Audiobooks Like The Goblin Emperor

Kyle McCarley narrates The Goblin Emperor with a quiet sincerity that suits Maia's character — there's no irony in the performance, no knowing wink at the court-intrigue genre, and that earnestness across 18 hours is exactly what the book's emotional argument requires. All ten recommendations carry high ratings, one won an award, and while no narrators overlap, the list shares the same quality of character-driven fantasy where the protagonist's decency is the point and the narrator's job is to protect it.

10 audiobooks for fans of The Goblin Emperor

  1. 1
    The Gate of the Feral Gods cover

    The Gate of the Feral Gods

    Dungeon Crawler Carl • Book 4

    by Matt Dinniman

    Narrated by Jeff Hays

    4.79 ABR Score (150.1K ratings)
    ★ 4.55 Goodreads (125.6K) ★ 4.91 Audible (24.5K)
    18h 3m listening time • Released 2021

    Jeff Hays transforms this fourth installment into pure comedic gold—his voice work for Carl's deadpan chaos and the ensemble cast is so sharp it lands every joke before the punchline hits.

  2. 2
    Skin Game cover

    Skin Game

    The Dresden Files • Book 15

    by Jim Butcher

    Narrated by James Marsters

    4.77 ABR Score (124.5K ratings)
    ★ 4.56 Goodreads (93.2K) ★ 4.88 Audible (31.3K)
    15h 49m listening time • Released 2014
  3. 3
    Wintersteel cover

    Wintersteel

    Cradle • Book 8

    by Will Wight

    Narrated by Travis Baldree

    4.77 ABR Score (44.3K ratings)
    ★ 4.68 Goodreads (33.0K) ★ 4.9 Audible (11.3K)
    14h 39m listening time • Released 2020

    Travis Baldree's performance elevates this tournament arc into something genuinely gripping—his character work makes the faction politics matter as much as the magic. The pacing snaps, the stakes land hard, and by the climax you're fully invested in who walks away alive.

  4. 4
    The Dungeon Anarchist's Cookbook cover

    The Dungeon Anarchist's Cookbook

    Dungeon Crawler Carl • Book 3

    by Matt Dinniman

    Narrated by Jeff Hays, The Critical Drinker

    4.75 ABR Score (182.0K ratings)
    ★ 4.43 Goodreads (152.4K) ★ 4.9 Audible (29.6K)
    16h 54m listening time • Released 2021

    Jeff Hays and The Critical Drinker elevate this already-wild progression fantasy into a full theatrical experience—the voice work and sound design transform a complex dungeon crawl into something you'll want to binge in one sitting.

  5. 5
    He Who Fights With Monsters 7 cover

    He Who Fights With Monsters 7

    He Who Fights with Monsters • Book 7

    by Shirtaloon, Travis Deverell

    Narrated by Heath Miller

    4.73 ABR Score (42.9K ratings)
    ★ 4.54 Goodreads (19.5K) ★ 4.9 Audible (23.4K)
    18h 39m listening time • Released 2022
  6. 6
    Cold Days cover

    Cold Days

    The Dresden Files • Book 14

    by Jim Butcher

    Narrated by James Marsters

    4.73 ABR Score (135.9K ratings)
    ★ 4.47 Goodreads (107.2K) ★ 4.87 Audible (28.7K)
    18h 47m listening time • Released 2012
  7. 7
    Turn Coat cover

    Turn Coat

    The Dresden Files • Book 11

    by Jim Butcher

    Narrated by James Marsters

    4.72 ABR Score (139.7K ratings)
    ★ 4.44 Goodreads (112.9K) ★ 4.88 Audible (26.9K)
    14h 36m listening time • Released 2009
  8. 8
    Waybound cover

    Waybound

    Cradle • Book 12

    by Will Wight

    Narrated by Travis Baldree

    4.71 ABR Score (29.7K ratings)
    ★ 4.62 Goodreads (23.6K) ★ 4.91 Audible (6.1K)
    16h 13m listening time • Released 2023

    Travis Baldree's twelve-book performance crescendos into genuine emotional devastation here—he's earned the right to break your heart after taking you from powerless to godlike. This finale sticks the landing in ways most long series can't.

  9. 9
    Dead Beat cover

    Dead Beat

    The Dresden Files • Book 7

    by Jim Butcher

    Narrated by James Marsters

    4.70 ABR Score (164.7K ratings)
    ★ 4.41 Goodreads (135.4K) ★ 4.86 Audible (29.3K)
    15h 7m listening time • Released 2010
  10. 10
    The Lost Metal cover

    The Lost Metal

    The Mistborn Saga • Book 7

    by Brandon Sanderson

    Narrated by Michael Kramer

    4.70 ABR Score (136.9K ratings)
    ★ 4.48 Goodreads (122.5K) ★ 4.86 Audible (14.4K)
    18h 46m listening time • Released 2022

    Michael Kramer brings surgical precision to Sanderson's sprawling finale, keeping you locked in through 18+ hours of intricate plotting and emotional payoffs that actually land. This is the rare epic fantasy audiobook where the narrator's control matches the author's ambition.

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.

Read our full ranking methodology →