Best Fantasy Audiobooks
Reading a fantasy novel can transport you to a world of fantasy and danger that is far removed from everyday life, just like a dragon is not like a mouse. What about hearing one? The experience is like being guided through an otherworldly landscape by someone who knows their way around all those haunted graveyards and enchanted towers.
A guide to 45 of the best fantasy audiobooks is the perfect itinerary if you feel like visiting somewhere truly magical. From courtly intrigues to street-side capers, heroic hobbits to cowardly dragons, there's bound to be something here to delight your imagination - or to break your heart.
1. Mary Robinette Kowal narrates Amberlough by Lara Elena Donnelly
In Donnelly's sexy historical fantasy, Berlin in the 1920s is transformed into a world of silken glamour, queer romance, and political intrigue: a world of silken glamour, queer romance, and political intrigue. Debut author Lara Elena Donnelly's steampunk novel has dancers, smugglers, and spies scrambling to survive a looming fascist revolution instead of knights and wizards.
A fantasy author and puppeteer, Mary Robinette Kowal incorporates both storytelling and theatrical performance into her narration. She brings the louche delights of Amberlough City to life with her talented voice.
2. The Axe and the Throne by David Ireman with narration by Matt Cowlrick
A dark addition to the sword and sworcery fantasy subgenre, it follows Tallos, a man on a doomed voyage north.
Stems is compelled to act when he finds out the eldest sons of his lifelong friend have been kidnapped by the barbarous Northman. The boy chases the boys with a pit in his stomach, knowing that if he finds them, they will already be dead. The stems are not on a rescue mission and only want to return their bodies to their parents.
3. David Walliams narrates Roald Dahl's The BFG
Even though Roald Dahl died 29 years ago, his books will always be part of children's literature. He takes Sophie, who is kidnapped by the giant and taken to a strange, foreign land, on one of his more adventurous triumphs. Bye-bye, cucumbers, gelato, and Corgis - hello, snozzcumbers, frobscottles, and Bloodbottlers!
You need to hear this audiobook if you want to take a ride on an outlandish and charming rollercoaster. Williams' narration alone is worth listening to. It is in fact remarkable how skillfully Dahl produces these invented words ("argy," "biffsquiggled," "bundongle," "catesterous," "crodsquinkled"), that you might wonder if he's not related to the BFG himself.
This book's narrator is not a My Little Ponies alumni, but it has plenty of dark plot twists. Tallos finds out what he had expected to find was even worse.
4. By Leife Shallcross, narrated by Jim Dale
A name like Leife Shallcross belongs in a fantasy novel, but being splashed across the cover of one isn't bad either. Her debut novel, The Beast's Heart, lives up to its fantastical title. This retelling of Beauty and the Beast approaches the tale from the Beast's perspective, laid out in a brooding Byronic style worthy of a cursed prince in 17th-century France.
Dale's performance is a tour de force, as his connection to Shallcross' first-person text is both palpable and heartbreaking. As he takes us through the Beast's emotional journey - from despair to resignation to hope - he is careful to give us a glimpse into Ysabeau's interiority as well. Although the narrator tracks his own teetering between being a creature and a man, it's his self-awareness that makes this audiobook so compelling.
5. Dion Graham narrates Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James
The first book in a planned trilogy, Black Leopard, Red Wolf, is being hailed as an African Game of Thrones. When Marlon James pitched it that way, it turned out he was joking. The Booker Prize winner's fantasy harkens to GRRM with its ambition, sweep, and pitch-black tone.
The story of Black Leopard, Red Wolf opens with the mercenary Tracker dispatched to find a missing child. In order to find the same lost boy, Tracker joins forces with a makeshift crew of fellow hunters as he navigates a hostile landscape filled with vampires and demons. Red Wolf is dense, heady, and framed by the surreal. It stays with you long after you turn the final page or hear the silence that follows the last word. Dialogue is interpreted with remarkable sensitivity by Dion Graham in his low-rumbling baritone, keeping you spellbound for all 24 hours of the audiobook.
6. Anthony Ryan's Blood Song, narrated by Steven Brand
Tony Ryan's stylish epic fantasy debut established him as a genre stalwart. Despite being self-published, it has already been praised by Buzzfeed and Publisher's Weekly for its streamlined pace and well-drawn characters.
Penguin Random House purchased Blood Song as part of a three-book deal. Vaelin Al Sorna was not even a teenager when his father sent him to the Brothers of the Sixth Order to become a deadly, celibate warrior of the Faith. He all but stumbles into a destiny that will reshape the realm as he grieves for his prematurely ended childhood and resents his abandonment. Ryan's style is reflected in Steven Brand's velvety voice.
7. The Broken Earth by N. K. Jemisin, narrated by Robin Miles
There are times when a once-in-a-generation voice emerges in the fantasy genre that you cannot ignore. Such is the case with N.K. Jensen. Three out of four installments of her The Broken Earth trilogy won the Hugo Award for Best Novel - an unprecedented feat unlikely to be matched for years to come. Furthermore, it deserves all the accolades it has received.
Its deeply original premise alone sets it apart: on a supercontinent called the Stillness, the land is ravaged every few centuries by massive earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. In this world, Essun has to find and save her daughter, who has been stolen by her husband. You have a future classic in your hands thanks to an impressive worldbuilding, rich prose, and narration read by Robin Miles.
8. Mark Lawrence, narrated by James Clamp, The Broken Empire
Grimdark fiction has become one of your favorite genres. Why not give it a try? Check out the Broken Empire trilogy by Mark Lawrence. In Prince of Thorns, nine-year-old Prince Jorg witnesses the slaughter of his mother and brother during an attack on the palace. (See? Grim and dark.) Jorg flees to the company of a bloodthirsty gang and spends his adolescence there. As he waits for the right moment to return to the castle and retake what's his, they teach him their violent ways.
9. Stephen King's The Dark Tower, narrated by George Guidall and Frank Muller
Stephen King's eight-part Dark Tower series is one of those delightfully long reads that will keep you occupied on an otherwise endless road trip, much like Lord of the Rings and A Song of Ice and Fire. In contrast to the aforementioned epics, King's The Dark Tower offers a scintillating combination of genres unlikely to tire you: horror, science fiction, dark fantasy, and Arthurian legend. As the Last Gunslinger, Roland of Gilead must travel against all odds to the Dark Tower in his myth-making tale. As always, George Guidall delivers a pitch-perfect narration, bringing King's gritty supernatural world to nail-biting life.
10. Discworld by Terry Pratchett, narrated by Nigel Planer
Pseudo-European Medieval settings? Not so much. A forest filled with sentient trees? Sure. No. A castle under siege? Wrong. While it might be an epic fantasy, Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series strays far from the setting-related tropes of the genre. Instead, this fantasy takes place in the magical, eponymous planet Discworld, which stands on the backs of four massive elephants, who in turn balance on the back of the Great A’Tuin, a giant turtle swimming slowly through the interstellar gulf. Naturally.
The series starts with The Colour of Magic, a 7-hour listen that tells the story of a group of expeditioners intent on exploring Discworld. And if you’re at all worried the first novel is just an extended exposition, don’t fret. You'll encounter dragons that only exist if you believe in them (Tinkerbell flashbacks, anyone?) and gain insight into what lies beyond the Discworld's edge.
11. James Marsters narrates The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher
It's one of the all-stars of urban fantasy, The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher is a rollicking trip through the underbelly of Chicago populated by vampires, werewolves, talking skulls, and pretty much every other supernatural creature you can think of. We meet Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden, a wizard working for the Chicago PD. Things are about to get interesting when a series of shocking murders is committed in the city.
The masterful (or marsterful, if you will) performance by James Marsters elevates this gritty noir fantasy into an addictive listen. Harry Dresden might be about to get sucked into the book's mystery - but it's no wonder that this series still remains many fantasy fans' favorite audiobooks after more than a decade.
12. Paul Boehmer narrates the Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hobb
According to the Amazon listing for Robin Hobb's first book in the trilogy, "Assassin's Apprentice is filled with adventure, bloodshed, pageantry, piracy, mystery, and menace." That's what the book's description says. Interested? Here's what we have to say.
Fitz, the son of Prince Chivalry and a bastard, is the young man mentioned. Fitz was raised by the Prince's gruff stableman and tutored by the sinister King Shrewd (are you noticing a pattern here? ), who wishes to use the magic in Fitz' blood for his own political ends. Between his powers, his heritage, and those who seek to influence him, Fitz is being pulled in many directions. He'll have to make a decision soon. We can no longer ignore the fact that he is not only a potential threat to the throne, but also a potential key to the kingdom's future.
13. The First Law by Joe Abercrombie, narrated by Steven Pacey
This intriguing new Fantasy novel has been compared to Game of Thrones, but it is anything but: twisty, grimdark, and garnished with dry humor, The First Law convinces with a lush world and its own cast of complex anti-heroes. Jezal dan Luthar, a self-obsessed officer; Logan, a broken warrior; Inspector Glokta, a tortured torturer; and Bayaz, a mysterious magician, lead the ruffians.
Each of these four characters must reckon with the other - and themselves - when a political standoff begins to deteriorate and war sweeps the continent. Steven Pacey adds a delicious layer of characterization and emotional resonance in a performance that will surely go down in history.
14. Michael Page narrates Scott Lynch's The Gentleman Bastard
Ocean's Eleven was great, but what if it was set in a magical kingdom instead of Sin City? The Gentleman Bastards series, which begins with The Lies of Locke Lamora, follows a group of dashing con artists headed by an imprecise, elegant thief who has improbably escaped every authority figure thus far: Locke Lamora. When the Gray King arrives in Camorr, Locke realizes that he might have met his match in cunning when things begin to catch up with him and his dastardly gang.
Scott Lynch has woven together a diverse cast of characters, philosophies, cultures, languages, and gods into a funny, smart, and well-crafted fantasy thriller. The good news is Michael Page delivers the witty banter and twisting plots with aplomb, matching Lynch's writing with his own incredible interpretation.
15. A Girl with All the Gifts by M. R. Carey, read by Finty Williams
Beware, hypochondriacs, M. R. Carey asks what would happen if cordyceps, a parasitic fungus that can hijack the nervous system of ants, found its way onto humans in The Girl With All the Gifts. It's not pretty. But maybe it'll be your next audiobook.
Melanie, a genius, is strapped into a wheelchair by a gun-toting sergeant and wheeled from class to class by a gun-toting sergeant. All of her school's students are escorted during their schooldays. Pourquoi? Well... we'll leave that plot twist to the readers who are brave enough to delve into this labyrinth of twists. The only thing we can say is that whenever Melanie tells her favorite teacher about all her goals for the future, the teacher looks inexplicably sad...
16. Kyle McCarley narrates Katherine Addison's The Goblin Emperor
Style-wise, this book falls into the genteel fantasy of manners subgenre - think elves and goblins reenacting Jane Austen. The Goblin Emperor combines subtle social commentary with a steampunk aesthetic and a hero you can't stop rooting for. As well as the Nebula, Hugo, and World Fantasy Awards, the novel has been nominated for several other awards.
Maia, the youngest of Elfland's princes, was never meant to become emperor. Due to his birth order and half-goblin heritage, he seemed destined for a life of political obscurity - he hadn't even been raised at court. His father and half-brothers are aboard an airship that goes down. Maia must now wear a crown that wasn't meant for him, and rule a nobility that views him with contempt and fear. Kyle McCarley's eloquent narration captures the stifling formality of court life as well as Maia's journey from innocence to wisdom.
17. Helene Wecker's The Golem and the Jinni, narrated by George Guidall
Let me introduce you to Chava. A golem is a clay creature brought to life by the last breath of its creator - a beautiful, intelligent clay creature. Chava's real identity is concealed in a tinsmith's shop a few blocks away from Ahmad, a fiery jinni of Arabian legend.
Helene Wecker's intricately crafted story will inevitably bring the two together. It is also a moving portrait of the immigrant experience, which has all of the trappings of a fairy tale. In this audiobook, all-time great George Guidall provides sensitive and heartfelt narration, making this story even more original and wildly visionary.
18. Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett's Good Omens, narrated by Martin Jarvis
Good Omens features two of British fantasy's brightest stars teaming up for Armageddon with angelic good nature and demonic wit. It has been hailed as one of the genre's all-time greatest hits by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett.
Fans have been enraptured by Good Omens for almost 30 years: for decades, fanfic writers have explored the book's hilarious and touching central relationship: that of the fussy angel Aziraphale and the glamorous demon Crowley. Throughout the dramatic plot of Apocalypse, Martin Jarvis's vivid narration brings to life both the angel and the demon - not to mention the Satanic nuns, fraudulent fortune tellers, and clever occultists they get mixed up with.
19. Neil Gaiman narrates The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
On the back of such hits as Coraline and Anansi Boys, Neil Gaiman wrote The Graveyard Book in 2008. Through The Graveyard Book, he manages to elevate his stratospheric stock to even higher heights. Nobody Owens (nicknamed Bod) is raised by a ghost in a graveyard. Gaiman's usual brilliance blends breathless adventure, macabre humor, and terrifying horror.
Author Neil Gaiman and narrator Neil Gaiman are word for word identical. It's always a pleasure to hear a writer read his own work, and it's even more special when that writer is as luminous as Gaiman.
20. Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling, narrated by Jim Dale
A fantastical list would not be complete without the perennial favorite of kids and adults alike: Harry Potter! I'll give you a quick rundown of this series, for old times' sake, since you're probably already familiar with it. Harry Potter is a typical 11-year-old boy, except for one tiny detail: he defeated the Dark Lord of the wizarding world as a baby. It's not the only revelation Harry receives by owl post when he learns that he's a wizard and will be whisked off to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for seven years of adventure, intrigue, danger, and friendship.
The Harry Potter audiobooks will feed your imagination, re-creating the wonder with which you first read the books and immersing you in the phenomenon that is the wizarding world. In any case, there are two definitive narrators of Harry Potter, and there's a bit of a debate over which one is better: Jim Dale or Steven Fry. Although we (marginally) prefer Jim Dale's version, Steven Fry's audiobook is equally great.
