A great audiobook like “Dune” or “You” grabs your attention with an intriguing story, fascinating characters, and compelling themes. But perhaps most importantly (after all, there’s a reason you’re listening instead of reading), the best audiobooks are narrated by voices that make you want to keep tuning in, chapter after chapter. Audiobook narrators must walk a fine line of bringing personality to prose but keeping the focus on the text itself; here are some of the best to do it.
1. Jim Dale
Sometimes, an audiobook narrator is so good they become indelibly linked to the material they read. Anyone who has listened to the “Harry Potter” series knows this is true of Dale. His work on the beloved books is inimitable, a perfect fit for the fantastical world that has captivated millions around the world—and was even so good that it got the attention of Queen Elizabeth II, who named him a Member of the Order of the British Empire. This isn’t to say that Dale’s other narrations aren’t worthwhile. He’s lent his voice to several classic fantasies such as Lewis Carroll’s “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” and J.M. Barrie’s “Peter Pan.”
2. Santino Fontana
Fontana is perhaps best known for his performance as the perfectly hateable Prince Hans in “Frozen.” As that role can attest, Fontana has impressive voice acting skills—and those skills transfer seamlessly to his work as an audiobook narrator. He’s read blockbuster books such as Suzanne Collins’ “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes,” Stephen King’s “The Institute,” and Caroline Kepnes’ “You.” For Fontana, great narration has to be deeply felt. “It’s in your bones of what makes this character tick and what makes the author tick,” he explained in an interview with Professional Book Nerds podcast hosts Joe Skelley and Emma Dwyer. “Because ultimately, you’re carrying the torch for them.”
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3. Edward Herrmann
You may know Herrmann from his memorable role on “Gilmore Girls,” but the actor’s audiobook narrations are equally commendable. As any “Gilmore Girls” fan can attest, Herrmann’s voice is one you could listen to for hours, no matter the subject. Indeed, his audiobook résumé is remarkably varied, including Stephen King’s “The Tommyknockers,” Walter Isaacson’s “Einstein,” and even the Bible. “I love the spoken word. I love hearing it. The way the words can seduce you,” Herrmann once said.
4. Dominic Hoffman
It’s hard not to instantly connect with Hoffman’s narration style. It’s unpretentious and lived in, seemingly effortless and yet extremely controlled. His résumé includes Matt Taibbi’s “I Can’t Breathe,” James McBride’s “Kill ’Em and Leave,” and the National Book Award–winning “James” by Percival Everett. “Every time I get a book assigned to me I tremble a bit,” Hoffman said in an interview with AudioFile. “If I think it’s a really good book, I tremble a great deal. The first thought that comes to mind is that the book is perfect as it is. The second thought is… I’d better not mess this up.”
5. Jennifer Ikeda
Ikeda is a master of the fantasy genre, falling effortlessly into make-believe dialects and imaginary worlds by lending them a gravitas that makes them feel immediate and real. She’s been around a while, but she’s currently gaining the most attention for the smash hit “A Court of Thorns and Roses” by Sarah J. Maas, which has been incredibly popular in audio form—in no small part due to Ikeda’s excellent rendition.
6. January LaVoy
Like many of the entries on this list, LaVoy (whom you might know as Noelle Ortiz on “One Life to Live”) has been honored with multiple awards for her talents in narration, including Publishers Weekly’s Audiobook Narrator of the Year and AudioFile’s lifetime achievement award. This might be because of the commanding nature of her voice—when she reads, you listen. LaVoy’s work spans a variety of genres; our favorites include Karen Joy Fowler’s “Booth,” Kirsten Miller’s “The Change,” and John Grisham’s “Sparring Partners.”
7. Soneela Nankani
With over 400 audiobooks under her belt, Nankani certainly has experience on her side—along with a lifetime achievement award and 16 Earphones Awards from AudioFile. Her performances are multifaceted and engrossing, or as Emma Cubellis at Chirp puts it, “Her voice is rife with humor and heart.” As we said, she has a lot of work to choose from, but we’d recommend Farah Heron’s “Accidentally Engaged,” Amelia Diane Coombs’ “Drop Dead Sisters,” Rick Riordan’s “Daughter of the Deep,” and Erin Young’s “The Fields.”
8. Prentice Onayemi
Onayemi’s voice feels deeply connected to the words he reads. His narration style is lyrical, always in service of the text, and conscious of the author’s intentions. And that’s not to mention that he has one of the best voiceover résumés for audiobooks out there, with iconic titles including Alex Haley’s classic “Roots,” Paul Beatty’s “The Sellout,” and Imbolo Mbue’s debut novel, “Behold the Dreamers.”
9. Bahni Turpin
Turpin is another audiobook narrator who’s at home in a fantastical story. Her rendition of Tomi Adeyemi’s “Children of Blood and Bone” is stirring and captivating, often leaving you unable to hit the pause button. She’s also the voice behind smash hit novels such as Kathryn Stockett’s “The Help” and Angie Thomas’ “The Hate U Give.” Her work hasn’t gone unnoticed: She’s won nine Audie Awards and has been inducted into Audible’s Narrator Hall of Fame. Like many audiobook narrators, Turpin is also an actor, with a screen debut in Julie Dash’s “Daughters of the Dust.” When you’ve put down your audiobook, check out her work in the seminal film.
10. Simon Vance
British narrator Vance is synonymous with gravitas, with a voice that commands your attention and immerses you in the storyworld. He’s no one trick pony, either, consistently delivering a wide array of vocal performances that fit snugly into the material he’s reading. We’re not alone in our appreciation of Vance—he’s won a whopping 77 AudioFile Earphone Awards and 17 Audie Awards. Some of his best work can be found in sci-fi and fantasy realms. Give a listen to his take on Frank Herbert’s “Dune,” Bram Stoker’s “Dracula,” or George R.R. Martin’s “Fire & Blood” and you’ll see why he’s so acclaimed.
11. Mary Jane Wells
Wells has almost contradictory talents. Her voice is instantly recognizable and has a distinct character to it, and yet she’s simultaneously able to fully disappear into storyworlds and their inhabitants. She has a particular knack for accents, able to swing from British to American to Irish with ease. Some of her best works include the “Dukes in Disguise” series by Grace Burrowes, Susanna Ives, and Emily Greenwood (particularly book one, “Don’t Let Your Dukes Grow Up to Be Scoundrels”), as well as Eloisa James’ “Hardly a Gentleman” and “Viscount in Love.”
Think you should be in the running for number 12? Check out audiobook narrator gigs on our voice auditions and casting calls database!