Five Nights at Freddy's has remained a fan favorite survival saga since the first video game was released on August 8, 2014. The video game franchise gained even more popularity through YouTube playthroughs, live Twitch streams, and Reddit threads. From there, it has gone on to spawn not only multiple spinoff and fan-made games but also comics, novels, merchandise, and even a song by none other than Jack Black.
And now, on October 27, 2023, the horror mavens at Blumhouse Productions are debuting their Five Nights at Freddy's movie. As we approach the theatrical release, the film, directed by Emma Tammi and starring Josh Hutcherson, Elizabeth Lail, Piper Rubio, and Matthew Lillard, is already getting a lot of buzz.
The world of Five Nights of Freddy's is rich with lore and storytelling, so if you're looking to get into the franchise's expanded universe, you might be wondering just where to begin. To get you started, here are five of the best Five Nights at Freddy's books to hear in audio. And if you've already explored the world of Freddy Fazbear's Pizza and are looking for more, we've also got some suggestions for what audiobooks to queue up next.
Note: While adults will be just as entertained (and spooked) by these eerie listens, all of these audiobook picks are suitable for younger listeners based on parental discretion.
The best Five Nights at Freddy’s audiobooks
If you're a newcomer looking for where to begin with the Five Nights at Freddy's literary universe, start with The Silver Eyes, the first (and, frankly, one of the best) audiobooks in the series. On the 10-year anniversary of the Freddy Fazbear's Pizza murders, Charlie returns to her hometown to reunite with her friends. Charlie's father is the creator of the four life-sized animatronic animals at the pizza place, but when Charlie and her friends return to Freddy's, things aren't as they remembered them. Something strange has happened in the past decade, and the once friendly mascots now hide dark and violent secrets.
The Twisted Ones is the sequel to the The Silver Eyes, set a year after the events of the previous audiobook. Charlie is just trying to move on and forget about everything that’s happened, despite the fact that Freddy Fazbear's Pizza still routinely haunts her dreams. Her world is upended when several dead bodies are found near her school, each exhibiting disturbingly familiar wounds. Something is coming for Charlie, and forgetting Freddy's won't be so simple.
In the third and final installment in the original Five Nights at Freddy's audiobook series, John looks for answers. What really happened to Charlie? How did she mysteriously die and then miraculously come back to life? As much as John would like to let the past go, these questions, and all of the horrors revealed at Freddy's, continue to haunt him. Complicating matters further, a new pizza joint has opened up at Hurricane and with it, a sickeningly familiar wave of kidnappings. When no one is able to catch whoever is snatching children, John teams up with his friends to find the truth.
Into the Pit is the first entry in another Five Nights at Freddy's series, Fazbear Frights. In this audiobook, game creator Scott Cawthon offers fans a trio of edge-of-your-seat scary novellas set in the same twisted universe. Oswald, Sarah, and Millie all have burning desires. Oswald wants something exciting to happen to him for once. Sarah wants to be beautiful. Millie just wants to disappear. But when these three have their wishes come true, they'll realize the steep cost of getting what you want.
Even the most avid FIve Nights at Freddy's fans will find themselves shivering with fright during Lally's Game, the first installation in the new Tales from the Pizzaplex series. These three novella-length stories are all about secrets. Selena's secret is a forbidden artifact from her fiancé’s past. For Jessica, it's the double life she leads. For Maya, the secrets she cares most about are hidden in the off-limits area of Freddy Fazbear’s Mega Pizzaplex. By the end of each story, all three women will learn that some secrets are better kept hidden.
Further listening for Five Nights at Freddy's fans
If you're looking for the same kind of thrills and chills on the menu at Freddy Fazbear's Pizza, dig into the world of R.L. Stine. Camp Red Moon is an Audible Original from the legendary and wildly popular horror author who gave us Goosebumps. This exclusive audiobook production features a full cast and a thoughtful sound design to immerse you in Stine's horrifying world. At most summer camps, scary stories are simply told around the fire—at Camp Red Moon, however, many of those scary stories actually come true. Told with the help of horror camp counselors Dan Poblocki, Ellen Oh, and Justin Reynolds, Stine pulls together a collection of spooky tales you won't soon forget.
Enter the world of Disney like you've never heard it before and prepare for a frightfully fun listening experience with these two installments from the Disney Chills Collection. In Part of Your Nightmare, 11-year-old Shelly discovers a nautilus shell that summons the evil sea witch, Ursula. But when Ursula promises to grant Shelly her wish of becoming the most popular girl at school, it comes at a steep price. In Fiends on the Other Side, 12-year-old Jamal meets a mysterious man named Dr. Facilier, who offers him an opportunity to switch places with his talented and confident brother. But it won't take long for Jamal to discover why people say to never make a deal with the Shadow Man.
Hello Neighbor: Missing Pieces is another great horror audiobook based on a fan favorite video game. This prequel story follows Nicky Roth, a kid who has always felt alone and misunderstood. But when he moves with his family to Raven Brooks, Nicky meets his neighbor, Aaron Peterson, and finally feels like he's found a friend. Together, the two boys bond over pulling pranks on their neighbors, and they soon become inseparable. But something is strange about Aaron. Everyone else in town seems afraid of him, and it feels like bad luck follows him wherever he goes. What is going on with Nicky's new neighbors? And what secrets are the Petersons hiding?
