Best Brandon Sanderson Audiobooks

The best Brandon Sanderson audiobooks — 25 titles ranked by listening experience across Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Literature & Fiction, averaging 4.60 ABR stars.

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Brandon Sanderson has built something no other fantasy writer has attempted at this scale: a shared universe spanning dozens of novels where the magic systems are as rigorously logical as physics. Mistborn's allomancy and the Stormlight Archive's surgebinding aren't mystical handwaving — they have rules, costs, and consequences that Sanderson exploits with the precision of a chess grandmaster. His plotting rewards patience; foreshadowing planted hundreds of pages earlier detonates at exactly the right moment. The prose is clean and propulsive, never showy, always in service of momentum. Tress of the Emerald Sea shows he can also work small and charming without losing any of his structural discipline. The ideal Sanderson reader loves systems, payoffs, and the particular satisfaction of a story that keeps every promise it made.

Brandon Sanderson's highest-rated audiobook in our collection is The Way of Kings, narrated by Kate Reading, Michael Kramer (4.89 ABR stars). Performed by narrators including Kate Reading, Michael Kramer, Michael Kramer, Kate Reading, Michael Kramer, and more. Rankings here weight the listening experience — narrator performance and Audible ratings factor alongside reader scores.

Where to Start with Brandon Sanderson

  1. 1
    The Way of Kings cover

    The Way of Kings

    The Cosmere • Book 1

    by Brandon Sanderson

    Narrated by Kate Reading, Michael Kramer

    4.89 ABR Score (796.4K ratings)
    ★ 4.66 Goodreads (683.1K) ★ 4.84 Audible (113.2K)
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    On storm-ravaged Roshar, a slave fights in bridge crews while a prince questions his honor during an endless war. The dual narration by Reading and Kramer handles Sanderson's massive world-building seamlessly.

  2. 2
    Words of Radiance cover

    Words of Radiance

    The Stormlight Archive • Book 2

    by Brandon Sanderson

    Narrated by Michael Kramer, Kate Reading

    4.96 ABR Score (587.5K ratings)
    ★ 4.76 Goodreads (498.0K) ★ 4.9 Audible (89.5K)
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    Kaladin leads the royal guard while Shallan seeks ancient secrets and Dalinar unites the war camps. Michael Kramer and Kate Reading handle Sanderson's massive cast and intricate magic systems flawlessly.

  3. 3
    The Final Empire cover

    The Final Empire

    The Mistborn Saga • Book 1

    by Brandon Sanderson

    Narrated by Michael Kramer

    4.78 ABR Score (1.1M ratings)
    ★ 4.49 Goodreads (999.3K) ★ 4.79 Audible (97.4K)
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    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.

  4. 4
    The Hero of Ages cover

    The Hero of Ages

    The Mistborn Saga • Book 3

    by Brandon Sanderson

    Narrated by Michael Kramer

    4.83 ABR Score (680.8K ratings)
    ★ 4.56 Goodreads (606.0K) ★ 4.85 Audible (74.8K)
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    Vin faces the apocalyptic Deepness while Elend builds his kingdom, as Sanderson concludes his Mistborn trilogy with the ultimate test of heroism and sacrifice.

  5. 5
    Oathbringer cover

    Oathbringer

    The Stormlight Archive • Book 3

    by Brandon Sanderson

    Narrated by Kate Reading, Michael Kramer

    4.83 ABR Score (432.0K ratings)
    ★ 4.6 Goodreads (365.0K) ★ 4.84 Audible (67.0K)
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    Dalinar's flashbacks to his violent past and the Knights Radiant's return unfold across 55+ hours that Kate Reading and Michael Kramer navigate expertly.

  6. 6
    The Well of Ascension cover

    The Well of Ascension

    The Mistborn Saga • Book 2

    by Brandon Sanderson

    Narrated by Michael Kramer

    4.70 ABR Score (745.6K ratings)
    ★ 4.38 Goodreads (671.8K) ★ 4.78 Audible (73.7K)
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    After killing the immortal Lord Ruler, street thief turned Mistborn Vin must defend the capital from three armies while ancient prophecies suggest an even greater threat approaches. Kramer voices this complex middle volume expertly.

  7. 7
    The Gathering Storm cover

    The Gathering Storm

    The Wheel of Time • Book 12

    by Robert Jordan, Brandon Sanderson

    Narrated by Michael Kramer, Kate Reading

    4.77 ABR Score (224.4K ratings)
    ★ 4.44 Goodreads (178.7K) ★ 4.9 Audible (45.7K)
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    Brandon Sanderson takes over Jordan's epic as Rand's madness deepens and Egwene fights to reunite the fractured White Tower before the Last Battle arrives.

  8. 8
    Towers of Midnight cover

    Towers of Midnight

    The Wheel of Time • Book 13

    by Robert Jordan, Brandon Sanderson

    Narrated by Kate Reading, Michael Kramer

    4.77 ABR Score (211.0K ratings)
    ★ 4.48 Goodreads (176.1K) ★ 4.89 Audible (34.9K)
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    Perrin leads the Whitecloak trials while Mat prepares for the Last Battle in this penultimate Wheel of Time volume. Kate Reading and Michael Kramer have become the definitive voices of Jordan's world, handling dozens of characters with seamless consistency.

  9. 9
    The Alloy of Law cover

    The Alloy of Law

    Mistborn, Era 2: Wax & Wayne • Book 1

    by Brandon Sanderson

    Narrated by Michael Kramer

    4.53 ABR Score (335.9K ratings)
    ★ 4.19 Goodreads (294.2K) ★ 4.72 Audible (41.7K)
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    Wax returns from the frontier to inherit his family's city estate, bringing gunslinger skills to an industrial world with railroads and electricity. Michael Kramer voices this Mistborn sequel that trades epic fantasy for steampunk detective work with familiar magical rules.

  10. 10
    Shadows of Self cover

    Shadows of Self

    Mistborn, Era 2: Wax & Wayne • Book 2

    by Brandon Sanderson

    Narrated by Michael Kramer

    4.56 ABR Score (243.6K ratings)
    ★ 4.26 Goodreads (211.7K) ★ 4.75 Audible (31.9K)
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    Lawman Waxillium Ladrian faces a shapeshifting kandra assassin targeting government officials in this Wild West-meets-steampunk fantasy. Michael Kramer navigates Sanderson's intricate magic system as political conspiracy threatens the fragile democracy of Elendel.

  11. 11
    The Bands of Mourning cover

    The Bands of Mourning

    Mistborn, Era 2: Wax & Wayne • Book 3

    by Brandon Sanderson

    Narrated by Michael Kramer

    4.66 ABR Score (220.8K ratings)
    ★ 4.4 Goodreads (193.3K) ★ 4.81 Audible (27.4K)
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    Wax and his crew pursue the Lord Ruler's legendary metalminds in a steampunk world where magic meets technology. Kramer's consistent narration grounds readers as Sanderson introduces new magic systems and expands his world's mythology beyond Scadrial's borders.

  12. 12
    Warbreaker cover

    Warbreaker

    The Cosmere • Book 5

    by Brandon Sanderson

    Narrated by Alyssa Bresnahan

    4.55 ABR Score (320.0K ratings)
    ★ 4.29 Goodreads (285.7K) ★ 4.71 Audible (34.3K)
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    Two princess sisters navigate political marriage and divine magic in a world where gods are powered by human worship and color-based magic. Alyssa Bresnahan handles the complex magic system and political intrigue across this standalone Cosmere novel about divine responsibility.

  13. 13
    Starsight cover

    Starsight

    Skyward • Book 2

    by Brandon Sanderson

    Narrated by Suzy Jackson

    4.61 ABR Score (133.0K ratings)
    ★ 4.34 Goodreads (109.9K) ★ 4.77 Audible (23.1K)
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    Spensa goes undercover among the alien Superiority to steal their hyperdrive technology, infiltrating the very empire that keeps her planet trapped. Suzy Jackson handles both Spensa's voice and the various alien characters with skill.

  14. 14
    Arcanum Unbounded: The Cosmere Collection cover

    Arcanum Unbounded: The Cosmere Collection

    The Cosmere

    by Brandon Sanderson

    Narrated by Michael Kramer, Kate Reading

    4.64 ABR Score (85.4K ratings)
    ★ 4.43 Goodreads (66.7K) ★ 4.82 Audible (18.7K)
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    This collection spans Sanderson's interconnected universe, featuring stories from each Cosmere world with their distinct magic systems.

  15. 15
    Steelheart cover

    Steelheart

    The Reckoners • Book 1

    by Brandon Sanderson

    Narrated by MacLeod Andrews

    4.36 ABR Score (235.2K ratings)
    ★ 4.14 Goodreads (197.0K) ★ 4.5 Audible (38.2K)
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    In a world where superpowers corrupt absolutely, ordinary humans fight back against godlike tyrants who rule through fear. Andrews captures David's determination and the Reckoners' desperate courage as they plan the impossible assassination of an invincible dictator.

  16. 16
    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)
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    Wax faces his final confrontation with the Set as Scadrial hurtles toward an explosive conclusion to Sanderson's second Mistborn era. Michael Kramer has been the voice of this world for years, and his familiarity with every character pays off brilliantly here.

  17. 17
    Wind and Truth cover

    Wind and Truth

    The Stormlight Archive • Book 5

    by Brandon Sanderson

    Narrated by Kate Reading, Michael Kramer

    4.45 ABR Score (160.9K ratings)
    ★ 4.37 Goodreads (139.0K) ★ 4.6 Audible (21.9K)
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    Sanderson concludes the first Stormlight arc with Dalinar's contest against a god while Roshar faces annihilation. Reading and Kramer handle the massive cast with their usual expertise across 60+ hours of epic fantasy.

  18. 18
    Dawnshard cover

    Dawnshard

    The Stormlight Archive #3.5 • Book 3

    by Brandon Sanderson

    Narrated by Kate Reading, Michael Kramer

    4.61 ABR Score (148.8K ratings)
    ★ 4.34 Goodreads (136.9K) ★ 4.84 Audible (11.9K)
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    Rysn leads an expedition to a mysterious island where ancient secrets and deadly Sleepless await. The dual narrator team excels with this quieter Stormlight novella that focuses on discovery rather than warfare.

  19. 19
    Elantris cover

    Elantris

    Elantris • Book 1

    by Brandon Sanderson

    Narrated by Jack Garrett

    4.36 ABR Score (372.3K ratings)
    ★ 4.16 Goodreads (355.0K) ★ 4.58 Audible (17.3K)
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    Sanderson's debut explores a fallen magical city where godlike beings have become diseased outcasts, their mysterious transformation threatening an entire kingdom.

  20. 20
    The Rithmatist cover

    The Rithmatist

    Rithmatist • Book 1

    by Brandon Sanderson, Ben McSweeney

    Narrated by Michael Kramer

    4.56 ABR Score (86.0K ratings)
    ★ 4.25 Goodreads (75.3K) ★ 4.71 Audible (10.7K)
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    Michael Kramer's performance elevates this magic-school mystery into something genuinely gripping—he nails the outsider protagonist's frustration while making the chalk-based magic system feel tactile and urgent.

  21. 21
    Cytonic cover

    Cytonic

    Skyward • Book 3

    by Brandon Sanderson

    Narrated by Suzy Jackson

    4.35 ABR Score (79.8K ratings)
    ★ 4.05 Goodreads (67.8K) ★ 4.64 Audible (12.0K)
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    Spensa infiltrates enemy territory light-years from home after proving herself among humanity's best starfighters against the alien Krell.

  22. 22
    The Emperor's Soul cover

    The Emperor's Soul

    Elantris • Book 2

    by Brandon Sanderson

    Narrated by Angela Lin

    4.38 ABR Score (142.3K ratings)
    ★ 4.37 Goodreads (133.7K) ★ 4.56 Audible (8.6K)
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    Master Forger Shai must rewrite the soul of a brain-damaged emperor in 100 days or face execution. Lin's precise narration matches Sanderson's tight plotting in this Hugo-winning novella about art, identity, and magical craftsmanship.

  23. 23
    Tress of the Emerald Sea cover

    Tress of the Emerald Sea

    Hoid's Travails • Book 1

    by Brandon Sanderson, Howard Lyon

    Narrated by Michael Kramer

    4.50 ABR Score (302.4K ratings)
    ★ 4.32 Goodreads (297.2K) ★ 4.74 Audible (5.1K)
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    A simple island girl ventures across deadly spore seas to rescue her kidnapped love, with Sanderson's trademark magic systems governing every ocean. Michael Kramer brings warmth to this fairy-tale adventure that feels like The Princess Bride in a cosmere setting.

  24. 24
    Yumi and the Nightmare Painter cover

    Yumi and the Nightmare Painter

    Hoid's Travails • Book 2

    by Brandon Sanderson, Aliya Chen

    Narrated by Kate Reading, Michael Kramer

    4.57 ABR Score (121.8K ratings)
    ★ 4.43 Goodreads (118.7K) ★ 4.82 Audible (3.1K)
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    Two souls from opposite worlds—gardens versus nightmares, spirits versus technology—swap bodies and must save each other's realities. Reading and Kramer handle the dual perspectives with their trademark precision, switching seamlessly between meditative wonder and urban tension.

  25. 25
    The Frugal Wizard’s Handbook for Surviving Medieval England cover

    The Frugal Wizard’s Handbook for Surviving Medieval England

    Secret Projects • Book 2

    by Brandon Sanderson, Steve Argyle

    Narrated by Michael Kramer, Kate Reading

    4.02 ABR Score (76.3K ratings)
    ★ 3.76 Goodreads (74.6K) ★ 4.53 Audible (1.6K)
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    Michael Kramer and Kate Reading guide an amnesiac man through what seems like medieval England, armed only with a damaged guidebook and mysterious pursuers.

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 →