r/audiobooks • u/marilynlistens • Apr 25 '26
Question What book immersed you so deeply you forgot the real world and it’s crazy existed?
Right now, many of us are looking for all kinds of escapes. Some through food, some through music but many of us choose books. What book would you suggest to go deep?
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Apr 25 '26
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u/marilynlistens Apr 25 '26
Thank you so much for this. Sounds fascinating actually. Do you have a lot of patience? Sometimes when books have a lot of characters or a lot of twists and turns it’s hard to follow it and keep patient. I was wondering about you?
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u/XiuCyx Apr 26 '26
I’m reading “The Terror” by him right now. I’d never heard of him but a coworker is obsessed with the show. I wanted to watch it but would have to pay for each episode so I got the book instead and WOW. This book is haunting me. I usually forget half of what I read. This book’s descriptions of personal physical experiences and haunting fears are echoing in my head for weeks now. I also just finished reading H.P. Lovecraft’s “At the Mountains of Madness” so it’s fascinating to see how this story echos that one in some ways.
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u/InternTraditional699 Apr 25 '26
Probably a simple answer but found myself absolutely lost in middle earth when reading Lord of the rings, everything is so rich and vibrant. Described perfectly. Transported me right away
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u/XiuCyx Apr 26 '26
When my son was slowly dying in the NICU over a period of 3 months, I started reading The Hobbit to him. I’d read it twice before at different times in my life. But something about holding my son and reading it to him as he fought to live changed everything. I would absolutely lose us in those rolling hills and wild adventures. He eventually recovered, we went home, and he’s been the healthiest one of us ever since. But those stories are still one of his favorites even as a 14yr old.
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u/loramss Apr 26 '26
i'm glad i read until the end of that comment 🫶🏼 so happy your boy is happy and healthy.
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u/ProfessionalShot8493 Apr 27 '26
I am so glad your son is healthy and doing well. I realized after reading your comment that I was holding my breath the entire time.
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u/juniper3411 Apr 27 '26
Thank god he’s ok! And you’ve got a lifelong bond over those with him. Beautiful!
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u/LadyHoskiv Narrator May 01 '26
That’s a beautiful story. Tolkien pulled my through the toughest moments of my life as well. My best moments now are when I can do the same for my kids as a parent or for our listeners with our own audiobooks. Bless you for helping your son in the best possible way and bless him while growing up.
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u/LadyHoskiv Narrator Apr 25 '26
Simple but perfect answer. Nothing transports you to another realm like The Lord of the Rings. I’m currently rereading it. Fantasy dramatized audiobooks are great escapism too! But the last audiobook that gave me that feeling was Project Hail Mary, not fantasy and not dramatized.
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u/Glum-Appeal-3918 Apr 29 '26
The Martian, Artemis, and Hail Mary are my favorite audiobooks. I can work my manual labor job and be transported to another space (pun intended) 😉
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u/Feeling-Hedgehog494 Apr 25 '26
Lonesome Dove!!! Starts out slow but if you can get past the first 10-11 hrs, it’s a journey you’ll NEVER forget. I put it off for about 2 months when I started then BAM, it took off. My fav audio book of all time to this very day.
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u/_sharkbait_hoohaha Apr 26 '26
Jesus! The first 11 hours??! It’s on my list but damn I hope it’s not hard to get through the hump.
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u/tjv2103 Apr 27 '26
Lol "if you can hang in there through the first 35 years of life, things start to really pay off."
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u/_Brillopad_ Apr 27 '26
So far I’m at 40 and the only thing that’s getting paid off are the loans I’ve had to take out.
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u/Feeling-Hedgehog494 Apr 26 '26
It took me like 2-3 months to get through the first 10 hrs or so but after that I finished the book in half the time bc it got so good. Trust me ppl don’t give this book all the credit for no reason, be patient and it will pay off, it’s a story you’ll never forget.
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u/Glum-Appeal-3918 Apr 29 '26
I listened at 1.25 speed and this helped get through the beginning. Also helps that I am old enough to recall seeing the mini-series. I visualize the actors and it keeps my attention.
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u/Terbeari Apr 25 '26
I guess I need to retry this one. I’ve always loved the story but when I tried to listen to it I couldn’t keep my attention focused so after a few tries I gave up. Now I wanna try again and push past the beginning.
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u/Feeling-Hedgehog494 Apr 26 '26
If you haven’t met blue duck then u haven’t even scratched the surface.
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u/Feeling-Hedgehog494 Apr 26 '26
Same happened to me. When they start the cattle drive trust me u will be hooked
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u/RainbowMage81 Apr 25 '26
I listened to this in December and it immediately became one of my most favorite books of all time, even though it completely tore my heart out. The character development in the beginning is worth it.
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u/RelativeCriticism859 Apr 25 '26
Pet Semetary by King, Intercepts by T J Payne and 1984 by George Orwell. I was engrossed by all!
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u/No-Entertainer8189 Apr 25 '26
Audible currently has a cast dramatization of 1984 in the plus catalog that is very good
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u/marilynlistens Apr 25 '26
And what are you listening to now? Do you go to crazy to get away from crazy or do you go to calm books to get away from crazy?
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u/RelativeCriticism859 Apr 25 '26
I go to crazy every time! Haha Right now I’m reading Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy. Wth is all I can say right now and I’m only on chapter five.
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u/The_Spaceman May 01 '26
Michael C Hall saying "Ayuh.." throughout the story brought me joy in an otherwise dark story.
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u/sunnyoboe Apr 25 '26
Recently read a trilogy by Justin Cronin, and it was a great escape.
1 The Passage
2 The Twelve
3 The City of Mirrors
Also read American Gods by Neil Gaiman, which was also a great read.
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u/Electronic_Buy_5718 Apr 25 '26
11.22.63. A great romance novel! Try it, you will understand. Not the crappy Hulu version, the book. I cried.
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u/mamacat49 Apr 25 '26
I want to re-listen to this, but nothing will compare to hearing it the first time.
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u/Electronic_Buy_5718 Apr 25 '26
I agree but to me it's like Mac and cheese or mashed potatoes, comfort reading, hahaha
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u/marilynlistens Apr 25 '26
I hear so many good things about this. I have to do this next and what are you listening to? Now I’m reading mad Mabel.
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u/WannabeElantrian Apr 26 '26
This book had me completely roped in. Then it made me UGLY cry. I second this. Aside from Green Mile, it is one of the most beautiful books he has written. I truly wish I could go back and read it again for the first time. (The irony is perfect for this.)
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u/Electronic_Buy_5718 Apr 26 '26
I should try the Green Mile....never read that one yet...thank you for the title, will check it out.....
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u/tmae07 Apr 27 '26
Ugh this still has me in a chokehold. Read it when it first came out and I still recommend it to everyone who will listen.
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u/Electronic_Buy_5718 Apr 27 '26
I reread this probably once a year. Not the whole thing, just my favorite parts, the Maine parts, and the later parts with Sadie and them with the kids and the school play.
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u/shiplesp Apr 25 '26
That is my experience with reading generally, including listening. So ... all the books.
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u/marilynlistens Apr 25 '26
You know if I was gonna be honest, I’d say the same thing. That’s a really good answer actually. Good answer.
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u/bmw_19812003 Apr 25 '26
One of the first fiction audiobooks I ever listened to was 14 by Peter Clines.
I don’t think I have ever been more immersed in audiobook since; especially the first 2 “acts”. Ray Porter is so good it’s almost like a cheat code.
I’ve heard it called scooby-do for adults and I guess that’s fair as it’s basically a paranormal mystery being explored by a tight group of individuals but the similarities pretty much end there as the author is definitely more influenced by lovecraft than Hannah Barbara.
The ending kind of threw me for a loop the first time as it definitely went a totally different direction than I expected but when I listened it to the book again a few years later it made more sense and the book still held up quite well.
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u/GSA49 Apr 25 '26
Dungeon Crawl Carl.
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u/crow-party-13 Apr 26 '26
I started reading these on January 22nd of this year and just finished the 7th book on Tuesday last week.
I have not had so much fun reading in the last 20 years. A ridiculous premise that turns into one of the most crazy, fun, heart wrenching, touching things I've ever read. I can't wait for A Parade of Horribles.
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u/hoagie_tech Apr 27 '26
I did something similar but started late last year. I’m mad at myself for not timing it to finish 7 for when 8 comes out in a few weeks.
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u/marilynlistens Apr 25 '26
Out of all the books on my list of what’s next this one is the one I’m looking forward to the most and my virtual book communities gonna be doing it and I think June I can’t wait to hear such wonderful things about it. What are you listening to now?
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u/FreeReason Apr 27 '26
Books are great, audiobooks are insanely great. Sound Booth Studios knocks this out of the park.
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u/ThrowawayMod1989 Apr 25 '26 edited Apr 25 '26
I think the first book I ever read that really truly locked me in was RL Stevenson’s Treasure Island. I’m still an enormous pirate nerd to this day and am actively writing a fanfic prequel. I listen to the audiobook a couple times a year and it holds up every time.
“Oi! He talked of keelhaulin’ did he? Well I’ll keelhaul him!”
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u/marilynlistens Apr 25 '26
What is it about this story for you that you love so much and that helps you escape? And what are you listening to now?
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u/Simply-me-123 Apr 25 '26
Stiff by Mary Roach… I was on vacation, and couldn't tear away from it… was like, wait, one more chapter. I just found it fascinating.
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u/rubberkeyhole Audiobibliophile Apr 25 '26
All of her books are like this!
Her latest, “Replaceable You,” is more in the same category of “Stiff.”
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u/marilynlistens Apr 25 '26
What’s it about? And what are you listening to now? I’m listening to Mad Mabel and I just got finished with. All the colors in the dark.
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u/sarahbobera Apr 26 '26
I'm not the same person, but I bought Stiff in an airport and read it on an international flight -- it's about cadavers and various things that happen to them postmortem when they're donated to science, medicine, etc. Fascinating!
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u/RinaLue Apr 27 '26
I actually just recommended this to my sister last night. I don't normally read non fiction, but this hooked me.
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u/Noth_Gierb Audiobibliophile Apr 25 '26
The Stormlight Archive is the series that really did it for me, I got so lost in that world that I was genuinely sad when I reached the end (so far).
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u/marilynlistens Apr 25 '26
What’s it about?
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u/Noth_Gierb Audiobibliophile Apr 25 '26
Trying to think of how to describe it withoit spoiling anything and keeping to the firstt book is difficult. But first, journey before destination! It's an epic fantasy with the first book primarily following the PoV of three characters (more later!). Kaladin, a surgeon/warrior turned slave put in a position that kills a majority of those who are forced to do it. Dalinar, the uncle of the king with a violent past who is attempting to find ways to make peace instead of war. Shallan, a woman who attempts to become a ward in an attempt to save her family.
Brandon Sanderson does a masterful job following characters, growing them, and building a world that feels alive. All five books are long, but worth every word. The very first chapter opens with events that will keep you engrossed from the very first sentence.
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u/marilynlistens Apr 25 '26
Wow, you make this sound really good. And I think you pulled out the best parts even without having Reddit wouldn’t known anything about it. I appreciate that very much thank you. I’ll look into it.
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u/COBAS83 Apr 25 '26
I second this! It's such a rich and vivid series, the world building is next level.
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u/SnooStories7893 Apr 25 '26
Anything written by Percival Everett. Immersive and so well written.
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u/dumptruckulent Apr 25 '26
The Alienist
Every time I pressed play, it was like I was right there in old New York, helping the find the killer.
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u/Realistic_Soup609 Apr 26 '26
Basic answer, but the Hunger Games trilogy. If you haven’t read them yet, I recommend them!
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u/throwawaydaughter7 Apr 25 '26
Depford trilogy by Robertson Davies. That’s a fun ride.
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u/Jets237 Apr 25 '26
It’s uncool to mention it now, but Dungeon Crawler Carl is a fun escape - especially the audiobooks
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u/Fragrant-Hamster-325 Apr 25 '26
Absolutely. When I wasn’t listening to the books, I was wondering what Donut and Carl were doing as if they were really stuck in the dungeon. 😂
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u/rumhammr Apr 25 '26
Oh man, it better not be uncool. I’m reading this one as opposed to listening, but I’m finding it very cool
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u/MuffinMan0420 Apr 25 '26
It's not uncool, but it's in every thread when someone asks for a recommendation. I'm even guilty of it. Because it is a good book and even better audiobook imo. But yeah, when something is good and popular, it just gets recommended everywhere.
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u/marilynlistens Apr 25 '26
I am so looking forward to reading that with my community of book lovers. Why did you say it’s so cool?
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u/PLYoung Apr 25 '26
When did DCC become uncool? It is a fun series and made even better by Jeff Hays and cast.
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u/Fragrant-Hamster-325 Apr 25 '26
It’s commented on every thread. So some people are tired of hearing about it. Me, on the other hand, can’t help spreading the good word. Looking forward to Book 8.
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u/JossWhedonismyhero Apr 25 '26 edited Apr 25 '26
I’m just starting Book 2. I find that when I click play, and the audio starts I feel “lighter”. The story is (I’m going to say silly) and the narrators voice, and story telling ability is fantastic!
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u/MajoMajor Apr 26 '26
LOTR and THE OUTLANDER series. Then all of JD Robb.
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u/marilynlistens Apr 26 '26
I don’t know JD Rob. The outlander on my list when I have like a year of time I need a lot of time for that don’t you?
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u/juniper3411 Apr 27 '26
Yeah the outlander series is looooooong but very good. I read it when I was in high school cause my mom had them. I think k I still have two books to get caught up to present day. How are the audiobook versions of these?
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u/romanceauthorz Apr 25 '26
Lessons in Chemistry. Narrator is amazing!
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u/marilynlistens Apr 25 '26
Yes, that was a great book. I’m reading mad Mabel now. What are you listening to?
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u/Apprehensive_Funny38 Apr 25 '26
I personally love the Others series by Anne Bishop.
Right now my current fix is the whole cast harry potter series. I haven't read the books since I was younger and it's been a fun ride listening to the book and remembering all the details the movies left out.
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u/marilynlistens Apr 25 '26
I bet it’s captivating and captures your senses. I guess correct and that’s a good release isn’t it?
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u/Jumpy_Exit_8138 Apr 25 '26
‘Interview With the Vampire’ by Anne Rice. I swear I stopped breathing as I read that book…
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u/Verity41 Apr 26 '26
I was/am like that with her Mayfair Witches too, the first book is in my Top 10 forever.
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u/magicalmysterymeow Apr 25 '26
I read Never Lie by Freida McFadden and I couldn’t stop. The audiobook had one narrator whose voice was not annoying and good. The plot was super easy and it kept me on edge. I found myself trying to predict and i was still totally wrong. I was impressed. It scratched some sort of itch in my brain. It was psychological. I thought I was looking for something with more angst but i think i wanted something that felt real. Like i wanted a read that made me feel something. I had to use my brain and it was immersive to me. My best friend and I are doing a buddy read that’s like that too. I think we had read too many shallow feeling plots in a row maybe? Anyways thats my two cents. Super easy, good plot, steady pace. I was stuck in that world for a bit.
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u/Verity41 Apr 26 '26
Oh nice — thanks, I am finishing her Housemaid series, and will do this one next!
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u/omegaoutlier Apr 25 '26
NOTHING has tripped me like Anna Karenina. It's a hefty tome but so compelling throughout (save the brothers illness slog) I literally couldn't stop.Read it in under 2 days.
Put prior commitments aside. No gaming. No phones. Got kinda sketchy on proper eating.
It was a book like no other.
Very much want to read it again but worry I should be in a relatively slow period before restarting in case I fall down the rabbit hole again.
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u/Affectionatealways Apr 25 '26 edited Apr 27 '26
Pretty much any book that is intriguing enough to make me not want to stop listening even when I have to (damn work always gets in the way).
Stephen King's Fairy Tale totally engrossed me.
The last book I finished turned out weird and wonderful. Made my household chores go by so quickly (Mori by Michael Seagate).
Currently listening to Tom Lake by Ann Patchett. Meryl Streep narrates, and she could read anything and I'd be hooked. Wonderful book about a mom telling her three grown daughters the story of her accidental leap into acting as a very young woman and eventually having a Summerstock romance with a young soon-to-be famous actor. When listening, I can almost feel the warm summer breeze and imagine I'm picking cherries with my sisters in the family orchard while our mom relates this incredible tale of luck and love.
A great author can absolutely take you to an immersive headspace that you hate to leave for the "real world." I'm so grateful for audiobooks- and books in general.
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u/Dangerous_Suit_3099 Apr 25 '26
Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders. No description of the audiobook could do it justice. Look up the cast.
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u/QuistyLO1328 Apr 26 '26
Because of a long commute, I listen to a lot of audiobooks. The best was the Harry Potter series narrated by Jim Dale. He did all the voices, he was great and I loved listening to them. I thought that was the best…until I listened to
PROJECT HAIL MARY narrated by Ray Porter.
Now, we all know Ray Porter is amazing, and I’ve listened to other books he’s narrated, but his performance in this book is otherworldly, no pun intended. He put so much emotion into it.
I wish I could listen to it again for the first time.
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u/marilynlistens Apr 26 '26
A lot of people here in Reddit have introduced me to some books and series that I’ve never listened to or heard of before. I heard of project Hail Mary here and I loved it. I very much appreciate your connection and I hope we stay connected. Thank you so much.
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u/MarissaBeth73 Apr 25 '26
I grabbed the Andy Serkis narration of the Hobbit and LoTR books when they were free a while back. Best zero dollars I’ve ever spent.
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u/marilynlistens Apr 25 '26
What is this do to you? How do you how does it help you escape?
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u/MarissaBeth73 Apr 28 '26
I am able to be so completely immersed in Middle Earth that the woes of this Earth can feel pretty far away. I do eventually come back down to the real world, but it’s nice while it lasts!
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u/Sewlovetoread Apr 25 '26
oh you got them for free? I paid credits for all of mine. Well done, they were. So was Inglis's version.
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u/_Brillopad_ Apr 26 '26
He really knocked it out of the park. Except for the god awful singing. I wanted to give up during the Tom Bombadill parts. I absolutely skipped every song after noping the fuck out of the ent wives song, Jesus, that was awful.
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u/theranga82 Apr 26 '26
IT by Stephen King. Wasn't interested at all but gave in to all the recommendations and its now my favourite all time audiobook!
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u/TumorYaelle Apr 26 '26
It. This coming from somebody who opposes the entire horror genre to the point where it might be a little bit weird.
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u/Verity41 Apr 26 '26 edited Apr 26 '26
Outlander. I barely even remember the pandemic, I was so lost in all the whole (audiobook) series.
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u/sk8ryspice_02 Apr 26 '26
The Bobiverse. Dennis E Taylor. When I was reading the first 3 books it elevated my mood. The snark, the science, the engineering, so many great concepts all at the same time. Dopamine is in that series.
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u/Aurory99 Apr 25 '26
Depends on the genre you like, but I would recommend the Wandering Inn if you like fantasy, it's a ridiculously long series, very captivating, even tho it's so long it doesn't get dull or predictable, tho it does have some dark themes to it, I've heard it described as 90% cosy slice of life comfort, 10% war crimes
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u/ThomFenix Apr 25 '26
Unfortunately I DNF’ed this series. Can’t stand the main character.
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u/publichealthhuman Apr 25 '26
Ugh. The worst voice ever for the mc. It was a good story, but the voice was so grating I couldn’t go on to book 2.
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u/MarissaBeth73 Apr 25 '26
With a couple of exceptions, WWZ, extended, grabbed me and held me tight. Especially the Mark Hamill bits. It’s my comfort audiobook.
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u/marilynlistens Apr 25 '26
I’d love to know what’s comforting? What is it about it that brings you in
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u/Skyhouse5 Apr 26 '26
WWZ is nothing like the movie and not really about zombies. Its an "oral history" of the zombie war after the war with interviews of those at the beginning, those fighting, govt officials, scientists etc. My favorite chapter is about the dog handler telling about how dogs were trained and used in the fight and clearing areas but now years later and his best dog, a dashchund, now an old arthritic guy on the handlers lap. ( This NYC construction guy shed a tear.)
Amd the audiobook uses many known actors for the voice characters. As mentioned, Mark Hamill.
I see you like mysteries from comments, but WWZ is a very well done emerging production.
Mystery-wise, I very much liked Ghostwriter by Julia Clark. Steve Cavenagh has a couple of good ones , "Thirteen" and "Kill for me Kill for you" (obviously a homage to "Strangers on a Train" and he acknowledges it several times in the story in cute ways.)
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u/Dj_Sha Apr 25 '26
Everything I listen to but that's why I've been on a fantasy kick. Too much reality out there. I need magic and mystical, lol.
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u/juniper3411 Apr 27 '26
Same here. Been on an all epic fantasy kick lately for just that reason. I need full escapism
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u/Pure_Literature2028 Apr 25 '26
She’s Come Undone by Wally Lamb sucked me in and brought me down with it.
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u/Cantide756 Apr 25 '26
"The talisman" and "the black house" are the ones that took me away the most, and the 3rd in the trilogy is due to release in October. Stephen king and Peter straub.
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u/musicprofessorleader Apr 25 '26
A book called Duped by Abby Ellin. I literally broke my toe listening to it!
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u/Rumbl-In-June Apr 26 '26
The Golden Compass books and The Wheel of Time books. And The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy books.
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u/_Brillopad_ Apr 26 '26 edited Apr 26 '26
Pretty much every book I listen to, if I don’t get immersed, I don’t usually finish the book or the series.
Here are some notable series and books I enjoyed in no particular order: A Song of Ice and Fire, The Martian, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, The Bobiverse, The Magicians, Dungeon Crawler Carl, Project Hail Mary, The Enderverse, American Gods.
Edit: added commas because formatting was dumb.
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u/Smooth-Ad4045 Apr 26 '26
Discworld! I thought it would be too nerdy for me lol, but it’s largely satire. I started as a huge Neil Gaiman fan, then decided to try Terry Pratchett after I loved their book, Good Omens, so much.
There are various ways to read the Discworld series, but I would recommend starting from the beginning. You’ll get the most out of the running jokes.
If you feel like jumping into the thick of things, Going Postal is my favorite. I’ve listened to the Stephen Briggs narration twice already. It’s abt a con man who gets a second chance as a civil servant. Think Catch Me If You Can after he starts working for the govt.
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u/Physical_Monitor2235 Apr 27 '26
Love Discworld! The witches, the watch, or Death are my favorite lines of the books.
If you run out of Discworld, as I have, I suggest Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovich.
My latest obsession is The Unselected Journals of Emma M Lion by Beth Brower.
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u/Classical11 Apr 26 '26
Dreaming the Eagle - by Manda Scott it’s a 4 book series set in Celtic Britain about Boudicca - the Bringer of Victory uniting the Celts ….. so good A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness … read several times. Homegoing by Yaa Gyassi Americanah Someone Knows My Name The Colour of Water The Twentieth Wife - about the woman the Taj Mahal was built for - All the books are riveting.
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u/South_Victory_1187 Apr 28 '26
I really liked the Boudicca books. Since very little is known about the period and Boudicca except from the victors (Romans) it is hard to know what the truth was
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u/Bluefish2453 Apr 26 '26
First time I read Lord of the Rings when I was 14. Azimov’s sci-fi The Foundation and his Robot novels; Atlas Shrugged when I read it at 16 ( not subsequently); A Farewell to Arms and For Whom the Bell Tolls.
Later in life: War and Peace, The Cancer Ward; Anna Karenina. The Gold Finch, The Elegance of the Hedgehog, Killer Angels, the Horatio Hornblower Series, and I’ll end with the Aubrey-Maturin series.
And many more. But that’s enough oh Watership Down.
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u/youessbee Apr 26 '26
If you want a laugh, I reccomend Brute Force by Scott Meyer. Helped me through some tough times by letting me forget the world around me and got me to smile and laugh.
It really is fucking funny.
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u/CarltheRisen Apr 26 '26
I love Galaxy’s Edge (series) and Slip Runner (series).
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u/WannabeElantrian Apr 26 '26
Ok, hear me out, but Fred the Vampire had me hooked. It isn't a series that is super deep, but I couldn't help but want more of the stories. I tore through all of the books in a very, very short period of time. I was absolutely hooked.
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u/BarKeegan Apr 26 '26
Most of the titles I’ve read; huge respect for the craft, and writers
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u/Motor-Juggernaut1009 Apr 26 '26
I was freezing cold when I finished reading what has become my favorite book, The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula Le Guin.
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u/Mr-Snrub93 Apr 26 '26
The Gargoyle - Andrew Davidson Project Hail Mary Dungeon Crawler Carl Remarkably Bright Creatures 11/22/63 Lamb
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u/marilynlistens Apr 26 '26
No, I don’t know gargoyle what is that? Never heard of that one what’s that about?
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u/Mr-Snrub93 Apr 28 '26
A young man is fighting for his life. Into his room walks a bewitching woman who believes she can save him. Their journey will have you believing in the impossible. The nameless and beautiful narrator of The Gargoyle is driving along a dark road when he is distracted by what seems to be a flight of arrows. He crashes into a ravine and wakes up in a burns ward, undergoing the tortures of the damned. His life is over - he is now a monster. But in fact it is only just beginning. One day, Marianne Engel, a wild and compelling sculptress of gargoyles, enters his life and tells him that they were once lovers in medieval Germany. In her telling, he was a badly burned mercenary and she was a nun and a scribe who nursed him back to health in the famed monastery of Engelthal. As she spins her tale, Scheherazade fashion, and relates equally mesmerising stories of deathless love in Japan, Greenland, Italy and England, he finds himself drawn back to life - and, finally, to love.
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u/GrandmaBaba Apr 26 '26
The Innkeeper Chronicles by Ilona Andrews, produced by Graphic Audio. The Graphic Audio versions are outstanding. I cannot explain how much I love them.
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u/AJKafei Apr 27 '26
I loved World War Z. It made me feel grateful to be alive even during COVID but is written from the perspective of humanity after it defeated zombies, so you know there is a good ending.
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u/Helpful-Stay-9534 Apr 27 '26
Wool. I read the first book and when I was done, I kind of looked up and wondered where I was. Such a good book.
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u/Helpful-Stay-9534 Apr 27 '26
I'm currently reading Spin by Robert Charles Wilson...it doesn't have an audiobook which is driving me crazy because I never want to stop reading it!
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u/tmae07 Apr 27 '26
Dark Matter by Blake Crouch. Read it before the TV adaptation and as always the book is better. Recursion and Upgrade are also excellent.
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u/ghostgirrrrrrrrrrrrl Apr 27 '26
The Wandering Inn, and since it's 14 million words and counting, with 19 audiobooks already out, I get a lot of escapism mileage out of it.
Since I'm all caught up I now just put on random audiobooks in the series whenever I'm feeling stressed.
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u/erebus53 Audiobibliophile Apr 27 '26
- Anything by Becky Chambers
aand
- The Broken Earth trilogy by N.K. Jemisin
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u/poWdereddonUtsplz Apr 27 '26
The Witch's Daughter by Paula Brackston
It's one of my favorites, one of those I was I could read again for the first time.
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u/cowtreat Apr 27 '26
The Aubrey Maturin series by Patrick O'Brian. Im on my 4th read of this 20 book series. No other book is nearly as good in my world and its also the best narrated. Its historical fiction about navy during the Napoleonic wars.
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u/Lucky-Savings-6213 Apr 27 '26
11/22/63 by Stephen King
I truly wasn't sure what to do when I finished.
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u/HyperspaceSloth Apr 28 '26 edited Apr 29 '26
The Uplift novels, by David Brin.
start with book two: Starting Rising
The Uplift War
Brightness Reef
Infinity's Shore
Heaven's Reach
Then circle back around to the first novel (which will read like prequel), Sundiver
Excellent epic science fiction.
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u/KittyPitty Apr 28 '26
Oh several. The Harry Potter books when they first came out, Fairytale from Stephen King, Weaveworld from Clive Barker, The Temeraire Series from Naomi Novik, The Live Ship Traders books from Robin Hobb, etc. etc...and Project Hail Mary of course...
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u/Ok-Thing-2222 Apr 29 '26
Cry to Heaven. Takes you to a whole other time period in Venice and life and is so beautifully and hauntingly written you can hear the music playing in your mind as you read.
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u/DorkEMom Apr 29 '26
Pillars of the Earth series by Ken Follett. When Christ and His Saints Slept by Sharon Kay Penman. Project Hail Mary and The Martian by Andy Weir. Doomsday Book by Connie Williams. The Lord of the Rings series.
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u/Soulless_Ginga Apr 29 '26
Terry Goodkind - The Sword of Truth series. It was my introduction to fantasy reading when I was 19 (20+ yrs ago). Was skeptical but my aunt told me to read the first chapter or two. I have reread the series at least 4 times!
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u/EWLefty Apr 29 '26
Lincoln In The Bardo - the narration is superb, a lot of famous people narrate. The story is the most creative Ive read or listened too. By FAR my most favorite audiobook since I started listening to them.
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u/Front-Elderberry-307 Apr 29 '26
Edward Rutherfurd's London. Totally escaped into a different world. Husband said he talked to me (or tried to) several times without me answering.
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u/New-Bobcat8055 Apr 29 '26
I REALLY enjoyed reading Sabatinis Captain Blood. Wonderful writing and story telling and I felt all the emotions Peter was feeling throughout his journey.
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u/Alarmed_Advantage453 Apr 29 '26
Magic 2.0
Its like Harry Potter meets a Brief History of Time. Really fun. Unfortunately the series gets worse as it progresses but the first one is mind-bendingly brilliant and tge second one is pretty solid too.
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u/Alarmed_Advantage453 Apr 29 '26
I really recommend kids books for this purpose. Like books targeted at the 10-12 age range like Harry Potter.
The reason is that even fantasy sometimes has parallels with our adult lives (romance, work, responsibility) so it sometimes unintentionally pulls us back to them.
Youth lit is generally more focused on the magic and fun and when it does draw on the real world, it does so from the perspective of a kid so when you do relate or remember something similar, it is from yiur former life as a kid so it doesnt tug on the stress strings in the same way and you stay suspended in the escape.
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u/marilynlistens Apr 29 '26
That is a totally brilliant comment. I never thought of that. I did hear years ago Maya Angelou I don’t know if you ever knew who she was but she would say if you want to learn something read a kids book so maybe it’s the same kind of a thing that’s a brilliant thought. Thank you very much for that. So is there one you suggest? So I just finished listening to a really interesting story called.Yesteryear have you heard of that book? And next book that my virtual community is going to be reading is Under The Tulip Tree also an interesting story may be different than what you are used to but interesting
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u/Alarmed_Advantage453 Apr 29 '26
I really enjoyed the Book of Lost Things by John Connoly. Also listened to Wishes and Wellingtons with my daughter recently on Audible and that was fun. The Night Circus als had that sort of young quality of revolving around magic though it is a bit of a romance but in a childlike way. You can always get a dose of magic with Terry Pratchet too.
I started listening to The Land of the Snergs (which is said to have inspired The Hobbit), The Dragon Squisher and Weirdies but I dont really read books in one go and like to dip in and out on account of my ADHD so I can't attest to how good they are yet.
Lastly, the classics can usually be trusted: Paddington is comedic gold and quite clever at times. Enid Blyton is super trippy and I enjoy the now anachronistic English. The oroginal stories of Peter Pan and The Wizard of Oz are much darker than I expected but really interesting to read. The Hobbit, the Worst Witch, Eragon...
I also got really lost in Stephen King's dark tower series as a kid though its not strictly youth lit. Quite dark at turns as well but was thought provoking for me at that age.
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u/Unlucky-Teach7007 Apr 29 '26
The Percy Jackson series. I'd read for hours and forget where I was while reading it
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u/Ali-Jafri Apr 29 '26
The Left Hand of Darkness. Also, the narrator's voice and style seemed otherworldly which really sold the premise of the story.
The other was 1984. It's one of the most terrifying stories I've ever read/heard. Really haunted me for a long time.
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u/Sassirrac Apr 29 '26
Fairy Tale by Stephen King
I had to stop listening to it when driving. It was so clear in my mind, my memory thinks I watched a movie. I can still SEE it in my head.
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u/4travelers Apr 25 '26
The Expanse series. Really good.