Dark Fantasy Audiobooks: Enter a World of Shadows and Wonders

Narrator: Stephen King, Seth Numrich

Audio Length: @1x speed 24.00 hours
@1.5x speed 16.00 hours
@2x speed 12.00 hours

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Fairy Tale Audiobook

Legendary storyteller Stephen King goes into the deepest well of his imagination in this spellbinding novel about a seventeen-year-old boy who inherits the keys to a parallel world where good and evil are at war, and the stakes could not be higher—for that world or ours.

Charlie Reade looks like a regular high school kid, great at baseball and football, a decent student. But he carries a heavy load. His mom was killed in a hit-and-run accident when he was ten, and grief drove his dad to drink. Charlie learned how to take care of himself—and his dad. When Charlie is seventeen, he meets a dog named Radar and her aging master, Howard Bowditch, a recluse in a big house at the top of a big hill, with a locked shed in the backyard. Sometimes strange sounds emerge from it.

Charlie starts doing jobs for Mr. Bowditch and loses his heart to Radar. Then, when Bowditch dies, he leaves Charlie a cassette tape telling a story no one would believe. What Bowditch knows, and has kept secret all his long life, is that inside the shed is a portal to another world.

King’s storytelling in Fairy Tale soars. This is a magnificent and terrifying tale in which good is pitted against overwhelming evil, and a heroic boy—and his dog—must lead the battle.

Early in the Pandemic, King asked himself: “What could you write that would make you happy?”

“As if my imagination had been waiting for the question to be asked, I saw a vast deserted city—deserted but alive. I saw the empty streets, the haunted buildings, a gargoyle head lying overturned in the street. I saw smashed statues (of what I didn’t know, but I eventually found out). I saw a huge, sprawling palace with glass towers so high their tips pierced the clouds. Those images released the story I wanted to tell.”

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“I feel I can state with no reservations that Fairy Tale is an absolute masterpiece of the storytelling art form. From the opening scene to the gripping conclusion, this intricate tale of good and evil at war pulls listeners into its fantastical world while delivering a powerful message about the human condition and our responsibility to protect our families and friends. Seth Numrich's masterful narration transports listeners into the depths of King's vivid imagination. His expertly crafted cadence creates an immersive experience for listeners, making it easy to follow along on this exciting literary journey. The combination of Stephen King's brilliant writing and Seth Numrich's remarkable performance make this audiobook one not to be missed! And an extra star for being able to download it in mp3 format with no proprietary software headaches!”

— Salena Thompson

The Beast: A Novel of the Black Dagger Brotherhood Audiobook, by J. R. Ward

Author: J. R. Ward

Narrator: Jim Frangione

Audio Length: @1x speed 18.00 hours
@1.5x speed 12.00 hours
@2x speed 9.00 hours

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The Beast: A Novel of the Black Dagger Brotherhood Audiobook

Rhage and Mary return in a new novel of the Black Dagger Brotherhood, a series “so popular, I don’t think there’s a reader today who hasn’t at least heard of [it]” (USA Today). Nothing is as it used to be for the Black Dagger Brotherhood. After avoiding war with the Shadows, alliances have shifted and lines have been drawn. The slayers of the Lessening Society are stronger than ever, preying on human weakness to acquire more money, more weapons, more power. But as the Brotherhood readies for an all-out attack on them, one of their own fights a battle within himself… For Rhage, the Brother with the biggest appetites, but also the biggest heart, life was supposed to be perfect—or at the very least, perfectly enjoyable. Mary, his beloved shellan, is by his side and his King and his brothers are thriving. But Rhage can’t understand—or control—the panic and insecurity that plague him… And that terrifies him—as well as distances him from his mate. After suffering mortal injury in battle, Rhage must reassess his priorities—and the answer, when it comes to him, rocks his world...and Mary’s. But Mary is on a journey of her own, one that will either bring them closer together or cause a split that neither will recover from...

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“Intimate, evocative…the last quarter or so of The Beast had me breathing fast, furiously flipping pages. Emotional surprises and plot twists signal big things to come as this consistently compelling and exciting series evolves. This immersive, introspective yet rousing next installment will leave you clamoring for more.”

— USA Today

Dark Tower I: The Gunslinger Audiobook, by Stephen King

Author: Stephen King

Narrator: George Guidall

Audio Length: @1x speed 7.25 hours
@1.5x speed 4.83 hours
@2x speed 3.63 hours

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Dark Tower I: The Gunslinger Audiobook

Soon to be a major motion picture starring Matthew McConaughey and Idris Elba.

“An impressive work of mythic magnitude that may turn out to be Stephen King’s greatest literary achievement” (The Atlanta Journal-Constitution), The Gunslinger is the first volume in the epic Dark Tower Series.

A #1 national bestseller, The Gunslinger introduces readers to one of Stephen King’s most powerful creations, Roland of Gilead: The Last Gunslinger. He is a haunting figure, a loner on a spellbinding journey into good and evil. In his desolate world, which mirrors our own in frightening ways, Roland tracks The Man in Black, encounters an enticing woman named Alice, and begins a friendship with the boy from New York named Jake.

Inspired in part by the Robert Browning narrative poem, “Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came,” The Gunslinger is “a compelling whirlpool of a story that draws one irretrievable to its center” (Milwaukee Sentinel). It is “brilliant and fresh…and will leave you panting for more” (Booklist).

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“Let me start out with I love this series!! This is the first in the Dark Tower books, and essentially an introduction to the main character. It's a short read that sets the hook for a phenomenal series of books.”

— Mike

The Last Dark Audiobook, by Stephen R. Donaldson

Author: Stephen R. Donaldson

Narrator: Scott Brick

Audio Length: @1x speed 33.25 hours
@1.5x speed 22.17 hours
@2x speed 16.63 hours

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The Last Dark Audiobook

Compelled step by step to actions whose consequences they could neither see nor prevent, Thomas Covenant and Linden Avery have fought for what they love in the magical reality known only as "the Land." Now they face their final crisis. Reunited after their separate struggles, they discover in each other their true power--and yet they cannot imagine how to stop the Worm of the World’s End from unmaking Time. Nevertheless they must resist the ruin of all things, giving their last strength in the service of the world's continuance.

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“Although richly allegorical, the novel’s great strength is the warm humanity of its characters, who distinguish themselves by repeatedly confronting and overcoming their personal frailties. Donaldson’s fans will find this a fitting finale thirty-six years in the making.”

— Publishers Weekly

Burnt Offerings: An Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter Novel Audiobook, by Laurell K. Hamilton

Author: Laurell K. Hamilton

Narrator: Kimberly Alexis

Audio Length: @1x speed 13.00 hours
@1.5x speed 8.67 hours
@2x speed 6.50 hours

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Burnt Offerings: An Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter Novel Audiobook

Anita Blake is a vampire hunter. But when someone else sets his sights on her prey, she must save them both from the inferno.

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“The vampire council was interesting and I like the little bits of history we get about Vampires and Jean Claude. I like meeting Asher and seeing all of the lycanthropes in this one. A lot of action and kept my attention throughout.”

— Robin

Spell Bound Audiobook, by Kelley Armstrong

Author: Kelley Armstrong

Narrator: Johanna Parker

Audio Length: @1x speed 9.50 hours
@1.5x speed 6.33 hours
@2x speed 4.75 hours

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Spell Bound Audiobook

At last, in the novel every Kelley Armstrong fan will need to own, all the major heroines and heroes of Otherworld are united.It's been ten years since Bitten, the first novel in Kelley Armstrong's New York Times bestselling Otherworld series. In that time hundreds of thousands of fans have ravenously devoured the adventures of Armstrong's witches, demons, and werewolves. Now, in Spell Bound, she brings them all together for her most sweeping tale yet.Savannah Levine is in terrible danger, and for once she's powerless to help herself. At the heartbreaking conclusion of Waking the Witch, Savannah swore that she would give up her powers if it would prevent further pain for a young orphan. Little did she know that someone would take her up on that promise.And now, witch-hunting assassins, necromancers, half-demons, and rogue witches all seem to be after her. The threat is not just for Savannah; every member of the Otherworld might be at risk. While most of her fellow supernaturals are circling the wagons at a gathering of the council in Miami, Savannah is caught on the road, isolated from those who can protect her and unable to use her vast spell-casting talent, the thing she counts on most. In a story that will change the shape of the Otherworld forever, Armstrong gathers Elena, Clay, Paige, Lucas, Jamie, Hope, and other beloved characters, who soon learn that the greatest threat to supernaturals just may come from within.

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“This was the perfect penultimate book for this series. It brought all the characters together in a way that didn't feel contrived, yet still managed to tell Savannah's story without it getting muddled by the others. While it does leave quite a bit left for the final book to resolve, there was no horrible cliffhanger for the reader to suffer through while waiting for the next book. I don't recommend reading it without having read the previous books in the series, since it makes reference to many of them. If I have one complaint, it's that I'll probably have to wait at least a year until the final book comes out!”

— Jill

Murder of Crows: A Novel of the Others Audiobook, by Anne Bishop

Author: Anne Bishop

Narrator: Alexandra Harris

Audio Length: @1x speed 14.25 hours
@1.5x speed 9.50 hours
@2x speed 7.13 hours

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Murder of Crows: A Novel of the Others Audiobook

Return to New York Times bestselling author Anne Bishop’s “phenomenal” (Urban Fantasy Investigations) world of the Others—where supernatural entities and humans struggle to co-exist, and one woman has begun to change all the rules… After winning the trust of the terra indigene residing in the Lakeside Courtyard, Meg Corbyn has had trouble figuring out what it means to live among them. As a human, Meg should be barely tolerated prey, but her abilities as a cassandra sangue make her something more. The appearance of two addictive drugs has sparked violence between the humans and the Others, resulting in the murder of both species in nearby cities. So when Meg has a dream about blood and black feathers in the snow, Simon Wolfgard—Lakeside’s shape-shifting leader—wonders if their blood prophet dreamed of a past attack or a future threat. As the urge to speak prophecies strikes Meg more frequently, trouble finds its way inside the Courtyard. Now, the Others and the handful of humans residing there must work together to stop the man bent on reclaiming their blood prophet—and stop the danger that threatens to destroy them all.

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“The world of the Others continues and keeps you wondering just what will come next for the Others and the Humans. Romance, Intrigue, Mystery, Magic!! Along with mysterious monsters, both Other and Human. Gonna listen to the next book.”

— Linda

A Little Hatred Audiobook, by Joe Abercrombie

Author: Joe Abercrombie

Narrator: Steven Pacey

Audio Length: @1x speed 20.25 hours
@1.5x speed 13.50 hours
@2x speed 10.13 hours

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A Little Hatred Audiobook

The New York Times bestselling first book in Joe Abercrombie's The Age of Madness Trilogy where the age of the machine dawns, but the age of magic refuses to die.

The chimneys of industry rise over Adua and the world seethes with new opportunities. But old scores run deep as ever.

On the blood-soaked borders of Angland, Leo dan Brock struggles to win fame on the battlefield, and defeat the marauding armies of Stour Nightfall. He hopes for help from the crown. But King Jezal's son, the feckless Prince Orso, is a man who specializes in disappointments.

Savine dan Glokta -- socialite, investor, and daughter of the most feared man in the Union -- plans to claw her way to the top of the slag-heap of society by any means necessary. But the slums boil over with a rage that all the money in the world cannot control.

The age of the machine dawns, but the age of magic refuses to die. With the help of the mad hillwoman Isern-i-Phail, Rikke struggles to control the blessing, or the curse, of the Long Eye. Glimpsing the future is one thing, but with the guiding hand of the First of the Magi still pulling the strings, changing it will be quite another . . .

For more from Joe Abercrombie, check out:

The First Law Series

The Blade Itself

Before They Are Hanged

Last Argument of Kings

Best Served Cold

The Heroes

Red Country

The Shattered Sea Trilogy

Half a King

Half a World

Half a War

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“In this brutal fantasy…Abercrombie unerringly juggles a large cast of multifaceted, morally ambiguous characters…This unflinching depiction of human nature becomes slow-motion tragedy on a grand scale, shot through with moments of humor, excitement, and hope.”

— Booklist (starred review)

The Library at Mount Char Audiobook, by Scott Hawkins

Author: Scott Hawkins

Narrator: Hillary Huber

Audio Length: @1x speed 16.75 hours
@1.5x speed 11.17 hours
@2x speed 8.38 hours

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The Library at Mount Char Audiobook

Neil Gaiman meets Joe Hill in this astonishingly original, terrifying, and darkly funny contemporary fantasy.

Carolyn's not so different from the other human beings around her. She's sure of it. She likes guacamole and cigarettes and steak. She knows how to use a phone. She even remembers what clothes are for.

After all, she was a normal American herself, once.

That was a long time ago, of course—before that time she calls "adoption day," when she and a dozen other children found themselves being raised by a man they learned to call father.

Father could do strange things. He could call light from darkness. Sometimes he raised the dead. And when he was disobeyed, the consequences were terrible.

In the years since Father took her in, Carolyn hasn't gotten out much. Instead, she and her adopted siblings have been raised according to Father's ancient Pelapi customs. They've studied the books in his library and learned some of the secrets behind his equally ancient power.

Sometimes, they've wondered if their cruel tutor might secretly be God.

Now, Father is missing. And if God is truly dead, the only thing that matters is who will inherit his library—and with it, power over all creation.

As Carolyn gathers the tools she needs for battle to come, fierce competitors for this prize align against her.

But Carolyn can win. She's sure of it. What she doesn't realize is that her victory may come at a n unacceptable price—because in becoming God, she's forgotten a great deal about being human.

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“The most genuinely original fantasy I’ve ever read. Hawkins plays with really, really big ideas and does it with superb invention, deeply affecting characters, and a smashing climax I did not see coming.”

— Nancy Kress, Hugo and Nebula Award-winning author

The Atlas Six Audiobook, by Olivie Blake

Author: Olivie Blake

Narrator: Damian Lynch, James Patrick Cronin, January LaVoy, LeVar Burton, Steve West, Caitlin Kelly, Andy Ingalls, Aja Naomi King, Landon Woodson, Siho Ellsmore, Ngozi Anyanwu, Tomiwa Edun, David Monteith, Munirih Grace

Audio Length: @1x speed 16.00 hours
@1.5x speed 10.67 hours
@2x speed 8.00 hours

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The Atlas Six Audiobook

The much-acclaimed BookTok sensation from Olivie Blake, The Atlas Six is now newly revised, edited with additional content, and available on audio for the first time. • The tag #theatlassix already has millions of views on TikTok • A dark academic debut fantasy with an established cult following that reads like The Secret History meets The Umbrella Academy. • The first in an explosive trilogy The Alexandrian Society, caretakers of lost knowledge from the greatest civilizations of antiquity, are the foremost secret society of magical academicians in the world. Those who earn a place among the Alexandrians will secure a life of wealth, power, and prestige beyond their wildest dreams, and each decade, only the six most uniquely talented magicians are selected to be considered for initiation. Enter the latest round of six: Libby Rhodes and Nico de Varona, unwilling halves of an unfathomable whole, who exert uncanny control over every element of physicality. Reina Mori, a naturalist, who can intuit the language of life itself. Parisa Kamali, a telepath who can traverse the depths of the subconscious, navigating worlds inside the human mind. Callum Nova, an empath easily mistaken for a manipulative illusionist, who can influence the intimate workings of a person’s inner self. Finally, there is Tristan Caine, who can see through illusions to a new structure of reality—an ability so rare that neither he nor his peers can fully grasp its implications. When the candidates are recruited by the mysterious Atlas Blakely, they are told they will have one year to qualify for initiation, during which time they will be permitted preliminary access to the Society’s archives and judged based on their contributions to various subjects of impossibility: time and space, luck and thought, life and death. Five, they are told, will be initiated. One will be eliminated. The six potential initiates will fight to survive the next year of their lives, and if they can prove themselves to be the best among their rivals, most of them will. Most of them. A Macmillan Audio production from Tor Books.

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“The Atlas Six is the famous TikTok sensation and must read dark Academia/ fantasy novel of the year! Perfect for fans of Ninth House & A deadly education. I was lucky enough to read the arc and I absolutely loved it! The Atlas Six centers around a secret society of that initiates 5 new members every 10 years or so. Six candidates with the rarest powers are chosen to compete for a spot, like a fellowship, but with a thrilling shocking twist. The book begins when six of the uniquely talented magicians are selected to earn a place in The Alexandrian Society, the eternally powerful secret society in the world. The chosen will secure a life of power and prestige beyond their wildest dreams. But there’s a catch… This richly imaginative story is amazing in every way but especially because of its characters. They are fantastic! Meticulously and thoroughly written, dynamic and vibrant characters that spin themselves into complex webs of relationships whilst striving for knowledge and power. This book will completely immerse you with its mesmerising, atmospheric narrative! Why I loved it: > An Intriguing magic system > Fantastic Multiple character pov > Atmospheric and immersive > A Mysterious and gripping plot > A sensational Character Driven story > Sexy Vibes, Dark Academia Vibes > An exceptional cast of Characters > Gasping moments and all the feels of a good mystery novel”

— Hal

Author: Brom

Narrator: R. C. Bray

Audio Length: @1x speed 14.75 hours
@1.5x speed 9.83 hours
@2x speed 7.38 hours

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Lost Gods: A Novel Audiobook

In Lost Gods, Brom, the artist and author of The Child Thief and Krampus, brings readers into a dark, fantastical, masterful mix of brilliant illustrations and dazzling prose.

A young man descends into Purgatory to save his wife and unborn child in this gorgeous, illustrated tale of wonder and terror from the mind of master storyteller and acclaimed artist Brom.

Fresh out of jail and eager to start a new life, Chet Moran and his pregnant wife, Trish, leave town to begin again. But an ancient evil is looming, and what seems like a safe haven may not be all it appears . . .

Snared and murdered by a vile, arcane horror, Chet quickly learns that pain and death are not unique to the living. Now the lives and very souls of his wife and unborn child are at stake.To save them, he must journey into the bowels of purgatory in search of a sacred key promised to restore the natural order of life and death. Alone, confused, and damned, Chet steels himself against the unfathomable terrors awaiting him as he descends into death’s stygian blackness.

With Lost Gods, Brom’s gritty and visceral prose takes us on a haunting, harrowing journey into the depths of the underworld. Thrust into a realm of madness and chaos, where ancient gods and demons battle over the dead, and where cabals of souls conspire to overthrow their masters, Chet plays a dangerous game, risking eternal damnation to save his family.

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“One of Brom’s many gifts is a vivid, unique imagination that thrives in the dark frontiers where madness and courage meet…A thrilling and engaging tale on every level, and the ending will have you digging your fingernails into the book cover. Don’t miss it!”

— Troy Denning, New York Times bestselling author

Dark Carousel: A Carpathian Novel Audiobook, by Christine Feehan

Author: Christine Feehan

Narrator: Jim Frangione

Audio Length: @1x speed 14.25 hours
@1.5x speed 9.50 hours
@2x speed 7.13 hours

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Dark Carousel: A Carpathian Novel Audiobook

In this intoxicating Carpathian novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Christine Feehan, a woman falls prey to the seductive allure of the past—and a vampire warrior’s intoxicating embrace...

The moment Charlotte Vintage walks into his club, Tariq Asenguard’s blood is set on fire. The ancient Carpathian had given up hope of finding his lifemate, but now he will do anything to make Charlotte his own. What Tariq doesn’t know is that Charlotte is using herself and her best friend as bait—to try to draw out the bloodthirsty killers who have already murdered Charlotte’s brother and mentor.

Charlotte is familiar with Tariq. Not only is he one of the richest and most eligible bachelors in the city, but he’s also a renowned collector of old carousel horses, which Charlotte restores. Their shared passion opens Charlotte up to trusting him with her life and with the desire she can no longer control. But it also makes her vulnerable to a centuries-old curse that will unite her and Tariq in a war against the enemies of humans and Carpathians alike...

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“The amazing Feehan moves her long-running Carpathian series from Europe to California as two women band together to discover who is stalking them and killing those they love. This change of scenery also introduces a Carpathian hero who has adapted more to the modern era. Watching the relationship and family bond develop between Charlotte Vintage and Tariq Asenguard makes for truly outstanding reading. Feehan nails it!”

— RT Book Reviews (4½ stars, Top Pick!)

Enter the Shadows: We Picked Some Dark Fantasy Audiobooks that will Haunt Your Dreams

Dark Fantasy Audiobooks Statistics

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Fairy Tale Audiobook

The Beast: A Novel of the Black Dagger Brotherhood Audiobook

Dark Tower I: The Gunslinger Audiobook

The Last Dark Audiobook

Burnt Offerings: An Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter Novel Audiobook

Spell Bound Audiobook

Murder of Crows: A Novel of the Others Audiobook

A Little Hatred Audiobook

The Library at Mount Char Audiobook

The Atlas Six Audiobook

Lost Gods: A Novel Audiobook

Dark Carousel: A Carpathian Novel Audiobook

Browse our entire catalog of 747 Dark Fantasy audiobooks now!