Best J.R.R. Tolkien Audiobooks
Where to Start with J.R.R. Tolkien
- Best entry point → The Fellowship of the Ring
- Underrated but highly rated → The Two Towers
- What fans keep coming back to → The Hobbit
- Best narrator for J.R.R. Tolkien → The Return of the King
- Highest rated by listeners → The Silmarillion
Best J.R.R. Tolkien Audiobooks
- 1
The Two Towers
Middle-earth • Book 3
Narrated by Rob Inglis
★ 4.83 ABR Score (1.2M ratings)★ 4.5 Goodreads (1.1M) ★ 4.88 Audible (50.1K)16h 40m listening time • Released 2012Rob Inglis's performance elevates this sequel into something transcendent—his character voices and emotional depth make the sprawling narrative feel intimate, turning a 16-hour journey into something you won't want to pause.
- 2
The Fellowship of the Ring
The Lord of the Rings • Book 1
Narrated by Andy Serkis
★ 4.82 ABR Score (3.2M ratings)★ 4.41 Goodreads (3.2M) ★ 4.92 Audible (24.9K)22h 38m listening time • Released 2021Andy Serkis doesn't just narrate this—he inhabits every voice so vividly that Middle-earth becomes a living, breathing world in your ears. His performance transforms the audiobook into something almost cinematic, making this the definitive way to experience Tolkien.
- 3
The Hobbit
The Lord of the Rings • Book 1
Narrated by Andy Serkis
★ 4.79 ABR Score (4.5M ratings)★ 4.3 Goodreads (4.5M) ★ 4.92 Audible (28.4K)10h 25m listening time • Released 2020Andy Serkis transforms this into a masterclass in voice acting, giving each character such distinct presence that you forget you're listening to one narrator. It's the definitive audio experience of Middle-earth's greatest gateway story.
- 4
The Fellowship of the Ring
Middle-earth • Book 2
Narrated by Andy Serkis
★ 4.66 ABR Score (3.2M ratings)★ 4.41 Goodreads (3.2M) ★ 4.9 Audible (1.6K)22h 38m listening time • Released 2021 - 5
The Return of the King
Middle-earth • Book 4
Narrated by Andy Serkis
★ 4.60 ABR Score (1.1M ratings)★ 4.58 Goodreads (1.1M) ★ 4.89 Audible (505)21h 52m listening time • Released 2021 - 6
The Silmarillion
The Lord of the Rings
Narrated by Martin Shaw
★ 4.41 ABR Score (354.4K ratings)★ 4.04 Goodreads (339.2K) ★ 4.7 Audible (15.3K)14h 49m listening time • Released 2015Not a novel but the mythology of Middle-earth — dense, biblical, and deeply rewarding for anyone who wants to understand the world Tolkien spent his life building.