There are now several ways you can enjoy a novel from your favorite authors whether you want to read it through physical or electronic books, or have someone narrate the events through audiobooks. If you're planning to opt for audiobooks instead, here are things you need to consider before making a purchase.
Audiobook Pros
1. It allows you to multitask. When you have a physical or electronic book, your hands won't be as free and your eyes need to be glued to the pages to read. This leaves you with little freedom to do anything else. With audiobooks, all you have to do is listen allowing you to do menial tasks like chores as you do.
2. It prevents eye and neck strain. Avid book readers already know the pain of eye and neck strain all too well, which is a result of prolonged reading and staying in the same position for hours on end. With audiobooks, you can listen with your eyes closed in the most comfortable position without compromising the ability to hold up a book or e-book.
3. The experience can be more engaging. Most of the time, audiobook narrators are chosen by the author. That means however was picked managed to capture the essence of the book with the way they tell it. In a way, you will hear the story with the same emotion and emphasis the author had in mind.
4. It can be cheaper than physical or e-books. Depending on what kind of content and how often you listen to them, you can save on costs if you go for subscription-based services that offer vast libraries of audiobooks. All you need is a device that you likely already have, which means there are no extra costs for things like e-readers.
Audiobook Cons
1. Some readers comprehend the stories better when they read about them. Similar to those who rely on subtitles to fully understand a film or a show, reading the context is sometimes the preferred way to understand a story. With audiobooks being limited to audio, you might not be able to comprehend or enjoy it as much.
2. It leaves little to interpretation. One of the advantages of reading something for yourself is that you get to interpret the events and dialogue yourself, which is why the reading experience tends to change when you reread a novel after several years. Since the narrator already does the emphasis and emotion themselves, it's already an established experience.
3. There's a limited library of titles. Not all books have audiobook versions, unfortunately, which means that the ones you want to listen to might not be available. This can be an issue if you have a subscription to audiobook services. The monthly charge may not be worth it, and you'll have to resort to physical or e-books anyway.
4. You have no control over the pace. With reading texts, you get to decide how slow or fast you read to fully understand the events. With audiobooks, you'll have to follow the pace the narrator is speaking in. You might grow impatient when they read too slowly or miss a few details if they read too fast.
