10 audiobooks for fans of Before They Are Hanged
- 1
The Trouble with Peace
The Age of Madness • Book 2
Narrated by Steven Pacey
Steven Pacey's masterful narration brings the same morally complex characters and darkly witty dialogue to life, maintaining the gritty tone and cynical humor that defines Abercrombie's world. The sequel deepens the themes of ambition and corruption explored in the first book while delivering that signature blend of brutal action and character-driven storytelling that made the original so compelling.
★ 4.70 ABR Score (56.1K ratings)★ 4.6 Goodreads (46.4K) ★ 4.86 Audible (9.8K)21h 57m listening time • Released 2020Steven Pacey's narration transforms this political dark fantasy into something almost Shakespearean—his voice work elevates already sharp character writing into genuinely unforgettable performances you'll hear in your head for months.
- 2
The Wisdom of Crowds
The Age of Madness • Book 3
Narrated by Steven Pacey
Steven Pacey's masterful narration brings the same morally complex characters and darkly witty dialogue to life with equal brilliance, while Abercrombie deepens his exploration of ambition and corruption that defined the first book. The cynical tone and intricate plotting remain hallmarks of both works, making this a seamless continuation for listeners invested in his gritty fantasy world.
★ 4.69 ABR Score (50.2K ratings)★ 4.6 Goodreads (41.3K) ★ 4.85 Audible (8.9K)23h 37m listening time • Released 2021Steven Pacey transforms Abercrombie's sprawling revolution into a masterclass in character voices, making each schemer's descent through chaos feel devastatingly personal across 24 hours of pure narrative grip.
- 3
A Little Hatred
The Age of Madness • Book 1
Narrated by Steven Pacey
Steven Pacey's masterful narration brings the same dark wit and morally complex characters to life, while Abercrombie's unflinching exploration of ambition, violence, and political corruption deepens across this later installment. The gritty, character-driven storytelling and sardonic humor that made the first book compelling returns with even greater sophistication and narrative scope.
★ 4.57 ABR Score (72.8K ratings)★ 4.45 Goodreads (61.8K) ★ 4.76 Audible (11.1K)20h 20m listening time • Released 2019Steven Pacey turns Abercrombie's grimy, morally bankrupt world into something genuinely alive—his voice work makes you feel the desperation of each character's climb, and the political scheming lands with brutal comic timing.
- 4
Red Country
First Law World • Book 6
Narrated by Steven Pacey
Red Country delivers the same gritty, morally ambiguous fantasy world with Pacey's masterful narration bringing its complex characters to life, while trading epic scope for a tighter, more personal story of vengeance and survival. The sharp dialogue and dark humor that define Abercrombie's voice remain intact, making this a natural continuation for listeners invested in his cynical take on the fantasy genre.
★ 4.54 ABR Score (77.2K ratings)★ 4.32 Goodreads (66.8K) ★ 4.79 Audible (10.4K)19h 52m listening time • Released 2012Steven Pacey transforms Abercrombie's sprawling revenge epic into pure narrative gold, nailing every voice from hardened mercenary to desperate frontier widow with the precision that makes 20 hours vanish.
- 5
The Heroes
First Law World • Book 5
Narrated by Steven Pacey
The Heroes delivers the same dark humor, morally complex characters, and gritty medieval warfare that made *Before They Are Hanged* compelling, while Pacey's masterful narration captures the brutal cynicism with equal intensity across the same runtime. Abercrombie's razor-sharp dialogue and unreliable perspectives reach new heights as three days of battle unfold through multiple viewpoints, rewarding listeners who appreciated the first book's blend of character depth and savage irony.
★ 4.53 ABR Score (87.1K ratings)★ 4.35 Goodreads (77.8K) ★ 4.76 Audible (9.3K)23h 5m listening time • Released 2016Steven Pacey elevates this three-day brutal siege into a masterclass in unreliable narration, giving each hardened warrior their own unforgettable voice while the carnage strips away every illusion of honor. The audiobook transforms what could be a straightforward battle into a darkly funny meditation on ambition and mortality.
- 6
Best Served Cold
First Law World • Book 4
Narrated by Steven Pacey
Steven Pacey's masterful narration brings the same gritty, morally complex world to life, deepening the dark humor and brutal character work that made *Before They Are Hanged* compelling. *Best Served Cold* delivers Abercrombie's signature blend of cynicism and unexpected heart through an even more intricate revenge narrative, rewarding listeners who appreciated the first book's unflinching take on ambition and consequence.
★ 4.46 ABR Score (126.0K ratings)★ 4.25 Goodreads (113.4K) ★ 4.7 Audible (12.7K)26h 29m listening time • Released 2016Steven Pacey transforms a revenge epic into pure theater—his vocal range and timing make every scheming bastard feel like a fully realized antagonist, and the 26-hour runtime gives you time to savor the brutality.
- 7
The Devils
The Devils • Book 1
Narrated by Steven Pacey
Steven Pacey's masterful narration returns to bring Abercrombie's morally complex characters to vivid life, delivering the same darkly witty, gritty fantasy tone that made the first book compelling. The Devils deepens the author's exploration of ambition, betrayal, and the cost of power with an even more intricate narrative structure, rewarding listeners who appreciated the character-driven storytelling and philosophical depth of *Before They Are Hanged*.
★ 4.42 ABR Score (69.7K ratings)★ 4.22 Goodreads (62.8K) ★ 4.72 Audible (6.9K)25h 6m listening time • Released 2025Steven Pacey transforms a morally fractured cast of monsters into characters you'll actually root for—Abercrombie's darkest work gets its perfect voice match.
- 8
Sharp Ends
First Law World • Book 7
Narrated by Steven Pacey
Sharp Ends delivers the same mordant wit and gritty character work that defines Before They Are Hanged, with Steven Pacey's masterful narration bringing equal depth to these interconnected short stories set in the same brutal world. The collection captures Abercrombie's signature blend of dark humor and moral ambiguity in a more compact format, perfect for listeners who crave another immersive experience without the extended commitment.
★ 4.33 ABR Score (32.0K ratings)★ 4.11 Goodreads (27.7K) ★ 4.71 Audible (4.3K)11h 49m listening time • Released 2016Steven Pacey's voices elevate these interconnected First Law stories into something sharper than the sum of their parts—each character becomes instantly distinct, making the violence and treachery cut deeper.
- 9
Unbound
Annwn Cycle #The Dead's Revenant • Book 1
by Shawn Speakman, Terry Brooks, Seanan McGuire, Mark Lawrence, Anthony Ryan, Tim Marquitz, Brian Staveley, Michael J. Sullivan, John Marco, Peter Orullian, Kat Richardson, Sam Sykes, Kristen Britain, Mazarkis Williams, Jim Butcher, Rachel Caine, Harry Connolly, Delilah S. Dawson, David Anthony Durham, Jason M. Hough, Mary Robinette Kowal, Joe Abercrombie
Narrated by Dick Hill, Tim Gerard Reynolds, Nick Podehl, Allyson Johnson, Christian Rodska, Emily Bauer
★ 3.74 ABR Score (1.3K ratings)★ 3.96 Goodreads (1.0K) ★ 4.13 Audible (246)20h 55m listening time • Released 2016A star-studded anthology where twenty-three fantasy masters tell exactly the stories they want, each perfectly matched to a narrator who elevates the prose—Dick Hill's gravitas, Tim Gerard Reynolds' intensity—making this feel less like a collection and more like a curated experience.
- 10
The Sound of Change
The Bards and Dragons Saga • Book 2
by Steve D. Wall
Narrated by Steven Pacey
Steven Pacey's masterful narration brings the same richly layered character work and dark wit to *The Sound of Change*, creating an equally immersive listening experience across a comparable runtime. Both epics balance gritty, morally complex storytelling with moments of unexpected levity, making them ideal for listeners who crave fantasy with psychological depth and narrative sophistication.
★ 3.93 ABR Score (207 ratings)★ 4.32 Goodreads (95) ★ 4.73 Audible (112)23h 34m listening time • Released 2025Steven Pacey's narration elevates this flintlock fantasy sequel into something genuinely immersive—his range across multiple perspectives keeps the tangled plot moving even through its longest stretches.
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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.