A great book, superbly read. We refuse to make that a verdict, so we made it a hall.
Earmark answers one question: which format deserves your one and only first encounter with a book. It has four answers, none of which is both. That is deliberate: read it, then listen dodges the question and costs you a second trip through the same book. But some recordings really are that good, and refusing to have a fifth verdict is not the same as refusing to say so. Seventeen of the 175 readings we hold enough ratings to judge are in here, and every one of them shows the figures that put it there.
It belongs to the recording, not to the book
A verdict is a claim about a format, so it belongs to the book. A place in here is a claim about a performance, so it belongs to the people who gave it, which is why we name them, why two books of the same series can each hold a place, and why three of these seventeen sit under a Read it. Nothing here contradicts a verdict. It says that if you do listen, you are in very good hands.
The same care applies with the sign reversed, and it is a far harder page to write: the Hall of Shame names a recording our own arithmetic calls the weak half of a good book, over the same 250-rating bar.
What it takes to get in
Everything below is measured against the middle of our own shelf, not against five stars, which every popular book is near. A step means one standard deviation: the typical distance a book sits from that middle, so “a full step above” means clearly, not marginally, better than the run of what we hold. The middle is frozen (House Rules), so ingesting more books can never quietly evict a recording that already earned its place.
First, the floor, and it is the same bar we publish for blaming a narrator: at least 250 people must have rated the reading itself. If a recording is not attested enough to be criticised, it is not attested enough to be praised to the skies either. The book must also hold up in print, at or above the middle of our shelf on Goodreads, because “great book, great recording” is the whole claim.
Then one of two ways in. The listening: a full step (one standard deviation) above our middle on Audible’s performance score and on its story score, with no more than 2% of listeners giving the performance one or two stars. An average can be high because a divided room averages out, and this is the shape of the room. Or the prize: an Audie, won rather than shortlisted, in one of the categories that judge the narration (Best Male or Female Narrator, Narration by the Author, and their like) on a recording that existed in time to have won it.
The Audie is the only signal we have about a performance that does not come out of Audible’s own stars, which is exactly why it is worth having, and it is also the easiest thing on this site to get wrong. A genre Audie (Fiction, Fantasy, Classic) is given to a whole audiobook, so the book and the production are being judged alongside the voice; it is not evidence about a reading in the way this page claims, so it does not count here. An Audie for an audio drama is a prize for a full-cast production we would never have recommended as the reading, so those do not count either. And a prize belongs to a recording, not to a book: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows won in 2008, the recording we picked came out in 2026, and crediting the second with the first’s prize would be a false claim about real working people. So a prize counts only where our recording came out in the award year or the two years before it. Even then the prize does not overrule our own listeners: where they put a reading below the middle of the shelf, the Audie is printed and the recording stays out.
Matt Dinniman · read by Jeff Hays
In on the listening · 66,374 ratings · Audible UK and US
- ✓Cleared: Enough listeners to say anything
- 66,374people have rated this reading, in every shop we count. Our published bar is 250.
- ✓Cleared: The reading is a class above
- 4.92Audible's performance score, +1.30 against the middle of our own shelf.
- ✓Cleared: And so is the book as told
- 4.80Audible's story score, +1.06 against the middle of our own shelf.
- ✓Cleared: Almost nobody bounces off it
- 0.7%437 of 66,417 listeners gave the performance one or two stars.
- ✓Cleared: The book itself holds up in print
- 4.43Goodreads' rating of the book, +1.10 against the middle of our own shelf.
Our verdict on the book is still Listen to it.
J.K. Rowling · read by Stephen Fry
In on the listening · 29,503 ratings · Audible UK and US
- ✓Cleared: Enough listeners to say anything
- 29,503people have rated this reading, in every shop we count. Our published bar is 250.
- ✓Cleared: The reading is a class above
- 4.93Audible's performance score, +1.32 against the middle of our own shelf.
- ✓Cleared: And so is the book as told
- 4.89Audible's story score, +1.40 against the middle of our own shelf.
- ✓Cleared: Almost nobody bounces off it
- 0.5%137 of 29,634 listeners gave the performance one or two stars.
- ✓Cleared: The book itself holds up in print
- 4.43Goodreads' rating of the book, +1.10 against the middle of our own shelf.
Our verdict on the book is still Listen to it.
J.K. Rowling · read by Stephen Fry
In on the listening · 43,205 ratings · Audible UK and US
- ✓Cleared: Enough listeners to say anything
- 43,205people have rated this reading, in every shop we count. Our published bar is 250.
- ✓Cleared: The reading is a class above
- 4.95Audible's performance score, +1.42 against the middle of our own shelf.
- ✓Cleared: And so is the book as told
- 4.94Audible's story score, +1.60 against the middle of our own shelf.
- ✓Cleared: Almost nobody bounces off it
- 0.3%114 of 43,393 listeners gave the performance one or two stars.
- ✓Cleared: The book itself holds up in print
- 4.62Goodreads' rating of the book, +1.95 against the middle of our own shelf.
Our verdict on the book is still Listen to it.
J.K. Rowling · read by Stephen Fry
In on the listening · 26,971 ratings · Audible UK and US
- ✓Cleared: Enough listeners to say anything
- 26,971people have rated this reading, in every shop we count. Our published bar is 250.
- ✓Cleared: The reading is a class above
- 4.93Audible's performance score, +1.32 against the middle of our own shelf.
- ✓Cleared: And so is the book as told
- 4.92Audible's story score, +1.52 against the middle of our own shelf.
- ✓Cleared: Almost nobody bounces off it
- 0.5%128 of 27,052 listeners gave the performance one or two stars.
- ✓Cleared: The book itself holds up in print
- 4.57Goodreads' rating of the book, +1.73 against the middle of our own shelf.
Our verdict on the book is still Listen to it.
J.K. Rowling · read by Stephen Fry
In on the listening · 23,261 ratings · Audible UK and US
- ✓Cleared: Enough listeners to say anything
- 23,261people have rated this reading, in every shop we count. Our published bar is 250.
- ✓Cleared: The reading is a class above
- 4.94Audible's performance score, +1.37 against the middle of our own shelf.
- ✓Cleared: And so is the book as told
- 4.91Audible's story score, +1.52 against the middle of our own shelf.
- ✓Cleared: Almost nobody bounces off it
- 0.4%92 of 23,359 listeners gave the performance one or two stars.
- ✓Cleared: The book itself holds up in print
- 4.58Goodreads' rating of the book, +1.77 against the middle of our own shelf.
Our verdict on the book is still Listen to it.
J.K. Rowling · read by Stephen Fry
In on the listening · 25,509 ratings · Audible UK and US
- ✓Cleared: Enough listeners to say anything
- 25,509people have rated this reading, in every shop we count. Our published bar is 250.
- ✓Cleared: The reading is a class above
- 4.93Audible's performance score, +1.31 against the middle of our own shelf.
- ✓Cleared: And so is the book as told
- 4.88Audible's story score, +1.37 against the middle of our own shelf.
- ✓Cleared: Almost nobody bounces off it
- 0.5%132 of 25,606 listeners gave the performance one or two stars.
- ✓Cleared: The book itself holds up in print
- 4.50Goodreads' rating of the book, +1.41 against the middle of our own shelf.
Our verdict on the book is still Listen to it.
J.K. Rowling · read by Stephen Fry
In on the listening · 46,496 ratings · Audible UK and US
- ✓Cleared: Enough listeners to say anything
- 46,496people have rated this reading, in every shop we count. Our published bar is 250.
- ✓Cleared: The reading is a class above
- 4.92Audible's performance score, +1.27 against the middle of our own shelf.
- ✓Cleared: And so is the book as told
- 4.89Audible's story score, +1.44 against the middle of our own shelf.
- ✓Cleared: Almost nobody bounces off it
- 0.5%240 of 46,586 listeners gave the performance one or two stars.
- ✓Cleared: The book itself holds up in print
- 4.47Goodreads' rating of the book, +1.28 against the middle of our own shelf.
Our verdict on the book is still Listen to it.
J.K. Rowling · read by Stephen Fry
In on the listening · 27,442 ratings · Audible UK and US
- ✓Cleared: Enough listeners to say anything
- 27,442people have rated this reading, in every shop we count. Our published bar is 250.
- ✓Cleared: The reading is a class above
- 4.94Audible's performance score, +1.37 against the middle of our own shelf.
- ✓Cleared: And so is the book as told
- 4.92Audible's story score, +1.53 against the middle of our own shelf.
- ✓Cleared: Almost nobody bounces off it
- 0.4%104 of 27,504 listeners gave the performance one or two stars.
- ✓Cleared: The book itself holds up in print
- 4.58Goodreads' rating of the book, +1.77 against the middle of our own shelf.
Our verdict on the book is still Listen to it.
Diana Wynne Jones · read by Kristin Atherton
In on the listening · 1,812 ratings · Audible UK and US
- ✓Cleared: Enough listeners to say anything
- 1,812people have rated this reading, in every shop we count. Our published bar is 250.
- ✓Cleared: The reading is a class above
- 4.88Audible's performance score, +1.10 against the middle of our own shelf.
- ✓Cleared: And so is the book as told
- 4.80Audible's story score, +1.07 against the middle of our own shelf.
- ✓Cleared: Almost nobody bounces off it
- 0.4%7 of 1,813 listeners gave the performance one or two stars.
- ✓Cleared: The book itself holds up in print
- 4.28Goodreads' rating of the book, +0.44 against the middle of our own shelf.
Our verdict on the book is still Listen to it.
Pierce Brown · read by Tim Gerard Reynolds
In on the listening · 12,953 ratings · Audible UK and US
- ✓Cleared: Enough listeners to say anything
- 12,953people have rated this reading, in every shop we count. Our published bar is 250.
- ✓Cleared: The reading is a class above
- 4.88Audible's performance score, +1.08 against the middle of our own shelf.
- ✓Cleared: And so is the book as told
- 4.90Audible's story score, +1.44 against the middle of our own shelf.
- ✓Cleared: Almost nobody bounces off it
- 0.7%96 of 12,956 listeners gave the performance one or two stars.
- ✓Cleared: The book itself holds up in print
- 4.78Goodreads' rating of the book, +2.66 against the middle of our own shelf.
Our verdict on the book is still Listen to it.
Morning Star · on the Red Rising page
Pierce Brown · read by Tim Gerard Reynolds
In on the listening · 54,208 ratings · Audible UK and US
- ✓Cleared: Enough listeners to say anything
- 54,208people have rated this reading, in every shop we count. Our published bar is 250.
- ✓Cleared: The reading is a class above
- 4.90Audible's performance score, +1.21 against the middle of our own shelf.
- ✓Cleared: And so is the book as told
- 4.79Audible's story score, +1.01 against the middle of our own shelf.
- ✓Cleared: Almost nobody bounces off it
- 0.2%133 of 54,308 listeners gave the performance one or two stars.
- ✓Cleared: The book itself holds up in print
- 4.55Goodreads' rating of the book, +1.64 against the middle of our own shelf.
Our verdict on the book is still Listen to it.
Kathryn Stockett · read by January LaVoy, Jenna Lamia
In on the listening · 590 ratings · Audible UK and US
- ✓Cleared: Enough listeners to say anything
- 590people have rated this reading, in every shop we count. Our published bar is 250.
- ✓Cleared: The reading is a class above
- 4.94Audible's performance score, +1.38 against the middle of our own shelf.
- ✓Cleared: And so is the book as told
- 4.86Audible's story score, +1.30 against the middle of our own shelf.
- ✓Cleared: Almost nobody bounces off it
- 0.5%3 of 591 listeners gave the performance one or two stars.
- ✓Cleared: The book itself holds up in print
- 4.62Goodreads' rating of the book, +1.95 against the middle of our own shelf.
Our verdict on the book is still Listen to it.
Anne Frank · read by Helena Bonham Carter
In on the listening · 2,562 ratings · Audible UK and US
- ✓Cleared: Enough listeners to say anything
- 2,562people have rated this reading, in every shop we count. Our published bar is 250.
- ✓Cleared: The reading is a class above
- 4.86Audible's performance score, +1.03 against the middle of our own shelf.
- ✓Cleared: And so is the book as told
- 4.83Audible's story score, +1.18 against the middle of our own shelf.
- ✓Cleared: Almost nobody bounces off it
- 0.9%22 of 2,574 listeners gave the performance one or two stars.
- ✓Cleared: The book itself holds up in print
- 4.20Goodreads' rating of the book, +0.08 against the middle of our own shelf.
Our verdict on the book is still Read it. A place here is a promise about the recording, never an instruction to put the book down.
Robert Jordan · read by Rosamund Pike
In on an Audie · 9,980 ratings · Audible UK and US
- ✓Cleared: Enough listeners to say anything
- 9,980people have rated this reading, in every shop we count. Our published bar is 250.
- ✓Cleared: The reading is a class above
- 4.88Audible's performance score, +1.11 against the middle of our own shelf.
- –Did not clear: And so is the book as told
- 4.73Audible's story score, +0.79 against the middle of our own shelf.
- ✓Cleared: Almost nobody bounces off it
- 0.9%93 of 10,010 listeners gave the performance one or two stars.
- ✓Cleared: The book itself holds up in print
- 4.19Goodreads' rating of the book, +0.04 against the middle of our own shelf.
- ✓Cleared: An Audie, for the narration, on this recording
- 2023Won in the Best Female Narrator category. Our recording came out in 2021, so it is the reading the prize was given to.
Our verdict on the book is still Read it. A place here is a promise about the recording, never an instruction to put the book down.
Kathryn Stockett · read by Jenna Lamia, Bahni Turpin, Octavia Spencer and 1 more voice
In on the listening · 515 ratings · Audible UK and US
- ✓Cleared: Enough listeners to say anything
- 515people have rated this reading, in every shop we count. Our published bar is 250.
- ✓Cleared: The reading is a class above
- 4.94Audible's performance score, +1.37 against the middle of our own shelf.
- ✓Cleared: And so is the book as told
- 4.90Audible's story score, +1.45 against the middle of our own shelf.
- ✓Cleared: Almost nobody bounces off it
- 0.2%1 of 515 listeners gave the performance one or two stars.
- ✓Cleared: The book itself holds up in print
- 4.47Goodreads' rating of the book, +1.28 against the middle of our own shelf.
Our verdict on the book is still Listen to it.
J.R.R. Tolkien · read by Andy Serkis
In on the listening · 10,121 ratings · Audible UK and US
- ✓Cleared: Enough listeners to say anything
- 10,121people have rated this reading, in every shop we count. Our published bar is 250.
- ✓Cleared: The reading is a class above
- 4.93Audible's performance score, +1.32 against the middle of our own shelf.
- ✓Cleared: And so is the book as told
- 4.88Audible's story score, +1.38 against the middle of our own shelf.
- ✓Cleared: Almost nobody bounces off it
- 0.4%42 of 10,152 listeners gave the performance one or two stars.
- ✓Cleared: The book itself holds up in print
- 4.30Goodreads' rating of the book, +0.53 against the middle of our own shelf.
Our verdict on the book is still Listen to it.
Kristin Hannah · read by Julia Whelan
In on an Audie · 4,183 ratings · Audible UK and US
- ✓Cleared: Enough listeners to say anything
- 4,183people have rated this reading, in every shop we count. Our published bar is 250.
- –Did not clear: The reading is a class above
- 4.81Audible's performance score, +0.82 against the middle of our own shelf.
- –Did not clear: And so is the book as told
- 4.75Audible's story score, +0.84 against the middle of our own shelf.
- ✓Cleared: Almost nobody bounces off it
- 1.1%46 of 4,183 listeners gave the performance one or two stars.
- ✓Cleared: The book itself holds up in print
- 4.58Goodreads' rating of the book, +1.77 against the middle of our own shelf.
- ✓Cleared: An Audie, for the narration, on this recording
- 2025Won in the Best Fiction Narrator category. Our recording came out in 2024, so it is the reading the prize was given to.
Our verdict on the book is still Read it. A place here is a promise about the recording, never an instruction to put the book down.