10 audiobooks for fans of Best Served Cold
- 1
Before They Are Hanged
The First Law • Book 2
Narrated by Steven Pacey
Why this book?
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)More about this pick
Superior Glokta's torture-scarred cynicism and Bayaz's quest for ancient magic get Steven Pacey's full character treatment across multiple storylines.
- 2
Last Argument of Kings
The First Law • Book 3
Narrated by Steven Pacey
Why this book?
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)More about this pick
Steven Pacey captures every brutal nuance as Logen Ninefingers faces his final battle and the Bloody-Nine must confront his oldest friend turned enemy.
- 3
The Blade Itself
The First Law Trilogy • Book 1
Narrated by Steven Pacey
Why this book?
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)More about this pick
Barbarian Logen Ninefingers, selfish nobleman Jezal, and crippled torturer Glokta are drawn into a conspiracy that threatens the kingdom. Pacey's exceptional character voices bring Abercrombie's morally gray antiheroes to life in this gritty fantasy that subverts traditional genre expectations with dark humor.
- 4
The Devils
The Devils • Book 1
Narrated by Steven Pacey
Why this book?
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)More about this pick
Brother Diaz leads a squad of murderers and monsters on a holy mission requiring unholy methods in Abercrombie's new fantasy series. Steven Pacey returns to capture every brutal, darkly comic moment with his signature skill.
- 5
The Sound of Change
The Bards and Dragons Saga • Book 2
by Steve D. Wall
Narrated by Steven Pacey
Why this book?
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)More about this pick
Flintlock fantasy continues as exiled Ulric, silenced bard Dellioph, and despairing Gali flee pursuing dragons. Pacey returns to this gun-and-magic world with his signature character work.
- 6
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)More about this pick
Twenty-one authors contribute stories about deadly, complex female characters across genres from fantasy to noir, creating an anthology that celebrates dangerous femininity.
- 7
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)More about this pick
Twenty-three fantasy authors contribute unrestrained tales without thematic constraints in this genre celebration. The six-narrator ensemble including Tim Gerard Reynolds and Nick Podehl brings remarkable variety to each story.
- 8
The Butcher's Masquerade
Dungeon Crawler Carl • Book 5
Narrated by Jeff Hays
★ 4.88 ABR Score (135.3K ratings)★ 4.69 Goodreads (108.1K) ★ 4.94 Audible (27.2K)More about this pick
Carl and Princess Donut navigate a dinosaur-infested jungle floor while alien viewers vote on their survival. Hays captures the series' perfect blend of video game logic and genuine emotional stakes.
- 9
The Hero of Ages
The Mistborn Saga • Book 3
Narrated by Michael Kramer
Why this book?
The Hero of Ages delivers the same epic scope and morally complex characters as Best Served Cold, with Michael Kramer's commanding narration matching Steven Pacey's gift for bringing distinct voices to life. Both audiobooks combine intricate plotting with themes of vengeance and redemption across a comparable runtime, making them ideal for listeners seeking immersive fantasy that rewards sustained attention.
★ 4.83 ABR Score (680.8K ratings)★ 4.56 Goodreads (606.0K) ★ 4.85 Audible (74.8K)More about this pick
Vin faces the apocalyptic Deepness while Elend builds his kingdom, as Sanderson concludes his Mistborn trilogy with the ultimate test of heroism and sacrifice.
- 10
The Eye of the Bedlam Bride
Dungeon Crawler Carl • Book 6
Narrated by Jeff Hays, Patrick Warburton, Travis Baldree, Annie Ellicott
★ 4.83 ABR Score (110.3K ratings)★ 4.66 Goodreads (91.7K) ★ 4.92 Audible (18.5K)More about this pick
Chaos reigns on floor eight as Carl and friends face scattered challenges, forgotten gods, and an AI system falling apart. This ensemble cast including Patrick Warburton creates pure audio mayhem.
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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.