10 audiobooks for fans of A Wizard of Earthsea
- 1
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Harry Potter • Book 1
by J.K. Rowling
Narrated by Jim Dale
Both audiobooks feature a young protagonist discovering their magical abilities through formal education, with narrators who bring warmth and wonder to coming-of-age fantasy journeys. Jim Dale's energetic performance complements the more whimsical tone of Rowling's world, offering a slightly lighter listening experience than Inglis's more measured delivery of Le Guin's philosophical narrative.
★ 4.96 ABR Score (11.7M ratings)★ 4.47 Goodreads (11.5M) ★ 4.91 Audible (203.3K)8h 18m listening time • Released 2015The book that got a generation reading, and Jim Dale's narration is so perfectly cast it's hard to imagine the story any other way.
- 2
The Two Towers
Middle-earth • Book 3
Narrated by Rob Inglis
★ 4.83 ABR Score (1.2M ratings)★ 4.5 Goodreads (1.1M) ★ 4.88 Audible (50.1K)16h 40m listening time • Released 2012Rob Inglis's performance elevates this sequel into something transcendent—his character voices and emotional depth make the sprawling narrative feel intimate, turning a 16-hour journey into something you won't want to pause.
- 3
Howl's Moving Castle
Howl's Castle • Book 1
by Diana Wynne Jones
Narrated by Jenny Sterlin
Both works weave lyrical, immersive prose that rewards close listening, exploring magic as a complex force requiring wisdom and self-discovery rather than mere power. Howl's Moving Castle shares Earthsea's blend of wonder and introspection, though it balances darker themes with wit and humor, offering a similarly enchanting listening experience across a slightly longer runtime.
★ 4.51 ABR Score (467.2K ratings)★ 4.28 Goodreads (453.3K) ★ 4.7 Audible (13.9K)8h 34m listening time • Released 2008Jones's whimsical classic is the inspiration for Miyazaki's film — but richer, funnier, and with a heroine whose curse of old age is the best premise in YA fantasy.
- 4
The Colour of Magic
Discworld • Book 1
Narrated by Colin Morgan, Peter Serafinowicz, Bill Nighy
Both audiobooks feature imaginative fantasy worlds filled with magic and adventure, but where Le Guin's lyrical prose creates an introspective coming-of-age journey, Pratchett's ensemble narration brings comedic warmth and witty world-building that rewards deep listening. The shift from Le Guin's meditative tone to Pratchett's humorous storytelling offers a fresh take on fantasy that still celebrates wonder and self-discovery.
★ 4.16 ABR Score (427.4K ratings)★ 3.99 Goodreads (424.8K) ★ 4.51 Audible (2.5K)7h 58m listening time • Released 2022Pratchett's Discworld begins here — a flat world on the back of four elephants on a turtle, sending up every fantasy trope with genius comic timing.
- 5
The Best of Fantasy 2001
by Robert Silverberg, Greg van Eeckhout, Rosemary Edghill, Lawrence Miles, Poul Anderson, Robert Thurston, Brian A. Hopkins, Jack O'Connell, Ursula K. Le Guin, Lucius Shepard, M.E. Wills
Narrated by Jason Cole, Terry Fishman, Gabrielle de Cuir, William Windom, Scott Brick, Catherine Asaro, Iris Bahr, M.E. Willis, Ursula K. LeGuin, Stefan Rudnicki
This anthology showcases Le Guin's versatility across multiple fantasy stories, delivering the same lyrical prose and exploration of magic's deeper consequences that made A Wizard of Earthsea captivating. The varied narrator performances offer an engaging listening experience that captures Le Guin's signature blend of wonder and philosophical depth across different worlds and characters.
★ 3.64 ABR Score (16 ratings)★ 3.31 Goodreads (13) ★ 3.33 Audible (3)10h 26m listening time • Released 2019A stellar ensemble cast elevates this genre-spanning 2001 collection where Le Guin and Anderson sit alongside emerging voices, each narrator perfectly matched to their story's voice and mood.
- 6
Words of Radiance
The Stormlight Archive • Book 2
Narrated by Michael Kramer, Kate Reading
Both works explore coming-of-age journeys where protagonists must master powerful abilities while grappling with their own flaws and limitations. Words of Radiance offers a more expansive listening experience with its dual narration and intricate magic system, providing the same sense of wonder and hard-won growth that makes A Wizard of Earthsea compelling, though at epic rather than intimate scale.
★ 4.96 ABR Score (587.5K ratings)★ 4.76 Goodreads (498.0K) ★ 4.9 Audible (89.5K)48h 15m listening time • Released 2014The second Stormlight Archive book surpasses the first — the magic system, the characters, and the worldbuilding all deepen into one of epic fantasy's greatest achievements.
- 7
Kingdom of Ash
Throne of Glass • Book 7
Narrated by Elizabeth Evans
★ 4.91 ABR Score (1.2M ratings)★ 4.71 Goodreads (1.1M) ★ 4.88 Audible (38.7K)33h 11m listening time • Released 2018Elizabeth Evans transforms the emotional gutting of this finale into something you'll want to hear in one sitting. Her performance captures both the raw anguish and defiant rage that makes this sprawling series ending actually land.
- 8
A Court of Mist and Fury
A Court of Thorns and Roses • Book 2
Narrated by Jennifer Ikeda
★ 4.89 ABR Score (3.3M ratings)★ 4.63 Goodreads (3.3M) ★ 4.85 Audible (60.0K)23h 16m listening time • Released 2016Jennifer Ikeda's narration transforms this dark fantasy sequel into something genuinely unputdownable—her voice work captures both the vulnerability and lethal power that makes this book such a phenomenon.
- 9
The Way of Kings
The Cosmere • Book 1
Narrated by Kate Reading, Michael Kramer
Both works explore a young protagonist's journey toward mastery and self-discovery in richly imagined fantasy worlds, though Sanderson's epic offers a vastly more expansive narrative scope and intricate magic system to immerse yourself in. The dual narration in The Way of Kings mirrors the layered storytelling you'll find rewarding if you appreciated Le Guin's thoughtful, character-driven approach to fantasy.
★ 4.89 ABR Score (796.4K ratings)★ 4.66 Goodreads (683.1K) ★ 4.84 Audible (113.2K)45h 30m listening time • Released 2010Sanderson's most ambitious work — a 45-hour epic with one of the most intricately designed magic systems in fantasy, and characters whose growth pays off magnificently.
- 10
Empire of Storms
Throne of Glass • Book 5
Narrated by Elizabeth Evans
★ 4.84 ABR Score (1.3M ratings)★ 4.63 Goodreads (1.3M) ★ 4.84 Audible (33.1K)25h 18m listening time • Released 2016Elizabeth Evans transforms this sprawling fantasy epic into something genuinely unputdownable, matching her vocal intensity to Aelin's rage and vulnerability across 25 hours of pure immersion.
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How We Rank Audiobooks
Rankings are driven by listener ratings and review counts from Audible and Goodreads. Books with high ratings across a large number of listeners rank higher — a 4.5 with 50,000 ratings says more than a 4.8 with 200.
Unlike most book lists, we weight audiobook-specific factors: narrator performance, production quality, and how well a story translates to audio. A great book with a poor narration isn't a great audiobook.
We don't accept paid placements or prioritize new releases. These rankings reflect what listeners actually enjoy, not what's being promoted.
Rankings update periodically as new ratings come in and new titles are added to the collection.