After finishing Sarah J. Maas’s Throne of Glass series, it’s perfectly understandable if you have a bit of a listening hangover. This seven-book fantasy series features a fan favorite strong female lead in 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien, and Maas’s writing has been described as “scary good.” After all of the build up to the conclusion, hearing the last word of the final audiobook probably felt bittersweet.
It’s always nice to reach the end of a series and, after all those hours of listening, finally get the payoff you’ve been waiting for and working towards. But what isn’t so nice, or easy, is figuring out what to listen to next. What should you pick? Try some of the listens on this list. Of course, no series will give you the exact same experience Throne of Glass did, but these audiobooks all offer their own unique stories, characters, and worlds that should appeal to fans of Maas and her masterwork.
Fans of Celaena might find a comparable fierce young heroine in The Young Elites trilogy. Adelina Amouteru has a jagged scar and snow-white hair and eyelashes, all marks that reveal her to be the survivor of a blood plague. Cast out from her family, Adelina must make a new home for herself amongst the Young Elites, a secret society dedicated to saving innocent people desperately in need of help. But not everyone sees them as heroes. To the Inquisition Axis, the Young Elites are monsters with strange powers that must be controlled. All three books are read by Lannon Killea and Carla Corvo, narrators who lend a strong and consistent voice to the whole trilogy.
For another fantasy series featuring a strong female lead with awesome combat skills, try the Graceling trilogy. It follows Katsa, who is a Graceling, a person born with extraordinary gifts. What are Katsa’s unique gifts? Combat skills and the ability to fight and win against even the deadliest of assassins. This makes her the perfect tool for her uncle, King Randa, who seeks to use his niece’s Grace to threaten enemies of the crown. But Katsa rankles against being used—among other injustices. When she discovers where her Grace truly comes from, it will change everything. The first audiobook, Graceling, features Chelsea Mixon as Katsa and Zachary Exton as her potential match, Prince Po. The second and third installments, Fire and Bitterblue, are narrated by Xanthe Elbrick.
If what you appreciate most about Throne of Glass is the intricate world-building, then head over to N. K. Jemisin’s Dreamblood. The duology is set in Gujaareh, a city-state guarded by the Gatherers, keepers of the peace who faithfully uphold the rules set forth by priests of the dream-goddess. All seems well enough with this system, until whispers of conspiracy echo through Gujaareh’s great temple. Suddenly, Ehiru, the most famous of the city’s Gatherers, is forced to question everything he thought he knew about the world he fiercely protects. Someone, or something, is murdering dreamers in the goddess’s name, and Ehiru must reexamine his alliances to find the answer. Both audiobooks, The Killing Moon and The Shadowed Sun, are performed by Audie-nominated narrator Sarah Zimmerman.
For another great series that features a fierce female fighter, check out Leigh Bardugo’s Grisha. Grisha are magical warriors led by the mysterious Darkling. Alina Starkov never thought she would be part of such an elite group. In fact, she never thought she would be good at anything—until her life is threatened. In a flash, dormant magic awakens within her, and she’s whisked off to train with the Grisha. Could Alina be the savior that Ravka, her war-ravaged country, has been searching for? To find her destiny, she must first learn the secrets of the Grisha, and the secrets within herself. Voiceover artist Lauren Fortgang lends her talents to all three books in this mystical, action-packed trilogy.
An Ember in the Ashes tells the story of a scholar and a soldier who become unlikely allies (and maybe more) in a terrifyingly brutal Martial Empire. Laia is a scholar whose brother is arrested for treason. In exchange for his freedom, she agrees to spy for the resistance and enrolls in a prestigious military academy. There, she meets Elias, the academy’s finest soldier, who secretly opposes the Empire. Their shared goal of fighting the Empire will bring them together. Will they survive the forces intent on tearing them apart? Fiona Hardingham is the voice of Laia, while Steve West speaks for Elias. In later books, additional narrators join the duo to round out the cast of characters. This series is not yet completed; the fourth novel is slated to be released at the end of 2020.
Legacy of Orïsha will especially appeal to Throne of Glass fans who like fantasy series with inventive magic systems and intricate worlds. The world Tomi Adeyemi builds for this duology is largely influenced by West African mythology. Orïsha was once filled with magic—before an oppressive ruler forced it out. Zélie felt this loss deeply, as the monarchy took her mother and left her people without hope. But now, Zélie has found a way to bring magic back. With the help of a rogue princess, she will have to fight against the crown prince, who is set on eradicating magic for good. Danger lurks in Orïsha, where vengeful spirits wait in the waters. Yet, the greatest danger may be Zélie herself as she struggles to control her powers—and her growing feelings for an enemy. The series debut, Children of Blood and Bone, won the Audie Award for Audiobook of the Year. Both novels are performed by Hall of Fame narrator Bahni Turpin.
Spanning four novels and two prequels, Red Queen has been released in its entirety, and is ready if you’re hankering for a marathon listen. And it’s another great fantasy series in which a willful female character must rise up and fight for freedom and justice. At first, freedom for Mare Barrow means escaping her lowly station as a Red to ascend to the ranks of the Silvers who have almost god-like powers. Determined to protect her family and save her best friend from being conscripted to the army, she makes a daring and dangerous move. To her dismay, she unleashes an unknown power that, by the fact of her blood, she should not have. Will Mare be able to pass as a Silver? What will happen when she is forced to take sides against the Reds? Amanda Dolan brings Mare to life with her narration throughout the series. Later audiobooks expand the cast of narrators to add to the drama.
If you loved the romance in Throne of Glass and want to hear more passion in your fantasy fiction, then you’ll love this truly epic fantasy series that delivers action, magic, and romance in abundance. Yes, Onyx & Ivory, narrated by award-winning Khristine Hvam, has all that— and dragons. This series just started in 2018, and already there are two audiobooks waiting for you to devour. Kate Brighton is a traitor. Not because of anything she herself did, but rather because her father tried to assassinate the high king of Rime. Now that she’s no longer a part of nobility, Kate works for the royal courier service. The job might seem easy enough, but danger lurks in the night when deadly flightless dragons (called drakes) roam and hunt across the land. Luckily, Kate has a secret weapon: the magical ability to influence the minds of animals. It’s this same magic power that leads her to Corwin Tormaine, the son of the king, who also happens to be the first love that she swore she’d left behind.
If you loved Throne of Glass’s feminist vibe but also like your fantasy fiction with a dystopian twist, We Set the Dark on Fire is a great next listen. Tehlor Kay Mejia’s bold and inventive YA series is set at the Medio School for Girls, where elite young women are trained for one of two roles: keeper of their husband’s house or caretaker of his children. Only women of the highest class are given these choices and the privilege of living in comfort. In the hopes of securing a better life, Daniela Vargas’s parents lie about her pedigree to gain her admission into the school. Daniela quickly becomes one of the top students at Medio School for Girls, but her future might be put into jeopardy if anyone discovers her true identity or how she feels about men. When she’s asked to spy for a resistance group who desperately wants to bring equality to Medio, will Daniela risk everything to do what’s right and follow her heart? Narrator Kyla Garcia reads the first two novels with the perfect blend of passion, suspense, and drive. Here’s hoping she’ll be back to narrate the final audiobook in the trilogy.
Emily Martin earned her PhD at the University of Southern Mississippi. She works as a contributor for Book Riot and as a blogger/podcaster at Book Squad Goals.
