With the movie Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves premiering on March 31, 2023, the classic tabletop role-playing game (RPG) is being thrust into the forefront of culture yet again. D&D has been in our lives for more than 40 years, and millions of folks globally continue to meet up with friends to explore new realms. But the franchise is not limited to dice, guidebooks, and miniatures—in addition to film, television, music, and beyond, D&D is a natural fit for the world of audio. With a plot and world that’s primarily imagined and created by players along the way, the pop culture giant has a lot in common with the podcasts and audiobooks set within its world.
And with all that said, who wouldn’t want to set out on a fantastical adventure where you encounter magical creatures and mysterious castles while forming long-lasting friendships? Grab your pack and begin your quest with these excellent D&D audiobooks and podcasts.
Critical Role is a podcast produced by Geek & Sundry that welcomes listeners to follow along as a group of talented voice actors play through a Dungeons & Dragons campaign. Listen in for an exciting ride where you'll join in on the party’s adventures, brawls, quests, and quieter moments. Led by Matthew Mercer and featuring Laura Bailey, Ashley Johnson, and Travis Willingham, the storyline comes to life as characters are sketched out and realms constructed in real time. If you've ever wondered how a D&D campaign develops—and, at times, hilariously derails—Critical Role is a podcast you won't want to miss.
Get little adventurers started on their journey with this kidlit take on the world of D&D. Imani Parks's narration will easily transport your family to Dungeon Academy, a school where monsters and creatures train for the dark world that awaits them beyond the walls. New York Times bestselling author Madeleine Roux weaves a tale about Zelli, a human who has to disguise herself as a minotaur in hopes of blending in with the academy's monstrous studentship. This middle-grade series captures what fans love most about D&D—the heart, wonder, and imagination.
Almost as interesting as the game itself, the history of D&D is an adventure all its own. Immerse yourself into the story of the creation of Dungeons & Dragons. Who were the people behind the scenes of the most popular RPG? What inspired them to create it? And just how many versions have there been? You can find the answers to these questions, and many more, in Slaying the Dragon, written by RPG historian Ben Riggs. Narrator Sean Patrick Hopkins makes the facts come alive. Plus, you’ll get an inside account of the rise and fall of TRS (Tactical Studies Rules), the company behind the creation of the game’s world.
In Second Hand Curses, Drew Hayes takes the beloved fairy tales of your childhood and gives them a little grown-up twist. The cast of narrators—dynamic Scott Aiello, impressive Marc Vietor, and powerhouse Tavia Gilbert—will instantly charm you with their performances, creating a tale of magic, wonder, and danger led by a band of antiheroes who go from kingdom to kingdom seeking adventure. D&D fans will surely enjoy this daring story that will remind them of the best action-packed elements of their favorite RPG.
While you await the release of Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, why not listen in to this prequel? The Road to Neverwinter offers origin stories for the film’s cast of characters, including bard Edgin Davis, barbarian Holga Kilgore, sorcerer Simon Aumar, and paladin Xenk Yender. As any D&D fan will tell you, backstory is everything, so you’ll definitely want to check out this audiobook before you take your seat in the theater.
To say this collection of stories set in R.A. Salvatore's Legend of Drizzt universe is narrated by an all-star cast would be the understatement of the century. Featuring a range of talents, including Ice-T, Felicia Day, Tom Felton, and Sean Astin (yep, Samwise Gamgee himself!), these vividly crafted tales of the drow (or dark elf, for the uninitiated) will appeal to any D&D aficionado who has explored the Forgotten Realms. If your favorite part of playing tabletop RPGs is listening in as a world comes to life with detailed character backstories and astonishing settings awash with might and magic, this pick will tide you over until your next session.
Shannon Chakraborty's latest release, The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi is a magical adventure set on the high seas. For Dungeons & Dragons travelers, this book offers aspects of the RPG that so many of us find endearing, including found family, forbidden and dangerous quests, and a main character worth rooting for. Amina al-Sirafi is tasked to retrieve a comrade's kidnapped daughter for an impressive amount of money. But she starts to realize that there is far more to this job than she was led to believe.
If we're talking quests and fighting dragons, Dragon Storm has to be in the conversation. This adventurous audiobook follows Trip Yert, a young man who has no desire to involve himself with magic—especially not the magic lurking inside him. But after disappearing for more than a thousand years, dragons have returned, and the only people who can fight them and save the world are those with powers like Trip. You'll be captivated by Lindsay Buroker's layered storytelling and the dynamic performance of narrator Caitlin Davies.
Inspired by Indian epics, The Jasmine Throne, the first installment in The Burning Kingdom series, is a sapphic fantasy about two women who have to first learn and develop their powers before they can save their empire. Ruthless princesses, revenge plots, fallen empires, and vindictive brothers await you in this magnificent story, performed by Shiromi Arserio, who truly elevates the book with her skillful narration.
Another fabulous prequel audiobook you need to hear before the release of Honor Among Thieves is The Druid’s Call, E.K. Johnston's thrilling origin story of the druid Doric. This audiobook lends a greater deal of understanding and depth to the characters you will soon meet on screen. Doric is a druid once abandoned by her human parents who finds companionship and power in an order of warriors tasked to preserve the natural world. For fans of the magical aspect of the Dungeons & Dragons world and anyone who loves a good redemptive story arc, it doesn’t get much better than this.
The Savage Caves is a great listen for new and longtime D&D players alike. In this classic, officially-licensed Dungeons and Dragons listen, you'll reunite with well-known characters from the D&D universe’s third edition, the playable standard from 2002 to 2008. In this installment, follow a party of travelers into a treacherous cave full of goblins. Then, be sure to check out the rest of the audiobooks in the series, all of which are narrated by Dolph Amick.
Whenever you find yourself listening to anything written by T. Kingfisher, you know you're going to find magnificent writing and a totally pause-resistant story. And there's no better voice to pair up that kind of magic with than Joel Richards, who mixes humor and intensity effortlessly, balancing all of the narrative’s ups and downs. In Paladin's Grace, you'll find a cozy fantasy retreat with hilarious dialogue, comfort characters, and a slow-burn romance.
In The Thief, part of The Queen's Thief series, Megan Whalen Turner weaves a tale of royalty, magicians, political intrigue, and secrets long forgotten. After all, a charismatic hero and his journey towards the royal crown is the stuff of legend, something bards write songs about. With a richly developed narration from Steve West, The Thief is sure to satisfy any Dungeons & Dragons fan’s thirst for adventure.
Silvana Reyes is a Mexican romance blogger who never says no to a good book. She has written for Book Riot, Buzzfeed, and Frolic. She currently resides in Cancún with her family.
