10 audiobooks for fans of The Blade Itself
- 1
Red Country
First Law World • Book 6
Narrated by Steven Pacey
Why this book?
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)More about this pick
Shy South pursues the kidnappers who burned her home and stole her siblings, accompanied only by oxen and her cowardly stepfather Lamb.
- 2
The Heroes
First Law World • Book 5
Narrated by Steven Pacey
Why this book?
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)More about this pick
Three brutal days of warfare over a worthless hill get Steven Pacey's full character treatment — his voice work turns each soldier into someone you'll remember.
- 3
Best Served Cold
First Law World • Book 4
Narrated by Steven Pacey
Why this book?
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)More about this pick
Mercenary captain Monza survives assassination only to embark on methodical revenge against her former employers. Pacey inhabits each player in this chess game of betrayal with distinctive menace and wit.
- 4
The Devils
The Devils • Book 1
Narrated by Steven Pacey
Why this book?
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)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
Sharp Ends
First Law World • Book 7
Narrated by Steven Pacey
Why this book?
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)More about this pick
Abercrombie's collection explores the First Law world's darkest corners through mercenaries, thieves, and bastards living on society's brutal margins. Steven Pacey brings distinct personality to each violent, morally complex tale.
- 6
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.
- 7
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.
- 8
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)More about this pick
Elizabeth Evans handles the emotional weight of Aelin's journey as she gathers allies and faces impossible choices in this penultimate Throne of Glass installment.
- 9
Queen of Shadows
Throne of Glass • Book 4
Narrated by Elizabeth Evans
★ 4.79 ABR Score (1.5M ratings)★ 4.62 Goodreads (1.4M) ★ 4.81 Audible (21.4K)More about this pick
Aelin returns to Rifthold to reclaim her throne and rescue her imprisoned friends, facing the king who destroyed her family in this high-stakes fantasy.
- 10
The Final Empire
The Mistborn Saga • Book 1
Narrated by Michael Kramer
Why this book?
The Final Empire matches The Blade Itself's gritty fantasy foundation with complex moral ambiguity and unreliable perspectives, while Michael Kramer's narration delivers the same immersive character work that makes Steven Pacey's performance so compelling. Both audiobooks build intricate worlds through dialogue and character development rather than exposition, rewarding close listening with deeply layered storytelling.
★ 4.78 ABR Score (1.1M ratings)★ 4.49 Goodreads (999.3K) ★ 4.79 Audible (97.4K)More about this pick
Street thief Vin discovers she can ingest metals to gain magical powers, then joins a heist to overthrow an immortal emperor. Sanderson creates a unique magic system where swallowing steel lets you fly and pewter enhances strength.
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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.