Adult Fantasy Audiobook Recommendations

By: Haylee

Hi everyone! I’m Haylee! I’m a houseplant enthusiast, baseball lover, and LEGO builder from Kansas City! Audiobooks are my favorite way to read. You can always find me consuming an audiobook; whether I’m going on a walk, doing chores, building LEGOs, or just lounging around! I am able to listen on 2.4–2.5x speed, and I love doing a tandem read where I listen while following along with my physical copy! In this second installment of Let’s Get Listening!, I’ll be going over four of my absolute favorite adult fantasy audiobooks. Adult fantasy is probably my most read genre and I am absolutely thrilled to share these amazing books with you! Whether you have chores to do, a long drive ahead of you, or want to cozy up with your favorite game, I hope there’s a recommendation here that you will enjoy! 

THE SPEAR CUTS THROUGH WATER by Simon Jimenez (2022)

LENGTH: 17 hours, 17 minutes

READ BY: Joel de la Fuente

Trigger Warnings: violence, cannibalism, death, ableism, sexual content, torture, sexual assault, suicide, child death

The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez is the book I recommend the most to literally anyone that will listen to me. I’ve read this one twice and loved it even more the second time around. However, this is also the hardest book for me to write a review about because there is so much going on within the pages that it’s hard to share my thoughts coherently. I also want people to go into this one with a very open mind, because the writing style is incredibly unique. Jimenez uses both first, second, and third-person POVs, which is very unconventional. The prose is lyrical and it’s so easy to get swept away in the story. There is a masterful level of world building and character work in this book that truly does not compare to any other book I’ve read. The second I started this book, I felt like I was going on this journey with our main characters, Keema and Jun. Joel de la Fuente took this book and narrated it to perfection. He brought the characters and world to life. The Spear Cuts Through Water tenderly explores the themes of belonging, legacy, and identity. While this is a fantasy book, at its core it is a love story. If you take one book recommendation from me, I am hoping it is this one. This book changed my brain chemistry and is one I plan on re-reading every year.

If you need another opinion, fellow book lover Zoranne also loved The Spear Cuts Through Water! 

“I don’t know how else to say it but The Spear Cuts Through Water changed my DNA. This book touched my soul. It chewed me up and spit me out. It’s transcendent. I’ve never read ANYTHING as unique and as perfect as this book. I feel like I’m grieving. I don’t know how to explain this book to a stranger. It’s not going to be for everyone but I encourage you to try this if you want to read something tender yet absolutely bonkers. This book deserves to be in the Louvre.”

JADE CITY by Fonda Lee (2017)

LENGTH: 19 hours, 07 minutes

READ BY: Andrew Kishino

Trigger Warnings: violence, death, murder, drug use, sexual content, addiction, pedophilia, suicide, homophobia

Jade City by Fonda Lee is a character-driven urban fantasy that is incredibly heavy on politics. It has very similar vibes to Peaky Blinders, so if you like that show, I think you would love Jade City! For the first book in a trilogy, Jade City really comes out swinging and packs quite the punch. You are immediately thrown into the rivalry between the No Peak and Mountain Clans. This first book follows four siblings—Lan, Hilo, Shae, and Anden—as they navigate the ever-changing world of Janloon. I like how we got so many different POVs because it helped see how everyone fit into the book individually, in the clan, and within their society. There are also a lot of side characters—specifically Bero and Ayt Madashi—that add a lot of layers to the story. The magic system consists of wearable jade that can enhance the wearer’s senses and make them stronger. It was very well-fleshed out and unique. There was a bit of info-dumping in this book, but it didn’t bother me much because I knew it was setting up the remainder of the trilogy. There were a few fight scenes, and I think this is where Lee shines. The clan dynamics and political intrigue were also very interesting. There is a lot of detail about the different hierarchies and their traditions, which I think creates a very well-crafted world. Jade City starts off slow, but around the 45% mark it really ramps up and it’s so hard to put it down. Andrew Kishino does a really great job at bringing all of the characters to life, giving them a distinct voice, and telling their stories. I truly think the audiobooks are the way to go with this series because they’re so immersive. 

If you need another opinion, fellow book lover Pierre also loved Jade City! 

“Jade City had been sitting on my shelf for a while, and I’m so glad I picked it up. Fonda Lee’s world building is incredibly rich, with a Godfather-esque vibe, intense political intrigue, and morally gray characters that completely pulled me in. The pacing is a bit slow, but the depth and drama more than make up for it. I was hooked by the twists and emotional stakes and I can’t wait to jump into the sequel!”

THE CITY OF BRASS by S.A. Chakraborty (2017)

LENGTH: 20 hours, 01 minutes

READ BY: Soneela Nankani

Trigger Warnings: violence, blood, death, slavery, war, religious bigotry, sexual assault, torture, xenophobia

The City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty is one of those books that grabs you from the first page and makes it almost impossible to put down. The Islamic worldbuilding is intricate and full of vivid details about the politics, history, and lore of both 18th century Cairo and the djinn world of Daevabad. Our main characters are Nahri, who is a con artist, and Ali, who is a djinn prince. I think both Nahri and Ali were well-fleshed out characters and I really enjoyed the story being told from their POVs. Chakraborty went to great lengths to give so much life to the different djinn tribes—they each had their own languages, religions, and customs. It was really fun to learn about the different tribes and how they exist inside Daevabad. Chakraborty takes on racism, bigotry, and xenophobia head on, but nothing ever feels on the nose. It’s all very nuanced. Soneela Nankani took on the big world of Daevabad and brought so much life to it.

If you need another opinion, fellow book lover Sid also loved The City of Brass!

“An intricate historical fantasy, groundbreaking at its time for its diverse Islamic worldbuilding and reclamation of Djinn lore, The City of Brass is utterly mesmerizing and transportive. I loved the multi-POV storytelling that weaved us on an adventure from 18th century Cairo to an imaginative, lush portal djinn world full of warring politics between different djinn tribes. It sets high stakes with its politics and long-lost heritage trope, while also confronting ethnic tensions between tribes, xenophobia, and racism head on with very good nuance. It’s memorable and left me reeling with its game-changing ending. I devoured the sequel immediately!”

BLACK SUN by Rebecca Roanhorse (2020)

LENGTH: 12 hours, 46 minutes

READ BY: Nicole Lewis, Cara Gee, Kaipo Schwab, Shaun Taylor-Corbett

Trigger warnings: violence, blood, death, child abuse, death of a parent, suicide, sexual content, homophobia, animal death

Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse is inspired by the Pre-Columbian Americas civilizations and it is a book that has stuck with me ever since finishing it. This story unfolds through four main characters—Serapio, Xiala, Naranpa, and Okoa. All characters are very distinct from each other and are all morally grey. You really don’t know who you are rooting for during this story. Serapio is the vessel of the Crow God, from the Carrion Crow religion, who was sacrificed in a ritual, leaving him blind and scarred. Xiala is a Teek ship captain who can control the wind and water. Naranpa is the Sun Priest and head of the Watchers. Okoa is the son of the later Carrion Crow matron. The queer and disability representation in this book was really well done. Black Sun is a dual-timeline story, going between what is present day and the past. This adds so much nuance to the story and helps explain why the characters are the way they are without info-dumping. The stakes of this book are so high. The convergence is near and all character paths will end up intersecting at one point, which made it quite the page turner. This book is narrated by a full cast—Nicole Lewis, Cara Gee, Kaipo Schwab, and Shaun Taylor-Corbett—and they did a phenomenal job bringing their characters to life. They truly took this book and made it that much more magical. I highly recommend reading the physical copy while you listen to the audiobook for an even more immersive experience.  

If you need another opinion, fellow book lover Marie also loved Black Sun!

“I knew upon the first chapter that Black Sun was going to be a new favorite of mine. Inspired by Pre-Columbian American civilization, the world building and plot are entirely unique! Expertly woven with multiple perspectives, I felt immersed in the new world in a way only the best fantasies can do. If you are intrigued with religious cults, prophecies, morally grey characters, animal companions, or sea voyage—this one is for you!”

Next Steps to Get Listening!

These four books have such a special place in my heart, and whether you’re a seasoned audiobook lover or just getting started, I think there is a recommendation in here for everyone! I always get my audiobooks through Libby or Libro.FM! With Libby you can utilize your local library and search through their catalog for audiobooks! Libro.FM is a subscription service where a portion of your subscription price goes towards a local indie bookstore of your choice! You can find me on Instagram, @haylee.reads, where I talk about all the audiobooks I am reading and loving!!