Social Proof

Best fantasy audiobooks

Speechify is the #1 audio reader in the world. Get through books, docs, articles, PDFs, emails - anything you read - faster.
Try for free

Featured In

forbes logocbs logotime magazine logonew york times logowall street logo
Listen to this article with Speechify!
Speechify

Looking for the best sci-fi and fantasy series audiobooks? This article covers the best fantasy books, science fiction, and fantasy authors.

It feels wonderful to get lost in the world of epic fantasy worlds. One minute you’re stuck in you’re day-to-day life and the next you’re in the middle of an urban fantasy or even in Middle Earth. With so many to choose from, finding the best fantasy audiobooks could prove to be an exercise in frustration.

Fortunately, there’s an easy way to dive into the fantasy genre of audiobooks. It doesn’t matter if you’re a Game of Thrones fan or more into the high-fantasy magical world of J.R.R. Tolkien, there’s so much variety that all types of fantasy fans can find something to keep their interest.

This article lists a few of the best audiobooks for the reader to try.

Great fantasy books to check out

A good fantasy author can pull you into a new world and keep you there. With a full cast of out-of-this-world characters, fantasy books make for awesome reading. Imagine being magically transported into the world of The Hobbit while sitting in the comfort of your own home.

Here is our list of books you shouldn’t miss.

The Lord of the Rings Series - J.R.R. Tolkien

The Lord of the Rings trilogy is a well-known fantasy series that takes place in the high-fantasy world of Middle Earth.

The stay-at-home hobbit Frodo Baggins has received a mysterious ring from his cousin Bilbo that the latter acquired during his adventures with the master wizard Gandalf. However, the simple ring of invisibility contains much more than meets the eye, and it’s up to an unlikely band of heroes to stop an ancient evil from rising again.

The Lord of the Rings is considered by some to be one of the best fantasy books ever written.

The Harry Potter Series - J.K Rowling

The fantasy world of Harry Potter is described in a book series that chronicles the life of the titular young wizard, alongside some supplementary content.

As a child living in an unassuming village, Harry Potter never dreamed he was a wizard and could cast spells. While studying at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, young Harry’s life soon becomes intertwined with the rise of Lord Voldemort, a dark wizard thirsting for immortality.

Harry Potter is a great first book for new readers interested in the fantasy genre. Children and adults love this magical world or fantasy novel worldbuilding.

The Stormlight Archive Series - Brandon Sanderson

The first book in this six-book series, The Way of Kings, debuted at number seven on the New York Times Hardcover Fiction Bestseller list, while subsequent full-length installments got first place.

The series follows various characters across the world of Roshar, which is plagued by supernatural storms called highstorms and assaulted by otherworldly forces. The books follow characters from knightly orders and supporting cast as numerous plots unfold to imbalance the fragile world order.

The Stormlight Archive series is sure to please and is widely considered one of the best contemporary high fantasy sagas.

The Wheel of Time Series - Robert Jordan

The Wheel of Time is another science fiction and fantasy series, but it has a very interesting twist. Although the series takes place on Earth, the concept of time is skewed. In this magical world, it’s both the distant past and the distant future simultaneously. This sci-fi fantasy novel mix is sure to entertain.

The Mistborn Saga - Brandon Sanderson

This 9-book fantasy series takes place in a place called the Final Empire where everyday people live as slaves. An orphan girl named Vin and a criminal with magical powers set off to begin a rebellion against the Lord Ruler in an epic battle of good versus evil. The Mistborn Saga is a magical world of science fiction and worldbuilding.

The Gentleman Bastard Series - Scott Lynch

This 3-book fantasy series takes place in the world of the Therin Throne Empire. The series revolves around Thorm of Camorr, a Robin Hood type of character. He’s of average build and not particularly good with a sword, but his wit and cunning cannot be matched. Along with his band of misfits, the Gentleman Bastards, they attempt to rob the rich and keep it for themselves. The debut novel in this series is titled The Lies of Locke Lamora.

Red Rising - Pierce Brown

Red Rising is an entertaining sci-fi fantasy novel mix. Red, a member of the lowest caste of workers preparing the surface of Mars for future generations, learns that those like him have been deceived. Discovering that they are actually slaves, Red sets out to form a rebellion and fight the evil ruling class. Red Rising takes the reader to a fantasy world.

The Kingkiller Chronicles - Patrick Rothfuss

This 3-book fantasy series centers around Kvothe, a musician and adventurer telling his life story to a scribe so that it can be preserved for eons. A bit different from other fantasy books, The Kingfisher Chronicles is told in a story-within-a-story format describing the main character’s former life as a notorious wizard. The Kingkiller Chronicles was originally entitled The Name of the Wind. This one is a fantasy novel not to be missed.

A Game of Thrones - George R.R. Martin

This fantasy series is well-known around the world and could be considered one of the best fantasy audiobooks available. Game of Thrones has a large of characters and continues to thrill fantasy fans. Political conflicts among noble families abound as they fight for either the throne or their own independence. Check out the entire series under the title A Song of Ice and Fire. A Game of Thrones is a fabulous epic fantasy sure to please fantasy fans.

Honorable mentions

Other fabulous sci-fi and fantasy book authors that aren’t on our list include N. K. Jemisin, Steven Pacey, Jim Dale, Tim Gerard Reynolds, Rob Inglis, Neil Gaiman, and Robin Hobb. Some other notable authors are Nick Podehl, Roy Dotrice, Joe Abercrombie, Michael Kramer, Kate Reading, and Michael Page. The epic fantasy and science fiction world is packed with the best audiobooks.

Enjoy fantasy writing with Speechify

A fabulous way to listen and read along to your favorite fantasy author is to use Speechify. This text to speech tool allows fantasy fans to get lost in a magical world. This standalone tool works great with audiobooks and can help to increase your reading speed. Listen and read along to your favorite Stephen King fantasy novel or Tolkien’s The Fellowship of the Ring. Using an audiobook narrator easily transports the reader into a new world.

Try Speechify free today and listen to the best fantasy audiobooks, fantasy novels, and enter a new world of reading.

Cliff Weitzman

Cliff Weitzman

Cliff Weitzman is a dyslexia advocate and the CEO and founder of Speechify, the #1 text-to-speech app in the world, totaling over 100,000 5-star reviews and ranking first place in the App Store for the News & Magazines category. In 2017, Weitzman was named to the Forbes 30 under 30 list for his work making the internet more accessible to people with learning disabilities. Cliff Weitzman has been featured in EdSurge, Inc., PC Mag, Entrepreneur, Mashable, among other leading outlets.