Maybe the world of audiobooks has never appealed to you: why listen to a book when you could read it instead?
Well, I’m here to tell you that some books are even better when listened to. A certain magic is added to the fantasy reading experience when the perfect narrator voices the characters exactly the way they’re meant to be heard. They can help transport you into the fantasy genre more effectively, perhaps, than your eyes simply scanning a page.
So whether you’re hesitant to listen to an audiobook or have listened to many and love them, these are 5 audiobooks that are so perfectly done, you’ll forever associate the narrators’ voices with the books and fantastic scenes they contain.
- The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater
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This series consists of the four books pictured here, each of which has an audiobook read by the same narrator, Will Patton. He does a fantastic job of making each character’s voice incredibly unique while also providing just the right magical tone for this modern fantasy series set in small-town Virginia. To make matters even better, you can find all of the audiobooks in the series FOR FREE on Spotify!
- The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern
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This audiobook has no less than six different narrators, each of them handling a different storyline within this standalone novel. Individually and all together, they weave a silky tale of stories within stories. It’s in the magical realism genre, and I have to say, I’ve never read anything quite like it. I would highly recommend this audiobook for anyone who has a love of stories and storytelling! It’ll have you wondering what’s really behind every door. . . .
- Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo
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This is the first book of a series, though its sequel is not out yet. There are two narrators who alternate, one narrating for each of the two main characters, Alex and Darlington. This is another modern fantasy, set in the surprisingly dark lanscape of Yale’s secret societies. Fair warning: this has some fairly heavy stuff with gore, sexual assault, etc. But if you’re up for it, the story as its told by these narrators will sweep you away in the unfolding mystery.
- The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
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This is a historical fantasy based on the mythology of the Illiad. It tells the tale of Achilles, but from the perspective of his friend and lover, Patroclus. The narrator has an incredibly rich voice that gives the story a layer of such depth beyond the words on the pages. I can’t recommend this one highly enough. It’s heartbreaking, but in the most beautiful sort of way. Be prepared for all the feels.
- The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzie Lee
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This delight of an audiobook takes place across eighteenth-century Europe. There are pirates, alchemy, sibling squabbles, and the main character is a young bisexual lord-to-be on an adventure with his sister and his best friend. And its narrator manages to convey every nuance of the tale perfectly. Technically, this is the first book in a trilogy, but it can be read as a standalone novel perfectly well because each book focuses on a different sibling.
I hope at least one of these audiobooks appeals to you! They’re all some of my all-time favorites. Happy listening!