Our score
Outstanding
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Leviathan Wakes Audiobook by James S. A. Corey— narrated by Jefferson Mays
A missing-persons case and a derelict ship collide to crack open a solar system on the brink of war, in the muscular space opera that launched The Expanse and reads like noir detective fiction strapped to a rocket.
Why the audiobook wins
Jefferson Mays narrates Leviathan Wakes like the noir detective story it's structured as, giving Miller a worn, cynical rasp and Holden an earnest, almost naive clarity, so the two men sound like they belong to different genres colliding in the same solar system. Mays uses subtle accent work to keep Earth, Mars, and Belter characters distinct across a large cast, which matters in a book this dense with factions.
At just over twenty hours, it's a serious space opera commitment, but Mays's pacing keeps the mystery at the center moving, a missing-persons case that cracks open a system-wide conspiracy, so the political worldbuilding never buries the plot. This is a strong pick for anyone who came to The Expanse through the show and wants the grittier, more hardboiled register the novels started in.
The performance earned Mays a 2012 Audie Award nomination in Science Fiction, a sign of how well-regarded this reading is among genre listeners. One credit gets you the book that launched the whole series.
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Audiobook questions
- Who narrates the Leviathan Wakes audiobook?
- Jefferson Mays narrates the audiobook edition of Leviathan Wakes.
- How long is the Leviathan Wakes audiobook?
- The audiobook runs 20 hr 56 min.
- Is the Leviathan Wakes audiobook worth listening to?
- We scored Leviathan Wakes 4.6 out of 5. Jefferson Mays narrates Leviathan Wakes like the noir detective story it's structured as, giving Miller a worn, cynical rasp and Holden an earnest, almost naive clarity, so the two men sound like they belong to different genres colliding in the same solar system. Mays uses…
- Can I listen to Leviathan Wakes 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 Leviathan Wakes free with an Audible trial
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- Is Leviathan Wakes on Kindle Unlimited?
- No. Leviathan Wakes was not included with Kindle Unlimited when we last checked on August 9, 2026.
- How much does Leviathan Wakes cost?
- On Amazon: Kindle $9.99, Paperback $10.99, Hardcover $40.07. Prices as of August 21, 2026 at 2:21 AM EDT and may change.
