6 Dysfunctional, Lovable, and Magical Families in Sci-Fi & Fantasy

No matter which holidays you’re celebrating this season, one thing seems inevitable: a lot of time with family, for better or for worse. One thing I love about meeting new people, both in real life and in books, is getting a taste for different family dynamics and the rituals and traditions they share. Families also make for great fiction—and sci-fi & fantasy is no exception. No matter how you’re feeling about this season of nonstop togetherness, let’s all agree to keep it a little more Stark, a little less Lannister, yeah? —Sam, Audible Editor
Product List
  • Dark Eden Audiobook By Chris Beckett cover art
  • The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet Audiobook By Becky Chambers cover art

    • The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet

    • Wayfarers, Book 1
    • By: Becky Chambers
    • Narrated by: Rachel Dulude
    • Series: Wayfarers, Book 1
    • Length: 14 hrs and 23 mins
    • Release date: 05-21-19
    • Language: English
    • 4.5 out of 5 stars 4,042 ratings
    • The Wayfarers Crew
    • Sometimes your found family can be just as important as—if not more important than—your blood relatives, and that's definitely true of the misfit crew of the Wayfarer, who come to share their darkest secrets and deepest dreams over the course of their long, dangerous mission. As Kizzy would say, Nothing’s too much to ask when it comes to brothers.
  • Jade City Audiobook By Fonda Lee cover art

    • Jade City

    • The Green Bone Saga, Book 1
    • By: Fonda Lee
    • Narrated by: Andrew Kishino
    • Series: The Green Bone Saga, Book 1
    • Length: 19 hrs and 7 mins
    • Release date: 11-07-17
    • Language: English
    • 4.5 out of 5 stars 3,524 ratings
    • The Kauls
    • The powerful, magical Kaul family has controlled the supply of jade, and thus the island of Kekon, for hundreds of years—and with a dynamic that has been compared to The Godfather you might guess that that rule hasn't been altogether peaceful...but it sure is captivating to listen to.
  • Sister Mine Audiobook By Nalo Hopkinson cover art

    • Sister Mine

    • By: Nalo Hopkinson
    • Narrated by: Robin Miles
    • Length: 11 hrs and 26 mins
    • Release date: 03-13-13
    • Language: English
    • 4.5 out of 5 stars 128 ratings
    • Abby and Makeda
    • Abby and Makeda are not just ordinary twins—they were born conjoined. When separated, Abby turns out to have inherited their demigod father's magic, while Makeda is left with none. Despite the magical circumstances, Nalo Hopkinson's Sister Mine still manages to present a classic tale of sibling rivalry and complex family dynamics.
  • Spoonbenders Audiobook By Daryl Gregory cover art

    • Spoonbenders

    • A novel
    • By: Daryl Gregory
    • Narrated by: Ari Fliakos
    • Length: 14 hrs and 2 mins
    • Release date: 06-27-17
    • Language: English
    • 4.5 out of 5 stars 4,987 ratings
    • The Telemachuses
    • Once a powerful dynasty of psychics, mind-readers, and other paranormals, the clan once known as The Amazing Telemachuses is now a bit down-on-their luck and out of touch after a tragedy tears them apart. Years later, they're once again tapped to wield their uncanny abilities to save their family.
  • A Game of Thrones Audiobook By George R.R. Martin cover art

    • A Game of Thrones

    • A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 1
    • By: George R.R. Martin
    • Narrated by: Roy Dotrice
    • Series: A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 1
    • Length: 33 hrs and 46 mins
    • Release date: 12-09-03
    • Language: English
    • 5 out of 5 stars 145,888 ratings
    • The Lannisters, The Starks, The Targaryens, The Baratheons, The Greyjoys...
    • ...and on and on. No list about families in sci-fi & fantasy would be complete without the ultimate story of family power struggles. And to make matters more complicated, many of these warring factions are interrelated through either blood or marriage. That's a family Thanksgiving table I'd pay to see.