Many believe the golden age of radio was the golden age of storytelling. Listening to a story being told can make a tale come to life. Audiobooks are a great way to enjoy a wonderful story — and they can travel with you wherever you go.
Below are some of the best audio books that you shouldn’t miss.
Fantasy novels are one genre that really transform in audio form. The worlds that you struggle to discern on the pages will come to life when you listen to it. Red Rising by Pierce Brown is a gritty, dark sci-fi novel that many call the Hunger Games for adults. Set in the future, it tells the story of a young man named Darrow, who’s a Red, which is the lowest caste in the colour-coded society. His journey to discover the truth about his world and enact change in it is a gripping tale of strength and sacrifice. Tim Gerald Reynolds’ narration adds a layer of depth and realism to the story with his multiple, realistic voices.
Biographies are fantastic books to listen to, especially as most of them are read by the author or subject of the book. Actor and comedian Amy Poehler’s Yes Please is a fantastically funny book and it is even more charming because she makes her story feel personal and relatable. Her delivery is perfect and it is guaranteed to melt your heart with laughter.
After experiencing her whole world fall apart, at the age of 22, Cheryl Strayed made one of the most impulsive decisions of her life: She decided to go on a 1,100-mile hike, the Pacific Crest Trail, from the Mojave Desert through California and Oregon to Washington State — alone. Her book Wild details the incredible journey she took and the healing that came with it. It is a biography that is read by Bernadette Dunne and was selected for Oprah’s Book Club.
The sci-fi classic Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton is an audiobook that is narrated by the award-winning Scott Brick. The well-known story of what might happen if, through genetic engineering, we were able to bring dinosaurs back to life, is an edge-of-your-seat thrill ride. It is a book that does the remarkable thing of making you simultaneously scared of dinosaurs and half wishing there really was such as place as Jurassic Park.
Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King is book one in a trilogy focusing on a retired detective named Bill Hodges as he is drawn in to one of the most high-stakes murder investigations of the century. The audiobook version features the talents of the award-winning narrator Will Patton. It is an intense thriller that will leave you on the edge of your seat as Hodges follows the trail of the dangerous and creepy Mercedes killer.
Great audiobooks don’t just resign themselves to adult collections; there are some fantastic choices for kids as well. Classic books especially are brought to life in new ways through audio.
The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis is a can’t-miss kids’ audiobook series. All seven books from The Magician’s Nephew to The Last Battle, come to life in the Radio Theater edition.
J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series are seven books that follow the adventures of the young Harry as he discovers he is a wizard, navigates the wizarding world and tries to prevent the rise of the dark wizard who killed his parents. It is a beloved series and both the audiobook sets, narrated by Stephen Fry and Jim Dale respectively, do these wonderful tales justice.
Need help deciding which fantastic audio book to listen to next? Drop by your library and librarians will match you up with your perfect book.
A Good Read is a column by Tri-City librarians that is published on Wednesdays. Mikaela Martens works at Port Coquitlam’s Terry Fox Library.
