Best Ken Scholes Audiobooks
Ken Scholes built his reputation on the Psalms of Isaak series — a post-apocalyptic fantasy set in the Named Lands, where civilizations are catalogued and preserved by mechanical men called metal men, and where the destruction of a great library sets off a chain of dynastic grief and political reckoning that spans generations. Starting with Lamentation, Scholes writes with an elegiac intensity, his prose measured and ceremonial, suited to a world where knowledge itself is sacred. The series rewards readers who appreciate slow-burn world-building and earned emotional payoffs over breakneck plotting. Beyond Isaak, his contributions to collaborative anthologies like METAtropolis: Cascadia show his range — he's equally comfortable in near-future speculative territory. Scholes is the author for readers who want their fantasy weighted with consequence and atmosphere, and who don't mind sitting with a world before it fully reveals itself.
Where to Start with Ken Scholes
- Best entry point → Lamentation
- What fans keep coming back to → METAtropolis: Cascadia
- Highest rated by listeners → Antiphon (Psalms of Isaak #3)
Best Ken Scholes Audiobooks
- 1
Antiphon
Psalms of Isaak • Book 3
by Ken Scholes
Narrated by Scott Brick, Gabrielle de Cuir, John Rubenstein, Stefan Rudnicki
★ 3.89 ABR Score (1.1K ratings)★ 3.99 Goodreads (976) ★ 4.53 Audible (83)More about this pick
Ancient wizard kings reach across time to threaten the Androfrancine Order in this fantasy epic. The four-narrator ensemble handles the complex world-building and multiple character perspectives with skill.
- 2
Unfettered III: New Tales
The Chathrand Voyage #Thasha's cure for cabin fever • Book 3
by Shawn Speakman, Tad Williams, Naomi Novik, Megan Lindholm, John Gwynne, David Anthony Durham, Callie Bates, Jason Denzel, Carrie Vaughn, Deborah A. Wolf, Anna Stephens, Patrick Swenson, Ramon Terrell, Peter Orullian, Terry Brooks, Lev Grossman, Seanan McGuire, Delilah S. Dawson, Mark Lawrence, Brian Herbert, Kevin J. Anderson, Brandon Sanderson, Robert Jordan, Todd Lockwood, Cat Rambo, Robert V.S. Redick, Ken Scholes, Scott Sigler, Anna Smith Spark, Marc Turner
Narrated by Khristine Hvam, Natasha Soudek, Mark Bramhall, Michael Page, Vikas Adam, Tim Gerard Reynolds, Andrew Wincott, Luke Daniels, Brian Nishii
★ 3.84 ABR Score (779 ratings)★ 3.98 Goodreads (571) ★ 4.37 Audible (208)More about this pick
This charity anthology features stories from fantasy's biggest names, with multiple narrators bringing each author's unique voice to life.
- 3
Hymn
Psalms of Isaak • Book 5
by Ken Scholes
Narrated by Scott Brick, Stefan Rudnicki, Gabrielle De Cuir, Kristoffer Tabori, Emily Rankin, John Rubinstein
★ 3.84 ABR Score (288 ratings)★ 4.11 Goodreads (246) ★ 4.4 Audible (42)More about this pick
Scholes concludes his five-book Psalms of Isaak epic as the Andro-Francine Order and Y'Zirite Empire reach their climactic confrontation over control of The Named Lands.
- 4
Requiem
Psalms of Isaak • Book 4
by Ken Scholes
Narrated by Emily Rankin, Stefan Rudnicki, John Rubinstein, Kristoffer Tabori, Gabrielle De Cuir, Scott Brick
★ 3.84 ABR Score (615 ratings)★ 4 Goodreads (539) ★ 4.34 Audible (76)More about this pick
Six narrators tackle this fantasy epic's finale as the mysterious Crimson Empress's arrival threatens everything in the post-apocalyptic Psalms of Isaak world.
- 5
Canticle
Psalms of Isaak • Book 2
by Ken Scholes
Narrated by Scott Brick, William Dufris, Eliza Foss, Peter Larkin
★ 3.78 ABR Score (1.6K ratings)★ 3.94 Goodreads (1.5K) ★ 4.15 Audible (149)More about this pick
Rudolfo inherits the Androfancine Order's power while expecting his first child, but transcribing ancient knowledge unleashes unexpected consequences.
- 6
METAtropolis: Green Space
METAtropolis • Book 3
by Jay Lake, Tobias S. Buckell, Mary Robinette Kowal, Ken Scholes, Dion Graham, Robin Miles, Mark Boyett, Scott Brick, Allyson Johnson, Sanjiv Jhaveri, Jennifer Van Dyck, Jonathan Davis, Elizabeth Bear, Karl Schroeder, Seanan McGuire
Narrated by Dion Graham, Robin Miles, Mark Boyett, Scott Brick, Allyson Johnson, Sanjiv Jhaveri, Jennifer Van Dyck, Jonathan Davis
★ 3.75 ABR Score (972 ratings)★ 3.75 Goodreads (354) ★ 4.28 Audible (618)More about this pick
Multiple narrators guide you through humanity's 22nd-century evolution after the Green Crash, where everyone joins an interconnected 'Internet of things.' Each voice brings distinct perspective to this sprawling anthology.
- 7
METAtropolis: Cascadia
METAtropolis • Book 2
by Jay Lake, Mary Robinette Kowal, Elizabeth Bear, Ken Scholes, Karl Schroeder, René Auberjonois, Kate Mulgrew, Wil Wheaton, Gates McFadden, Jonathan Frakes, LeVar Burton, Tobias S. Buckell
Narrated by Rene Auberjonois, Kate Mulgrew, Wil Wheaton, Gates McFadden, Jonathan Frakes, LeVar Burton, Jay Lake
★ 3.63 ABR Score (2.2K ratings)★ 3.68 Goodreads (834) ★ 4.09 Audible (1.4K)More about this pick
In the 2070s, the Pacific Northwest has broken away from a fractured United States, creating the independent territory of Cascadia amid economic collapse and environmental battles. Star Trek veterans including Kate Mulgrew and Jonathan Frakes voice this collection of interconnected dystopian futures.
- 8
Lamentation
Psalms of Isaak • Book 1
by Ken Scholes
Narrated by Stefan Rudnicki, Scott Brick, William Dufris, Maggi-Meg Reed
★ 3.59 ABR Score (3.5K ratings)★ 3.7 Goodreads (3.2K) ★ 3.96 Audible (269)More about this pick
A mysterious weapon obliterates an entire city in an instant, setting multiple narrators loose on this epic fantasy's sprawling cast and world-building.