There’s a free series you can listen to on Podcast Addict by Nathan Lowell. The first book is called Quarter Share. (Then Half Share, Full Share, Double Share, Captains Share, and lastly, Owners Share).

It’s Sci fi set in space about a guy moving up in ranks making money and working on a space ship. It’s nothing too fantastic but it was still a good listen, read by the author who does a good job of it, and I did exactly what you’re wanting while I listened. Loosely paid attention while doing other things and it was great for that.

Also, you can’t beat free.

I don’t know if this is suitable for your needs, but I really enjoyed this reading of the deathworlders:

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0TV2mCk83zBbWxnbA7ndfHFlctKzHGIL&si=ksX7uj10qVPSEWZ-

Stephen Fry’s reading of Harry Potter is just the best.

On a JK Rowling note. Her Cormoran Strike series (starting with Cuckoo’s Calling) under a different pen name is actually pretty great. It’s a modern day detective series with great personable characters. Very easy to listen to. Despite her crappy views, Rowling’s way of writing is very clean and simple so might fit your brief.

Any of the books narrated by Peter Kenny in the Culture series by Iain M. Banks. Banks’ books are my favorite Sci-Fi, and Kenny does such an impressive job of doing an understated reading. He “does the voices” really well so you can tell the characters apart, but it’s all very subtle and easy to listen to. He also does the “techno-babble” so damn well, and captures Banks’ sense of humor perfectly.

I think there’s only one of the Culture books that he didn’t narrate, can’t remember which at the moment.

Becky Chambers - The long way to a small, angry planet

• Red Rising
• Golden Son
• Morning Star

All narrated by Tim Gerard Reynolds, and he’s AWESOME.

THEN also

• Iron Gold
• Dark Age
• Light Bringer

Also narrated by Tim Gerard Reynolds, but there are also more voiced character in these, so there’s more variety, and it’s great.

I really like Red Rising.

Pretty much all major books are published as audiobooks as well. Even ones that have computer code written in them, which is not something that you’d ever expect to have read out loud.

It used to be that books would be “narrated for the blind” where not a lot of attention would be put into the audio. Nowadays, there tends to be a lot more effort put into them. I suppose that’s because they don’t need to be packaged as 12 to 20 cassette tapes or CDs any longer.

There’s the added element that a narrator can ruin or improve things. The Making of the Atomic Bomb by Richard Rhodes is a wonderful book, but the narrator displays an unprofessionally slim knowledge of physics.

Then there’s World War Z. I’m not sure that there’s a better way to tell that story than the audio book. It’s the exact interview style that the author intended.

Orson Scott Card really likes audio books, so the Ender’s Game series is really good.

I can recommend “The Realm of the Elderlings” audiobooks. James Langton has a British accent and it’s just wonderful to listen to. He does voices for other characters fairly well too. Great book series too.

Discworld is my go-to these days. Goes well with cross stitching

In contrast I would never want to listen to a Terry Pratchett book while doing something else

Ah well. Sarah J. Maas was also a fun experience. It’s so bad it’s good. I went with A court of thorns and roses but I hear her other series follow a similar vein. It’s hard to miss the important details. Look for the Graphic Audio releases.

I always recommend Diskworld