Recommended listens:

Here are my top 20 favorite audiobooks of all time (or rather since 2019, when I stared reviewing them). This list is dynamic, meaning that it will update as I listen to and review more audiobooks. To date, I’ve reviewed 109 of them. If you are interested in how I made this list, I outline the method at the end of this post.

No. 1: The Testaments by Margaret Atwood

• Series: The Handmaid’s Tale (part 2)
• Narrators:
  • Derek Jacobi
  • Mae Whitman
  • Ann Dowd
  • Bryce Dallas Howard
  • Tantoo Cardinal
  • Margaret Atwood
• Running time: 13h 18m
• Abridgement or dramatization: No.
• Book review: Handmaid’s is the more important work from a literary standpoint, but I think that The Testaments is the better book. It is more plot-driven, and the multiple points of view makes the book feel deeper and more rounded. I found the exploration of Aunt Lydia’s character both fascinating and totally believable. She reminded of Mike Rinder. 10/10.
• Performance review: All performances are perfect. 10/10.

No. 2: Bring Up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel

• Series: Thomas Cromwell Trilogy (part 2)
• Narrator: Simon Vance
• Running time: 14h 34m
• Abridgement or dramatization: No.
• Book review: Every bit as good as Wolf Hall. Cannot wait to listen to the final installment. Words I learned while listening: milksop, obdurate, sophistry. 10/10.
• Performance review: Vance is in top form, on level pegging with Slater. 10/10.

No. 3: Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel

• Series: Thomas Cromwell Trilogy (part 1)
• Narrator: Simon Slater
• Running time: 24h 14m
• Abridgement or dramatization: No.
• Book review: Almost didn’t pick this up after watching the TV show and utterly failing to follow it. So glad I did! Mantel is an amazing writer. I loved this line, for instance: “The cardinal joins his hands. He makes a great, deep, smiling sigh, like a leopard settling in a warm spot.” 10/10.
• Performance review: Slater nails this performance. I guffawed at the delivery of, “Mary, I am terrified of your uncle Norfolk.” 10/10.

No. 4: Circe by Madeline Miller

• Narrator: Perdita Weeks
• Running time: 12h 8m
• Abridgement or dramatization: No.
• Book review: Second—and better, in my opinion—of Miller’s books to date. I absolutely loved it. Struck me as a powerful feminist allegory. 10/10.
• Performance review: Performance nails it. 10/10.

No. 5: Jesus’ Son by Denis Johnson

• Narrator: Will Patton
• Running time: 2h 43m
• Abridgement or dramatization: No.
• Book review: My favorite audiobook so far. The story might sound clichéd, but the writing just stunning: sad, grimy, surreal, even hopeful in places. Best stories: “Car Crash While Hitchhiking” and “Work,” but they’re all great. 10/10.
• Performance review: Casting Will Patton was a masterstroke. 10/10.

No. 6: The Handmaid’s Tale: Special Edition by Margaret Atwood

• Series: The Handmaid’s Tale (part 1)
• Narrators:
  • Claire Danes
  • Margaret Atwood
  • Tim Gerard Reynolds
• Running time: 12h 6m
• Abridgement or dramatization: No.
• Book review: Obviously a modern classic and getting more relevant by the day. 9/10.
• Performance review: Definitely go for the Special Edition. Everything about this is spot on. Danes is incredible; little bits of recorded-over music are a really nice touch; great afterward from Atwood herself at the end. 10/10.

No. 7: A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller Jr.

• Series: St. Leibowitz (part 1)
• Narrator: Tom Weiner
• Running time: 10h 55m
• Abridgement or dramatization: No.
• Book review: Completely bonkers. I expected something along the lines of Clarke or Heinlein. Instead, I think its closer in tone to Vonnegut, and just as good as his best work. 10/10.
• Performance review: Great performance. 9/10.

No. 8: Before They Are Hanged by Joe Abercrombie

• Series:
  • The First Law (part 2)
  • First Law World (part 2)
• Narrator: Steven Pacey
• Running time: 22h 39m
• Abridgement or dramatization: No.
• Book review: Although it shares the shortcomings of the previous book in the series, Abercrombie is still far a better writer of characters than many in the fantasy genre. Structurally, development of the six POV characters is impeccable. Each of them change to varying degrees throughout the story, without losing their clear and unique voices, which were established excellently in the first novel. (Five out of six of them are men, but I suppose you can’t have everything.) Above all, Before They Are Hanged is just fun. 8/10.
• Performance review: The narration is among the of the best I’ve heard. Pacey shows off a truly impressive range of accents and his comic timing is superb. 10/10.

No. 9: McGlue by Ottessa Moshfegh

• Narrator: Chris Andrew Ciulla
• Running time: 3h 42m
• Abridgement or dramatization: No.
• Book review: Bloody hell, this is horrible. Almost O’Connor-level grim. Obviously I loved it. 8/10.
• Performance review: Superb, one of the best I’ve heard. 10/10.

No. 10: The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie

• Series: The First Law (part 1)
• Narrator: Steven Pacey
• Running time: 22h 15m
• Abridgement or dramatization: No.
• Book review: Falls squarely into the dark fantasy subgenre with its generous helpings of graphic violence and its flawed, morally ambiguous characters—and, unfortunately, an undercurrent of misogyny. There are two female characters in the whole novel, each embodying a one-note archetype (feral ultra-warrior and object of the male gaze). The world of The First Law seems a bit bland compared to others (cf. The Black Company; Malazan Book of the Fallen). But despite all of this, I actually enjoyed The Blade Itself very much! I found all the POV characters interesting and engaging and laughed out loud multiple times. 8/10.
• Performance review: Pacey’s top-notch delivery is perhaps part of the reason I enjoyed this so much. 10/10.

No. 11: The People in the Trees by Hanya Yanagihara

• Narrators:
  • Arthur Morey
  • William Roberts
  • Erin Yuen
• Running time: 16h 33m
• Abridgement or dramatization: No.
• Book review: Yanagihara’s depiction of the culture within science is, depressingly, highly authentic. Astonishingly good book, recommend for scientists especially. 9/10.
• Performance review: Performances are great. There’s a nice contrast between the two primary narrators as they deliver the main text of the memoir and footnotes. 9/10.

No. 12: Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders

• Narrators:
  • Nick Offerman
  • David Sedaris
  • George Saunders
  • Carrie Brownstein
  • Miranda July
  • Lena Dunham
  • full cast
• Running time: 7h 25m
• Abridgement or dramatization: No.
• Book review: My favorite novel of all time. 10/10.
• Performance review: This production is clearly of extremely high quality. Despite some reservations, I think it does justice to the writing. The frequent changes in viewpoint and quotations from secondary sources naturally require the full cast, and while the ensemble largely does an excellent job, there are some unintentional clanging juxtapositions in both vocal talent and recording quality. Offerman and Sedaris are stellar, so it’s fortunate we hear from them the most. Saunders himself is OK, but sounded quite monotone—a shame, because for me the Rev’s journey had the most pathos. Much of the remaining cast is good, making the occasional dud all the more jarring. 8/10.

No. 13: Hiroshima by John Hersey

• Narrator: George Guidall
• Running time: 5h 23m
• Abridgement or dramatization: No.
• Book review: Tells the story of arguably one of the most horrific events in human history through the detailed stories of a handful who survived the initial blast. Absolutely beautifully written. A masterpiece, possibly one of the best things ever written. 10/10.
• Performance review: Guidall doesn’t do more than deliver the text with the gravity it deserves, nor should he. 7/10.

No. 14: Three Men in a Boat (To Say Nothing of the Dog) by Jerome K. Jerome

• Series: Three Men (part 1)
• Narrator: Steven Crossley
• Running time: 6h 40m
• Abridgement or dramatization: No.
• Book review: Jokes still land perfectly. Hard to believe it was written in 1889! 9/10.
• Performance review: There are several versions out there. This is the only one I’ve listened to and it’s excellent. 8/10.

No. 15: The Sword of the Lictor by Gene Wolfe

• Series:
  • The Book of the New Sun (part 3)
  • Solar Cycle (part 3)
• Narrator: Jonathan Davis
• Running time: 11h 22m
• Abridgement or dramatization: No.
• Book review: Third in this superb series. 9/10.
• Performance review: See other books. 8/10.

No. 16: The Citadel of the Autarch by Gene Wolfe

• Series:
  • The Book of the New Sun (part 4)
  • Solar Cycle (part 4)
• Narrator: Jonathan Davis
• Running time: 11h 5m
• Abridgement or dramatization: No.
• Book review: Finale of the series. Still excellent. 9/10.
• Performance review: See other books. 8/10.

No. 17: The Claw of the Conciliator by Gene Wolfe

• Series:
  • The Book of the New Sun (part 2)
  • Solar Cycle (part 2)
• Narrator: Jonathan Davis
• Running time: 11h 27m
• Abridgement or dramatization: No.
• Book review: There is not much point reviewing these novels separately given that they are so clearly volumes of the same work, but for what its worth, the bit with Jonas in the antechamber, which occurs in this one, might be my favorite part of the series. 9/10.
• Performance review: Same narrator as Mugen from the Black Company. Arguably a better fit here. 8/10.

No. 18: The Shadow of the Torturer by Gene Wolfe

• Series:
  • The Book of the New Sun (part 1)
  • Solar Cycle (part 1)
• Narrator: Jonathan Davis
• Running time: 12h 7m
• Abridgement or dramatization: No.
• Book review: Fans of Wolfe describe The Book of the New Sun as his masterpiece, and I can see why. I absolutely loved the tone of this: Dark, haunting, sparse, and mysterious. The entire series should be treated as one thing, since they all follow one immediately from one another. My second favorite fantasy series after The Black Company. 9/10.
• Performance review: Same narrator as Murgen from the Black Company. He has an odd style, which actually fits well with the overall strangeness of this series. 8/10.

No. 19: Paladin of Souls by Lois McMaster Bujold

• Series:
  • World of the Five Gods (Publication order) (part 2)
  • World of the Five Gods (Chronological order) (part 3)
• Narrator: Kate Reading
• Running time: 16h 17m
• Abridgement or dramatization: No.
• Book review: Fantasy the way it should be: fully fleshed-out characters, great writing, and interesting lore. 9/10.
• Performance review: Enjoyed Kate Reading’s performance more than usual this time. 8/10.

No. 20: Classic Radio Sci-Fi by Stanislaw Lem

• Narrators:
  • Ron Cook
  • Joanne Froggatt
• Running time: 1h 53m
• Abridgement or dramatization: Yes.
• Book review: Wittgenstein’s lion in space. Heavyweight sci-fi classic with a killer premise. 7/10.
• Performance review: It’s a proper BBC radio play! Makes sense to have done it this way since Lem hated the original English translation, although the more recent Audible version is supposed to be good as well. 10/10.

Method

Creating this list was rather easy; it required just two lines of Liquid code. The first line reorders the data stored in my audiobooks.yaml file (see here). The second line loops through the first 20 entries and formats each entry using my audiobook.html template.

{% assign audiobooks = site.data.audiobooks | sort:"overall_score" | reverse %}
{% for book in audiobooks limit:10 %}{% include audiobook.html %}{% endfor %}

Version history

• Originally posted June 25, 2020.

Related posts

• “Every audiobook review,” Jun 25, 2020.
• “The dregs: My least favorite audiobooks,” Jun 25, 2020.
• All posts filed under audiobooks, lists.