the story, and it seems he is just narrating a bunch of meaningless words from a page which has been put in front of him for no other purpose than to read it out loud. Ax Norman would have been a MUCH better choice in my humble opinion...

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

There were many not just one, but to mention a few, the moment when Tasslehof dies trying to open a door for Tika when they are under the spell of Lorac... the moment when Raistlin finally gets the dragon orb under control and the sense of pure ecstasy that he felt once it's knowledge was his... the final battle with the queen of darkness... need I say more?

Any additional comments?

I love the Dragonlance books, they are very well written and there is so much depth and history to the world which is brought to life by the characters under the guidance of the authors. I cannot praise these books highly enough.

7 of 7 people found this review helpful

Disappointed with the reader

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

I loved the books but was very disappointed by the narrator

How did the narrator detract from the book?

He sounded like a robot or digital voice. Had no feeling

Was Dragons of Autumn Twilight worth the listening time?

No

Any additional comments?

I have purchased the trilogy and am no looking forward to listening to the rest of them with this narrator

5 of 5 people found this review helpful

Disappointed

This was the first fantasy book I ever read, 22 years ago to be exact so when i saw it audible i was excited but the narration was awful. Every character has exactly the same voice and whispers and shouts are the same pitch. Its left down an amazing story and I'm glad I didn't but all the books at once. A real shame.

5 of 5 people found this review helpful

A fun story that brought back many memories

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

That headline probably tells you all you need to know about how to approach this review. Myself and this book have a past so my feelings towards it are cradled in the warm glow of nostalgia. To my delight, it held up well, though it certainly has many flaws. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a breezy fantasy romp. It doesn't demand too much from the reader, but it delivers a fun world with strong characters, great action, and a nice smattering of humour to leaven the heavier dramatic elements. At times it is all too clear that the narrative was constructed from Dungeons & Dragons game modules, but there is more than enough merit in the story to make it worthwhile.

What other book might you compare Dragons of Autumn Twilight to, and why?

Magician by Raymond E. Feist. The works of David Eddings. Lord of The Rings. I would compare it to the former two as I discovered them all at the same point in my life. I went from one series to the other and they made wonderful companion pieces. I compare it to the latter as all fantasy inevitably comes back to Tolkien.

What three words best describe Paul Boehmer’s voice?

Clear. Warm. Posh.

Could you see Dragons of Autumn Twilight being made into a movie or a TV series? Who would the stars be?

I have seen it made into a movie; an awful animated one! Watch it at your peril. However, I think that in the right hands it could make a great film.

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

Classic

Loved this as a kid and enjoyed listening again. The narration was ok although I think he forgot which accents he'd associated to certain characters at certain points which took away from the performance for me.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Why do I never learn

Loved this book when I first read it in my teens, sent me off reading the whole Dragonlance series, forgotten realms etc.
I think this is a book for young teens and not for the older geezas!

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Dragons of Autumn Twilight

Would you listen to Dragons of Autumn Twilight again? Why?

One of the first books I read when first taking my head out of comics, no pictures to help with the story and yet I could see everything so clearly in my head, the story pulled me along making me finish it as soon as possible. The thing I like most about theses audible versions is that it forces me to a set pace where I can absorb everything and pick up on things I may have glossed over during my pervious 4 or 5 readings of the book.

Did Paul Boehmer do a good job differentiating each of the characters? How?

I cant say that Paul did the best job, sometimes it seemed that he was simply reading the lines and as such the necessary emphasises were not in right place and for me this disrupted the flow of the story, however at other times I felt Paul provided gravitas to various situations which drew me deeper into the story. Still I would have liked a greater distinction between the characters such as the grumbling dwarf and the carefree kender

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Audible. Please consider your audience.

First of all, the story: yeah, it's ok. Showing its age, full of incomprehensible back story, useless in its depiction of women, but a reasonable adventure for a bit of nostalgia.

Now, the narration.
Audible, this story has been written for kids. (And before anyone over 18 is tempted to yell, "Dungeons and Dragons isn't for kids!", I suggest you take a good look at your life.
This is a book with a target audience of about sixteen. It's Gateway Fantasy. More specifically, it's aimed at boys.

Sixteen year old boys like action, excitement, passion, pace, and drama. Anyone who works with this audience will tell you that keeping teens interested requires imagination, effort and drive, and these are the qualities which are missing from this Audible production.
Paul narrates this story with all the energy and fervour of a chemistry essay.

I got this to keep my kids (both older teens) entertained on a long journey, and by the middle of chapter 3, they were begging me to put the radio on.
"He's just terrible." Was my daughter's verdict. My son took great delight in doing impressions of his stilted monotone for much of the next week.

I came back to it some weeks later and discovered that it was just about bearable if I selected a listening speed of 1.5. I'm sorry, Paul, but I simply can't process information as slowly as you read it.

Other reviewers have hit the nail on the head here. The pace and intonation are way off. While every word is clear, the sentences make no sense, with the conclusion of each sentence sounding like a fresh proposition.

Action sequences, comic relief, intrigue, description, all roll by at the same pace, with no emphasis or excitement creeping in to break up the monotony.

Come on, Audible. I challenge you to do better. This is apparently a re-recording of this work because the previous effort was so poor. Surely you guys have quality control? Auditions? Producers who check work for listenability?

12 of 20 people found this review helpful