apopinax apopinax apopinax apopinax

[other]

I’m not sure if it is my imagination or merely my brain trying coalesce connections between fiction and reality, but after having listened to Frank Muller’s enthused narration of black house an idea sprouted to mind.

However, let me preface my idea with a brief introduction regarding my experience with Muller’s work with King, namely of course, his narration of his novels for the audiobook format. Recently I’ve become somewhat obsessed with audiobooks. Perhaps my first and greatest introduction to the power of the audiobook was while devouring the entire Dark Tower series back to back to back...well you get the idea. During these audible sessions I really found a great love for the actual art of oral story telling. Writing the story is the genesis of the creation, however its physical presence is only brought to life in its reading. And while I am a deft reader with some sort of imagination, nothing compares to the nuanced reading of an esteemed, well spoken actor, namely frank Muller. Muller's work on the Dark Tower series is, I believe, an integral part of its mythos because he truly brings the series to life with his riveting narration. Every character is perfectly distinguishable and each has their own well thought out design intensely more detailed than a cinematic based actor. Muller's power to perfectly personify King's characters is a feat in itself; however his power in dramatizing King’s work is even more of accomplishment. He has such an innate ability to convey the plots emotional tone. He is truly a masterful orator and his work stands for itself. Every fan of King’s work owes it to themselves to listen to these collaborations.

Which brings me to the point of this long winded post? I have just finished listening to Black House after having just listened to The Talisman (both narrated by Muller) and both were masterful narrations. Two of Muller’s characterizations will be forever embedded in my mind after having listened to these two books. The first is the forever lovable Wolf. Ill simply say that I loved Muller’s Wolf. It is amazing. The second is the hyper intuitive, schizo radio jockey, Henry Leyden…a role seemingly tailor made for Muller.

Ipso facto

Was Leyden an homage to Muller? Was it conscience or unconscious? I would guess that Black House must have been one of the last books Muller narrated.

art imitating life?

So I suppose this a query directed at those familiar with Muller’s work and narrations.

[Themats]

Very strange--I feel exactly the same way about audiobooks and Muller as you. I am listening/"reading" Dark House right now for the first time, and was wondering the same thing.

I have taken to listening to King's books versus reading them any chance I get, in large part to the brilliance of Muller. I've never read a word of the Dark Tower series, and was saddened to learn that he'd passed away and wouldn't be finishing the series.

In my mind your point about Leyden being tailor made for Muller has better than even odds of being true. I forget which book it was, but King wrote that he listened to the audio books of the first few DT books Muller read in preparation for beginning the task of writing the rest of the books in the series. He wrote with what seemed a great deal of sadness at his passing as well as incredible esteem for his work in life.

Mike

[other]

I forget which book it was, but King wrote that he listened to the audio books of the first few DT books Muller read in preparation for beginning the task of writing the rest of the books in the series. He wrote with what seemed a great deal of sadness at his passing as well as incredible esteem for his work in life.

I remember this. I believe it was an afterword or post script for one of the dark tower books, Wizard and Glass probably. I wonder if the bit about Muller was written in the actual book as well. Like you, I don’t own a physical copy so I don’t know if it was exclusive to the audiobook version.

Rereading and looking up material proves to be a pain with audiobooks...I actually was looking up how to spell apopinax. the only reference I even found was about an apopinax tree...whatever that is??

though now this thread is the fifth result on google! its famous!!

Anyways, Muller will be missed. It’s funny reading all this debate about the dark tower film adaptation. If people want a faithful dramatic adaptation of the dark tower series, they should just listen to the audiobook. Most likely the film will be "abriged" while the audiobook will remain completely true to the literature...supposedly there was a time when people listened to radio productions as if they were the movies.

weirdos!

As a side note, George Guidall does an awesome job starting and ending the series. It seems that Muller did take some cues from guidall and vice versa. So there is some narrative continuity.

I actually just purchased Guidall's audiobook version of Every Man Dies Alone.

[Schpidah]

I agree completely with all of you. Muller's performance of the Dark Tower Books and all the other Stephen King books I have listened to, with him as narrarator, are inspired performances. I have gone through the Dark Tower 4 times now and The Talisman 2x and am on my 3rd listen to Black House right now. Muller brings great depth and intensity to an already deep and intense work. He fleshes out the characters until each has a unique identity that we recognize immediately from Muller's voice when the character speaks even without cues in the dialogue as to who is speaking.

In no way am I knocking George Guidall's performance, as he is also a fantastic performer, and I am a fan, but I believe he actually took his cues in his reading from Frank Muller. Frank Muller actually performed the original The Gunslinger audiobook, and then after Frank Muller's accident, when the Revised The Gunslinger was released George Guidall, who had picked up the torch for the remaining Dark Tower Books, performed it.

I am very excited about the possibilities for the coming movies, and I hope they can capture a 10th of the breadth that these audio performances have delivered to us.

*also if you enjoy George Guidall's narraration, you should really enjoy his reading of Tony Hillerman's books. They are phenomenal performances.

Cheers!

[Lencho_of_the_Apes]

Since you were looking for it, the correct spelling is "apoponax." Here's a definition. http://answers.yahoo.com/question/in...9154738AA9kx7j

We all float down here.

[~Ally~]

Hi, the correct spelling in "Black House" is "opopanax."

Jack uses this word towards the beginning of the novel in a negative, anxious way. The opopanax seems to be something he fears, yet he never explains exactly what it is, instead using the word continually in varying descriptive references. He feels the opopanax grips him "in it's claws," and in the "Dark Tower" there is mention of an "opopanax feather" which suggests to me the opopanax is a bird of some sort. At least in Kings Universe. Just my opinion though.

[other]

In no way am I knocking George Guidall's performance, as he is also a fantastic performer, and I am a fan, but I believe he actually took his cues in his reading from Frank Muller. Frank Muller actually performed the original The Gunslinger audiobook, and then after Frank Muller's accident, when the Revised The Gunslinger was released George Guidall, who had picked up the torch for the remaining Dark Tower Books, performed it.

Hey! people more people replied. woo!

What's the deal with the Frank Muller versions of The Gunslinger? Is it only available on cassette? I would love to hear Muller start the series. I also read somewhere that there is a version of Drawing of Three read by King. King's no Muller, however, I would love to hear his interpretation.

[Moderator]

You may be able to find copies of Frank Muller's reading of the original version of The Gunslinger on the secondary market but it would only be on cassette. When the edited edition of The Gunslinger was released, they took that version out of print so will not be making it available on CD. Stephen's readings are only available on cassette on the secondary market.

[other]

You may be able to find copies of Frank Muller's reading of the original version of The Gunslinger on the secondary market but it would only be on cassette. When the edited edition of The Gunslinger was released, they took that version out of print so will not be making it available on CD. Stephen's readings are only available on cassette on the secondary market.

Aha...I see. Thank you!

Its sad that these relics are lost in a sea of retro-technologic bureaucracy.

poo.

[Spideyman]

Recently listened to the entire journey of the Dark Tower. The audio books were bought for my daughter as each book was published since she drove a distance to work. Finally, I was able to listen to them all. I do have SK reading The Drawing of the Three. The first four books are all on cassettes. Frank Muller reading the original Gunslinger. Song of Susannah starts the CD's being read by George Guidall. It was in SOS that Steve mentioned listening to the audios to refresh the journey in his mind. Must admit, listening to the audio was a very moving experience. Very different that reading the books. You can not miss a beat with audio.