Audiobooks Like The War of the Worlds

Simon Prebble narrates H.G. Wells's 1898 alien invasion novel at a measured pace that makes the Victorian first-person narrator's slowly escalating panic feel genuinely human rather than quaint — the six-hour runtime is compact enough that the sense of civilization collapsing stays urgent. He narrates three of the ten recommendations, all H.G. Wells titles, and eight of the ten are also Wells — so if the pleasure here is staying with a single author's scientific imagination narrated by a consistent, reliable voice, the list delivers exactly that.

10 audiobooks for fans of The War of the Worlds

  1. 1
    The Island of Dr. Moreau cover

    The Island of Dr. Moreau

    by H.G. Wells, Alan Lightman

    Narrated by Simon Prebble

    This chilling exploration of scientific hubris and human morality delivers the same darkly imaginative storytelling that made *The War of the Worlds* compelling, with Simon Prebble's measured narration creating an equally immersive atmosphere across a more intimate, claustrophobic setting. Wells' signature blend of social commentary and speculative terror translates powerfully to the audiobook format in this shorter, fast-paced adventure.

    ★ 3.83 ABR Score (138.3K ratings)
    ★ 3.73 Goodreads (136.5K) ★ 4.2 Audible (1.9K)
    5h 18m listening time • Released 2011

    Simon Prebble's narration transforms this Victorian horror into something genuinely unsettling—his voice shifts between Prendick's creeping dread and the creature's inhuman wrongness in ways that hit harder than reading alone.

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  2. 2
    The Invisible Man by Wells, H. G. (Author) Sep-01-10 cover

    The Invisible Man by Wells, H. G. (Author) Sep-01-10

    by H.G. Wells

    Narrated by James Adams

    ★ 3.71 ABR Score (222.9K ratings)
    ★ 3.63 Goodreads (219.4K) ★ 4.06 Audible (3.5K)
    5h 19m listening time • Released 2000
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  3. 3
    The Time Machine cover

    The Time Machine

    by H.G. Wells

    Narrated by Scott Brick

    The Time Machine delivers the same imaginative scientific speculation and Victorian-era storytelling that makes War of the Worlds compelling, but in a more intimate and philosophical package that explores humanity's future rather than its invasion. Alan Munro's narration captures Wells's wit and social commentary with equal skill to Crossley's performance, making this shorter listen an ideal companion piece for listeners drawn to Wells's exploration of technological consequence and human fragility.

    ★ 3.96 ABR Score (569.3K ratings)
    ★ 3.89 Goodreads (569.0K) ★ 4.3 Audible (313)
    3h 54m listening time • Released 2006

    Scott Brick's measured, cerebral performance transforms this Victorian-era classic into something genuinely unsettling—he makes Wells's social commentary hit harder than the time travel spectacle ever could.

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  4. 4
    H.G. Wells Seven Novels, Complete & Unabridged The Time Machine, Island of Dr. Moreau, Invisible Man, First Men In The Moon, Food of the Gods, In the Days of the Comet and War of the Worlds cover
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  5. 5
    The Revenant Express cover

    The Revenant Express

    Newbury and Hobbes • Book 5

    by George Mann

    Narrated by Simon Prebble

    ★ 3.69 ABR Score (512 ratings)
    ★ 3.79 Goodreads (495) ★ 4.47 Audible (17)
    6h 40m listening time • Released 2019

    Simon Prebble's crisp British delivery transforms this steampunk heist into pure propulsive entertainment, keeping you locked in even as the plot twists pile up across a continental railway.

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  6. 6
    Great Classic Science Fiction cover

    Great Classic Science Fiction

    Great Classic Stories (BBC Audio)

    by H.G. Wells, James H. Schmitz, Stanley G. Weinbaum, Philip K. Dick, Frank Herbert, Fritz Leiber, Andre Norton

    Narrated by Simon Vance, Barbara Rosenblat, Nick Sullivan, Robert Fass, Katherine Kellgren, Scott Brick, Stephen Thorne, Greg Itzin

    This collection showcases H.G. Wells alongside other pioneering sci-fi visionaries, offering the same thought-provoking exploration of humanity's place in an uncertain universe with the added richness of multiple talented narrators bringing distinct voices to each story. The anthology deepens the classic science fiction experience with varied perspectives while maintaining that signature blend of speculative wonder and social commentary Wells helped define.

    ★ 3.65 ABR Score (1.1K ratings)
    ★ 3.42 Goodreads (522) ★ 4.23 Audible (566)
    7h 45m listening time • Released 2010
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  7. 7
    The Food of the Gods cover

    The Food of the Gods

    by H.G. Wells

    Narrated by Alan Munro

    ★ 3.52 ABR Score (5.4K ratings)
    ★ 3.42 Goodreads (5.4K) ★ 3 Audible (4)
    9h 4m listening time • Released 2020
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  8. 8
    A Modern Utopia - Illustrated cover

    A Modern Utopia - Illustrated

    by H.G. Wells

    Narrated by Bryan Godwin

    ★ 3.48 ABR Score (1.1K ratings)
    ★ 3.35 Goodreads (1.1K) ★ 2 Audible (1)
    9h 17m listening time • Released 2023
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  9. 9
    The Sleeper Awakes - H cover

    The Sleeper Awakes - H

    by H.G. Wells

    Narrated by James Gillies

    ★ 3.19 ABR Score (5.7K ratings)
    ★ 3.35 Goodreads (5.7K)
    8h 43m listening time • Released 2022
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  10. 10
    The Universe in a Nutshell cover

    The Universe in a Nutshell

    by Stephen W. Hawking

    Narrated by Simon Prebble

    ★ 4.05 ABR Score (46.7K ratings)
    ★ 4.18 Goodreads (45.5K) ★ 4.3 Audible (1.2K)
    3h 27m listening time • Released 2001

    Simon Prebble's measured, crystalline delivery makes Hawking's mind-bending physics feel conversational rather than intimidating—the perfect narrator for a physicist explaining how reality actually works.

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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.

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