Audiobook Narrators soar to New Heights as ‘Romantasy’ Genre Captivates U.S. Listeners

NEW YORK—Rebecca Soler was picking up her daughter from preschool and her professional and personal worlds collided.

“My daughterS teacher, my beloved Ms. Liz, said to me, ‘I was in my car, listening to Fourth Wing, and the narrator’s voice sounds so familiar…’,” says Soler. “And I was like, ‘Ms. Liz, what chapter are you on?!’ And she was like, ‘Four,’ and I said, ‘Ms. Liz, abort, abort!'”

Soler’s hilarious reaction stems from her role as the voice actor behind and the audiobook versions of all three books in Rebecca Yarros‘s Empyrean series, a red-hot romantasy series that has taken the literary world by storm.

The audiobooks, much like the books themselves, have dominated bestseller charts. Wiht the release of onyx Storm, the latest installment, pushing them all back to the top spots.

Soler is increasingly being recognized for her voice work, an unusual advancement.”People who I meet that don’t know what I do will suddenly say, ‘Wait a minute, that was you! I listened to that’,” says Soler, who has voiced titles across genres including YA, women’s fiction and other fantasy.”And my Cuban aunts have been like, ‘Rebecca, do we need to listen to Onyx Storm?’ and I’m like, ‘No Tía, please. This is not the one for you to listen to because it is going to be real weird for you,real rapid’.”

The rise of “romantasy”—a hybrid genre blending romance and fantasy—has not only propelled authors like Yarros to new heights but also spotlighted the voice actors who bring these fantastical worlds to life.Sales of audiobooks in the U.S.increased by double digits for the tenth consecutive year, reaching $1.7 billion in revenue in 2024. According to the Audio Publishers Association, fantasy, science fiction, and romance are among the most popular genres, driving much of this growth.

When she got the gig to record the first book, Soler had no concept she was about to play a part in one of the biggest stories in books of this century.”I knew that it was a page-turner,” she says. “But it was an indie publisher and if anything that makes you think it’s not going to be the size of other books that I’ve done that have had larger publishers.”

She didn’t even audition for it. The job was just offered to her, thanks to a small-world connection: Soler had gone to high school with Yarros’s publicist.

Meeting Yarros in person helped validate the approach she took in her audio interpretation, she says.

“She speaks really quickly, she has a very fast humour and that just solidified the choices I made. I’ve been fast-talking as Violet, and being really sarcastic and underplayed as Ridoc and rolling my eyes and exasperated as Tairn,” says Soler of her voices for various key characters. “Having met Rebecca,I understand that is her pace,and I am happy that I got it right.”

Narrating a complex, dense, plot-and-world-building book like this, Soler adds, is “more challenging” than most. To help her keep track of the characters – including the voices she does for them – she creates a detailed “org chart” of who everyone is, how they’re connected, the name of their dragon or griffin, and weather they’re alive or dead.

She’ll read the book four times before recording it, marking up her copy with cues and phonetics that help her say certain unique-to-the-Empyrean-universe words – Basgiath, Tirnanoc, Rhiannon with a long “ahh” sound.

Each 500-ish page book takes Soler, working with an engineer, five days of recording solidly from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.She caffeinates with an unsweetened black iced coffee, avoiding anything with dairy to prevent “mouth sounds.” On day four or five, she’ll reach for an almond milk latte. “You need that espresso, because my lord, Rebecca is relentless. The last few chapters do not let up. There’s no denouement in her books.”

Beyond the Voice: The Craft of Audiobook Narration

For narrators like Soler,mastering the craft requires more than just a pleasant voice. It demands meticulous preparation, character development, and stamina. Soler’s dedication to her characters is evident in her detailed “org charts” and multiple readings of each book. She is extremely serious about mouth sounds.

Teddy Hamilton, real name Andrew Eiden, is another familiar Empyrean voice. He pops up for chapters told from the viewpoint of Xaden Riorson, the charismatic and enigmatic third year whom the heroine, Violet Sorrengail, finds herself irresistibly drawn to in the first book.

“I’ve worked with Rebecca Yarros on so many of her books, so it’s been fun to see this become mainstream outside of the romance world,” says Eiden, who adds that despite their long professional relationship, he’s had very limited interaction with the author.

“I think that’s by design, because I know other narrators who do interact with her a lot,” he says. “I play an interesting role with her, as I play all of her male main characters. Those are fantasies that she’s writing – and that’s a thing with the fandom too, where they wish they didn’t know who I actually was because then they could just imagine the fantasy character, and I’m very much not the fantasy character.”

Eiden, who’s prolific in the romance narrating space, thinks that Yarros trusts him to understand her, and he trusts her in return.”She talks to me through her writing, and I talk to her through my narration,” he says. “To me, it’s always about the book. It’s about what Rebecca has written, and my duty is to understand what she means by it. What does this moment mean to the book, to my character? and what effect is this supposed to have on the reader?”

xaden is a notably intense character, although given Yarros’s interest in writing books about men who have been at war and may have PTSD, based on her own husband’s experience, that’s not exactly unusual.

“I always say her books are cryfests,” says Eiden. “I’ve never sobbed more in narrating a book than I have with a Rebecca Yarros audiobook.”

While he’s already got a devoted following, being part of the Empyrean universe has put “Teddy Hamilton” on a more mainstream map.”I’ve also gotten so many texts from people who will say, ‘Are you Teddy Hamilton? I’m listening to you!’ They wouldn’t normally listen to the types of books Teddy usually does,” says Eiden.”I’ve also had some of my buddies say, ‘Oh, I was talking to some girls last night and I was showing off that I know Teddy Hamilton.'”

It’s been such a big deal that Eiden says he recently had some in the industry come up to him and ask why he didn’t do the narrations under his real name rather than this stage name. “And I said it was because Rebecca Yarros didn’t ask for Andrew Eiden. She asked for Teddy Hamilton,” he says.

Another testament to the appetite for content in this series is that in addition to the audiobooks, there’s a dramatized audio adaptation produced by GraphicAudio, with a full cast of voice actors playing the different parts.

Khaya Fraites is the voice behind Violet sorrengail. She’s busy in her home recording studio working on the dramatized adaptation of Onyx Storm, set for release in May.

“I wasn’t told what I was auditioning for originally,” says Fraites, who’d only been doing small parts in various audio adaptations before she landed the part. “The director just said,’I have a book and I think you’d be good for it. The character is young, badass, think Katniss Everdeen.'”

At that stage, she hadn’t read the book, although she is a big reader herself. The scene she auditioned with was the “parapet scene,” where new students have to walk a lethal gauntlet before they even make it into the war academy building.

“I gave it my best shot, and I felt good about it,” says Fraites. “The director e-mailed me a few weeks later and he said, ‘You got the part. It’s for a little book called Fourth Wing. You may have heard of it?'”

Even then, she didn’t really have a sense of how big it was all going to be. That changed with Iron Flame, the second book to come out, and she began posting some of the behind-the-scenes of the recording process to TikTok.

“I started to interact with people, and I began to realize that, ‘Oh, this is kind of big’,” says Fraites, who tries not to let the pressure get in the way of her performance.

“I find Violet incredibly relatable. I feel like I have a lot in common with her, because she operates from a place of desperate protection for the people she loves because she’s experienced so much loss and grief,” says Fraites.

“I’ve also had a lot of loss at a young age. Once you’ve experienced a grief like losing a parent, you’re constantly operating from that space in whatever you’re doing.”

The emotional intensity of these stories means that Fraites often takes breaks while recording, and she sobbed in the booth when one character died.

“It may come off as extremely dramatic, but it is heavy. To be able to perform from that place, you do have to go there,” she says.

While she’s never been recognized in the wild for her work as Violet, she does get DMs from fans about it. “People have been so kind,” she says. “Someone messaged me recently and said,’You keep me company at 4 o’clock in the morning when I need something to listen to.'”

That warm embrace is also a draw for Soler. She gets DMs almost every single day from people saying nice things about her narration.

“Audiobook listeners are discerning, passionate and have high expectations,” she concludes. “If they give you a compliment, know that it is indeed really well-earned as you have been in their ear for hours, and you can either be super annoying to them, or super mission critical.”

The Rise of Romantasy: Explore the reasons behind the increasing popularity of the romantasy genre in the U.S. Factors include escapism, the appeal of strong female leads, and the blend of adventure and romance.
Practical Implications for Aspiring Narrators: Offer advice for aspiring audiobook narrators, including training, building a demo reel, and finding work. Highlight the importance of networking within the industry.
The Role of Social Media: Discuss how social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram have helped audiobook narrators to connect with fans and promote their work.
The Future of Audiobooks:* Analyze trends in the audiobook industry, such as the increasing use of AI-generated voices and the growing demand for immersive audio experiences.

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Audiobook Narrators Soar: A deep Dive into the ‘Romantasy’ Phenomenon with Rebecca Soler

Hello, and welcome to Archyde News. Today, we’re diving deep into the booming world of audiobooks, particularly the captivating rise of the “romantasy” genre. Joining us is Rebecca Soler, the voice behind the incredibly popular empyrean series. Rebecca, thanks for being with us.

Rebecca Soler: Thanks for having me! I’m thrilled to be here.

The Romantasy Revolution: What’s the Hype All About?

archyde: The romantasy genre — a blend of romance and fantasy — has absolutely exploded. What do you think is driving this surge in popularity, both for the books and, consequently, for the audiobooks?

Rebecca Soler: Well, I think there’s a real craving for escape right now. Romantasy offers that perfect blend of thrilling adventures, intricate world-building, and, of course, those swoon-worthy romantic elements. It’s a potent combination. Plus, the stories often feature strong female leads, which resonates with a lot of readers. And with audiobooks, you can lose yourself in a world while you multitask your daily life.

From Page to ear: The Art of Audiobook Narration

Archyde: Your role as Violet sorrengail in the Empyrean series has garnered you quite the fanbase. Can you walk us through your process for bringing such a complex character and immersive world to life?

Rebecca Soler: Absolutely. It starts with reading the book multiple times, really absorbing the story and the author’s vision. Then, I create detailed “org charts” to keep track of all the characters, their relationships, and their voices. I also spend a lot of time on pronunciation, especially with the unique words and places in the Empyrean universe. Meeting Rebecca Yarros helped solidify my choices for each character, understanding her pace and humor really fueled my performance.

Archyde: That sounds incredibly involved! Considering the fast-paced storytelling, the importance of character differentiation must be key…

Rebecca Soler: Absolutely. You’re in the listener’s ear for hours, so it’s critical to clearly distinguish each character. That’s why working out voices and accents is so crucial. It’s not just about reading the words; it’s about embodying the characters and making the listener feel. You wont to keep the listener immersed.

Advice for Aspiring Narrators

Archyde: For those aspiring to break into audiobook narration, what advice would you give? What are the crucial steps?

Rebecca Soler: Start with vocal training! Then, build a good demo reel showcasing your versatility. Look for opportunities for small roles, and network, network, network. the audiobook community is surprisingly tight-knit. Sites such as ACX (Audiobook Creation exchange) are great resources for begining your career. Most of all, get your voice heard.

The Power of Voice and Social Media

Archyde: Social media platforms like tiktok and Instagram seem to be playing a larger role in connecting narrators with fans. Have you experienced that?

Rebecca Soler: Totally. It’s fantastic. It allows us to connect with listeners on a personal level, share behind-the-scenes content, and get immediate feedback. It’s a whole new way to build community around these audiobooks.

The Future of Audio: Trends and Insights

Archyde: What trends do you see shaping the future of the audiobook industry?

Rebecca soler: The industry is rapidly growing. I think we’ll see continued innovation in immersive audio experiences, potentially integrating sound design and different levels of production – but I really hope thay don’t start using AI voices! However, I do worry about quality. there’s also an increasing demand for diverse genres, and that’s exciting. What could the landscape look like in the next five years?

Archyde: Exciting and insightful! Rebecca, it’s been a pleasure speaking with you. Thank you for sharing your expertise.

Rebecca Soler: My pleasure. Thanks for having me.

Archyde: And to our listeners, we’d love to know your thoughts. What draws you to audiobooks,and what qualities in a narrator do you find most compelling? Share your opinions in the comments below. This has been Archyde News, bringing you insights from the world of books and beyond.