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R. Nassor may spend more time with books, tea, and ceramic mugs than recommended by professionals but it hasn’t failed her so far. Nassor has a MA in English Literature from Georgetown University, where she looked at the way medieval and early modern literature reappear in fantasy books today. She’s been writing about romance, fantasy, science fiction, and pop culture for quite a while, starting at Book Riot in 2020. She’s also written for Tor.com. You can follow her on Tiktok and contact her through her website.
The best fantasy audiobooks for adults sweep readers away with deft narration. I cannot recommend them more for fun listening.
Audiobook sales have skyrocketed over the last five years. As of 2023, audiobook revenue grew to $2 billion, continuing the trend of growth in the space. With the rising accessibility and affordability of audiobooks through apps like Libby and Hoopla, as well as the growing collection of audiobooks on paid platforms like Spotify, Audible, Libro.fm, and Audiobooks.com, it’s unsurprising. It has never been easier to listen to your favorite books.
There is nothing better than listening to heroes conquering proverbial or actual dragons in fantasy worlds. Or, better yet, listening to those dragons get vengeance because they were never the bad guys in the first place. Whatever the story, a good audiobook can completely change its reception.
It’s important to point out that what makes a good fantasy book does not always make a good fantasy audiobook. So, I took into account how the narrator or narrators sounded at regular speed as well as 2x, 3x, etc. Sometimes a narrator sounds excellent, and then you want to get through the chapters a bit faster and realize you cannot understand them at all in 2x. I also took accessibility into account so all the fantasy audiobooks for adults included in this list can be found on Spotify Premium, Libro.fm, Audible, and Audiobooks.com.
There is a mix of high fantasy, low fantasy, and romantasy included in this list of the best fantasy audiobooks for adults. I even have an excellent fantasy novella on here for anyone looking for a slightly shorter read. So, let’s grab our headphones and get listening.
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Fabulous Fantasy Audiobooks for Adults
The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by S. A. Chakraborty; Narrated by Lameece Issaq, Amin El Gamal
Narrators Lameece Issaq and Amin El Gamal expertly draw you into this high fantasy high seas epic. Amina al-Sirafi survived the kind of notorious pirating career people dream of having. She, of all people, deserves a retirement where she can raise her child in peace. Unfortunately, she cannot turn down the job that shows up on her doorstep. If Amina rescues the kidnapped daughter of her former crewman, she will have enough money to feed her family for generations. But as she gets closer to rescuing the girl, Amina discovers a bevy of risks that would unsteady even the sturdiest of captains. The audiobook guides you through the complications that come with legendary acts of bravery in book one of the Amina al-Sirafi trilogy.
A River of Golden Bones by A. K. Mulford; Narrated by Vico Ortiz
Vico Ortiz of Our Flag Means Death fame is becoming a prolific narrator for nonbinary and genderqueer books like Mulford’s shifter romantasy Sleeping Beauty retelling. When twin orphan wolf shifters Calla (she/they) and Briar’s royal claim hinges on Briar’s marriage to the prince Calla loves, she cannot refuse the match. Briar prefers women but will marry Prince Grae for her people, and Calla can’t imagine objecting. Calla was raised to lead their armies, not marry her childhood best friend. But at her twin’s wedding, fate changes romantic pairings, and the sorceress who killed their parents abducts Briar and places her under a sleeping curse. Even if Calla has to leave the person she loves behind, they will do anything to save their twin.
Starling House by Alix E. Harrow; Narrated by Natalie Naudus
The haunting peculiarities of a dying town and the famously uncanny Starling House simply sound better from Natalie Naudus. The famously reclusive 19th-century children’s book author E. Starling disappeared from Eden, Kentucky, and the town has not been right since. The last heir, Arthur Starling, is just as mysterious as his family line, but Opal cannot say no to a job offer that can get her brother out of their motel room and into a private boarding school where the town’s smoke won’t irritate his health. As Opal returns to clean the house daily, things get stranger. So strange that Arthur is forced to disclose a terrible truth about what really haunts the Starlings. Opal must confront Arthur’s demons with him if they both want to make it out of Starling House alive.
Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse; Narrated by Cara Gee, Nicole Lewis, Kaipo Schwab, Shaun Taylor-Corbett
This queer epic fantasy series inspired by the Pre-Columbian Americas is overflowing with epic prophecies, political intrigue, and interpersonal turmoil. The first book in the Between Earth and Sky trilogy has an excellent multi-cast audiobook. The Sun Priest predicted the world will change the year the winter solstice overlaps with the solar eclipse. As the fated day approaches, ship captain Xiala is bringing a reportedly harmless blind young man, Serapio, across the sea, and sun priestess Naranpa is dodging assassins on her trail in the city. When the prophesized gods arrive, they will all have to fight to survive in their new abnormal world.
The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri; Narrated by Shiromi Arserio
Shiromi Arserio is the perfect narrator for Suri’s south-Asian inspired sapphic high fantasy novel. When Princess Malini fails to usurp her brother’s throne, she gets imprisoned in one of the empire’s far-flung, ancient towers. Luckily, her maidservant is the resourceful and magically adept Priya. Although having magic is a crime punishable by death, Malini knows she can convince Priya to use her power to help her escape and usurp her brother. In return, Priya’s people will be freed from imperial rule. Their growing attraction only complicates Malini and Priya’s treacherous, magic-filled journey to claim power in their lives.
A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher; Narrated by Eliza Foss, Jennifer Pickens (August 6, 2024)
In this rare gem of a fantasy novella, Cordelia behaves to avoid her mother’s disciplinary sorcery. As a young teen in a small town, she has never had a friend or privacy. But when her mother moves them to her next mark’s estate, she meets Lady Hester, the nobleman’s cleaver and kind sister. Hester is far too old to accept the trickery happening in front of her, but she never imagined she was dealing with sorcery. If Hester wants to protect her home and the endangered young lady in front of her, she will have to gather her wits, allies, and strength to evict the sorceress once and for all.
The Monsters We Defy by Leslye Penelope; Narrated by Shayna Small
Penelope’s alternate historical fantasy novel infused with African American folk magic is the winner of the 2023 Audie Award for best fantasy audiobook for a reason. In 1925, 23-year-old Clara Johnson uses her ability to communicate with spirits to unveil the malevolent being corrupting the heart of Washington, D.C.’s “Black Broadway.” Stealing an ancient magic ring is the only way to free the city, but since the valuable and deadly jewel belongs to a powerful socialite, Clara will need a team to pull off the heist. Just one problem: every powerful member of their crew has separate agendas that threaten to dismantle their heist at every turn. In their plot for the ring, will the crew free DC or fling it into further disarray?
The Honey Witch by Sydney J. Shields; Narrated by Mia Hutchinson Shaw
In this cozy sapphic romantasy audiobook, the young Miss Marigold Claude agrees to become the next Honey Witch, but in exchange, she accepts a curse—she will never be able to find true love. Marigold’s grandmother has taught her everything from the family cottage on the Isle of Innisfree, but meeting the surly magic skeptic Lottie Burke upends everything she thought she knew. Marigold feels compelled to convince Lottie magic does exist, and in her quest, she begins to develop feelings that endanger her magic. Now she will have to apply all her skills to save her home, her magic, and her burgeoning love.
Faebound by Saara El-Arifi; Narrated by Bahni Turpin
When you start listening to Bahni Turpin you will be immediately transported into book one of a Fae-filled sapphic fantasy trilogy. All their lives, sisters Yeeran and Lettle were creating a better future as a warrior and a diviner respectively. When a deadly mistake leads to Yeeran’s exile from the Elven lands, they both must navigate the unknowns of the fae court—a society that was said to be gone for generations. Encountering a seductive new court is only the beginning of their trials as the two sisters struggle to hold on to each other and their elven identities.
Babel, or the Necessity of Violence by R. F. Kuang; Narrated by Chris Lew Kum Hoi, Billie Fulford-Brown
Translation expert Professor Lovell brought Robin Swift from Canton to London when a cholera outbreak orphaned him to harness his magical potential for the British Empire. You see, since silver-working magic relies on the distance between two words’ meanings, expanding Robin’s language aptitude expands the Empire’s power and colonization efforts. He was raised to enroll in Babel, Oxford University’s selective Royal Institute of Translation, but the more Robin learns about language and the Empire he serves, the more he questions imperial expansion. I highly recommend the audiobook for this epic historical fantasy that questions what role translation serves in colonization and how academic institutions can uphold injustice to expand their research.
I hope you will enjoy what I consider the best fantasy audiobooks for adults out there right now. Each avenue offers endless hours of fantastical audio entertainment for your listening pleasure. You really cannot go wrong.
If you found these fantasy audiobooks interesting, you should check out the top fantasy books and some more fantasy audiobooks you can enjoy right away.