20 Best Sci-Fi Audiobooks for Exploring New Worlds

The Best Sci-Fi Audiobooks for Exploring New Worlds


March 20, 2021
There’s magic in losing yourself and your imagination in the world of science fiction. The experience is more immersive than ever, when new worlds, landscapes and realities are all paired with brilliant audio performances. We’ve curated a list of the top 20 science fiction audiobooks, ranked not only for their vividly constructed narratives but also for the compelling, stellar narration that brings each story to life. So grab your headphones, press play, and settle in as reality fades away with the 20 best sci-fi audiobooks in our catalogue.
Product List
  • The Sandman cover art

    • The Sandman

    • Written by: Neil Gaiman, Dirk Maggs
    • Narrated by: Riz Ahmed, Kat Dennings, Taron Egerton, Neil Gaiman, James McAvoy, Samantha Morton, Bebe Neuwirth, Andy Serkis, Michael Sheen
    • Series: The Sandman, Book 1
    • Length: 11 hrs and 2 mins
    • Release Date: 15-07-20
    • Language: English
    • 4.5 out of 5 stars 1,413 ratings
    • The Sandman, or Lord Morpheus, is the immortal king of dreams, stories and the imagination. Forcefully dragged away from his realm and imprisoned on Earth, he suffers in captivity for decades before finally escaping. However, his escape is only the beginning as he is forced to search for three tools that will restore the powers that he lost during his imprisonment. This listen follows The Sandman on his descent to Hell to confront Lucifer, on his encounters with various DC universe characters, the pursuit of the nightmares that escaped his realm, and time travel through real-world history. With an all-star cast including James McAvoy, Michael Sheen, Taron Egerton, Kat Dennings and Neil Gaiman himself, The Sandman is an intoxicating exploration into myth, imagination and terror.
  • Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy cover art

    • Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

    • Written by: Douglas Adams
    • Narrated by: Stephen Fry
    • Series: Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Book 1
    • Length: 5 hrs and 51 mins
    • Release Date: 01-01-12
    • Language: English
    • 4.5 out of 5 stars 1,502 ratings
    • Douglas Adams’s The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy is a genuine cult phenomenon, a hilarious, rollicking ride through space and time led by a most unlikely hero. The life of Arthur Dent, a hapless, anxious English everyman, is completely turned upside down when he’s faced with two peculiarities on the same day. Firstly, his home is demolished without warning, and two - he finds out his best friend, Ford, is an alien who just happens to know that Earth itself is about to be demolished by a race called Vogons. As Arthur and Dent escape by hitching a ride on a Vogon ship, they start on a whirlwind escapade through the universe. And the only narrator who could bring to life all the mishap and mayhem that ensues is legendary English comic Stephen Fry, who is sure to have you stifling a laugh with his dry and droll delivery.
  • The Martian cover art

    • The Martian

    • Written by: Andy Weir
    • Narrated by: Wil Wheaton
    • Length: 10 hrs and 59 mins
    • Release Date: 01-01-20
    • Language: English
    • 5 out of 5 stars 451 ratings
    • Explore life beyond planet Earth in this modern reinvention of Andy Weir’s sci-fi classic. This updated performance of The Martian takes us on an outer space journey as astronaut Mark Watney becomes the first person to walk, and possibly die, on planet Mars. Stranded and alone, Mark must work against the clock to overcome his fate. Voiced by the iconic sci-fi actor and Star Trek legend, Wil Wheaton, Mark’s journey is complete with a healthy dose of sarcasm. If you’re left wanting to hear more from Andy Weir, this gripping listen features bonus material including letters sent home by Mark, diary inserts and an exclusive postscript.
  • Red Rising cover art

    • Red Rising

    • Written by: Pierce Brown
    • Narrated by: Tim Gerard Reynolds
    • Series: Red Rising, Book 1
    • Length: 16 hrs and 12 mins
    • Release Date: 28-01-14
    • Language: English
    • 4.5 out of 5 stars 196 ratings
    • Author Pierce Brown’s debut Red Rising is set in a futuristic Mars colony organised by a colour-coded class hierarchy in which the physically superior Golds rule over the lowly working-class Reds. Among the Reds is Darrow, a young man who is caught in a restricted area and sentenced to be hanged—only to find himself alive, spared by the work of a rebel group called the Sons of Ares. On their suggestion, he agrees to be surgically transformed into a Gold so he can infiltrate the upper ranks and bring the system down from within. But in the process, Darrow finds his external transformation could make it difficult to remain true to who he is inside. Tim Reynolds Gerard’s natural brogue and exceptional storytelling skills give Darrow a genuine presence while his ability to craft distinct voices, cadences, and accents for each supporting character only adds to the immersive experience of Brown’s dystopian world.
  • Dark Matter cover art

    • Dark Matter

    • Written by: Blake Crouch
    • Narrated by: Jon Lindstrom
    • Length: 10 hrs and 8 mins
    • Release Date: 11-08-16
    • Language: English
    • 4.5 out of 5 stars 896 ratings
    • Blake Crouch, the writer of the Wayward Pines trilogy, returns with another gripping sci-fi thriller. "Are you happy in your life?" are the last words Jason Dessen hears before he is knocked unconscious by a masked abductor. He wakes up in an unfamiliar world, surrounded by strangers in hazmat suits, with a completely different life story to tell. No longer the physics professor he was before, Jason is praised as a genius who has achieved something incredible, leading him to question which of these two worlds is the real deal. This heart-racing thriller follows Jason’s relentless journey of terrifying challenges, decision making and dreams.
  • Sleeping Giants cover art

    • Sleeping Giants

    • Themis Files, Book 1
    • Written by: Sylvain Neuvel
    • Narrated by: Andy Secombe, Christopher Ragland, Charlie Anson, Laurel Lefkow, Eric Meyers, Liza Ross
    • Series: Themis Files, Book 1
    • Length: 8 hrs and 27 mins
    • Release Date: 21-04-16
    • Language: English
    • 4.5 out of 5 stars 108 ratings
    • Sylvain Neuvel’s debut release, Sleeping Giants, follows a world-changing event and the discovery of untold power. Late one night, 11-year-old Rose Franklin falls into an unexplained hole in the ground whilst sneaking out for a late-night bike ride. Years later, she becomes a leading scientist and sets out to solve the mystery of that chilling event that changed her life all those years ago. A potential breakthrough leaves listeners questioning everything about the world we know, as history is rewritten in this science-fiction thriller.
  • Children of Time cover art

    • Children of Time

    • Written by: Adrian Tchaikovsky
    • Narrated by: Mel Hudson
    • Series: The Children of Time Novels, Book 1
    • Length: 16 hrs and 31 mins
    • Release Date: 02-05-17
    • Language: English
    • 4.5 out of 5 stars 176 ratings
    • After Earth finally ceases to be able to sustain human life, the last members of society depart in search of a new home—and discovers a completely habitable planet that was terraformed and subsequently abandoned by a previous generation. Though it seems like Eden, this new home has been occupied by a new race in the interim since it was abandoned. A community of huge, hyper-intelligent spiders that, after accidentally interacting with a human made experimental nanovirus, have been evolving for thousands of years. Children of Time may seem ambitious in scope—spanning across the planets, centuries, and species to grapple listeners with questions about gods, aliens, and what it means to be alive—but excellent audio narration coupled with out-of-this-world, captivating narration provided by actress Mel Hudson will keep you engrossed throughout.
  • Station Eleven cover art

    • Station Eleven

    • Written by: Emily St. John Mandel
    • Narrated by: Jack Hawkins
    • Length: 10 hrs and 9 mins
    • Release Date: 10-09-14
    • Language: English
    • 4.5 out of 5 stars 36 ratings
    • Emily St John Mandel’s dystopian drama is set in the apocalyptic aftermath of the Georgia Flu that decimates over 99% of the world’s population. The Travelling Symphony group of actors and musicians play music and perform Shakespearean plays to survivors as they slowly rebuild their lives. But as progress is made by the survivors, a new threat appears that could shatter all hope. Follow the fates of six people: famous actor Arthur Leander; Jeevan, a bystander who warned his peers about the flu; Arthur's first wife, Miranda; Arthur's friend, Clark; Kirsten, an actress; and the self-proclaimed 'prophet', as they navigate life after the pandemic.
  • Ready Player One cover art

    • Ready Player One

    • Written by: Ernest Cline
    • Narrated by: Wil Wheaton
    • Series: Ready Player One, Book 1
    • Length: 15 hrs and 40 mins
    • Release Date: 05-04-12
    • Language: English
    • 4.5 out of 5 stars 219 ratings
    • Ready Player One is an absolute must-listen for any sci-fi aficionado. Ernest Cline’s futuristic tale is matched by superb narration from Star Trek legend Wil Wheaton, making for a nonstop nostalgia ride that’s a blast from start to finish. It is the year 2045 and the world is overpopulated, leaving resources scarce. Much of the population lives in squalor and poverty—but the virtual reality system offered by hyper-realistic gaming platform OASIS offers a reprieve, an escape from the difficulties of daily life. When it’s revealed that the program’s late creator has left behind three keys that, if found, will unlock ownership of the entire OASIS, thousands of users log in, vying for the opportunity. Among them is our hero, 18-year-old Wade Watts, who seeks a way out of his difficult home life. He finds himself on an exhilarating quest that takes him to the furthest stretches of reality.
  • Ender's Game Alive: The Full Cast Audioplay cover art

    • Ender's Game Alive: The Full Cast Audioplay

    • Written by: Orson Scott Card
    • Narrated by: Full Cast Recording
    • Series: The Ender Saga, Book 1, The Enderverse, Book 6
    • Length: 7 hrs and 24 mins
    • Release Date: 22-10-13
    • Language: English
    • 4.5 out of 5 stars 52 ratings
    • This full-cast adaptation of Ender’s Game brings the 1985 American military sci-fi classic to life. This audio experience brings a vividness to the timeless tale of war and compassion that has been transformed into video, film and comic book formats in the past. Set in the unspecified future, this performance portrays the late stages of an ongoing war between humankind and an insect-like alien species that humans call "buggers". To fight the invaders, the military trains an army of children, putting them through a series of strategic war games to prepare them. As Andrew 'Ender' Wiggin progresses through his training, enemies within his school begin to invent increasingly complicated attempts to thwart his success, leading him down a path that is both tactically and morally challenging.
  • Artemis cover art

    • Artemis

    • Written by: Andy Weir
    • Narrated by: Rosario Dawson
    • Length: 8 hrs and 57 mins
    • Release Date: 14-11-17
    • Language: English
    • 4 out of 5 stars 209 ratings
    • Set in the 2080s, Artemis follows trader and part-time smuggler Jazz Bashara’s black-market dealings in Artemis, the first city on the moon. When one of Jazz's regular clients offers her an astronomical sum to sabotage the city's oxygen supplier, she accepts—but soon finds herself entangled in a complicated power struggle for control over the city. Celebrated actress Rosario Dawson commands both the criminal swagger of Jazz and a litany of other characters, seamlessly moving from accent to accent while keeping her whip-smart, lively, ferocious performance throughout. Fans of the best-seller The Martian are sure to love every twist and turn author Andy Weir’s high-stakes heist follow-up.
  • The Testaments cover art

    • The Testaments

    • Written by: Margaret Atwood
    • Narrated by: Bryce Dallas Howard, Ann Dowd, Mae Whitman, Derek Jacobi, Tantoo Cardinal, Margaret Atwood
    • Series: The Handmaid's Tale, Book 2
    • Length: 13 hrs and 18 mins
    • Release Date: 10-09-19
    • Language: English
    • 4.5 out of 5 stars 177 ratings
    • In this sequel to the dystopian masterpiece The Handmaid’s Tale, the listener is transported back to the theocratic Republic of Gilead, where women are reduced to their reproductive abilities. However, cracks are starting to show. As the lives of three utterly different women cross, the inner workings of Gilead are exposed and each woman is forced to come to terms with who they are and how far they are willing to go to be freed from the chains of a sexist and oppressive regime. Performed by a variety of talented voices, including Atwood herself. The Testaments is the explosive tale of how oppressed people can rise together to fight for a common goal.
  • Elantris cover art

    • Elantris

    • Written by: Brandon Sanderson
    • Narrated by: Jack Garrett
    • Series: Elantris Series, Book 1, The Cosmere, Book 1
    • Length: 28 hrs and 42 mins
    • Release Date: 01-07-12
    • Language: English
    • 4.5 out of 5 stars 58 ratings
    • Brandon Sanderson’s Elantris describes a city that is a shell of its former self, decaying and rotting due to the constant fading of the very magic that it was built on. With its people being dominated by imperial and fanatical zealots, it is now in the hands of a young Princess to bring the people together in rebellion. With Sanderson’s immersive and magical storytelling, the listener is transported into an other-worldly universe at the very beating heart of an extraordinary revolution.
  • Rendezvous with Rama cover art

    • Rendezvous with Rama

    • Rama Series, Book 1
    • Written by: Arthur C. Clarke
    • Narrated by: Toby Longworth
    • Length: 7 hrs and 21 mins
    • Release Date: 10-12-13
    • Language: English
    • 4.5 out of 5 stars 117 ratings
    • If a ten trillion ton celestial object was hurtling through space at an ungodly speed, one might think we were at the brink of Armageddon. However, this mysterious object, named Rama, is no natural object, but instead, a sophisticated interstellar spacecraft orchestrated by an alien intelligence. Rendezvous with Rama follows space explorers and scientists as they prepare for their first encounter with extraterrestrial life, and how the emergence of the elusive Ramans unlocks their wildest dreams and their darkest fears. With an introduction by Hugo Award-winning author Robert J. Sawyer, Rendezvous with Rama is a humbling and exhilarating listen.
  • Warbreaker cover art

    • Warbreaker

    • Written by: Brandon Sanderson
    • Narrated by: Alyssa Bresnahan
    • Series: The Cosmere
    • Length: 24 hrs and 56 mins
    • Release Date: 08-12-17
    • Language: English
    • 4.5 out of 5 stars 133 ratings
    • From the author of the acclaimed Elantis, Brandon Sanderson returns to prove his role as the modern-day master of what Tolkien penned as 'secondary creation'; the invention of whole new worlds and the magic and myths that come with them. The tale of two princess sisters and the immortal God-King, the latter faces inner turmoil as he tries to undo the mistakes he made hundreds of years ago. In a world where those who die are reborn as gods to live in confinement, power is collected from the breath of individual people to harvest BioChromatic magic; a source of power in the capital city. Warbreaker takes the listener to a world where any number of miracles can be achieved through channelling breath and the colour of everyday objects, and the amounts needed to overcome the challenges faced by the Princesses, the God-King, and the other entities in the universe.
  • Storm Front cover art

    • Storm Front

    • The Dresden Files, Book 1
    • Written by: Jim Butcher
    • Narrated by: James Marsters
    • Series: The Dresden Files, Book 1
    • Length: 8 hrs and 1 min
    • Release Date: 28-12-08
    • Language: English
    • 4 out of 5 stars 78 ratings
    • Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden is struggling to pay the bills - being the only professional wizard in the yellow pages isn’t the financial dream it might sound like. However, things start to look up when he receives calls from a distraught wife and a police detective. But Harry soon finds out that someone has been harnessing supernatural forces to violate the first law of magic: Thou Shalt Not Kill. Harry’s mission to stop this individual takes him to the dangerous and thrilling underbelly of Chicago, and soon he realises that he is being suspected of the crimes himself. In this harrowing supernatural tale, the listener will experience a world full of dark magic and crime.
  • Kingdom of Ash cover art

    • Kingdom of Ash

    • Written by: Sarah J. Maas
    • Narrated by: Elizabeth Evans
    • Series: Throne of Glass, Book 7
    • Length: 33 hrs and 11 mins
    • Release Date: 23-10-18
    • Language: English
    • 4.5 out of 5 stars 57 ratings
    • From the Throne of Glass series, Sarah J. Maas returns with this epic conclusion to the New York Times best-selling series. Protagonist Aelin Galathynius has had an extraordinary life journey, from being a subjugated slave to being the queen of a once-esteemed kingdom. Noble leader Aelin has sacrificed everything to save her people but at an extraordinary cost. Trapped and tortured, it is up to her allies to defend the kingdom from utter destruction. Immersing the listener in a world amid a gruelling war, Kingdom of Ash describes a race against time to save the queen and prevent the kingdom from annihilation. 
  • Brave New World cover art

    • Brave New World

    • Written by: Aldous Huxley
    • Narrated by: Michael York
    • Length: 8 hrs
    • Release Date: 16-01-08
    • Language: English
    • 4.5 out of 5 stars 229 ratings
    • Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World is widely considered to be one of the greatest novels of all time—and for good reason. Set in our future, the story unfolds in a reality where all citizens are genetically engineered and born of artificial wombs, an eerie and clinical world nonetheless free of pain, age, disease, and discontent. But when unlikely hero Bernard Marx encounters a group of natural-born people for the first time, he becomes the sole citizen willing to question the status quo—regardless of the consequences. English icon Michael York imbues this chilling classic with new layers, skillfully flipping between characters that are in turns brooding, sarcastic, and sensitive. The result is a commanding performance that lingers long after the audio’s conclusion.