James Dashner writes the kind of dystopian fiction that grabs you by the collar and doesn’t let go, and hearing it performed out loud only sharpens that urgency. The Maze Runner series, which launched in 2009, hits differently as audio because the confusion and panic Thomas feels actually transfer to you through the narrator’s voice. That claustrophobic, pulse-racing tension is built for listening.

If you devoured The Hunger Games and wanted something grittier and more disorienting, Dashner is your next stop. Younger adults and teens love him, but plenty of grown readers get completely hooked too.