"The Great Frank Muller"
I used to read a lot of books.
Now I listen to a lot of books.
I’ve switched to audio books
because I spend too many hours every day
at my computer monitor,
where I do just about all my work.
These days I take in more fiction than I once did.
For years I delved into science, philosophy, self-help,
and on and on.
After today’s long work day here at the PC
I’m pretty wound up,
and a good story will stop my obsessing
about what I plan to do tomorroow.
I like suspense, mystery, humor, excitement,
and a trip through the light fantastic.
A few of my favorites are
Mark Twain, Dean Koonts, Elmore Leonard, J.R.R. Tolkien,
Robert B. Parker, William Kottswinkle (Who?),
Peter Straub, Douglas Adams, and Stephen King.
But, with audio books, it’s important who reads them to you.
There are good audio book readers,
and bad ones.
It can make all the difference.
I’ve left books unfinished because of annoying actors.
I believe the best book narrator of all time was Frank Muller.
Frank Muller isn’t dead,
but, sadly, he probably won’t be reading to us any more.
He received serious brain damage in a motorcycle accident.
I just brought home a bunch of audio books read by Muller,
some of which I’ve read before,
but I want to hear him again.
He brings them to more than life.
Frank can merely say “Chapter One” and draw you right in.
He has a voice from a distant world...
a strange dimension of mystery, adventure and fantasy.
He has dozens of great voices, accents, and mannerisms
for the characters in his stories.
He makes some books better than they really are.
I have just ordered two more that I want to experience again:
“The Talisman”, by Stephen King and Peter Straub,
and King’s “Bag of Bones”.
The only Frank Muller performances I won’t listen to again
are books I just don’t like.
I don’t want anything with Tim LeHaye’s name on it,
and I won’t get near anything written by Clive Barker.
He’s just sick.
Even Frank Muller can’t save these.
Frank Muller is recovering slowly,
but it’s doubtful that his magic voice will carry us off to other worlds again,
except in reruns,
which are what I’m enjoying now.
You can learn more about Frank Muller
at: http://bitchen.com/muller/
Copyright © July 23, 2004 Jack Blanchard. All rights reserved.
Reprinted by permission.
