- 1
Project Hail Mary
by Andy Weir
Narrated by Ray Porter
★ 4.93 ABR Score (1.7M ratings)★ 4.51 Goodreads (1.4M) ★ 4.87 Audible (267.8K)More about this pick
Ryland Grace awakens alone on a spacecraft with amnesia, gradually remembering he's humanity's last hope against star-consuming aliens, perfectly captured by Ray Porter's engaging performance.
- 2
Dungeon Crawler Carl
Dungeon Crawler Carl • Book 1
Narrated by Jeff Hays
★ 4.80 ABR Score (335.5K ratings)★ 4.48 Goodreads (284.3K) ★ 4.86 Audible (51.2K)More about this pick
When Earth becomes a literal death game show, one man and his ex-girlfriend's cat fight for survival in underground dungeons designed to entertain alien viewers. Jeff Hays channels Carl's desperate humor perfectly, making the absurd premise land with surprising emotional weight.
- 3
The Martian
The Martian • Book 1
by Andy Weir
Narrated by Wil Wheaton
★ 4.76 ABR Score (1.3M ratings)★ 4.42 Goodreads (1.3M) ★ 4.8 Audible (42.3K)More about this pick
Stranded astronaut Mark Watney's fight for survival on Mars combines technical ingenuity with dark humor, perfectly matched by Wil Wheaton's engaging delivery.
- 4
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)More about this pick
Paul Atreides' transformation from noble heir to messianic leader on the spice planet Arrakis unfolds through multiple skilled voices that capture each character's distinct perspective.
- 5
Red Rising
Red Rising • Book 1
by Pierce Brown
Narrated by Tim Gerard Reynolds
★ 4.64 ABR Score (899.8K ratings)★ 4.27 Goodreads (820.6K) ★ 4.71 Audible (79.2K)More about this pick
Darrow infiltrates the ruling Gold caste to destroy their color-coded society from within, starting with their brutal Institute. Tim Gerard Reynolds' dynamic narration propels this violent, addictive space opera.
- 6
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)More about this pick
Detective Miller and ice hauler Holden investigate a missing person case that uncovers a solar system-wide conspiracy threatening all of humanity. Mays handles the complex space opera with distinct voices for both protagonists as they navigate political tensions between Earth, Mars, and the Belt.
- 7
Jurassic Park
Jurassic Park • Book 1
Narrated by Scott Brick
★ 4.60 ABR Score (1.1M ratings)★ 4.13 Goodreads (1.1M) ★ 4.76 Audible (46.8K)More about this pick
Scientists clone dinosaurs using ancient DNA, creating the ultimate theme park until the prehistoric predators escape and hunt their creators through tropical nightmares.
- 8
Ender's Game
The Ender Saga • Book 1
Narrated by Stefan Rudnicki, Harlan Ellison, Gabrielle de Cuir
★ 4.59 ABR Score (1.5M ratings)★ 4.31 Goodreads (1.5M) ★ 4.63 Audible (44.6K)More about this pick
Child genius Ender Wiggin's military training at Battle School prepares him for humanity's war against alien "buggers" in this complex moral examination.
- 9
Ender's Shadow
Ender's Shadow • Book 1
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)More about this pick
Bean's parallel journey through Battle School gets full-cast treatment, with Scott Brick and Gabrielle de Cuir leading voices that capture both his genius and vulnerability.
- 10
We Are Legion (We Are Bob)
Bobiverse • Book 1
Narrated by Ray Porter
★ 4.58 ABR Score (236.2K ratings)★ 4.26 Goodreads (128.3K) ★ 4.68 Audible (107.9K)More about this pick
Software engineer Bob dies in a car accident and wakes up as an AI probe tasked with exploring the galaxy and saving humanity. Ray Porter perfectly captures Bob's bewildered humor as he multiplies across space.
- 11
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy • Book 1
by Douglas Adams
Narrated by Stephen Fry
★ 4.56 ABR Score (2.1M ratings)★ 4.22 Goodreads (2.0M) ★ 4.62 Audible (56.6K)More about this pick
Earth's demolition to make way for a hyperspace bypass launches the most absurd space adventure ever conceived, with Stephen Fry perfectly capturing Adams's wit.
- 12
1984
by George Orwell, Thomas Pynchon
Narrated by Andrew Garfield, Cynthia Erivo, Andrew Scott, Tom Hardy, Chukwudi Iwuji, Romesh Ranganathan, Natasia Demetriou, Francesca Mills, Alex Lawther, Katie Leung
★ 4.56 ABR Score (5.6M ratings)★ 4.2 Goodreads (5.5M) ★ 4.67 Audible (14.8K)More about this pick
Orwell's totalitarian masterpiece unfolds with chilling precision in this haunting performance that makes surveillance state horror feel terrifyingly plausible.
- 13
Columbus Day
Expeditionary Force • Book 1
Narrated by R.C. Bray
★ 4.53 ABR Score (84.3K ratings)★ 4.25 Goodreads (34.1K) ★ 4.71 Audible (50.2K)More about this pick
Humanity gets caught between two alien species in an interstellar war, with Joe Bishop providing sarcastic military commentary on cosmic politics. R.C. Bray's performance captures the protagonist's wise-cracking voice and the military science fiction's humor-heavy tone.
- 14
Halo: The Fall of Reach
Halo • Book 1
by Eric S. Nylund
Narrated by Todd McLaren
★ 4.51 ABR Score (44.7K ratings)★ 4.26 Goodreads (36.3K) ★ 4.78 Audible (8.4K)More about this pick
The SPARTAN program's origins and humanity's desperate last stand on planet Reach provide the backstory to the legendary Master Chief's saga.
- 15
Kindred
Narrated by Kim Staunton
★ 4.49 ABR Score (294.1K ratings)★ 4.31 Goodreads (278.5K) ★ 4.62 Audible (15.6K)More about this pick
Dana, a modern Black woman, gets violently yanked through time to antebellum Maryland whenever her white ancestor faces mortal danger. Kim Staunton's performance navigates the brutal emotional whiplash between 1970s California and slavery-era violence with unflinching power.
- 16
Wool Omnibus
Silo • Book 1
by Hugh Howey
Narrated by Edoardo Ballerini
★ 4.48 ABR Score (286.7K ratings)★ 4.23 Goodreads (280.3K) ★ 4.7 Audible (6.3K)More about this pick
In underground silos, asking about the toxic outside world means death, until one sheriff's curiosity unravels the entire system. Edoardo Ballerini's performance captures both the claustrophobic paranoia of silo life and the growing horror as residents discover their true situation.
- 17
Parable of the Sower
Earthseed • Book 1
Narrated by Lynne Thigpen
★ 4.47 ABR Score (287.7K ratings)★ 4.19 Goodreads (272.8K) ★ 4.66 Audible (14.9K)More about this pick
Fifteen-year-old Lauren develops a new belief system while her walled community crumbles in 2025's climate-ravaged California. Lynne Thigpen's narration captures both Lauren's youth and the wisdom of her emerging philosophy as she faces society's collapse with pragmatic hope.
- 18
Deathtrap
Mavericks • Book 1
Narrated by R.C. Bray
★ 4.46 ABR Score (15.4K ratings)★ 4.31 Goodreads (3.9K) ★ 4.75 Audible (11.5K)More about this pick
Humans recruited into an Alien Legion face their first mission on a backwater planet where everyone harbors hidden agendas. R.C. Bray brings his signature military sci-fi expertise to Craig Alanson's latest universe.
- 19
Old Man's War
Old Man\u2019s War • Book 1
by John Scalzi
Narrated by William Dufris
★ 4.43 ABR Score (255.3K ratings)★ 4.23 Goodreads (226.8K) ★ 4.55 Audible (28.5K)More about this pick
John Perry's 75th birthday recruitment into humanity's star-spanning military gets perfectly pitched energy from William Dufris.
- 20
Children of Time
Children of Time • Book 1
by Adrian Tchaikovsky
Narrated by Mel Hudson
★ 4.41 ABR Score (221.0K ratings)★ 4.3 Goodreads (180.0K) ★ 4.47 Audible (41.1K)More about this pick
Humanity's last survivors discover their promised planet is now ruled by highly evolved spiders in this sweeping tale of parallel evolution.
- 21
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)More about this pick
Office worker Jake awakens in a monster-filled forest where the multiverse has arrived on Earth. Baldree's performance captures Jake's evolution from cubicle dweller to predator.
- 22
Cinder
The Lunar Chronicles • Book 1
by Marissa Meyer
Narrated by Rebecca Soler
★ 4.39 ABR Score (1.0M ratings)★ 4.12 Goodreads (1.0M) ★ 4.56 Audible (14.5K)More about this pick
Cinderella reimagined as a cyborg mechanic in plague-ravaged New Beijing, with lunar colonists plotting Earth's destruction. Rebecca Soler brings warmth to this sci-fi fairy tale while handling the world-building with clarity.
- 23
Ready Player One
Ready Player One • Book 1
by Ernest Cline
Narrated by Wil Wheaton
★ 4.38 ABR Score (261.7K ratings)★ 4.16 Goodreads (32) ★ 4.76 Audible (261.6K)More about this pick
Wil Wheaton perfectly embodies Wade's geeky enthusiasm as he hunts for Easter eggs hidden in a virtual world built from '80s pop culture.
- 24
2001: A Space Odyssey
Space Odyssey Series • Book 1
Narrated by Dick Hill
★ 4.38 ABR Score (350.5K ratings)★ 4.18 Goodreads (338.0K) ★ 4.55 Audible (12.5K)More about this pick
Clarke's mysterious monoliths guide human evolution from ape-man to star child in this philosophical space odyssey that redefined science fiction.
- 25
The Handmaid's Tale
The Handmaid's Tale • Book 1
Narrated by Claire Danes
★ 4.36 ABR Score (2.5M ratings)★ 4.15 Goodreads (2.5M) ★ 4.41 Audible (45.4K)More about this pick
In Gilead, fertile women become walking wombs for the ruling class in this chilling theocracy. Claire Danes captures Offred's quiet resistance and desperate humanity under totalitarian control.
Found something you love? Check out more from the same narrator or author — sci-fi audiobook fans tend to build loyalty fast.
Browse Related Lists
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.