Best Sci Fi Audiobooks

1

By

Christina Sweeney-Baird

Read By

Cathleen McCarron, Aysha Kala, Denica Fairman, Penelope Rawlins, Debra Michaels, Julia Locascio, Sasha Alexis, Robert Bradley, Sara Lynam, Rebecca Perfect, William Hope

Competition was fierce for best sci-fi audiobook in 2021. Excellent works such as The World Gives Way and The Extinction Trials were just two vying for the title. But this… The End of Men is a masterful and incredibly thoughtful portrayal of a world where men are all but wiped out by a pandemic. Told through multiple first-person accounts, the audiobook leans into the format with no fewer than eleven narrators.

2

By

Andy Weir

Read By

Wil Wheaton

The Martian puts the science smack bang in the centre of the fiction. Wil Wheaton delivers a 5 star performance as Mark Watney, an astronaut left stranded on Mars. Meanwhile author Andy Weir not only provides incredible detail of the mechanics of it all, but manages to make it riveting. Because every detail is vital in the attempts to Bring. Him. Home.

3

By

Suzanne Collins

Read By

Carolyn McCormick

Feel all the feelings in this epic dystopian sci-fi audiobook where children are forced to fight to the death. Can Katniss Everdene survive the Hunger Games? And can she bring down the brutal dictatorship that imposes them on the people of Panem? Brimming with vivid, vibrant imagery, this audiobook feels more like a movie in your mind.

4

By

Kazuo Ishiguro

Read By

Kerry Fox

Enter the hallowed halls of Hailsham. At a glance, this bucolic English school seems an idyllic place to learn. But note the small differences. Don’t overlook that nagging feeling that something is amiss. Tissues at the ready. This gets emotional.

5

By

Margaret Atwood

Read By

Elisabeth Moss, Bradley Whitford, Amy Landecker, Ann Dowd

Obviously, there are a multitude of bests one could attribute to Margaret Atwood’s chilling vision of a misogynist dystopia. Best cautionary tale for one. So why best casting? Because the audiobook is read by none other than the TV version of Offred herself, Elisabeth Moss and boasts further star power in the form of Bradley Whitford and Amy Landecker. I can’t help but feel that the ability to draw these big names is emblematic of the ever-growing status of audiobooks. As an aside, it’s worth noting that Atwood herself wouldn’t approve of this being on the list at all as she maintains it’s not futuristic in any way. I’d disagree.

5

By

Yahtzee Croshaw

Read By

Yahtzee Croshaw

Sci-fi plays well with other genres, not least of which is comedy. In this Yhatzee Crowshaw absurdist delight, the Ministry of Occultism - yes that’s a thing in this universe - finds itself in several gelatinous spots of bother including visitors from other worlds, a magical murderer and a public relations nightmare.

6

By

George Orwell

Read By

Andrew Wincott

In 1984, Orwell achieved a Shakespearian infiltration of the English language. Terms like “Thought Police” and “Big Brother” have become ubiquitously synonymous with authoritarian leadership, even by those unfamiliar with this powerful portrayal of hell on Earth. The thing is, most people who have read the book did so at school. I highly recommend listening to one of the many audiobook versions. May I suggest the version by Stephen Fry.

8

By

Ernest Cline

Read By

Wil Wheaton

Oh, Ready Player One, you unashamed celebration of geekdom. I see you. Teeming with 80s pop culture references and set in a fantastical gaming world, the audiobook takes things to the next level by having it read by sci-fi royalty, Wil Wheaton.

9

By

John Wyndham

Read By

Daniel Weyman

At under five hours long, this is a nibble of an audiobook, but it more than earns its place on this list. Narrator Daniel Weyman delivers a gloriously understated, very British performance bursting with irony.

10

By

Philip K. Dick

Read By

Luke Daniels

From the man behind Blade Runner, The Man in the High Castle and many more science fiction gems comes Ubik. This frenetic time travelling tale is chock full of quirky characters, extravagantly performed by Luke Daniels.

11

By

John Birmingham

Read By

Rupert Degas

Ever read an apocalyptic tale only to think, that would never happen? Well, John Birmingham is determined to show exactly - exactly - how it can happen in Zero Day Code. And it is scarily convincing.

12

By

Peter Clines

Read By

Ray Porter

From Eureka to Stargate, Dr Who to Star Trek, sci-fi has brought us some of the best teams and friendships. Enter Peter Cline’s 14, where a group of tenants slowly come together to fight the forces that blight their very strange building.

By

Stephen King

Read By

Craig Wasson

If Stephen King Wrote Back To The Future... Oh, Wait.

By

Peter Clines

Read By

Ray Porter

Gripping Sci-Fi with a Great Squad.

By

George Orwell

Read By

Andrew Wincott

Timeless. A Masterpiece.

By

William R. Forstchen

Read By

Bronson Pinchot

A Good Continuation

By

Devon C. Ford

Read By

Kevin Kemp

Great Narration, Interesting Journey

By

Sarah Lyons Fleming

Read By

Julia Whelan

A perfect end to the perfect zombie series.

By

Sarah Lyons Fleming

Read By

Julia Whelan

Awesome Sequel. Does not disappoint.

By

Ernest Cline

Read By

Wil Wheaton

Not Quite RP1, But Still Great

By

Jack Hunt

Read By

Kevin Pierce

Enjoyable

By

Jack Hunt

Read By

Kevin Pierce

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By

Josh Malerman

Read By

Katharine Mangold

Chilling, Captivating, Unforgettable. Perfect for fans of The Road.

By

Aldous Huxley

Read By

Michael York

A timeless piece about human nature versus nurture.

By

Adrian Tchaikovsky

Read By

David Thorpe

Imagine Mark and Jez of Peep Show living their best/worst lives in a futuristic, post-apocalyptic hellscape with monsters and mutants. That just about covers it...

By

Suzanne Collins

Read By

Carolyn McCormick

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By

John Wyndham

Read By

Daniel Weyman

An Understated Gem With A Dr Who Vibe

By

Frederic C. Rich

Read By

Oliver Wyman

Chillingly Real. Detailed Beyond Belief.

By

Scott Sigler

Read By

Scott Sigler

Good continuation of the series.

By

Peter Clines

Read By

Ray Porter

Treat This as a Stand Alone Story

By

A.G. Riddle

Read By

Scott Aiello, Nicola Barber

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By

Yahtzee Croshaw

Read By

Yahtzee Croshaw

Joyous, Funny, Smart. A Douglas Adams vibe.

By

Kyla Stone

Read By

Stacey Glemboski

William R. Forstchen Meets K.L Slater

By

Yahtzee Croshaw

Read By

Yahtzee Croshaw

A Religious Experience

By

Ray Bradbury

Read By

Tim Robbins

Tim Robbins does justice to this dystopian classic.

By

John Birmingham

Read By

Rupert Degas

Same Great Characters, A Clever Continuation

By

Robert Harris

Read By

Michael Jayston

Fast paced action thriller set in a terrifying world.

By

Christina Dalcher

Read By

Brittany Pressley, Cassandra Morris

Very Close To Living Up To Expectations

By

David Wong

Read By

Christy Romano

Grisly violence, sarcasm and maniacal supervillains have never been so hilariously lovable.

By

Jennie Melamed

Read By

Laurence Bouvard

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By

A.G. Riddle

Read By

Edoardo Ballerini

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By

Lou Cadle

Read By

Lauren Fortgang

Dark, gloomy but compelling. A little bit The Road, a little bit Wool.

By

Lou Cadle

Read By

Lauren Fortgang

Bleak, dark, improbably addictive.

By

Lou Cadle

Read By

Lauren Fortgang

The perfect ending to this gripping trilogy

By

Juno Dawson

Read By

Nicola Coughlan

Officially Under HMRC’s Spell - Bring On Book 2!

By

Sequoia Nagamatsu

Read By

Jason Culp, Stephanie Komure, Micky Shiloah, Joe Knezevich, Brianna Ishibashi, Kotaro Watanabe, Matthew Bridges, Kurt Kanazawa, Greg Watanabe, Jeanne Sakata, MacLeod Andrews, Keisuke Hoashi, Brian Nishii, Julia Whelan

High Praise for this Darkest of Tales

By

Sarah Lyons Fleming

Read By

Luke Daniels, Thérèse Plummer

Bittersweet - why did this brilliant series have to end?

By

Yahtzee Croshaw

Read By

Yahtzee Croshaw

Genius Absurdist Hilarity

By

Jamie Mollart

Read By

Mike Rogers

Half Stargate Universe with its bleak futility and half Man in the High Castle with its rumbling underbelly.

By

Kate Atkinson

Read By

Fenella Woolgar

Simply stunning.

By

Susan Beth Pfeffer

Read By

Emily Bauer

Sweet Coming of Age Apocalypse

By

John Scalzi

Read By

Amber Benson, Wil Wheaton

A Fascinating Futuristic Reality Sets This Apart. Reminds me of iRobot.

By

Frank Tayell

Read By

Tim Bruce

Apocalypse and Crumpets

By

William Golding

Read By

Martin Jarvis

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By

Josh Malerman

Read By

Katherine Mangold

Just as good as the first.

By

Kate Dylan

Read By

Stephanie Cannon

Mind-Blowingly Good

By

Suzanne Collins

Read By

Carolyn McCormick

The darkest of the trilogy

By

Sarah Lyons Fleming

Read By

Luke Daniels, Thérèse Plummer

Post apocalyptic perfection: The Walking Dead, as reimagined by Shonda Rhimes.

By

Grady Hendrix

Read By

Emily Woo Zeller

Mean Girls x The Exorcist

By

Jacqueline Druga

Read By

Vanessa Johansson

A Fantastic Find For A Zombista

By

Kazuo Ishiguro

Read By

Kerry Fox

Similar in feel to Atonement and the works of Kate Atkinson. Emilia Fox elevates this powerful book to perfection.

By

Simon Rich

Read By

Fred Berman

Braces yourself for a wild ride

By

William R. Forstchen

Read By

Joe Barrett

An Entertaining Warning

By

Claire Fuller

Read By

Eilidh L. Beaton

A tough, but beautiful listen

By

Yvonne Ventresca

Read By

Monika Smith

A Solid Pandemic Tale Meets Young Adult