I’ve been searching for a good audiobook to listen to, but when I sample a book, I find the narrators wooden and boring. I do like it more when the narrator has a non American accent.
Also, books typically on bestseller lists are ones I don’t really enjoy and I would like something compulsively readable.
Have enjoyed the narrations of:
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley – the perfect narrator
As you Wish by Carey Elwes
An Irish Country Doctor by Patrick Taylor
All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot
Audio theatre presentation of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe series by C.S. Lewis
Did not enjoy:
Tom Lake by Ann Patchett – soooooo boring and could not hold my attention, even with Meryl Streep’s narration
Dark Matter by Blake Crouch – at times, the narrator sounded bored
Not looking for any well-known classics as I’ve read them.
by VerdeAzul74
31 Comments
“The Storyteller” by Jodi Picoult. Great narrators.
I see you didn’t like Tom Lake, but maybe Dutch House – Ann Patchett read by Tom Hanks?
Also Handmaid’s Tale – Margaret Atwood is read by Elisabeth Moss
Anything with Jim dale. I personally really liked the night circus, and listened to Harry Potter on CD a lot back in the day.
Always going to say Dungeon Crawler Carl for this, Jeff hays is a genius narrator.
I’ve heard good things about Project Hail Mary and world war z.
Every audiobook of any Jeeves and Wooster I have ever listened to I have found immensely enjoyable!
If you’re interested in sff, Moira Quirk narrating the locked tomb series is one of the best audio book narrators I’ve ever heard.
Wil Wheaton (yes, that Wil Wheaton) is a fantastic narrator. Scalzi’s “Starter Villain” read by him is a fun listen.
The Anthropocene Reviewed written and read by John Green
Project Hail Mary written by Andy Weir, read by Ray Porter
Def listen to Sherlock Holmes: The Definitive Collection narrated by Stephen Fry. Includes 71 HOURS of stories delightfully read by the one and only Stephen Fry AND free on Audible.
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir (so engaging)
Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman (amazing voice acting)
Daisy Jones and the Six (full cast)
Also check out some autobiographies. They are often read by the author and it helps make great connection to the stories!
Invisible Man by Ralph Elison (mid 20th century classic) has a new recording on Audible with one of the best narrators I’ve ever heard. Highly recommend, surprisingly fresh and relevant too
Any book with Steven Pacey as narrator.
Michael Kramer and Kate reading – they’ve done the wheel of time and 99% of Brandon Sanderson books
The Rivers of London series by Ben Aaronovitch, read by Kobna Holdbrook-Smith
Full-cast reading of His Dark Materials with Phillip Pullman doing the narration/prose
True Grit by Charles Portis, read by Donna Tartt
Basically anything read by Katherine Kellgren (RIP)
Indira Varma does brilliant work with the Witches books from Discworld.
As I Lay Dying. There are several actors as each chapter is from a different character’s POV and they all do a great job of these country folk types without being cartoonish.
Portrait of a Young Man … read by Collin Farrell. I’m not a huge Joyce fan but the story is more vibrant with an Irish actor.
My absolute favorite narrator is Will Watt (British). My favorite book that he narrates is Ten Things That Never Happened by Alexis Hall. I listen to it AT LEAST twice a year.
Books with excellent narrators IMO
Project Hail Mary
Dungeon Crawler Carl
Iron Druid Chronicles
The Dresden Files. Jim Butcher. James Marsters narrator. One For The Money. Janet Evanovitch. Lori Petty narrator
The Jackie Faber series! They’re a little ridiculous and kind of more a young adult series, but they’re super fun, and the narrator is amazing. [Bloody Jack Audiobooks | Audible.com](https://www.audible.com/series/Bloody-Jack-Audiobooks/B006K1SD1G?msockid=0eff7460bb756511242d6217bad864ae)
I Hope This Finds You Well by Natalie Sue. The first time (other than memoirs) I’ve ever preferred an audio book over the text.
My Dark Vanessa – Kate Elizabeth Russell
The Nightingale- Kristin Hannah
Nothing to See Here — Kevin Wilson. Read by Marin Ireland
Also, the Amelia Peabody Egyptology mysteries. Like a lot of mystery series they got a bit potboilerish as they went on, but they are hysterically funny and the narrator, Barbara Rosenblatt, is great. [Audiobooks matching keywords amelia peabody | Audible.com](https://www.audible.com/search?keywords=amelia+peabody&k=amelia+peabody&crid=b9e8096788d14c5dafbea66ffe79269e&sprefix=amelia+peabody%2Cna-audible-us%2C320&i=na-audible-us&url=search-alias%3Dna-audible-us&ref=nb_sb_noss_1)
Anything read by Katherine Kellgren. My favorites are the Lady Jane books (YA but really fun and clever). Kellgren was a treasure- we lost her too soon.
Dungeon Crawler Carl narrated by Jeff Hays is the best you’re gonna find. It’s unbelievable.
Honourable mention to Kobna Holdbrook-Smith for Rivers of London.
Sabriel, Lirael, Abhorsen. All part of the Old Kingdom series by Garth Nix. Fantasy and I think technically YA, but I love them even as an adult. The audiobooks are all narrated by Tim Curry and are absolutely incredible!
Will Patton reading anything, but especially James Lee Burke’s Dave Robichaux series.
Daisy Jones and The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
The ‘Strike’ series by Robert Galbraith
None of this is True by Lisa Jewell
Grover Gardner is a fantastic narrator. I found him through Lois McMaster Bujold’s work but have not been disappointed by anything of his I’ve listened to.
Jeff Hayes narrates Dungeon Crawler Carl. Almost daily on that sub there is someone posting about being blown away by his performance and it is still not enough accolades.
I love Marin Ireland, who narrates most (all?) of Fredrik Backman’s books, Nothing to See Here, and many, many more. Her voice is more conversational, less “acted” and she’s great with accents and teen voices.
I search audiobooks through the narrators:
Scott Brick
Caroline Lee
Julia Whelan
Robert Dugoni
Cassandra Campbell
James Boles
Edward Herman
Trevor Noah
And so many more…
Noah Galvin narrating *The Perks of Being a Wallflower*
Dee Richards narrating *Their Eyes Were Watching God*