Our score
Outstanding
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Kindred Audiobook by Octavia Butler— narrated by Kim Staunton
Octavia Butler pulls a young Black writer from 1976 California back to a pre-Civil War Maryland plantation, again and again, to save the white boy who will become her ancestor. A searing, unforgettable use of time travel to make history physical.
Why the audiobook wins
Kim Staunton has to move Kindred between 1976 Los Angeles and antebellum Maryland sometimes within a single page, and she does it with a shift in pace and tone rather than gimmick, so the jolt Dana feels each time she's pulled backward lands on the listener too. Staunton's control of the plantation-era voices, delivered without caricature, makes the book's horror feel historical, not theatrical.
Butler called this a "grim fantasy," and the audio format suits that: nearly eleven hours inside Dana's dawning understanding of why she keeps being pulled back to save the boy who will become her ancestor. It's a heavy, urgent listen, well suited to anyone who wants the book's argument about how close the past sits to the present to land in real time, in a voice, not a page you can set down.
Kindred has stood as a foundational work of American science fiction for decades, and Staunton's recording is how a generation first heard it. A single credit is a small price for something this essential.
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Audiobook questions
- Who narrates the Kindred audiobook?
- Kim Staunton narrates the audiobook edition of Kindred.
- How long is the Kindred audiobook?
- The audiobook runs 10 hr 55 min.
- Is the Kindred audiobook worth listening to?
- We scored Kindred 4.6 out of 5. Kim Staunton has to move Kindred between 1976 Los Angeles and antebellum Maryland sometimes within a single page, and she does it with a shift in pace and tone rather than gimmick, so the jolt Dana feels each time she's pulled backward lands on the listener too. Staunton's…
- Can I listen to Kindred free with an Audible trial?
- Eligible new Audible members can use a free-trial credit to listen in the Audible app. Eligibility and current offer terms are set by Audible.Listen to Kindred free with an Audible trial
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- Is Kindred on Kindle Unlimited?
- No. Kindred was not included with Kindle Unlimited when we last checked on July 2, 2026.
- How much does Kindred cost?
- On Amazon: Kindle $9.99, Paperback $7.90, Hardcover $35.38. Prices as of August 21, 2026 at 3:47 AM EDT and may change.
