10 audiobooks for fans of Year One
- 1
Valley of Silence
Circle Trilogy • Book 3
by Nora Roberts
Narrated by Dick Hill
Why this book?
Valley of Silence deepens the epic fantasy world Roberts established in Year One, continuing the same richly layered storytelling with complex characters facing impossible choices. The longer runtime allows for even more immersive worldbuilding and character development, though Dick Hill's deliberate narration offers a different listening rhythm than Julia Whelan's performance.
★ 4.43 ABR Score (35.2K ratings)★ 4.26 Goodreads (32.2K) ★ 4.78 Audible (3.0K)More about this pick
The circle of six prepares for final battle against vampire Lilith in the magical land of Geall, completing their time-spanning quest. Dick Hill's steady narration anchors this climactic fantasy romance conclusion.
- 2
Dance of the Gods
Circle Trilogy • Book 2
by Nora Roberts
Narrated by Dick Hill
Why this book?
Roberts continues her signature blend of romantic tension and high-stakes fantasy world-building in this longer, more expansive audiobook, with Dick Hill's dynamic narration deepening the epic scope that Julia Whelan established in Year One. The 10-hour runtime allows for richer character development and more intricate plotting within the same immersive supernatural mythology.
★ 4.34 ABR Score (36.2K ratings)★ 4.18 Goodreads (33.5K) ★ 4.72 Audible (2.7K)More about this pick
Demon hunter Blair Murphy trains an unlikely team including a 12th century Irish sorcerer and modern witch to face an ancient vampire queen.
- 3
Morrigan's Cross
Circle Trilogy • Book 1
by Nora Roberts
Narrated by Dick Hill
Why this book?
Nora Roberts brings her signature blend of romance, danger, and character depth to this longer supernatural epic, giving listeners who enjoyed *Year One* more time to sink into her richly developed world and high-stakes mythology. Dick Hill's narration complements the darker, more atmospheric tone of the vampire-centered narrative while maintaining the emotional resonance that makes Roberts' storytelling so compelling.
★ 4.15 ABR Score (60.8K ratings)★ 4.14 Goodreads (57.3K) ★ 4.47 Audible (3.6K)More about this pick
A twelfth-century sorcerer must assemble warriors from different eras to battle an ancient vampire queen. Hill's narration grounds this time-traveling fantasy romance in epic stakes and emotional drama.
- 4
The Choice
The Dragon Heart Legacy • Book 3
by Nora Roberts
Narrated by Barrie Kreinik
★ 4.52 ABR Score (51.8K ratings)★ 4.29 Goodreads (44.3K) ★ 4.81 Audible (7.5K)More about this pick
Breen's final journey between our world and magical Talamhh gets epic battles, destiny choices, and Barrie Kreinik switching seamlessly between Irish accents and American tones for this portal fantasy conclusion.
- 5
The Earth Dwellers
The Dwellers • Book 4
by David Estes
Narrated by Julia Whelan, Khristine Hvam, MacLeod Andrews, Will Damron, Kirby Heyborne, Kate Rudd
★ 4.07 ABR Score (1.4K ratings)★ 4.32 Goodreads (1.3K) ★ 4.69 Audible (154)More about this pick
Characters from both The Dwellers and Country sagas unite as President Lecter threatens total destruction in this crossover climax. Six narrators including Julia Whelan and MacLeod Andrews handle the massive ensemble cast.
- 6
Brief Cases
The Dresden Files #15.6 • Book 15
by Jim Butcher
Narrated by James Marsters, Jim Butcher, Cassandra Campbell, Julia Whelan, Oliver Wyman
Why this book?
Julia Whelan's distinctive narration brings the same intimate, character-driven approach to *Brief Cases*, a collection that deepens the Dresden Files universe with interconnected stories exploring magic, mystery, and moral complexity. The anthology format offers the perfect follow-up for listeners who appreciated *Year One*'s immersive world-building, delivering multiple fantastical narratives with consistent narrative excellence across its longer runtime.
★ 4.58 ABR Score (36.1K ratings)★ 4.4 Goodreads (23.9K) ★ 4.82 Audible (12.2K)More about this pick
Dresden Files short stories get the full treatment with James Marsters returning as Harry Dresden alongside a rotating cast including Jim Butcher himself.
- 7
The Iron Flower
The Black Witch Chronicles • Book 2
by Laurie Forest
Narrated by JULIA WHELAN
★ 4.45 ABR Score (33.2K ratings)★ 4.3 Goodreads (30.8K) ★ 4.8 Audible (2.4K)More about this pick
Elloren joins the realm-wide Resistance against Gardnerian magical oppression as High Priest Marcus Vogel tightens his authoritarian grip. Julia Whelan's passionate performance matches the story's fierce political urgency across 19 hours.
- 8
Kingdoms' Corner: The Time of the Transition
by Jocelyn Sands
Narrated by Julia Whelan
★ 3.59 ABR Score (4 ratings)★ 3 Goodreads (1) ★ 3.67 Audible (3)More about this pick
A young American woman's 1897 transport to a magical realm unfolds through Julia Whelan's nuanced performance. Her narration captures both wonder and cultural displacement beautifully.
- 9
Shadowed Souls
The Dresden Files #14.5 - Cold Case • Book 14
by Jim Butcher, Kerrie L. Hughes, Seanan McGuire, Kevin J. Anderson, Rob Thurman, Tanya Huff, Kat Richardson, Jim C. Hines, Anton Strout, Lucy A. Snyder, Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Erik Scott de Bie
Narrated by Jim Butcher, Julia Whelan, Emily Rankin, Justine Eyre, David de Vries, Mia Barron, Jon Lindstrom, Sumalee Montano, Mozhan Marnò, Karissa Vacker, MacLeod Andrews
★ 3.47 ABR Score (7.0K ratings)★ 3.79 Goodreads (4.6K) ★ 3.86 Audible (2.3K)More about this pick
Multiple narrators including Jim Butcher himself guide you through dark urban fantasy tales that blur moral lines across supernatural worlds. The ensemble cast matches each story's unique voice perfectly.
- 10
Carl's Doomsday Scenario
Dungeon Crawler Carl • Book 2
Narrated by Jeff Hays
★ 4.78 ABR Score (217.5K ratings)★ 4.51 Goodreads (187.5K) ★ 4.89 Audible (30.0K)More about this pick
Carl and his magic cat Princess Donut navigate the second level of an alien game show designed to kill humans for entertainment. Jeff Hays perfectly captures the absurd humor of this death-trap RPG scenario.
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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.