Audiobook length / The Lord of the Rings
The Fellowship of the Ring audiobook length
The unabridged The Fellowship of the Ring audiobook by J.R.R. Tolkien is 22 hours 38 minutes long, read by Andy Serkis. It is book 1 of 3 in The Lord of the Rings.
Length at 1x
22h 38m
22:38:10, unabridged
At 1.5x
15h 05m
saves 7h 32m
At 2x
11h 19m
half the time
| Speed | Listening time | Time saved | Days at 1 hour a day |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1x | 22h 38m | - | 23 |
| 1.25x | 18h 06m | 4h 31m | 19 |
| 1.5x | 15h 05m | 7h 32m | 16 |
| 1.75x | 12h 56m | 9h 42m | 13 |
| 2x | 11h 19m | 11h 19m | 12 |
| 2.5x | 9h 03m | 13h 34m | 10 |
| 3x | 7h 32m | 15h 05m | 8 |
When will I finish?
At 1.5x and 45 minutes a day you finish in 21 days.
Length from the Apple Books listing for this edition, checked 3 October 2026. Other stores sell the same recording at the same length.
How many days to listen to The Fellowship of the Ring
Days needed to finish the 22 hours 38 minutes recording, by how long you listen each day.
| Each day | 1x | 1.25x | 1.5x | 2x |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 minutes | 91 days | 73 days | 61 days | 46 days |
| 30 minutes | 46 days | 37 days | 31 days | 23 days |
| 1 hour | 23 days | 19 days | 16 days | 12 days |
| 1.5 hours | 16 days | 13 days | 11 days | 8 days |
| 2 hours | 12 days | 10 days | 8 days | 6 days |
How long does it take to read The Fellowship of the Ring?
Reading the book yourself takes about 14 hours 2 minutes at an average adult reading speed of 250 words a minute. The Fellowship of the Ring is roughly 211,000 words, estimated from the audiobook at a narration pace of 155 words a minute, and print editions run about 492 pages (the middle value across 319 editions listed on Open Library).
| Reading speed | Time to read | At 1 hour a day |
|---|---|---|
| Relaxed (200 words a minute) | 17h 32m | 18 days |
| Average adult (250 words a minute) | 14h 02m | 15 days |
| Fast (300 words a minute) | 11h 41m | 12 days |
| Very fast (400 words a minute) | 8h 46m | 9 days |
Your speed: words a minute = 14h 02m. Reading is 38% faster than listening at 1x, and about the same as listening at 1.6x.
For any other book, page count or text, use the reading time calculator.
The Lord of the Rings audiobook lengths
| # | Book | Length | At 1.5x |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Fellowship of the Ring | 22h 38m | 15h 05m |
| 2 | The Two Towers | 20h 46m | 13h 51m |
| 3 | The Return of the King | 21h 52m | 14h 34m |
The whole series takes 65 hours 16 minutes. See The Lord of the Rings audiobook length page for totals at every speed.
Listening faster
Most listeners are comfortable between 1.25x and 1.5x, which turns 22h 38m into 18h 06m to 15h 05m. If Andy Serkis’s pace feels slow, raise the speed by 0.1x every few days. For any other book, type its length into the audiobook speed calculator.
Questions
How long is The Fellowship of the Ring audiobook?
The unabridged The Fellowship of the Ring audiobook read by Andy Serkis is 22 hours 38 minutes long (22:38:10).
How long is The Fellowship of the Ring at 1.5x speed?
15 hours 5 minutes at 1.5x, 18 hours 6 minutes at 1.25x and 11 hours 19 minutes at 2x.
Who narrates The Fellowship of the Ring audiobook?
Andy Serkis, for Recorded Books / HarperCollins.
How long does it take to read The Fellowship of the Ring?
About 14 hours 2 minutes at an average reading speed of 250 words a minute, for roughly 211,000 words (print editions run about 492 pages). A fast reader at 300 words a minute needs about 11 hours 41 minutes.
How many days does it take to listen to The Fellowship of the Ring?
At an hour a day it takes 23 days at normal speed, or 16 days at 1.5x. At 30 minutes a day it takes 46 days, or 31 days at 1.5x.
How long is the whole Lord of the Rings series on audiobook?
All 3 books add up to 65 hours 16 minutes. See the full list on The Lord of the Rings audiobook length page.
More audiobook lengths
- The Hobbit 10h 25m
- Project Hail Mary 16h 10m
- The Martian 10h 59m
- It 44h 55m
- The Stand 47h 47m
- 11/22/63 30h 40m
- Dune 21h 02m
- East of Eden 25h 19m