10 audiobooks for fans of How High We Go in the Dark
- 1
United States of Apocalypse
United States of Apocalypse • Book 1
by Mark Tufo, Armand Rosamilia
Narrated by Sean Runnette, Julia Whelan
Why this book?
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)More about this pick
WWIII erupts on American soil, forcing unlikely heroes to defend a nation brought to its knees by terrorism and global abandonment.
- 2
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)More about this pick
Everyone receives a box revealing exactly how long they'll live, dividing society between long-stringers and short-stringers. Julia Whelan's nuanced performance explores how this knowledge affects eight interconnected lives and relationships.
- 3
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)More about this pick
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.
- 4
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)More about this pick
Women are limited to 100 words per day in this chilling near-future America where Dr. Jean McClellan must choose between compliance and resistance.
- 5
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)More about this pick
Bryn battles pharmaceutical addiction while investigating wealthy investors planning to eliminate existing undead addicts for military profits. Julia Whelan handles the complex zombie-pharmaceutical premise with conviction, balancing action with the protagonist's personal struggles.
- 6
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)More about this pick
The corporate horror of being pharmaceutically dependent on your murderers gets Julia Whelan's perfectly pitched performance.
- 7
The Ninth Metal
The Comet Cycle • Book 1
by Benjamin Percy
Narrated by Julia Whelan
Why this book?
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 (155)More about this pick
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.
- 8
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)More about this pick
Award-nominated short fiction from Tor.com's early years, featuring Sanderson, Scalzi, and other genre masters. Multiple narrators tackle diverse stories spanning science fiction and fantasy.
- 9
And Again
by Jessica Chiarella
Narrated by Julia Whelan, Joy Osmanski, Rebekkah Ross, Corey Brill
Why this book?
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)More about this pick
Four terminal patients get perfect new bodies in this philosophical sci-fi that examines whether second chances actually change who we are.
- 10
All These Worlds
Bobiverse • Book 3
Narrated by Ray Porter
Why this book?
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)More about this pick
Ray Porter returns as Bob's various clones wage war against ancient aliens while humanity's colonies bicker and Brazilian probes cause interstellar havoc.
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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.