10 audiobooks for fans of The Blade Itself
- 1
The Trouble with Peace
The Age of Madness • Book 2
Narrated by Steven Pacey
Steven Pacey's masterful narration brings the same morally complex characters and gritty political intrigue to life, deepening the dark humor and cynicism that defined *The Blade Itself*. *The Trouble with Peace* continues Abercrombie's unflinching exploration of how power corrupts while maintaining the sharp wit and brutal character development that made the first book so compelling.
★ 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 captures Abercrombie's darkly comedic voice and morally complex characters with the same brilliance across both works, delivering that signature blend of gritty fantasy and sardonic humor. The Wisdom of Crowds deepens the philosophical exploration of power and ambition that made The Blade Itself compelling, while maintaining the immersive listening experience that makes these lengthy audiobooks feel essential rather than exhausting.
★ 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
A Little Hatred
The Age of Madness • Book 1
Narrated by Steven Pacey
Steven Pacey's masterful narration brings the same gritty, morally complex world to life in *A Little Hatred*, deepening the dark humor and character-driven storytelling that made *The Blade Itself* compelling. The sequel expands Abercrombie's signature blend of brutal fantasy and cynical wit while maintaining the intimate, character-focused narrative voice that makes these audiobooks so immersive.
★ 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.
- 4
Red Country
First Law World • Book 6
Narrated by Steven Pacey
Red Country delivers the same sharp wit and morally gray characters that define The Blade Itself, while Steven Pacey's masterful narration captures Abercrombie's darkly comedic dialogue with equal brilliance across both epics. The western-tinged setting offers fresh scenery without sacrificing the gritty tone and character-driven storytelling that made the first book compelling.
★ 4.54 ABR Score (77.2K ratings)★ 4.32 Goodreads (66.8K) ★ 4.79 Audible (10.4K)19h 52m listening time • Released 2012Steven Pacey transforms Abercrombie's sprawling revenge epic into pure narrative gold, nailing every voice from hardened mercenary to desperate frontier widow with the precision that makes 20 hours vanish.
- 5
The Heroes
First Law World • Book 5
Narrated by Steven Pacey
Steven Pacey's masterful narration brings the same morally complex characters and gritty humor to life, deepening the dark fantasy atmosphere that made *The Blade Itself* compelling. *The Heroes* expands Abercrombie's signature brutality and subversion of fantasy tropes with an even more intricate narrative structure, rewarding listeners invested in his cynical, character-driven storytelling.
★ 4.53 ABR Score (87.1K ratings)★ 4.35 Goodreads (77.8K) ★ 4.76 Audible (9.3K)23h 5m listening time • Released 2016Steven Pacey elevates this three-day brutal siege into a masterclass in unreliable narration, giving each hardened warrior their own unforgettable voice while the carnage strips away every illusion of honor. The audiobook transforms what could be a straightforward battle into a darkly funny meditation on ambition and mortality.
- 6
Best Served Cold
First Law World • Book 4
Narrated by Steven Pacey
Best Served Cold delivers the same morally complex characters and dark humor that define The Blade Itself, while Steven Pacey's masterful narration brings an even richer cast of antiheroes to life across a sprawling tale of revenge and betrayal.
★ 4.46 ABR Score (126.0K ratings)★ 4.25 Goodreads (113.4K) ★ 4.7 Audible (12.7K)26h 29m listening time • Released 2016Steven Pacey transforms a revenge epic into pure theater—his vocal range and timing make every scheming bastard feel like a fully realized antagonist, and the 26-hour runtime gives you time to savor the brutality.
- 7
The Devils
The Devils • Book 1
Narrated by Steven Pacey
Steven Pacey's masterful narration captures Abercrombie's signature blend of dark humor and morally complex characters with equal brilliance, while *The Devils* deepens the gritty, introspective tone that made *The Blade Itself* so compelling. The extended runtime allows for even richer character development and world-building within Abercrombie's cynical fantasy universe.
★ 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.
- 8
Sharp Ends
First Law World • Book 7
Narrated by Steven Pacey
Sharp Ends delivers the same morally gray characters and dark humor that made The Blade Itself compelling, but in a collection of shorter stories that lets Steven Pacey showcase his vocal range across different perspectives and settings. The cynical tone and gritty world-building remain intact, offering a perfect bridge between longer narrative arcs or a rewarding supplement to the main series.
★ 4.33 ABR Score (32.0K ratings)★ 4.11 Goodreads (27.7K) ★ 4.71 Audible (4.3K)11h 49m listening time • Released 2016Steven Pacey's voices elevate these interconnected First Law stories into something sharper than the sum of their parts—each character becomes instantly distinct, making the violence and treachery cut deeper.
- 9
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.
- 10
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.
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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.