The Best Sci-Fi and Fantasy Audiobooks of 2024

The best science fiction and fantasy audiobooks of 2024, according to editors of AudioFile magazine:

Blood Over Bright Haven by M.L. Wang, narrated by Moira Quirk

Narrator Moira Quirk shines in this dark academic fantasy, which explores the ripple effects of colonization. Quirk delivers a stand-out performance, bringing immersive emotion to every scene. This is a story about how revolutions arise, and Quirk is the perfect leader.
(15.5 hrs)

The Crone of Midnight Embers by Iris Beaglehole, narrated by Bethan Dixon Bate

Bizarre things keep happening to 60-ish Delia Spark. She travels to remote Myrtlewood, where she meets a strange group of older women. Witches? A magical mafia? Delia’s adventures are fast and outrageous, some psychedelic and some painfully real, and Bethan Dixon Bate makes this delightful audiobook choice listening.

(8.25 hours)

The Mercy of Gods by James S.A. Corey, narrated by Jefferson Mays

Stellar narrator Jefferson Mays and bestselling author James S.A. Corey are in warp drive as they launch the first book of a planned trilogy set in the far future. The narration matches the action; conversations are realistic; personalities are vibrant and distinct. Add Mays’s crystalline enunciation and agreeable timbre—and this is a winner.

(15 hours)

The Stars Too Fondly by Emily Hamilton, narrated by Vico Ortiz

Vico Ortiz narrates a raucous space adventure rom-com with infectious energy. It’s 2061, and Cleo and her three best friends—all scientists—sneak aboard to explore a neglected rocket. Ortiz’s considerable acting talents bring each character—human and otherwise—to life. They bounce between each voice with skill, especially shining in scenes packed with banter.

(11.5 hours)

The Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden, narrated by Michael Crouch, January LaVoy and Katherine Arden

January LaVoy and Michael Crouch perform this historical novel with a supernatural twist. Laura is a nurse who has recently returned from a WWI battlefield to her home in Halifax, Nova Scotia; her brother, Freddie, has gone missing in the cold, wet trenches of Belgium. LaVoy’s and Crouch’s deeply moving and captivating performances work together to create a must-listen audiobook.

(11.5 hours)

When Among Crows by Veronica Roth, narrated by Helen Laser, James Fouhey, Tim Campbell

Helen Laser, James Fouhey, and Tim Campbell bring depth to their performances of a trio seeking an audience with the legendary witch Baba Jaga. The world-building, based on Polish folklore, in modern Chicago is epic. This explosively addictive dark fairy tale examining cultural heritage makes for an engaging listening experience.

(4.5 hours)