Where to Start with Sci-Fi Audiobooks Over 20 Hours
- Best place to start → Dune
- Closest to 25 hours → Hunger (25h 6m)
- Standalone — no series commitment → 11/22/63
- Most popular → The Host
- Hidden gem → Fallout (Expeditionary Force #13)
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This Inevitable Ruin
Dungeon Crawler Carl • Book 7
Narrated by Jeff Hays, Travis Baldree
★ 4.87 ABR Score (96.2K ratings)★ 4.68 Goodreads (74.1K) ★ 4.93 Audible (22.1K)28h 40m listening time • Released 2025Jeff Hays and Travis Baldree elevate this escalating war arc into pure theatrical spectacle—28 hours of faction battles, shifting alliances, and genuine stakes that hit harder because the narration sells every betrayal and impossible choice.
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Light Bringer
Red Rising • Book 6
by Pierce Brown
Narrated by Tim Gerard Reynolds
★ 4.86 ABR Score (121.4K ratings)★ 4.77 Goodreads (110.6K) ★ 4.89 Audible (10.8K)30h 8m listening time • Released 2023Tim Gerard Reynolds transforms 30 hours of space opera into something intimate and devastating—his voice makes you feel Darrow's impossible weight between savior and father as much as the epic battles around him.
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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 2016Tim 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.
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Fallout
Expeditionary Force • Book 13
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 2021R.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.
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Dark Age
Red Rising • Book 5
by Pierce Brown
Narrated by Tim Gerard Reynolds, John Curless, Moira Quirk, James Langton, Rendah Heywood
★ 4.66 ABR Score (159.3K ratings)★ 4.51 Goodreads (140.5K) ★ 4.74 Audible (18.8K)33h 58m listening time • Released 2019Five narrators keep this sprawling space opera moving at breakneck speed, each voice so distinct you forget you're listening to an ensemble cast. Brown's plotting hits harder than ever when you're locked in for 34 hours of genuine stakes.
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Dune
Dune • Book 1
Narrated by Scott Brick, Orlagh Cassidy, Euan Morton, Simon Vance, Ilyana Kadushin, Byron Jennings, David R. Gordon, Jason Culp, Kent Broadhurst, Oliver Wyman, Patricia Kilgarriff, Scott Sowers
★ 4.66 ABR Score (1.8M ratings)★ 4.29 Goodreads (1.6M) ★ 4.67 Audible (126.5K)21h 2m listening time • Released 2007The Godfather of science fiction epics: a richly imagined desert world where politics, religion, and ecology collide in a story that feels more relevant every decade.
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The Primal Hunter 13
The Primal Hunter • Book 13
by Zogarth
Narrated by Travis Baldree
★ 4.65 ABR Score (9.8K ratings)★ 4.6 Goodreads (5.4K) ★ 4.91 Audible (4.4K)20h 10m listening time • Released 2026Travis Baldree's narration elevates this sprawling space opera into something genuinely immersive—his performance keeps the galaxy-scale stakes feeling personal even as Jake juggles moon adventures, celestial politics, and an incoming apocalypse.
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Match Game
Expeditionary Force • Book 14
Narrated by R.C. Bray
★ 4.64 ABR Score (19.8K ratings)★ 4.5 Goodreads (6.6K) ★ 4.86 Audible (13.2K)20h 20m listening time • Released 2022R.C. Bray's deadpan delivery of an AI's god-complex monologues is comedy gold, and he nails the tonal shifts when humanity actually becomes useful. Fourteen books in and this series still lands its humor and stakes perfectly.
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Defiance of the Fall 2
Defiance of the Fall • Book 2
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 -
11/22/63
by Stephen King
Narrated by Craig Wasson
★ 4.63 ABR Score (740.9K ratings)★ 4.35 Goodreads (667.2K) ★ 4.66 Audible (73.7K)30h 40m listening time • Released 2011Craig Wasson's performance transforms King's sprawling time-travel epic into something intimate and devastating—30 hours that feel essential, not excessive.
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Leviathan Wakes
The Expanse • Book 1
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 2017Jefferson 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.
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Persepolis Rising
The Expanse • Book 7
Narrated by Jefferson Mays
★ 4.63 ABR Score (109.1K ratings)★ 4.38 Goodreads (88.5K) ★ 4.78 Audible (20.6K)20h 34m listening time • Released 2017 -
Iron Prince
Warformed: Stormweaver • Book 1
by Bryce O'Connor, Luke Chmilenko
Narrated by Luke Daniels
★ 4.63 ABR Score (26.0K ratings)★ 4.57 Goodreads (18.5K) ★ 4.79 Audible (7.6K)33h 55m listening time • Released 2021Luke Daniels elevates this LitRPG underdog story with a performance so commanding it transforms 34 hours into something you won't want to pause—especially once the mystery deepens and the stakes genuinely shift.
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Fire and Song
Warformed: Stormweaver • Book 2
by Bryce O'Connor
Narrated by Luke Daniels
★ 4.61 ABR Score (15.7K ratings)★ 4.61 Goodreads (10.1K) ★ 4.79 Audible (5.7K)32h 37m listening time • Released 2023Luke Daniels brings crystalline clarity to a sprawling magic-academy tournament, making complex action sequences genuinely thrilling to follow. The second book deepens what made the first work while raising the stakes—exactly what a sequel should do.
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Task Force Hammer
Expeditionary Force • Book 17
Narrated by R.C. Bray
★ 4.58 ABR Score (11.8K ratings)★ 4.47 Goodreads (4.0K) ★ 4.85 Audible (7.8K)22h 9m listening time • Released 2024R.C. Bray's delivery transforms this 22-hour sci-fi mystery into pure momentum—his timing on the reveals hits harder than the plot twists themselves, making the escalating stakes genuinely unsettling.
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The Dark Forest
Remembrance of Earth's Past • Book 2
by Liu Cixin, Joel Martinsen
Narrated by P. J. Ochlan
★ 4.56 ABR Score (243.0K ratings)★ 4.4 Goodreads (224.9K) ★ 4.65 Audible (18.1K)22h 36m listening time • Released 2015 -
Death's End
Remembrance of Earth's Past • Book 3
by Liu Cixin, Ken Liu
Narrated by P. J. Ochlan
★ 4.53 ABR Score (190.1K ratings)★ 4.4 Goodreads (176.1K) ★ 4.64 Audible (14.0K)28h 51m listening time • Released 2016 -
Gilded Ghost
The Ripple System • Book 3
by Kyle Kirrin
Narrated by Travis Baldree
★ 4.52 ABR Score (7.5K ratings)★ 4.46 Goodreads (2.5K) ★ 4.86 Audible (5.0K)21h 28m listening time • Released 2022Travis Baldree's narration transforms Kirrin's escalating power struggles into something genuinely gripping—his distinct character voices make the chaos feel immediate and personal, even across a sprawling 21-hour world.
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Cibola Burn
The Expanse • Book 4
Narrated by Jefferson Mays
★ 4.51 ABR Score (156.7K ratings)★ 4.23 Goodreads (129.8K) ★ 4.68 Audible (26.9K)20h 7m listening time • Released 2014 -
Iron Gold
Red Rising • Book 4
by Pierce Brown
Narrated by Tim Gerard Reynolds, John Curless, Julian Elfer, Aedin Moloney
★ 4.42 ABR Score (219.0K ratings)★ 4.21 Goodreads (194.3K) ★ 4.57 Audible (24.7K)23h 23m listening time • Released 2018Tim Gerard Reynolds and three other narrators bring distinct voices to Brown's sprawling space opera, making the ensemble cast feel genuinely alive across 23 hours of war, rebellion, and devastating consequences.
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Howling Dark
Sun Eater • Book 2
by Christopher Ruocchio
Narrated by Samuel Roukin
★ 4.40 ABR Score (31.9K ratings)★ 4.34 Goodreads (29.1K) ★ 4.67 Audible (2.8K)28h 3m listening time • Released 2019 -
The Primal Hunter
The Primal Hunter • Book 1
by Zogarth
Narrated by Travis Baldree
★ 4.40 ABR Score (33.8K ratings)★ 4.25 Goodreads (21.0K) ★ 4.63 Audible (12.8K)20h 9m listening time • Released 2022Travis Baldree's performance elevates this LitRPG's best strength: watching an ordinary guy discover he's genuinely built for monster hunting. The narration makes Jake's quiet competence feel earned, not lucky.
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Mount Fitz Roy
Sun Symbol • Book 2
by Scott Sigler
Narrated by Ray Porter
★ 4.39 ABR Score (5.9K ratings)★ 4.4 Goodreads (1.3K) ★ 4.77 Audible (4.6K)29h 26m listening time • Released 2020Ray Porter's relentless narration transforms this survival epic into pure adrenaline—his voice captures both the grinding desperation of the expedition and the cosmic dread lurking beneath every discovery in the Andes.
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Defiance of the Fall 13
Defiance of the Fall • Book 13
Narrated by Pavi Proczko
★ 4.39 ABR Score (8.3K ratings)★ 4.35 Goodreads (4.9K) ★ 4.72 Audible (3.4K)24h 35m listening time • Released 2024 -
Dune: House Atreides: House Trilogy
The Dune Sequence • Book 7
by Brian Herbert, Kevin J. Anderson
Narrated by Scott Brick
★ 4.39 ABR Score (3.6K ratings)★ 4.62 Audible (3.6K)26h 26m listening time • Released 2009 -
The City of Mirrors
The Passage • Book 3
by Justin Cronin
Narrated by Scott Brick
★ 4.39 ABR Score (72.0K ratings)★ 4.22 Goodreads (61.8K) ★ 4.61 Audible (10.2K)29h 29m listening time • Released 2016Scott Brick's narration transforms this epic finale into something genuinely cathartic—nearly 30 hours that earn every minute, anchoring an emotionally devastating conclusion with perfect vocal control.
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Endymion
Hyperion Cantos • Book 3
by Dan Simmons, Gary Ruddell
Narrated by Victor Bevine
★ 4.39 ABR Score (80.4K ratings)★ 4.19 Goodreads (71.6K) ★ 4.63 Audible (8.8K)23h 17m listening time • Released 2009 -
House Harkonnen: House Trilogy
The Dune Sequence • Book 8
by Kevin J. Anderson, Brian Herbert
Narrated by Scott Brick
★ 4.38 ABR Score (2.9K ratings)★ 4.63 Audible (2.9K)26h 32m listening time • Released 2009 -
The Fall of Hyperion
Hyperion Cantos • Book 2
by Dan Simmons
Narrated by Victor Bevine
★ 4.38 ABR Score (165.0K ratings)★ 4.24 Goodreads (150.4K) ★ 4.53 Audible (14.6K)21h 45m listening time • Released 2008 -
Commune: Book Four
Commune • Book 4
by Joshua Gayou
Narrated by R.C. Bray
★ 4.36 ABR Score (7.1K ratings)★ 4.32 Goodreads (1.3K) ★ 4.74 Audible (5.8K)22h 7m listening time • Released 2019 -
The Rise of Endymion
Hyperion Cantos • Book 4
by Dan Simmons
Narrated by Victor Bevine
★ 4.35 ABR Score (74.5K ratings)★ 4.17 Goodreads (65.8K) ★ 4.6 Audible (8.6K)29h 47m listening time • Released 2009 -
Hyperion
Hyperion • Book 1
by Dan Simmons
Narrated by Marc Vietor, Allyson Johnson, Kevin Pariseau, Jay Snyder, Victor Bevine
★ 4.31 ABR Score (328.7K ratings)★ 4.28 Goodreads (303.0K) ★ 4.37 Audible (25.7K)20h 44m listening time • Released 2008Structured like The Canterbury Tales but set across the galaxy, Dan Simmons weaves six extraordinary stories into a puzzle-box epic unlike anything else in sci-fi.
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Judas Unchained
Commonwealth Saga • Book 2
by Peter F. Hamilton, Marta García Martínez
Narrated by John Lee
★ 4.30 ABR Score (48.4K ratings)★ 4.3 Goodreads (40.7K) ★ 4.48 Audible (7.7K)40h 58m listening time • Released 2008 -
The Naked God
Night's Dawn • Book 3
Narrated by John Lee
★ 4.30 ABR Score (23.0K ratings)★ 4.22 Goodreads (20.9K) ★ 4.63 Audible (2.1K)48h 37m listening time • Released 2016 -
The Neutronium Alchemist
Night's Dawn • Book 2
Narrated by John Lee
★ 4.28 ABR Score (23.2K ratings)★ 4.26 Goodreads (21.0K) ★ 4.58 Audible (2.3K)40h 22m listening time • Released 2016 -
Freedom's Fire Box Set, Books 1-6
The Freedom's Fire Series • Book 1
by Bobby Adair
Narrated by Greg Tremblay
★ 4.28 ABR Score (3.8K ratings)★ 4.52 Audible (3.8K)38h 1m listening time • Released 2019 -
Fear the Sky
The Fear Saga • Book 1
by Stephen Moss
Narrated by R.C. Bray
★ 4.27 ABR Score (32.0K ratings)★ 4.07 Goodreads (7.7K) ★ 4.56 Audible (24.3K)20h 17m listening time • Released 2015R.C. Bray transforms this sprawling first-contact epic into something genuinely gripping—his control of pacing and distinct voices makes eleven years of buildup feel inevitable rather than slow.
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Middle Falls Time Travel Omnibus 2
Middle Falls Time Travel • Book 4
by Shawn Inmon
Narrated by Tamara Marston, Charlie Thurston, Adam Verner
★ 4.26 ABR Score (480 ratings)★ 4.75 Audible (480)20h 13m listening time • Released 2020 -
Cryptonomicon
Baroque Cycle
Narrated by William Dufris
★ 4.26 ABR Score (127.1K ratings)★ 4.23 Goodreads (117.3K) ★ 4.41 Audible (9.8K)42h 44m listening time • Released 2020 -
The Great War: Breakthroughs
Great War (Turtledove) • Book 3
Narrated by George Guidall
★ 4.24 ABR Score (485 ratings)★ 4.73 Audible (485)23h 34m listening time • Released 2010Guidall's measured, authoritative narration transforms Turtledove's sprawling alternate history into something genuinely gripping—he makes you believe in this fractured America through sheer vocal conviction.
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The Collected Stories of Arthur C. Clarke
The Collected Stories of Arthur C. Clarke #1-5
Narrated by Ralph Lister, Ray Porter, Jonathan Davis
★ 4.24 ABR Score (8.0K ratings)★ 4.3 Goodreads (6.4K) ★ 4.57 Audible (1.6K)51h 4m listening time • Released 2016Three narrators divvy up Clarke's 51-hour story collection, each bringing distinct voices to everything from hard sci-fi concepts to quiet existential gut-punches. It's the definitive way to experience the author who basically invented modern science fiction.
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The Twelve
The Passage • Book 2
by Justin Cronin
Narrated by Scott Brick
★ 4.23 ABR Score (118.4K ratings)★ 4.03 Goodreads (106.8K) ★ 4.48 Audible (11.6K)26h 23m listening time • Released 2012Scott Brick's narration transforms this sprawling apocalypse into something intimate—he finds the humanity in every survivor, making a 26-hour epic feel like a conversation with someone who's lived through the end of the world.
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A Deepness in the Sky
Zones of Thought • Book 2
by Vernor Vinge
Narrated by Peter Larkin
★ 4.21 ABR Score (37.4K ratings)★ 4.32 Goodreads (35.3K) ★ 4.42 Audible (2.2K)28h 19m listening time • Released 2009 -
The Butlerian Jihad
Legends of Dune • Book 1
by Brian Herbert, Kevin J. Anderson
Narrated by Scott Brick
★ 4.21 ABR Score (95.4K ratings)★ 4.02 Goodreads (90.2K) ★ 4.51 Audible (5.2K)23h 41m listening time • Released 2003Scott Brick's measured, commanding delivery transforms this origin story into an epic that actually earns its scope—10,000 years of human resistance against thinking machines becomes visceral and immediate in his hands.
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The Host
by Stephenie Meyer
Narrated by Kate Reading
★ 4.21 ABR Score (1.1M ratings)★ 3.86 Goodreads (1.1M) ★ 4.47 Audible (12.6K)23h listening time • Released 2008Meyer's most underrated book — a thoughtful alien-invasion story about identity and what it means to be human, with more depth than her more famous series.
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The Last Hunter
Antarktos Saga #1-5 • Book 1
Narrated by R.C. Bray
★ 4.19 ABR Score (3.9K ratings)★ 4.36 Goodreads (532) ★ 4.62 Audible (3.3K)34h 16m listening time • Released 2020R.C. Bray transforms this five-book epic into a gripping 34-hour odyssey where his voice carries you through Antarctica's nightmarish depths with the same intensity that made him essential to the Expanse series.
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Mentats of Dune
Schools of Dune • Book 2
by Brian Herbert, Kevin J. Anderson
Narrated by Scott Brick
★ 4.19 ABR Score (8.3K ratings)★ 3.97 Goodreads (5.6K) ★ 4.66 Audible (2.7K)22h 14m listening time • Released 2014Scott Brick elevates this sprawling power struggle across three competing schools into something propulsive—his distinct voices for scheming rivals and true believers make the political maneuvering genuinely gripping over 22 hours.
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The Outlandish Companion: Volume Two
The Outlandish Companions • Book 2
Narrated by Diana Gabaldon, Davina Porter
★ 4.17 ABR Score (3.6K ratings)★ 4.4 Goodreads (3.2K) ★ 4.6 Audible (423)21h 17m listening time • Released 2020Hearing Gabaldon herself walk you through her sprawling universe with insider commentary and chronologies makes this the definitive companion—essential if you're deep in the Outlander rabbit hole.
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Perhaps the Stars
Terra Ignota • Book 4
by Ada Palmer
Narrated by T. Ryder Smith
★ 4.15 ABR Score (3.1K ratings)★ 4.33 Goodreads (2.9K) ★ 4.75 Audible (217)35h 11m listening time • Released 2021 -
Sisterhood of Dune
Schools of Dune • Book 1
by Brian Herbert, Kevin J. Anderson
Narrated by Scott Brick
★ 4.14 ABR Score (10.6K ratings)★ 3.91 Goodreads (7.7K) ★ 4.61 Audible (2.9K)20h 35m listening time • Released 2012Scott Brick's measured, authoritative delivery transforms the sprawling Dune prequel into something genuinely immersive, grounding the competing power plays and shadowy conspiracies with vocal precision that keeps you locked in across 20+ hours.
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This Day All Gods Must Die: The Gap into Ruin
Gap Cycle • Book 5
Narrated by Scott Brick
★ 4.14 ABR Score (374 ratings)★ 4.66 Audible (374)31h 5m listening time • Released 2012 -
The Passage
The Passage • Book 1
by Justin Cronin
Narrated by Scott Brick
★ 4.14 ABR Score (245.0K ratings)★ 4.05 Goodreads (224.1K) ★ 4.3 Audible (20.9K)36h 49m listening time • Released 2010Scott Brick transforms this sprawling post-apocalyptic epic into something genuinely unputdownable, his voice carrying you through 37 hours of survival, dread, and desperate hope with the kind of command that makes the audiobook format essential.
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The Gap Into Madness: Chaos and Order
The Gap Cycle • Book 4
Narrated by Scott Brick
★ 4.14 ABR Score (6.4K ratings)★ 4.17 Goodreads (6.0K) ★ 4.68 Audible (342)29h 4m listening time • Released 2012Scott Brick's performance transforms this sprawling space opera into something visceral and urgent—his voice captures the desperation of fugitives trapped together as their world literally explodes around them.
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Hunger
Hunger #1-3 • Book 1
Narrated by Jeffrey Kafer
★ 4.13 ABR Score (3.5K ratings)★ 4.2 Goodreads (1.1K) ★ 4.57 Audible (2.3K)25h 6m listening time • Released 2023 -
1634: The Baltic War
Ring of Fire Main Line Novels • Book 3
by David Weber, Eric Flint
Narrated by George Guidall
★ 4.12 ABR Score (5.7K ratings)★ 4.06 Goodreads (4.7K) ★ 4.61 Audible (1.0K)26h 21m listening time • Released 2013George Guidall transforms this sprawling alternate-history war epic into something genuinely gripping—his command of multiple voices and accents makes the complex political maneuvering feel immediate and lived-in.
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Fear the Future
The Fear Saga • Book 3
by Stephen Moss
Narrated by R.C. Bray
★ 4.12 ABR Score (18.1K ratings)★ 3.91 Goodreads (3.9K) ★ 4.5 Audible (14.2K)20h 25m listening time • Released 2016R.C. Bray transforms this sprawling space opera into something genuinely haunting—his control over the six-year-old pilot's fractured innocence against the machinery of war creates an emotional gut-punch that pure plot never could.
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I Am Not Junco Omnibus
I Am Just Junco #4, 4.5, & 5 • Book 2
by J.A. Huss
Narrated by Kristen Sieh, Steve West, Ray Porter, Maks Daniels
★ 4.11 ABR Score (758 ratings)★ 4.58 Goodreads (210) ★ 4.78 Audible (548)23h 15m listening time • Released 2020Four narrators bring distinct voices to this sprawling sci-fi finale, turning a 23-hour journey into something that feels like watching a perfectly cast ensemble drama unfold in your ears.
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Pandora's Star
Commonwealth Saga • Book 1
by Peter F. Hamilton, Marta García Martínez
Narrated by John Lee
★ 4.10 ABR Score (64.2K ratings)★ 4.23 Goodreads (54.2K) ★ 4.23 Audible (10.0K)37h 21m listening time • Released 2008 -
Xenocide
Ender's Saga • Book 3
Narrated by Scott Brick, Gabrielle de Cuir, Amanda Karr, John Rubinstein, Stefan Rudnicki
★ 4.10 ABR Score (179.4K ratings)★ 3.82 Goodreads (166.1K) ★ 4.41 Audible (13.3K)20h 10m listening time • Released 2003A stellar ensemble cast elevates Card's most philosophically ambitious Ender book, with five narrators embodying distinct worlds and perspectives across 20 hours of complex, character-driven science fiction.
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Chasm City
Revelation Space #0.5 • Book 2
Narrated by John Lee
★ 4.09 ABR Score (31.8K ratings)★ 4.13 Goodreads (27.8K) ★ 4.35 Audible (3.9K)23h 3m listening time • Released 2009 -
The Machine Crusade
Legends of Dune • Book 2
by Brian Herbert, Kevin J. Anderson
Narrated by Scott Brick
★ 4.09 ABR Score (21.5K ratings)★ 3.82 Goodreads (18.1K) ★ 4.55 Audible (3.4K)27h 36m listening time • Released 2003Scott Brick's commanding narration transforms this sprawling space opera into something genuinely gripping—his voice carries the weight of galactic conflict without letting the 27-hour runtime feel bloated.
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Empire of Silence
Sun Eater • Book 1
by Christopher Ruocchio
Narrated by Samuel Roukin
★ 4.09 ABR Score (58.5K ratings)★ 3.95 Goodreads (54.1K) ★ 4.42 Audible (4.4K)26h 6m listening time • Released 2018Samuel Roukin's narration transforms this sprawling space opera into something intimate—a deeply personal confession that makes you complicit in Hadrian's moral reckoning across 26 hours of utterly gripping storytelling.
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Seveneves
Narrated by Mary Robinette Kowal, Will Damron
★ 4.08 ABR Score (151.6K ratings)★ 4 Goodreads (125.8K) ★ 4.26 Audible (25.8K)31h 55m listening time • Released 2015 -
The Battle of Corrin
Legends of Dune • Book 3
by Brian Herbert, Kevin J. Anderson
Narrated by Scott Brick
★ 4.08 ABR Score (19.1K ratings)★ 3.82 Goodreads (16.0K) ★ 4.55 Audible (3.1K)25h 33m listening time • Released 2004Scott Brick's commanding narration elevates this epic space opera finale, making the sprawling galactic warfare and political intrigue feel urgent and visceral across 25 hours of pure immersion.
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Exploration: A Litrpg Apocalypse
Welcome to the Multiverse • Book 10
by Sean Oswald, Joshua Mason
Narrated by Travis Baldree
★ 4.08 ABR Score (635 ratings)★ 4.68 Goodreads (635)24h 26m listening time • Released 2026Travis Baldree elevates this multiverse romp with perfectly calibrated performances that make the character dynamics sing—especially the friction between Silas and his reluctant allies in a world where his powers don't work the way he expects.
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1633
Ring of Fire Main Line Novels • Book 2
by Eric Flint, David Weber
Narrated by George Guidall
★ 4.08 ABR Score (8.3K ratings)★ 4.05 Goodreads (6.8K) ★ 4.49 Audible (1.5K)22h 10m listening time • Released 2012George Guidall brings such crisp authority to this sprawling alternate history that you'll believe a small West Virginia town really could reshape seventeenth-century Europe. The geopolitical intrigue and genuine stakes make the 22 hours fly.
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Absolution Gap
Revelation Space • Book 3
Narrated by John Lee
★ 4.07 ABR Score (28.0K ratings)★ 4.02 Goodreads (25.4K) ★ 4.41 Audible (2.6K)27h 10m listening time • Released 2009 -
The Gap Into Power: A Dark and Hungry God Arises
The Gap Cycle • Book 3
Narrated by Scott Brick
★ 4.07 ABR Score (7.4K ratings)★ 4.1 Goodreads (7.0K) ★ 4.57 Audible (369)20h 10m listening time • Released 2012Scott Brick's performance elevates this sprawling space opera into something genuinely gripping—his command of Donaldson's multiple perspectives and moral complexity makes the 20-hour investment feel necessary, not excessive.
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A Fire Upon the Deep
Zones of Thought • Book 1
by Vernor Vinge
Narrated by Peter Larkin
★ 4.07 ABR Score (70.5K ratings)★ 4.13 Goodreads (67.2K) ★ 4.29 Audible (3.3K)21h 37m listening time • Released 2010 -
Dune: House Corrino, Vol. 1
Dune: House Corrino • Book 9
by Brian Herbert, Kevin J. Anderson, Simone Ragazzoni, Lea Caballero, Dan Jackson, Ed Dukeshire
Narrated by Scott Brick
★ 4.06 ABR Score (2.8K ratings)★ 3.56 Goodreads (94) ★ 4.66 Audible (2.7K)24h 9m listening time • Released 2010Scott Brick's commanding narration transforms this sprawling prequel into a political thriller that actually justifies its 24-hour runtime, making the power plays leading into the original Dune feel genuinely consequential.
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Time Enough for Love
The World as Myth • Book 1
Narrated by Tom Weiner
★ 4.04 ABR Score (38.6K ratings)★ 3.97 Goodreads (37.2K) ★ 4.42 Audible (1.4K)23h 30m listening time • Released 2014 -
Calibans Krieg
The Expanse • Book 2
Narrated by Matthias Lühn
★ 4.03 ABR Score (185.8K ratings)★ 4.39 Goodreads (185.8K) ★ 3.5 Audible (4)22h 19m listening time • Released 2018 -
1636: The Saxon Uprising
Ring of Fire Main Line Novels • Book 5
by Eric Flint
Narrated by George Guidall
★ 4.03 ABR Score (2.0K ratings)★ 4.09 Goodreads (1.7K) ★ 4.65 Audible (332)21h 22m listening time • Released 2014 -
The Uplift War
The Uplift Saga • Book 3
by David Brin
Narrated by George K. Wilson
★ 4.03 ABR Score (28.2K ratings)★ 4.07 Goodreads (27.5K) ★ 4.38 Audible (718)27h 52m listening time • Released 2008 -
All Clear
All Clear • Book 2
by Connie Willis
Narrated by Katherine Kellgren, Connie Willis (introduction)
★ 4.03 ABR Score (25.7K ratings)★ 4.08 Goodreads (22.1K) ★ 4.3 Audible (3.5K)23h 41m listening time • Released 2010 -
Ragnarok
I Bring the Fire • Book 6
by C. Gockel
Narrated by Barrie Kreinik
★ 4.02 ABR Score (1.3K ratings)★ 4.43 Goodreads (1.2K) ★ 4.88 Audible (60)20h 58m listening time • Released 2016 -
To Say Nothing of the Dog
Oxford Time Travel • Book 2
by Connie Willis
Narrated by Steven Crossley
★ 4.02 ABR Score (49.3K ratings)★ 4.1 Goodreads (44.6K) ★ 4.24 Audible (4.7K)20h 58m listening time • Released 2008 -
Lord of All Things
Herr aller Dinge • Book 1
by Andreas Eschbach, Samuel Willcocks
Narrated by Nick Podehl
★ 4.01 ABR Score (6.8K ratings)★ 4.18 Goodreads (4.1K) ★ 4.31 Audible (2.7K)21h 37m listening time • Released 2014 -
Green Mars
Mars Trilogy • Book 2
Narrated by Richard Ferrone
★ 3.99 ABR Score (43.6K ratings)★ 3.96 Goodreads (41.2K) ★ 4.32 Audible (2.5K)27h 10m listening time • Released 2008 -
The Reality Dysfunction
Night's Dawn • Book 1
Narrated by John Lee
★ 3.98 ABR Score (41.8K ratings)★ 4.13 Goodreads (38.3K) ★ 4.19 Audible (3.5K)41h 6m listening time • Released 2016 -
Sleeping Beauties
by Stephen King, Owen King
Narrated by Marin Ireland
★ 3.95 ABR Score (110.5K ratings)★ 3.73 Goodreads (96.1K) ★ 4.28 Audible (14.4K)25h 22m listening time • Released 2017 -
Hunters of Dune
Dune • Book 7
by Brian Herbert, Kevin J. Anderson
Narrated by Scott Brick
★ 3.95 ABR Score (22.5K ratings)★ 3.7 Goodreads (20.1K) ★ 4.44 Audible (2.4K)20h 22m listening time • Released 2006Scott Brick's commanding narration anchors this sprawling continuation of Frank Herbert's universe, turning a divisive sequel into a surprisingly gripping listen across 20+ hours of galactic intrigue and resurrection.
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Termination Shock
Narrated by Edoardo Ballerini
★ 3.95 ABR Score (24.4K ratings)★ 3.83 Goodreads (21.0K) ★ 4.34 Audible (3.5K)22h 54m listening time • Released 2021Stephenson builds a near-future climate thriller with genuinely plausible tech and geopolitical intrigue, and Ballerini's precise, measured delivery transforms the dense exposition into propulsive listening.
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On the Steel Breeze
Poseidon's Children • Book 2
Narrated by Adjoa Andoh
★ 3.93 ABR Score (7.6K ratings)★ 4.04 Goodreads (7.0K) ★ 4.32 Audible (589)23h 10m listening time • Released 2014 -
The System Apocalypse Books 4-6
The System Apocalypse #4-6 • Book 2
by Tao Wong
Narrated by Nick Podehl
★ 3.93 ABR Score (463 ratings)★ 4.37 Goodreads (263) ★ 4.6 Audible (200)30h 48m listening time • Released 2023Nick Podehl's performance elevates Wong's grimy post-apocalyptic rebellion arc into something genuinely gripping—he nails the escalating tension as John's ragtag crew goes up against Galactic powers they're barely equipped to fight.
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Eternal Online
Eternal Online • Book 1
by T.J. Reynolds
Narrated by Andrea Parsneau
★ 3.93 ABR Score (1.3K ratings)★ 4.16 Goodreads (94) ★ 4.49 Audible (1.2K)44h 32m listening time • Released 2021 -
Blue Mars
Mars Trilogy • Book 3
Narrated by Richard Ferrone
★ 3.92 ABR Score (35.2K ratings)★ 3.95 Goodreads (33.4K) ★ 4.25 Audible (1.9K)31h 55m listening time • Released 2008 -
A Forest of Stars
The Saga of Seven Suns • Book 2
Narrated by George Guidall
★ 3.91 ABR Score (8.9K ratings)★ 3.92 Goodreads (6.7K) ★ 4.3 Audible (2.2K)20h 41m listening time • Released 2004George Guidall's measured, authoritative narration transforms Anderson's sprawling space opera into something genuinely cinematic—he makes you believe in a galaxy-spanning war without ever rushing.
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Middle Falls Time Travel Omnibus: Books 4-6
Middle Falls Time Travel #4-6 • Book 16
by Shawn Inmon, Tamara Marston, Charlie Thurston, Adam Verner
Narrated by Malcolm Hillgartner, Luke Daniels, Scott Brick
★ 3.91 ABR Score (418 ratings)★ 4.68 Goodreads (387) ★ 4.81 Audible (31)29h 11m listening time • Released 2025Three all-star narrators elevate these time-travel stories into something transcendent—Brick, Daniels, and Hillgartner each disappear into their characters so completely you forget you're listening to a performance.
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Ebola K
Ebola K • Book 1
by Bobby Adair
Narrated by Adam Verner
★ 3.91 ABR Score (3.8K ratings)★ 3.94 Goodreads (3.1K) ★ 4.39 Audible (716)26h 4m listening time • Released 2020 -
The Ministry for the Future
Science in the Capital
Narrated by Jennifer Fitzgerald, Fajer Al-Kaisi, Ramon de Ocampo, Gary Bennett, Raphael Corkhill, Barrie Kreinik, Natasha Soudek, Nikki Massoud, Joniece Abbott Pratt, Inés del Castillo, Vikas Adam
★ 3.90 ABR Score (46.8K ratings)★ 3.86 Goodreads (43.1K) ★ 4.23 Audible (3.7K)20h 42m listening time • Released 2020 -
Doomsday Book
Oxford Time Travel • Book 1
by Connie Willis
Narrated by Jenny Sterlin
★ 3.89 ABR Score (72.1K ratings)★ 4.03 Goodreads (65.2K) ★ 4.07 Audible (6.9K)26h 20m listening time • Released 2008 -
Dangerous Visions
Dangerous Visions • Book 1
by Harlan Ellison, Leo Dillon, Diane Dillon
Narrated by Tim Campbell, Simon Vance, Steven Jay Cohen, Johnny Heller, Edoardo Ballerini, Ramiz Monsef, Neil Hellegers, Jim Meskimen, JD Jackson, P. J. Ochlan, Dion Graham, Natalie Naudus, Vikas Adam, Scott Aiello
★ 3.88 ABR Score (10.3K ratings)★ 4.13 Goodreads (10.2K) ★ 3.94 Audible (48)24h 33m listening time • Released 2024A landmark 1960s sci-fi anthology featuring Dick, Asimov, and Zelazny at their peak, brought to life by an all-star narrator ensemble who elevate each wildly different vision into its own compelling performance.
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Pandora Unchained: A Progression Fantasy Epic
Pandora Unchained • Book 1
by Patrick Laplante
Narrated by Adam Verner
★ 3.88 ABR Score (361 ratings)★ 4.4 Goodreads (253) ★ 4.59 Audible (108)23h 26m listening time • Released 2024 -
1635: Papal Stakes
Assiti Shards • Book 11
by Eric Flint, Charles E. Gannon
Narrated by George Guidall
★ 3.87 ABR Score (1.6K ratings)★ 4.01 Goodreads (1.2K) ★ 4.38 Audible (406)23h 47m listening time • Released 2013George Guidall's measured, dignified performance elevates this intricate papal thriller—his ability to distinguish dozens of scheming cardinals and uptime Americans makes the 17th-century Vatican power plays genuinely gripping, not just historically clever.
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Children of Strife
Children of Time • Book 4
Narrated by Mel Hudson
★ 3.87 ABR Score (253 ratings)★ 4.31 Goodreads (131) ★ 4.7 Audible (122)20h 10m listening time • Released 2026Mel Hudson's narration transforms Tchaikovsky's sprawling space opera into something genuinely immersive—her voice work on the mantis shrimp captain alone justifies the 20-hour commitment to this wildly inventive far-future mystery.
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The Dwellers Saga Omnibus
The Dwellers Saga • Book 1
by David Estes
Narrated by Julia Whelan, Will Damron
★ 3.87 ABR Score (727 ratings)★ 4.27 Audible (727)29h 16m listening time • Released 2015 -
After On
by Rob Reid
Narrated by Sean Kenin, January LaVoy, Felicia Day, Patrick Rothfuss, John Hodgman, Tom Merritt, Jesse Cox, Leo Laporte
★ 3.86 ABR Score (5.8K ratings)★ 3.82 Goodreads (3.0K) ★ 4.31 Audible (2.8K)22h 5m listening time • Released 2017A Silicon Valley satire with an all-star narrator cast (Felicia Day, Patrick Rothfuss, John Hodgman) that nails the tech world's absurdity while actually getting the science right.
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Journey to the Centre of the Earth
Narrated by David DeVries, Kristin Kalbli
★ 3.86 ABR Score (227.7K ratings)★ 3.85 Goodreads (227.5K) ★ 4.16 Audible (228)26h 5m listening time • Released 2012 -
The System Apocalypse Books 10-12
The System Apocalypse #10-12 • Book 4
by Tao Wong
Narrated by Nick Podehl
★ 3.86 ABR Score (264 ratings)★ 4.5 Goodreads (124) ★ 4.58 Audible (140)37h 45m listening time • Released 2024Nick Podehl's performance anchors these final books perfectly, matching the escalating stakes as John Lee finally chases down the System's origin. The payoff justifies the entire series.
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Blue Remembered Earth
Poseidon's Children • Book 1
Narrated by Kobna Holdbrook-Smith
★ 3.85 ABR Score (13.3K ratings)★ 3.89 Goodreads (12.3K) ★ 4.24 Audible (1.0K)21h 45m listening time • Released 2012 -
The System Apocalypse Books 1-3
The System Apocalypse #1-3 • Book 1
by Tao Wong
Narrated by Nick Podehl
★ 3.84 ABR Score (1.0K ratings)★ 4.35 Goodreads (501) ★ 4.22 Audible (545)27h 15m listening time • Released 2024Nick Podehl's performance transforms this LitRPG survival series into a gripping endurance test—his voice carries the mounting dread of a man watching civilization collapse in real time, making 27 hours disappear.
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Revelation Space
Revelation Space • Book 1
Narrated by John Lee
★ 3.83 ABR Score (68.1K ratings)★ 3.99 Goodreads (62.3K) ★ 4.03 Audible (5.8K)22h 12m listening time • Released 2009 -
The System Apocalypse: Australia Books 1-3
The System Apocalypse #1-3 • Book 1
by Tao Wong, K.T. Hanna, Andrea Parsneau
Narrated by Andrea Parsneau
★ 3.83 ABR Score (580 ratings)★ 4.35 Goodreads (503) ★ 4.26 Audible (77)37h 56m listening time • Released 2023 -
Red Mars
Mars Trilogy • Book 1
Narrated by Richard Ferrone
★ 3.78 ABR Score (94.5K ratings)★ 3.86 Goodreads (89.2K) ★ 4.03 Audible (5.3K)23h 51m listening time • Released 2008 -
Too Like the Lightning
Terra Ignota • Book 1
by Ada Palmer
Narrated by Jefferson Mays
★ 3.78 ABR Score (16.8K ratings)★ 3.81 Goodreads (15.9K) ★ 4.17 Audible (865)20h 19m listening time • Released 2016 -
The Glass
The Glass • Book 1
Narrated by R.C. Bray
★ 3.77 ABR Score (239 ratings)★ 4.48 Goodreads (209) ★ 4.3 Audible (30)33h 22m listening time • Released 2026R.C. Bray's grounded, urgent delivery transforms this sprawling sci-fi epic into a compulsive listen—33 hours that feel shorter because you can't stop wondering what's actually behind the Glass.
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Defiance
The Defiance • Book 1
Narrated by Greg Tremblay
★ 3.76 ABR Score (220 ratings)★ 4.41 Goodreads (107) ★ 4.34 Audible (113)23h 6m listening time • Released 2022 -
Somnia Online Books 1-3
Somnia Online #1-3 • Book 1
by K.T. Hanna
Narrated by Andrea Parsneau
★ 3.70 ABR Score (94 ratings)★ 4.34 Goodreads (41) ★ 4.4 Audible (53)36h 57m listening time • Released 2022 -
New York 2140
Narrated by Suzanne Toren, Robin Miles, Peter Ganim, Jay Snyder, Caitlin Kelly, Michael Crouch, Ryan Vincent Anderson, Christopher Ryan Grant, Robert Blumenfeld
★ 3.70 ABR Score (15.9K ratings)★ 3.6 Goodreads (15.8K) ★ 4.24 Audible (29)22h 35m listening time • Released 2020 -
The Wasteland Series
Wasteland #1-4
by Jon Cronshaw
Narrated by Virtual Voice
★ 3.69 ABR Score (337 ratings)★ 4.19 Goodreads (318) ★ 3.37 Audible (19)22h 22m listening time • Released 2025 -
Woken Furies
Takeshi Kovacs • Book 3
by Richard K. Morgan
Narrated by William Dufris
★ 3.67 ABR Score (37.2K ratings)★ 4.01 Goodreads (32.5K) ★ 3.83 Audible (4.6K)22h 3m listening time • Released 2006 -
Hidden Empire
The Saga of Seven Suns • Book 1
Narrated by George Guidall
★ 3.67 ABR Score (12.7K ratings)★ 3.81 Goodreads (9.4K) ★ 3.99 Audible (3.3K)20h 4m listening time • Released 2004George Guidall's commanding voice transforms Anderson's sprawling space opera into something genuinely immersive—he makes twenty hours fly by with crystalline clarity across a massive cast and competing factions.
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Ether Collapse Omnibus: Books 1-3 in a Post-Apocalyptic LitRPG
Ether Collapse #1-3 • Book 1
by Ryan DeBruyn
Narrated by Luke Daniels
★ 3.66 ABR Score (59 ratings)★ 4.87 Goodreads (15) ★ 4.34 Audible (44)43h 58m listening time • Released 2024Luke Daniels makes this 44-hour LitRPG omnibus feel like a conversation with a friend walking you through apocalypse—his performance transforms what could be exposition-heavy into genuinely gripping survival storytelling.
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Caliban - La guerra
The Expanse • Book 2
Narrated by Riccardo Ricobello
★ 3.65 ABR Score (7 ratings)★ 4.57 Audible (7)20h 49m listening time • Released 2018 -
1634: The Ram Rebellion
Assiti Shards • Book 4
by Eric Flint, Virginia DeMarce
Narrated by George Guidall
★ 3.64 ABR Score (2.8K ratings)★ 3.45 Goodreads (2.5K) ★ 4.27 Audible (319)24h 13m listening time • Released 2015George Guidall's measured, authoritative narration anchors this intricate alternate history where 17th-century peasant revolt meets modern American ideology—a densely plotted political thriller that rewards close listening.
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The New Space Opera 2
by Gardner Dozois, Jonathan Strahan
Narrated by Tom Weiner, Bahni Turpin, Caroline Shaffer, Richard Powers, Hillary Huber, Marguerite Gavin, Xe Sands, Erica Sullivan
★ 3.63 ABR Score (1.0K ratings)★ 3.79 Goodreads (977) ★ 3.59 Audible (44)23h 23m listening time • Released 2013 -
The Sleeping Gods Boxed Set: Books 1 - 2
The Sleeping Gods • Book 1
by Ralph Kern
Narrated by Shaun Grindell, Jeffrey Kafer, Michael Kramer
★ 3.62 ABR Score (365 ratings)★ 4.14 Goodreads (214) ★ 3.83 Audible (151)29h 46m listening time • Released 2021Three stellar narrators bring this hard sci-fi epic to life with genuine tension and wonder. Kern grounds his space mystery in real physics and technology, making the hunt for alien civilizations feel genuinely urgent.
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Collected Stories
by Lewis Shiner
Narrated by David Birney, Scott Brick, Gabrielle de Cuir, Kimberly Farr, Janis Ian, Rex Linn, Arthur Morey, Stefan Rudnicki
★ 3.62 ABR Score (41 ratings)★ 4.26 Goodreads (31) ★ 4.3 Audible (10)20h 36m listening time • Released 2013A stellar ensemble cast elevates Shiner's genre-bending stories, each narrator perfectly matched to their tale's emotional core. Twenty hours of inventive sci-fi and fantasy that rewards deep listening.
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Old Venus
by George R.R. Martin, Gardner Dozois, Ian McDonald, Garth Nix, Joe Haldeman, Gwyneth Jones, Matthew Hughes, Paul McAuley, Lavie Tidhar, Allen M. Steele, Stephen Leigh, Eleanor Arnason, David Brin, Michael Cassutt, Tobias S. Buckell, Elizabeth Bear, Joe R. Lansdale, Mike Resnick
Narrated by Diana Rigg, Full Cast, Michael Dorn, Stephen Fry, Jake Stormoen, W. Morgan Sheppard, Gethin Anthony, Wil Wheaton, Janis Ian, Ron Donachie, Various
★ 3.61 ABR Score (821 ratings)★ 3.57 Goodreads (734) ★ 3.99 Audible (87)22h 17m listening time • Released 2015 -
Sector 64 Box Set
Sector 64 • Book 1
by Dean M. Cole
Narrated by R.C. Bray
★ 3.57 ABR Score (43 ratings)★ 5 Goodreads (1) ★ 4.17 Audible (42)24h 15m listening time • Released 2025R.C. Bray transforms Cole's military sci-fi into a visceral experience—his command of tension and character voices makes 24 hours fly by like a single adrenaline rush.
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Fantastic Imaginings: A Journey Through 3500 Years of Imaginative Writing, Comprising Fantasy, Horror, and Science Fiction
by Stefan Rudnicki
Narrated by Stefan Rudnicki, David Burney, Scott Brick, Cassandra Campbell
★ 3.57 ABR Score (62 ratings)★ 3.62 Goodreads (29) ★ 3.58 Audible (33)21h 58m listening time • Released 2012 -
The Barsoom Collection: John Carter Books 1-6
Barsoom #1-6 • Book 1
by Edgar Rice Burroughs, Christopher Ragland
Narrated by Christopher Ragland
★ 3.56 ABR Score (13 ratings)★ 5 Goodreads (2) ★ 4.73 Audible (11)45h 8m listening time • Released 2024 -
Doctor Who: The Companions Collection: K9, 5th & 10th Doctor Novelisations
Doctor Who: The Ninth Doctor
by Peter Grimwade, Camille Coduri, David Collings, John Leeson, Steven Pacey, Stephen Gallagher, Terence Dudley, Russell T Davies, Barbara Clegg
Narrated by Camille Coduri, David Collings, John Leeson, Steven Pacey
★ 3.53 ABR Score (1 ratings)★ 4 Audible (1)22h 37m listening time • Released 2024 -
Existence
by David Brin
Narrated by Kevin T. Collins, Robin Miles, L. J. Ganser
★ 3.53 ABR Score (8.4K ratings)★ 3.78 Goodreads (7.2K) ★ 3.84 Audible (1.2K)32h 25m listening time • Released 2012
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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.
Rankings update periodically as new ratings come in and new titles are added to the collection.