Audiobooks Like How High We Go in the Dark

The ensemble narration of How High We Go in the Dark — led by Julia Whelan among a large cast — gives the multi-generational structure its proper texture, each voice marking a distinct life within the same centuries-spanning plague narrative, and the 9-hour runtime moves through the linked stories with accumulated emotional weight rather than plot momentum. Whelan voices nine of the recommendations, and the list sits in a consistent runtime range, connected by the same appetite for speculative literary fiction where the human responses to catastrophe are the real subject.

10 audiobooks for fans of How High We Go in the Dark

  1. 1
    United States of Apocalypse cover

    United States of Apocalypse

    United States of Apocalypse • Book 1

    by Mark Tufo, Armand Rosamilia

    Narrated by Sean Runnette, Julia Whelan

    Both audiobooks feature Julia Whelan's skilled narration of expansive, high-concept science fiction that grapples with humanity's survival against catastrophic threats. The shared nine-hour runtime and ensemble-cast approach to storytelling create similarly immersive listening experiences that balance speculative worldbuilding with intimate character perspectives.

    ★ 4.16 ABR Score (3.2K ratings)
    ★ 4.32 Goodreads (684) ★ 4.59 Audible (2.5K)
    9h 3m listening time • Released 2016

    Dual narrators Runnette and Whelan anchor this apocalyptic thriller with distinct voices that make the cross-country narrative feel lived-in and urgent. A post-collapse story that actually earns its stakes.

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  2. 2
    The Measure cover

    The Measure

    by Nikki Erlick

    Narrated by Julia Whelan

    ★ 4.11 ABR Score (395.1K ratings)
    ★ 3.96 Goodreads (386.0K) ★ 4.34 Audible (9.1K)
    10h 57m listening time • Released 2022

    Julia Whelan's narration transforms this high-concept premise into an intimate exploration of mortality that actually moves you—she finds the quiet humanity in each character's reckoning with their own finite time.

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  3. 3
    The Andromeda Evolution cover

    The Andromeda Evolution

    The Andromeda Strain • Book 2

    by Michael Crichton, Daniel H. Wilson

    Narrated by Julia Whelan

    ★ 3.89 ABR Score (17.1K ratings)
    ★ 3.74 Goodreads (14.7K) ★ 4.34 Audible (2.4K)
    10h 4m listening time • Released 2019

    Julia Whelan's crisp, intelligent narration elevates this hard sci-fi sequel into a propulsive listen—she handles the technical detail-work without letting it bog down the tension, making a 50-year-later resurrection of a planet-killer genuinely gripping.

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  4. 4
    Vox cover

    Vox

    by Christina Dalcher

    Narrated by Julia Whelan

    ★ 3.75 ABR Score (94.0K ratings)
    ★ 3.55 Goodreads (92.1K) ★ 4.22 Audible (1.9K)
    9h 27m listening time • Released 2018

    Julia Whelan's performance transforms this dystopian premise into something genuinely terrifying—her voice captures both the quiet desperation and fierce defiance of a woman fighting a system designed to erase her.

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  5. 5
    Terminated cover

    Terminated

    Revivalist • Book 3

    by Rachel Caine

    Narrated by Julia Whelan

    ★ 3.88 ABR Score (1.6K ratings)
    ★ 3.95 Goodreads (1.5K) ★ 4.57 Audible (126)
    9h 52m listening time • Released 2013

    Julia Whelan nails the desperation and moral collapse in Caine's finale—her performance transforms Bryn's addiction and deteriorating humanity into something viscerally unsettling that hits harder in audio.

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  6. 6
    Two Weeks' Notice cover

    Two Weeks' Notice

    Revivalist • Book 2

    by Rachel Caine

    Narrated by Julia Whelan

    ★ 3.84 ABR Score (2.5K ratings)
    ★ 3.92 Goodreads (2.4K) ★ 4.4 Audible (160)
    9h 27m listening time • Released 2013

    Julia Whelan's performance elevates this paranoid corporate thriller, nailing both the dry humor and creeping dread as Bryn navigates a world that wants her dead twice over.

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  7. 7
    The Ninth Metal cover

    The Ninth Metal

    The Comet Cycle • Book 1

    by Benjamin Percy

    Narrated by Julia Whelan

    Julia Whelan's compelling narration brings the same immersive depth to *The Ninth Metal*'s exploration of human ambition and consequence, capturing the speculative wonder and character-driven storytelling that made *How High We Go in the Dark* so gripping.

    ★ 3.68 ABR Score (2.8K ratings)
    ★ 3.68 Goodreads (2.6K) ★ 4.16 Audible (154)
    10h 15m listening time • Released 2021

    Julia Whelan nails the grounded, urgent tone of a sci-fi thriller that feels disturbingly plausible—her performance makes the comet debris and resource-rush tension genuinely unsettling.

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  8. 8
    Tor.com: Selected Original Fiction, 2008-2012 cover

    Tor.com: Selected Original Fiction, 2008-2012

    by Tor Books, Sylvia Day, Brandon Sanderson, Charles Stross, Ken MacLeod, Lee Mandelo, Rachel Swirsky, Meghan McCarron, John Scalzi

    Narrated by Luke Daniels, R.C. Bray, Amy McFadden, MacLeod Andrews, Kathleen Gati, Cassandra Campbell, Jill Redfield, Gideon Emery

    ★ 3.49 ABR Score (305 ratings)
    ★ 3.32 Goodreads (104) ★ 3.76 Audible (201)
    10h 9m listening time • Released 2013
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  9. 9
    And Again cover

    And Again

    by Jessica Chiarella

    Narrated by Julia Whelan, Joy Osmanski, Rebekkah Ross, Corey Brill

    Both novels explore profound ethical dilemmas at the intersection of science and humanity with introspective, character-driven narratives that unfold through multiple perspectives. Julia Whelan's narration anchors each story's emotional depth, making the intimate philosophical questions feel urgent and deeply personal across nearly ten hours of immersive listening.

    ★ 3.43 ABR Score (2.7K ratings)
    ★ 3.54 Goodreads (2.4K) ★ 3.76 Audible (343)
    9h 53m listening time • Released 2016

    Multiple narrators anchor four parallel perspectives in this sci-fi meditation on identity and second chances, each voice so distinctly cast you'll forget you're listening to the same story unfold.

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  10. 10
    All These Worlds cover

    All These Worlds

    Bobiverse • Book 3

    by Dennis E. Taylor

    Narrated by Ray Porter

    Both novels weave expansive, multi-layered science fiction narratives that explore humanity's place in vast systems beyond our control, while maintaining intimate character moments despite their epic scope. Ray Porter's commanding solo narration provides a similarly immersive listening experience as the ensemble cast of *How High We Go*, drawing you deeply into a complex, idea-driven story that lingers long after the final hour.

    ★ 4.68 ABR Score (134.2K ratings)
    ★ 4.4 Goodreads (65.4K) ★ 4.78 Audible (68.9K)
    7h 56m listening time • Released 2017

    Ray Porter's performance captures each Bob clone's distinct personality so perfectly that you'll forget you're listening to one narrator—it's like having a full cast in your head. The emotional stakes hit harder than the first two books, making this the trilogy's most rewarding installment.

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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.

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