Audiobooks Like A Fire Upon the Deep

Peter Larkin narrates A Fire Upon the Deep across 22 hours with the kind of steady authority that Vernor Vinge's universe-spanning premise requires — the concept of intelligence as a function of galactic geography is genuinely challenging, and Larkin's measured delivery treats the ideas with respect without becoming academic. The scope is enormous and the performance meets it. All ten recommendations earned exceptional listener ratings, every title here runs comparably long, and the list draws from the best of large-scale science fiction for listeners who want their next listen to feel equally ambitious.

10 audiobooks for fans of A Fire Upon the Deep

  1. 1
    Morning Star cover

    Morning Star

    Red Rising • Book 3

    by Pierce Brown

    Narrated by Tim Gerard Reynolds

    ★ 4.81 ABR Score (468.5K ratings)
    ★ 4.55 Goodreads (414.3K) ★ 4.82 Audible (54.2K)
    21h 50m listening time • Released 2016

    Tim Gerard Reynolds delivers a career-best performance across 22 hours of revolutionary fervor—his voice work transforms the final Red Rising installment into an unforgettable emotional and political reckoning that justifies the entire trilogy's brutal setup.

    Listen Free on Audible
  2. 2
    Golden Son cover

    Golden Son

    Red Rising • Book 2

    by Pierce Brown

    Narrated by Tim Gerard Reynolds

    ★ 4.79 ABR Score (560.8K ratings)
    ★ 4.5 Goodreads (505.3K) ★ 4.81 Audible (55.5K)
    19h 3m listening time • Released 2015

    Tim Gerard Reynolds transforms this brutal space opera with a voice that captures both Darrow's rage and vulnerability, making the 19-hour listen feel essential rather than exhausting.

    Listen Free on Audible
  3. 3
    Tiamat's Wrath cover

    Tiamat's Wrath

    The Expanse • Book 8

    by James S.A. Corey

    Narrated by Jefferson Mays

    ★ 4.79 ABR Score (105.0K ratings)
    ★ 4.57 Goodreads (83.1K) ★ 4.88 Audible (21.8K)
    19h 8m listening time • Released 2019
    Listen Free on Audible
  4. 4
    Critical Mass cover

    Critical Mass

    Expeditionary Force • Book 10

    by Craig Alanson

    Narrated by R.C. Bray

    ★ 4.71 ABR Score (34.3K ratings)
    ★ 4.52 Goodreads (9.1K) ★ 4.89 Audible (25.2K)
    19h 25m listening time • Released 2020

    R.C. Bray's deadpan delivery makes the chaos sing—he nails every comedic beat while keeping the existential stakes brutally real. If you've loved the series, this one escalates everything.

    Listen Free on Audible
  5. 5
    Fallout cover

    Fallout

    Expeditionary Force • Book 13

    by Craig Alanson

    Narrated by R.C. Bray

    ★ 4.69 ABR Score (26.0K ratings)
    ★ 4.52 Goodreads (7.2K) ★ 4.89 Audible (18.8K)
    22h 29m listening time • Released 2021

    R.C. Bray's comedic timing and character work elevate this space opera into something genuinely funny—he makes you laugh out loud at the banter between Joe and Skippy while keeping the stakes high.

    Listen Free on Audible
  6. 6
    Nemesis Games cover

    Nemesis Games

    The Expanse • Book 5

    by James S.A. Corey

    Narrated by Jefferson Mays

    ★ 4.69 ABR Score (142.8K ratings)
    ★ 4.45 Goodreads (116.9K) ★ 4.8 Audible (25.9K)
    18h 6m listening time • Released 2015
    Listen Free on Audible
  7. 7
    Defiance of the Fall 2 cover

    Defiance of the Fall 2

    Defiance of the Fall • Book 2

    by TheFirstDefier, J.F. Brink

    Narrated by Pavi Proczko

    ★ 4.64 ABR Score (21.7K ratings)
    ★ 4.52 Goodreads (12.1K) ★ 4.84 Audible (9.6K)
    24h 30m listening time • Released 2021
    Listen Free on Audible
  8. 8
    Brushfire cover

    Brushfire

    Expeditionary Force • Book 11

    by Craig Alanson

    Narrated by R.C. Bray

    ★ 4.64 ABR Score (28.8K ratings)
    ★ 4.44 Goodreads (8.1K) ★ 4.85 Audible (20.7K)
    19h 18m listening time • Released 2020

    R.C. Bray delivers peak form here, nailing the worn humor of soldiers adjusting to peace while everything still wants to kill them. A perfect blend of character depth and sci-fi action that justifies the eleven-book commitment.

    Listen Free on Audible
  9. 9
    Leviathan Wakes cover

    Leviathan Wakes

    The Expanse • Book 1

    by James S. A. Corey

    Narrated by Jefferson Mays

    ★ 4.63 ABR Score (358.0K ratings)
    ★ 4.31 Goodreads (324.2K) ★ 4.75 Audible (33.8K)
    20h 56m listening time • Released 2017

    Jefferson Mays makes this sprawling space opera sing—his sharp narration cuts through complex plotting and turns a hard-boiled detective mystery colliding with interplanetary intrigue into genuinely unputdownable listening.

    Listen Free on Audible
  10. 10
    Zero Hour cover

    Zero Hour

    Expeditionary Force • Book 5

    by Craig Alanson

    Narrated by R.C. Bray

    ★ 4.63 ABR Score (56.2K ratings)
    ★ 4.37 Goodreads (14.8K) ★ 4.81 Audible (41.4K)
    17h 20m listening time • Released 2018

    R.C. Bray's deadpan delivery transforms Alanson's chaos into comedy gold—he nails every shift from absurd banter to genuine stakes, making this sprawling space opera feel intimate despite the galactic scale.

    Listen Free on Audible

Browse Related Lists

A Fire Upon the Deep Best Sci-Fi Audiobooks Most Popular Sci-Fi

How We Rank Audiobooks

Rankings are driven by listener ratings and review counts from Audible and Goodreads. Books with high ratings across a large number of listeners rank higher — a 4.5 with 50,000 ratings says more than a 4.8 with 200.

Unlike most book lists, we weight audiobook-specific factors: narrator performance, production quality, and how well a story translates to audio. A great book with a poor narration isn't a great audiobook.

We don't accept paid placements or prioritize new releases. These rankings reflect what listeners actually enjoy, not what's being promoted.

Rankings update periodically as new ratings come in and new titles are added to the collection.

Read our full ranking methodology →