Download the Top 100 Audiobooks in Fiction, Historical Popular Titles

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Title: Two Trains Running

Author: Andrew Vachss

Narrator: Stephen Hoye

Format: Unabridged

Length: 17 hrs and 48 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-17-05

Publisher: Books on Tape

Ratings: 3 of 5 out of 43 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

Now his domain is being threatened by an invading crime syndicate. But in a town where crime and politics are virtually indivisible, there are other players awaiting their turn onstage.

Beaumont imports a hired killer, Walker Dett, a master tactician whose trademark is wholesale destruction.

In a stunning departure from his usual territory, Andrew Vachss gives us a masterful novel that is also an epic story of postwar America. A searing portrait of corruption in a small town, this is Vachss' most ambitious, innovative, and explosive work yet.

Critic Reviews:

"The pace is good and the plot is riveting." (Publishers Weekly)

"Vachss plows a field famously sowed by Dashiell Hammett and reaps his own kind of red harvest....Dark, violent, blood-drenched, page-turning." (Kirkus Reviews)

Members Reviews:

give this one a pass!

This book is supposed to be historical fiction, or at least, I think so. In my opinion, it fails both as history and as fiction. Though the narrator does his best to resurrect the book, he has an annoying habit of dropping his voice at the end of each and every sentence. My advice, don't bother with this one.

Couldn't relate to any of the characters

This book was billed as having some 1950/60's era historical explication but, besides the overplayed car model descriptions, there was nothing in this book that wasn't common knowledge. I couldn't relate to any of the characters (they were flat anyway) and I found the book frustrating. I did think the reading was good, but the book was not.

Very boring

The writer has an undistinguished writing style. Boring sentences, boring reader.

A mile wide and an inch deep

The author has managed to introduce every era-related theme into his plot but the result is stereotypical and shallow. Its overambitious shopping list of characters/groups includes -- and this is only a partial list -- a hired Korean-war-vet killer, the local mob, the mafia, the Irish mob, proto-Black Panthers, the KKK, the FBI, Happy-Days-style street gangs, a gold-hearted madame, a seemingly bent straight cop, a taboo mixed-race liaison and a beautiful-but-innocent diner-waitress love interest. With all those ingredients, the stew could conceivably be exciting, but the delivered dish is tasteless and thin.

One of the most annoying artifices is that the author insists on using dialogue to provide the backstory which forces the listener to endure a whole series of highly unlikely and stilted conversations.

Having thoroughly enjoyed veteran narrator Stephen Hoye's readings of other novels (The Killer Angels is superb), I couldn't help but feel sorry for him as he tried valiantly to make this book come alive.

I don't often write reviews but I have felt compelled to write this one to warn fellow Audiophiles to save their credit and avoid this book.

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Title: Sunset and Sawdust

Author: Joe R. Lansdale

Narrator: Deborah Marlow

Format: Unabridged

Length: 13 hrs

Language: English

Release date: 03-25-04

Publisher: Books on Tape

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 73 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

Sunset Jones has just killed her husband. Never mind that he was raping her. Pete Jones was constable of a small sawmill settlement called Camp Rapture where no woman refuses her husband. So everyone is angrily surprised when, thanks to the amazing understanding of her mother-in-law (who owns three-quarters of the mill) Sunset becomes the new constable and begins to investigate the murders of a woman and unborn baby in which her late husband might be implicated. Yet, no one is more surprised than Sunset when the murders lead her, through a labyrinth of greed, corruption, and unspeakable malice, not only to the conclusion of the case, but to a well of inner strength she never knew she had.

©2004 Joe R. Lansdale; (P)2004 Books on Tape, Inc.

Critic Reviews:

"The book opens with a cyclone, ends with a plague of grasshoppers and in between there's insanity, extreme violence, sex, grotesques aplenty and an excellent dog. What's not to like?" (Publishers Weekly)

Members Reviews:

TERRIFIC TERRIFIC TERRIFIC

If I could give this book 6 stars I would. It's an amazing story - some of it a bit "fantasy" but overall a very good tale. And the narrator was incredibly good. I've been with Audible for a year and this is the best one I've read yet.

Excellent

As with all of Joe's books that I've read, this was a top-notch story told with a "from the hip" style that draws you in and keeps you on your toes with twists that sneak up on you - there are clues and you may even figure out the gist of it but there's almost always some little something you've overlooked - some thread that helps tie it all together that much tighter that you overlooked even though the clue was sitting there to be seen.

And Joe is great at transporting the reader to a different time and place. It's not always a comfortable time or place and it's not always prett but it's always a fun ride that you're not quite ready to leave when it's run its course.

Raw, Violent, and Exciting

Joe R. Landsdale seems to specialize in stories that depict Texas as a Hell on earth. While he is a wonderful storyteller and has wonderful characters his novels are set in poverty, dreariness, violent, prejudice, and the desolation of a flat heat baked sqaulid land. It's nice to have a mystery that not about the rich and famous set in beautiful places Joe swings the pendulum all the way to the other side. It's important to be exposed to the side of America we don't like to see but it is a bitter pill to swallow.

If you can get past that, this is a great story. His use of language will prove offensive to most be it is honest down to its most raw. The mystery keeps you guessing, character's surprise, the bad guys are original, and the ending is an oll out orgasm.

Reader is tops.

Not Hap and Leonard

I'm just beginning to discover Mr. Lansdale's novels. I enjoyed the Hap-and-Leonard novels, because of their humor. "Sunset and Sawdust" emerges from a different wellspring of Mr. Lansdale's imagination -- a more serious and sober wellspring -- which doesn't provide the laughs that Hap and Leonard elicit. "Sunset and Sawdust" takes place during the Great Depression, among people enduring hard times.

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Title: Desolation Island

Subtitle: Aubrey/Maturin Series, Book 5

Author: Patrick O'Brian

Narrator: Tim Pigott-Smith

Format: Abridged

Length: 5 hrs

Language: English

Release date: 08-01-00

Publisher: Random House AudioBooks

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 27 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

Commissioned to rescue Governor Bligh of Bounty fame, Captain Jack Aubrey and his friend and surgeon Stephen Maturin sail the Leopard to Australia with a hold full of convicts. Among them is a beautiful and dangerous spy - and a treacherous disease that decimates the crew. With a Dutch man-of-war to windward, the undermanned, outgunned Leopard sails for her life into the freezing waters of the Antarctic where, in mountainous seas, the Dutchman closes...This is the fifth in O'Brian's 20-volume Aubrey/Maturin series.

Don't miss the rest of the

series.

©1978 Patrick O'Brian; (P)1999 Random House, Inc.; Cover Illustration by Geoff Hunt

Critic Reviews:

"O'Brian is not that hard a taste to acquire, but he is very tough to shake...[the Aubrey/Maturin series] is a great work." (Boston Globe)

Members Reviews:

good book

I read this series several years ago, and when I say it available on Audible, I was very happy. I prefer unadbridged versions, but this one was abridged quite nicely, without taking away from the story. If you want to know what the sailors life was like during the late 1700's early 1800's this series of books is unsurpassed. I only give it 4 of 5 because: its abridged, and at 5 hours, it could be priced a little lower.

Tim Pigott-Smith does a good job of narration, making the book enjoyable to listen to.

Great news, good news, bad news

The great news is that this is a terrific series, as you can tell by reading the reviews of other titles. It is fun. It is easy to listen to. Even the naval jargon becomes clearer as you go through the stories.

The bad news about this particular audiobook is that it is abridged. The books follow a rhythm, like a voyage, and abridgement destroys that. Also, you are always wondering what you missed.

The good news is Tim Pigott-Smith, who is the best of the readers. For the accents of the characters, particularly, he is just right!

Overall, it's worth the abridgement to get the excellent narration.

Now, UNabridged AND Tim Pigott-Smith..... wow.

Narrator's accents are annoying

I love the book, but not Piggot-Smith's narration. The Irish accent he lends Maturin is distracting, and his American accent for Mrs. Wogan is worse. Far worse. I much prefer Simon Vance's narration of this series.

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Title: The Prince and the Pauper

Author: Mark Twain

Narrator: Norman Dietz

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 46 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-16-99

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 28 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

When street urchin Tom Cantry trades places with Edward VI, Prince of Wales, he thinks everything's going to be easy. But young Tom finds himself caught in the trappings of a Prince, while possessing the heart of a beggar. The Prince and the Pauper is one of the more famous stories in children's literature, as well as one of the greatest "trading places" story of all time, showcasing Twain's satirical wit and acute sense of political irony.

(P)1994 by Recorded Books, Inc.; Cover Art by Nate Pinnock, ©1994 by Recorded Books, Inc.

Editorial Reviews:

This rendition of this classic work is not an outstanding audio performance. Although narrator Norman Dietz holds the listener's interest, he fails to capture the correct tone for Twain. In telling the tale of the poor boy and prince who mistakenly swap identities, the author is also chuckling with the listener over the foibles of the rich and the poor. To be at its entertaining best, this work needs to be a performance piece with broad accents and wickedly whispered asides from Twain. This version includes the footnotes, which add little to the piece.

Critic Reviews:

"A tale ingenious in conception, pure and humane in purpose, artistic in method, and, with barely a flaw, refined in execution." (Atlantic Monthly)

Members Reviews:

A great yarn

This is clearly aimed at a younger audience than some of Twain's works. But it's a rollicking swashbuckler, full of plot twists and verbal treats, and Norman Dietz narrates it in exactly the right tone. If Twain had to write "Tom Sawyer" before he could tackle "Huckleberry Finn," maybe he had to write this one before he could tackle "Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court." Among other things, I don't think he's gotten enough credit for his expert recreation of Tudor speech -- it sounds pretty convincing to me! Last time I read this, I was 10 years old, and it hasn't lost any of its ability to charm in the last 40-odd years.

love this book

good story that all ages will like, let see the world for what it is.

The book is good, but the recording is terrible.

I'm a big fan of Mark Twain and have been revisiting his works through audiobooks much to my satisfaction, until now. This recording is so grainy and poor that I can barely understand it. I'm sorry I wasted good money on this.

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Title: The Angels of Morgan Hill

Author: Donna VanLiere

Narrator: Donna VanLiere

Format: Unabridged

Length: 6 hrs and 26 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-03-11

Publisher: Macmillan Audio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 37 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

The small town of Morgan Hill, Tennessee, is turned upside down in 1947 when the Turners become the only black family ever to move into the area. Nine-year-old Jane Gable first lays eyes on young Milo Turner the day that her trouble-making, alcoholic father is buried in the Morgan Hill cemetery. The Turners are the first black family ever to move into the area, and while their presence challenges the comfort of many in the small, tight-knit community, Jane and her brother, John, have found new friends.

Then tragedy strikes the Turner household, and the Gable family is asked to make a decision that could rip their world apart. One path might open up a whole new world and bring them closer than ever. Or it might bring them nothing but trouble and heartache. On their journey, Jane discovers that angels are all around us, every day, in the most extraordinary - and ordinary - ways.

The Angels of Morgan Hill is filled with unforgettable characters who show us the ways and means of the heart and prove that even in the darkest hours, we are never truly alone.

Members Reviews:

The Angels of Morgan Hill

Any book by Donna VanLiere is a good book, this one is a little different then her others one but still very enjoyable to listen too.

A touching story with a powerful message

Donna VanLiere is so skilled at bringing her characters to life. Her books are filled with messages of love, forgiveness and the goodness that can rise out of the worst of circumstances. The simplicity of life in post WWII Tennessee mixed with the cruelty of prejudice and ignorance are all blended into this heartfelt story. You will love it!

A "makes you feel good" Book

If you could sum up The Angels of Morgan Hill in three words, what would they be?

Sorry it ended.

Who was your favorite character and why?

All of them. But if I had to choose one it would be Henry. With Henry, chivalry is alive and well.

Which scene was your favorite?

Too many to choose.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Has it all. A perfect escape.

Any additional comments?

You laugh, you cry, you listen and listen and listen!!. When I should have shut off the car and exit, I found myself sitting there listening, a true page turner. As with all her works, this is a "feel good ending" book. Nothing to bring you down. Much food for thought, you walk away a better you. The added bonus is Ms VanLiere as the storyteller. Nothing better than an author narrating their own book, truly gives the story heart. I loved it! My only regret was listening to "The Good Dream" first, since many of the characters in this book are in TGD. But TAMH is where you really get to know most of them. I just think it would have made TGD that much more enjoyable. Yes, I loved that one too! Donna VanLiere is now my all time favorite author!

Touched My Heart

What did you like best about this story?

This book touched so many emotions. I loved the story. I hated some characters. I laughed out loud. I cried-happy and sad tears. This is the second Donna VanLiere book that I have read and I will buy another soon.

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Title: The Vanishing

Author: Sophia Tobin

Narrator: Helen Longworth

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 34 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-01-17

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio UK

Ratings: 5 of 5 out of 1 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

On top of the Yorkshire Moors, in an isolated spot carved out of a barren landscape, lies White Windows, a house of shadows and secrets. Here lives Marcus Twentyman, a hard-drinking but sensitive man, and his sister, the brisk widow, Hester.

When runaway Annaleigh first meets the Twentymans, their offer of employment and lodgings seems a blessing. Only later does she discover the truth. But by then she is already in the middle of a web of darkness and intrigue, where murder seems the only possible means of escape....

Members Reviews:

Must Read 2017

The Vanishing is intense, atmospheric and savage. I was with Annaleigh every step of the way, my blood boiling, hoping she would escape and find what she was looking for.

Being honest, I didn't think I was going to see the end of this novel. The beginning of The Vanishing wasn't at all bad, it just didn't grip me the way I thought it might. Annaleigh is a strong main character and I didn't see how, being so switched on, she could be in danger. I feel that the first act didn't really set the novel up as well as it could of, but I appreciated what Tobin was doing. Building Annaleigh up so she could fall so much harder was a smart move. Annaleigh was an orphan, so I felt she should have been able to sense bad people from a mile away. Building up her hopes, abilities and sense of purpose allowed her to let her guard down, and then bad things happen...

The second and third acts of The Vanishing blew me away. So gritty, dark, atmospheric and outright chilling. It was the third act that really stood out in this novel for me. I could feel the intensity building up and Annaleigh's ferocity truly amazed me. I am trying to keep this as a spoiler free review. I will do my best. The blurb for The Vanishing is quite short and sweet. It doesn't give much away and that is a good thing. I got a sense from the tagline 'All that I was I gave to you. All that I am you took from me. All that you have I will destroy.' that plenty of bad things were going to happen, but Sophia Tobin managed to make it so much more meaningful and complex then it first seemed to be.

There is a decent balance between plot and characters. Events are described through the first person perspective of Annaleigh. This perspective was a good choice as it threw the reader off with her self-confidence and after things turn nasty, her inability to process certain events. The plot is paced well, with three distinct acts that dramatically change the tone of the book with each development. In terms of setting, the novel is set mostly on an estate named White Windows which is home to the Twentymans siblings. This is where Annaleigh takes a job as a housemaid as she feels she is no longer welcome with her family in London. The Yorkshire moors are sparsely populated, lonely, stormy and grey. This puts Annaleigh in edge and provides a great background atmosphere to the novel.

Tobin's writing came across a bit tame to begin with. There are a few creepy bits in the first act but nothing that really set me on edge. The rest of the book is a different matter. Tobin is graphic, detailed, dark and emotional. Being a parent myself, this book really affected me and I was glad to see a significant change in Annaleigh at a pinnacle moment in the book. The Vanishing is chilling, suspenseful and deeply moving at times.

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Title: Cowardly Witness

Subtitle: Pemberley, Book 1

Author: Ayr Bray

Narrator: Stevie Zimmerman

Format: Unabridged

Length: 2 hrs and 52 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-05-15

Publisher: Ayr Bray, Author

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 19 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

Cowardly Witness simmers with secrets and suspense.

Matthew Poe is the only witness in a case of murder and corruption in the lead mining industry. After an attempt is made on his life, he seeks refuge at Pemberley.

Mr. Darcy, bound by honor and duty to his king and country, agrees to take him in, though his presence puts everyone at Pemberley in danger - including Darcy's new bride, Elizabeth.

When Mr. Poe's secret is revealed with disastrous consequences, will Darcy succeed in protecting his loved ones and the witness, or will he be forced to choose between family and honor?

In Cowardly Witness, Ayr Bray masterfully creates a world around Pemberley electrified with the excitement and intrigue of a riveting suspense story.

Members Reviews:

Charming & Sweet Jane Austen Fanfiction

Really enjoyed this book. I'd been craving a story like this, one that doesn't revolve completely around the Darcy's or the Bennet's but that has new characters that add to their lives. This series delivers. It is sweet and charming and yes a bit too cute at times but I really enjoyed it none-the-less.

The fondness that Ayre Bray has for this classic story is evident which I appreciate. Will definitely continue on with her series.

Stevie Zimmerman did a really lovely job at carrying this story. At first, I thought she was going about it too slowly, but then I realized it worked well for this story.

This is a must read for those that love Jane Austen fanfiction.

Well-written and well-voiced

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

It would seem that a person would need to be a big Jane Austen/Pride and Prejudice fan to enjoy this book, but I really believe that it was written so that unfamiliarity with these characters would not hinder the enjoyment.

What did you like best about this story?

Ayr Bray makes the characters, already familiar to me, very believable, and the plot was intriguing. The narration made it even more enjoyable--just how I would have imagined it in my head!

What about Stevie Zimmermans performance did you like?

She was the perfect voice for this audiobook because it fit the period and was very enjoyable to listen to.

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Title: The Polish Boxer

Author: Eduardo Halfon

Narrator: Armando Durán

Format: Unabridged

Length: 6 hrs and 12 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-26-12

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 7 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

The Polish Boxer covers a vast landscape of human experience while enfolding a search for origins: a grandson tries to make sense of his grandfathers past and the story behind his numbered tattoo; a Serbian classical pianist longs for his forbidden heritage; a Mayan poet is torn between his studies and filial obligations; a striking young Israeli woman seeks answers in Central America; a university professor yearns for knowledge that he cant find in books and discovers something unexpected at a Mark Twain conference. Drawn to what lies beyond the range of reason, they all reach for the beautiful and fleeting, whether through humor, music, poetry, or unspoken words. Across his encounters with each of them, the narrator - a Guatemalan literature professor and writer named Eduardo Halfon - pursues his most enigmatic subject: himself.

Mapping the geography of identity in a world scarred by a legacy of violence and exile, The Polish Boxer marks the debut of a major new Latin American voice in English.

Eduardo Halfon, a native of Guatemala, has been cited as among the best young Latin American writers by the Hay Festival of Bogotá, and he is the recipient of Spains prestigious José María de Pereda Prize for the Short Novel.

Critic Reviews:

A book that willfully and delightfully blurs the boundaries among novel, memoir, and meditationA key pleasure ofThe Polish Boxeris that of revelationThe power ofThe Polish Boxeris that it is always rooted in the personal. It is deeply accessible, deeply moving. (Los Angeles Times)

Elegant. (Marie Claire)

These are the stories of lifeThe fictional makes the real bearable and intelligible. (Publishers Weekly, boxed review)

Members Reviews:

The Surreal Worlds of Eduardo Halfon's Artistc Characters: Guatemala Meets Europe Meets North Carolina!

This novel-in-stories explores the ways in which truth is pursued by authors, the elusiveness & subjective nature of truth, & the limitations of language . Other artistic characters also are central to the book, especially a pianist influenced by Liszt, gypsy music, and Thelonius Monk! A large part of this book concerns the effort to reconnect with this musician; its length might be a drawback of the book. The book also reflects on the Polish, Jewish, Guatemalan, & U.S. aspects of the narrator's identity (his grandfather survived Auschwitz with the help of a fellow prisoner, a Polish boxer who gives him the right language to deal with the Nazis). There is a postmodern and surreal feel to this book; it entertains wittily while raising serious questions about history, art, language, and identity.

Thread

There has been a lot of talk about how repetition is used for emphasis. In reading Eduardo Halfon's book, the motifs, the references, and the images evoked through repetition gives the book of short stories a connected and intertwining theme which carries the book. The writing is solid and the author is genuine. This is a book for someone who enjoys short stories and good stories in general. There are no gimmicks, no sludge of a stupid MFAW program so many schools are producing. He's not trying to be Carver and he's not trying to be Pynchon. The voice is his own and most of all he has no political agenda. Recommend!

A walk through different worlds

Latino, Hispanic literature surpasses anything I'm reading in today's world. Part memoir, part travelogue of the human condition.

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Title: Whirlwind

Author: Cathy Marie Hake

Narrator: Barbara Caruso

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 9 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-31-09

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 101 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

Seeking a brighter future, Millie books passage to New York aboard the Opportunity. When a widower scours the ship for a suitable nanny, he selects Millie from the crowds in steerage. He is standoffish at first, but soon Millie's tireless devotion to his motherless toddler begins to win him over.

Members Reviews:

Wonderful!

Another great book by Cathy Hake. I loved this story. It was interesting from beginning to the end and the narrator is one of the best ever. Her voice changes all the time and she is so expressive. Great author.

Neat Story

I enjoyed this book, the twist that were wonven throughout it were somewhat unexpected and it was very well read.

a bit rambling

Any additional comments?

Mostly predictable, seems to take a long time to get anywhere, gentle stuff. I would listen to more of her stories, but they're not meant to be gripping - just chick lit romance.

Great story!

The narrator has a fair voice but tends to add to much of a hick drawl to the Texan voices. It wasn't horrible but it was distracting.

Story was ok

This book was ok, narrator made the characters from Texas all sound the same. Which took away from the book for me.

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Title: The Deserter

Subtitle: Alford Saga, Book 1

Author: Paul Almond

Narrator: Paul Almond

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 1 min

Language: English

Release date: 01-24-12

Publisher: Iambik Audio Inc

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 4 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

The Deserter is the first book of the Alford Saga. Imagine youre in a swaying hammock on a British man-owar around 1800, riding out a harsh spring storm in a deserted estuary. Behind those high red cliffs lie a hundred miles of uncharted wilderness, populated only by ferocious indigenous peoples. If you jump ship and are caught, you will be branded a deserter - subject to death by one thousand lashes. What can you bring to help you survive? Within minutes, the ice-strewn waters will freeze your body and claim your soul. Even if this were your one chance for a life in the New World, would you jump?

Thomas Manning did, and his leap into uncertainty begins the epic tale of a pioneer family, one of the many who built our great nation. Through his and his descendants eyes, we watch one small communitys impact on the great events which swirl about them and bring conflicts they must face in their struggles to create homes and families. After Thomas Mannings leap to freedom, he is captured by the Mikmaq, has life threatening encounters with wild animals, livesthrough a barren winter in the highlands of the caribou with a tribe who befriends him and falls for a Mikmaq maiden. Absorbing, touching and full of adventure, The Deserter is Book One of the Alford saga, a series chronicling 200 years of Canadian history, as seen through the eyes of a settlers family.