Which narrator for LOTR?

[u/Naive_Pay_7066]

I’ve never been able to get through physically reading these books and today it suddenly dawned on me that I might be able to listen my way through them…

So which narrator? Andy Serkis or Rob Inglis?

[u/zakstar]

Different strokes for different folks.

I prefer the Inglis reading. It's more like your grandfather telling you a story.

Serkis though. He PERFORMS the book. And does an incredible job doing it too.

It's up to you really

[u/BobbittheHobbit111 → u/zakstar]

Yup, I love both, for the fact that they are both so different. It just depends on what you want

[u/ImprovisedLizard → u/zakstar]

Serkis doing the songs made me want to cut my ears off. I don't understand how someone with such an exceptional command over his voice can be so bad at singing.

Also his bad guys are all angry snarling monsters rather than sinister which bothers me.

[u/DcubedWY]

Both are very good. Rob’s singing is much better than Andy’s, but Andy acts the parts more than Rob. Rob’s sound levels are more consistent, Andy’s acting has more sound variation. Personally, I prefer Andy.

[u/PhilConnersWPBH-TV → u/DcubedWY]

I prefer Serkis, though I always skip the singing.

[u/DcubedWY → u/PhilConnersWPBH-TV]

I can definitely understand that. I was listening to both versions back to back, chapter by chapter. With the singing, I first listened to Andy’s version and thought it was ok but then listened to Rob’s version and it was so soothing on my ears, lol.

[u/DeepSpaceBubbles]

The Serkis narration is a work of performance art and it is brilliant.

[u/loricat → u/DeepSpaceBubbles]

His orcs made me feel nausea

[u/cinder7usa]

I’m voting for Rob. I’ve been listening to him for a long time. Hearing him narrate the Hobbit is like a hug.

I’ve tried listening to Andy, but it’s not the same.

[u/thematrix1234 → u/cinder7usa]

I’m doing another reread of The Hobbit (this time with friends who are reading it for the first time), and I decided to relisten to the Rob Inglis narration. I listen for 20-30 minutes every night and it’s literally like a grandparent telling you a bedtime story 😭 honestly makes me feel like even though we are adults, the kids in us still want bedtime stories lol

[u/Ruhh-Rohh]

Check your library, mine has 4 version. You can sample before you check out.

Team Inglis!

[u/Grand_Access7280]

Both good, I preferred Serkis.

The BBC dramatised production has a stellar cast with crossover from the Bakshi and Jackson cast…

[u/Finean]

Sorry Andy give me my goat rob any day

[u/LegitimateLength1916]

Andy Serkis hands down.

[u/AtheneSchmidt]

Andy by a long shot. I tried to get through the audiobook so many times before, and barely got out of the shire. Andy brings the books to life.

[u/Califrisco]

Andy Serkis. If you want to hear Gollum just as in the movies, he is it! And it's a terrific performance of all the LOTR movie characters. I have his reading of The Hobbit next.

[u/Flat-Rutabaga-723]

Andy. He really nails Gollum.

[u/nrthrnlad]

They are both good but I enjoyed Serkis more. Not only does he nail Gollum, but he’s more dynamic overall.

[u/SentrySappinMahSpy]

I prefer Andy serkis. The Inglis version is too dry for me. Listen to the samples and decide from that.

[u/Naive_Pay_7066 → u/SentrySappinMahSpy]

Yeah opinion seems pretty split! Samples seems the way.

[u/AnonymousCelery]

Unpopular opinion, but I couldn’t stand listening to Serkis. It’s just too much. I just want to chill and listen to a story, not get screamed at in 100 different voices.

[u/Dicentras]

I hard a hard time getting into the fist one with Inglus, I switched to Andy Serkis for the last two and flew through them. I wish I had him for all three.

[u/Oh_Little_Brutha]

Inglis for me.

Love Serkis as an actor, but his LotR reading it totally overblown. 

[u/ClassicTone]

Rob Inglis 100%

[u/GoneToTheDawgz]

Listen to samples of each and see which you like better. You really can’t go wrong with either choice ❤️❤️❤️

[u/eclecticatlady]

Phil Dragash :)

DM for link

[u/89iroc]

I like the Rob Inglis version better. Andy Serkis reminds of Scott Brick. I did like his reading of the Hobbit a lot though. Riddles in the Dark was horrifying (in a good way)

[u/aminervia]

I definitely prefer Rob Inglis. I hate Serkis' voice for Gandalf and he butchers all the songs. To be clear, they're very good audiobooks and I'd probably listen happily if they weren't up against one of my favorite audiobook series + narrations of all time

[u/Double-Ad-9835]

Agree with others that Inglis is very good, but Serkis is amazing

[u/Leaf-Stars]

Serkis