Audiobooks Like Children of Time

Mel Hudson's narration carries the full seventeen hours of this epic with a measured, almost scientific detachment that suits a story toggling between the collapse of human civilization and the rise of something stranger — the emotional distance feels earned rather than cold. The scale is genuinely vast, and Hudson keeps it organized without flattening the awe. Every single recommendation is highly rated, and these are all the kind of sprawling sci-fi listens that reward the commitment of a long runtime.

10 audiobooks for fans of Children of Time

  1. 1
    Dungeon Crawler Carl cover

    Dungeon Crawler Carl

    Dungeon Crawler Carl • Book 1

    by Matt Dinniman

    Narrated by Jeff Hays

    4.80 ABR Score (335.5K ratings)
    ★ 4.48 Goodreads (284.3K) ★ 4.86 Audible (51.2K)
    13h 31m listening time • Released 2021

    Jeff Hays turns this LitRPG into pure comedy gold—his character work transforms what could be a grim survival story into something genuinely hilarious that you'll want to binge in days.

  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.

  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
  4. 4
    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
  5. 5
    Starsight cover

    Starsight

    Skyward • Book 2

    by Brandon Sanderson

    Narrated by Suzy Jackson

    4.61 ABR Score (133.0K ratings)
    ★ 4.34 Goodreads (109.9K) ★ 4.77 Audible (23.1K)
    14h 30m listening time • Released 2019
  6. 6
    Ender's Shadow cover

    Ender's Shadow

    Ender's Shadow • Book 1

    by Orson Scott Card

    Narrated by Scott Brick, Gabrielle de Cuir, full cast

    4.59 ABR Score (194.4K ratings)
    ★ 4.32 Goodreads (180.6K) ★ 4.76 Audible (13.8K)
    15h 42m listening time • Released 2005

    A companion novel that retells Ender's Game from Bean's perspective — and in many ways surpasses the original in emotional depth and strategic brilliance.

  7. 7
    A Civil Campaign cover

    A Civil Campaign

    Vorkosigan Saga (Publication Order) • Book 12

    by Lois McMaster Bujold

    Narrated by Grover Gardner

    4.48 ABR Score (23.4K ratings)
    ★ 4.41 Goodreads (20.4K) ★ 4.74 Audible (2.9K)
    18h 48m listening time • Released 2007

    Grover Gardner's deadpan delivery transforms Miles' elaborate romantic scheming into comedy gold, making this Hugo winner feel less like hard sci-fi and more like a perfectly timed farce where every character's chaos spirals hilariously out of control.

  8. 8
    Memory cover

    Memory

    Vorkosigan Saga (Publication Order) • Book 10

    by Lois McMaster Bujold

    Narrated by Grover Gardner

    4.47 ABR Score (22.7K ratings)
    ★ 4.43 Goodreads (19.9K) ★ 4.73 Audible (2.8K)
    14h 31m listening time • Released 2007

    Grover Gardner's measured, intelligent narration perfectly captures Miles at his most cerebral—investigating a conspiracy that's as much psychological thriller as space opera, with the emotional weight of watching a mentor unravel.

  9. 9
    Parable of the Talents cover

    Parable of the Talents

    Earthseed • Book 2

    by Octavia E. Butler

    Narrated by Patricia R. Floyd, Peter Jay Fernandez, Sisi Aisha Johnson

    4.47 ABR Score (93.1K ratings)
    ★ 4.32 Goodreads (86.9K) ★ 4.68 Audible (6.2K)
    15h 26m listening time • Released 2008
  10. 10
    Mirror Dance cover

    Mirror Dance

    Vorkosigan Saga (Publication Order) • Book 8

    by Lois McMaster Bujold

    Narrated by Grover Gardner

    4.37 ABR Score (26.2K ratings)
    ★ 4.32 Goodreads (23.4K) ★ 4.64 Audible (2.8K)
    18h 6m listening time • Released 2007

    Grover Gardner's sharp, precise narration transforms this Hugo winner into a taut psychological thriller where Miles Vorkosigan confronts his clone and unravels in ways that feel devastatingly real.

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 →