10 audiobooks for fans of Best Served Cold
- 1
The Trouble with Peace
The Age of Madness • Book 2
Narrated by Steven Pacey
Steven Pacey's masterful narration brings the same gritty, darkly comedic voice to *The Trouble with Peace*, delivering Abercrombie's morally complex characters and brutal humor with the same cynical brilliance that made *Best Served Cold* so compelling. Both audiobooks showcase Abercrombie's signature blend of revenge-driven plotting and sardonic wit, though this sequel deepens the exploration of how violence and ambition poison everything they touch.
★ 4.70 ABR Score (56.1K ratings)★ 4.6 Goodreads (46.4K) ★ 4.86 Audible (9.8K)21h 57m listening time • Released 2020Steven Pacey's narration transforms this political dark fantasy into something almost Shakespearean—his voice work elevates already sharp character writing into genuinely unforgettable performances you'll hear in your head for months.
- 2
The Wisdom of Crowds
The Age of Madness • Book 3
Narrated by Steven Pacey
Steven Pacey's masterful narration brings the same dark wit and morally complex characters to life, while Abercrombie deepens his exploration of ambition and corruption with an even more intricate plot that rewards close listening.
★ 4.69 ABR Score (50.2K ratings)★ 4.6 Goodreads (41.3K) ★ 4.85 Audible (8.9K)23h 37m listening time • Released 2021Steven Pacey transforms Abercrombie's sprawling revolution into a masterclass in character voices, making each schemer's descent through chaos feel devastatingly personal across 24 hours of pure narrative grip.
- 3
Before They Are Hanged
The First Law • Book 2
Narrated by Steven Pacey
Steven Pacey's masterful narration captures the same dark humor and morally compromised characters that define Best Served Cold, while Before They Are Hanged deepens Abercrombie's exploration of ambition and betrayal across an even richer cast of interconnected perspectives. The slightly shorter runtime delivers the same gritty, character-driven storytelling with an equally immersive listening experience that rewards close attention to Pacey's nuanced voice work.
★ 4.64 ABR Score (243.2K ratings)★ 4.36 Goodreads (221.5K) ★ 4.81 Audible (21.7K)22h 39m listening time • Released 2015Steven Pacey transforms a brutal, cynical fantasy into something unforgettable—his voice work makes each character so distinct and morally compromised that you'll find yourself rooting for the worst people imaginable.
- 4
Last Argument of Kings
The First Law • Book 3
Narrated by Steven Pacey
Steven Pacey's masterful narration brings the same dark humor and morally complex characters to life, making *Last Argument of Kings* an equally immersive listening experience for those drawn to Abercrombie's gritty fantasy world. The novel deepens the author's exploration of ambition and betrayal with the same unflinching tone and character-driven storytelling that made *Best Served Cold* compelling.
★ 4.59 ABR Score (225.4K ratings)★ 4.37 Goodreads (204.4K) ★ 4.75 Audible (21.0K)27h 4m listening time • Released 2015Steven Pacey's narration transforms this brutal finale into something operatic—each character's voice so distinct and lived-in that you forget you're listening to one man performing 27 hours of morally broken people destroying each other.
- 5
The Blade Itself
The First Law Trilogy • Book 1
Narrated by Steven Pacey
Steven Pacey's masterful narration brings the same dark wit and morally complex characters to life in this First Law origin story, delivering Abercrombie's signature blend of brutal fantasy and sardonic humor across an equally immersive 22-hour journey. The visceral action sequences and intricate character work that made *Best Served Cold* compelling shine through with even greater intensity in this series starter.
★ 4.50 ABR Score (344.3K ratings)★ 4.22 Goodreads (317.5K) ★ 4.7 Audible (26.8K)22h 15m listening time • Released 2015Abercrombie's grimdark debut is a deliberate subversion of fantasy tropes — morally compromised heroes, no clean victories, and some of the sharpest dialogue in the genre.
- 6
The Devils
The Devils • Book 1
Narrated by Steven Pacey
Steven Pacey's masterful narration brings the same dark humor and morally complex characters to life as in Best Served Cold, while The Devils explores revenge and betrayal through an equally intricate plot spanning a similar epic runtime. Abercrombie's signature blend of gritty fantasy and sharp wit feels right at home in both stories, making this a natural continuation for listeners who appreciated the first book's cynical worldview and character-driven narrative.
★ 4.42 ABR Score (69.7K ratings)★ 4.22 Goodreads (62.8K) ★ 4.72 Audible (6.9K)25h 6m listening time • Released 2025Steven Pacey transforms a morally fractured cast of monsters into characters you'll actually root for—Abercrombie's darkest work gets its perfect voice match.
- 7
A Little Hatred
The Age of Madness • Book 1
Narrated by Steven Pacey
Steven Pacey's masterful narration brings the same dark humor and morally complex characters to life in *A Little Hatred*, while Abercrombie deepens his exploration of revenge, ambition, and the cyclical nature of violence with a fresh cast navigating a world on the brink of upheaval. The cynical tone and intricate plotting that made *Best Served Cold* compelling translate seamlessly here, offering a slightly more compact listening experience without sacrificing the author's signature wit and character depth.
★ 4.57 ABR Score (72.8K ratings)★ 4.45 Goodreads (61.8K) ★ 4.76 Audible (11.1K)20h 20m listening time • Released 2019Steven Pacey turns Abercrombie's grimy, morally bankrupt world into something genuinely alive—his voice work makes you feel the desperation of each character's climb, and the political scheming lands with brutal comic timing.
- 8
The Sound of Change
The Bards and Dragons Saga • Book 2
by Steve D. Wall
Narrated by Steven Pacey
Steven Pacey's masterful narration brings the same dark, morally complex character work to *The Sound of Change* that made *Best Served Cold* so compelling, creating an immersive listening experience across a similar epic runtime. Both feature intricate plots driven by flawed protagonists navigating consequences and betrayal, with Pacey's distinctive voice work elevating the psychological depth that defines their fantasy worlds.
★ 3.93 ABR Score (207 ratings)★ 4.32 Goodreads (95) ★ 4.73 Audible (112)23h 34m listening time • Released 2025Steven Pacey's narration elevates this flintlock fantasy sequel into something genuinely immersive—his range across multiple perspectives keeps the tangled plot moving even through its longest stretches.
- 9
Dangerous Women
The Dresden Files #13.1 - Bombshells
by George R.R. Martin, Gardner Dozois, Carrie Vaughn, Lev Gossman, Joe R. Lansdale, Megan Lindholm, Lawrence Block, Brandon Sanderson, Sharon Kay Penman, Lev Grossman, Nancy Kress, Diana Rowland, Diana Gabaldon, S.M. Stirling, Sam Sykes, Pat Cadigan, Caroline Spector, Joe Abercrombie, Megan Abbott, Cecelia Holland, Jim Butcher, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Melinda M. Snodgrass
Narrated by Scott Brick, Jonathan Frakes, Stana Katic, Inna Korobkina, Lee Meriwether, Claudia Black, Sophie Turner, Janis Ian, Iain Glen, Karen Dotrice, Various
★ 3.56 ABR Score (14.9K ratings)★ 3.67 Goodreads (13.2K) ★ 4.02 Audible (1.7K)32h 47m listening time • Released 2013A stacked anthology where Abercrombie, Sanderson, Butcher, and Gabaldon deliver knockout stories, anchored by an all-star narrator cast that elevates every twist—32 hours that justify the hype.
- 10
Unbound
Annwn Cycle #The Dead's Revenant • Book 1
by Shawn Speakman, Terry Brooks, Seanan McGuire, Mark Lawrence, Anthony Ryan, Tim Marquitz, Brian Staveley, Michael J. Sullivan, John Marco, Peter Orullian, Kat Richardson, Sam Sykes, Kristen Britain, Mazarkis Williams, Jim Butcher, Rachel Caine, Harry Connolly, Delilah S. Dawson, David Anthony Durham, Jason M. Hough, Mary Robinette Kowal, Joe Abercrombie
Narrated by Dick Hill, Tim Gerard Reynolds, Nick Podehl, Allyson Johnson, Christian Rodska, Emily Bauer
★ 3.74 ABR Score (1.3K ratings)★ 3.96 Goodreads (1.0K) ★ 4.13 Audible (246)20h 55m listening time • Released 2016A star-studded anthology where twenty-three fantasy masters tell exactly the stories they want, each perfectly matched to a narrator who elevates the prose—Dick Hill's gravitas, Tim Gerard Reynolds' intensity—making this feel less like a collection and more like a curated experience.
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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.