#The 14 Best Sci-Fi Audiobooks – Review Geek

We chose the titles on this list based on their longstanding reputations with the audience, resonance in their time and ours, as well as being cornerstones of sci-fi with lasting influence on the genre. Most of these books have been read by at least two members of our editorial staff.

What will human civilization look like hundreds, thousands, or even tens of thousands of years from now? That big question serves as the backdrop of some of the most well-loved sci-fi works of all time.

Widely considered the best sci-fi epic of all time, Dune is set on the desert planet Arrakis. Where the most valuable substance in the universe, the spice melange, is harvested as fuel for interstellar travel. It is to this world that young Paul Atreides travels with his family, assigned to ensure the flow of spice. Upon their arrival, they find themselves pawns in an intergalactic power struggle, and Paul the unexpected savior to the native people of Dune.

Often called a “philosophical novel,” Starship Troopers is a slow burn. While there are suits of mechanized armor, space bugs, and an intergalactic war, the main thrust of this novel is what happens in the classroom. It’s the story of Johnny Rico’s journey through the ranks of the Mechanized Infantry, what he learns during training, and how he handles life as a soldier. It also explores the possibilities of different forms of government than we know today.

Many of our favorite sci-fi titles take place in a world gone awry. Whether it be in the aftermath of a nuclear war, under the thumb of an authoritarian world-government, or the strange consequences of the pursuit of human perfection, these books explore the dangerous outcomes of humanity’s hubris.

Set in the year 2540, Brave New World depicts a genetically engineered civilization based around an intelligence-based caste system. Every child has emotion, individuality, and ambition conditioned out of them. When Bernard, a disaffected psychologist, brings a natural-born savage home with him from vacation, he sets a series of events in motion that changes his life, and that of those around him forever.

The inspiration for the cult classic film Blade Runner, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? takes place in an alternate 2021 where the world has been devastated by nuclear war. What’s left on Earth is a mixed population of humans and androids pitted against each other in a never-ending battle for status and survival. Rick Deckhard sets out on a mission to assassinate six human-like androids in an attempt to earn enough money to buy a rare live animal as a pet.

When people use the term “Orwellian” today, they’re usually referring to Nineteen Eighty-Four. Concepts like Big Brother, New Speak, Double Think, Thought Police, and more all come directly from this work. Trapped in a totalitarian police state, Ministry of Truth worker Winston Smith and his lover Julia join an underground resistance movement with the aim to take down Big Brother and The Party. Can they possibly succeed?

An unexpected bestseller, Neuromancer brought legitimacy to the infant cyberpunk genre. Set in a dystopian Japan, console cowboy Henry Case’s ability to connect his mind to virtual reality realm known as the matrix is damaged as punishment for stealing from his employer. But he has a chance to win it back by taking job from the mysterious Molly Millions, to steal the digital consciousness of his legendary mentor.

Sometimes great sci-fi gets mixed up with the horror genre. That’s because monsters that attack their creators are a great way to craft a cautionary tale. These books exemplify the “man was not meant to meddle” adage.

Before it was the groundbreaking film, Jurassic Park was Michael Crichton’s signature novel. On a remote Costa Rican island, Jurassic Park is amusement park featuring cloned dinosaurs. Set to open soon, a series accidents prompts eccentric billionaire John Hammond to bring a group of neutral observers to the island to evaluate the safety of the park. But an unexpected chain of events derails the inspection with tragic results.

In Frankenstein, Mary Shelly invents the archetypical character of the mad scientist: Victor Frankenstein. Whose scientific hubris produces a horrific monster. Driven by loneliness, rage, and revenge, the creature longs for companionship and kills to get it. Frankenstein must grapple with the consequences of his ambition and the morality of complying with his creation’s demands for a spouse.

Great sci-fi doesn’t need to feature intergalactic interstellar wars, horrific monsters, or a ruined Earth. Many of the best sci-fi books take place in a story grounded in reality, with just a hint of the fantastical to drive the plot forward.

Annihilation follows an all-female team of scientists on a mapping mission into the dangerous region known as Area X. Severed from civilization by a mysterious transformation decades earlier, nature has reclaimed the territory for itself. Earlier excursions into the zone ended in disaster, desertion, and death. This harrowing adventure explores the enigmas of Area X, the fate of preceding teams, and the destiny of the intrepid women of the Twelfth Expedition.

Written by the legendary Carl Sagan, Contact centers on Ellie, a daring young scientist. She intercepts a coded radio signal from a civilization beyond the stars. When it’s discovered to contain blueprints for a wormhole machine, world governments come together in unprecedented cooperation to build it. Setting up a showdown between science and religion, and forcing Ellie to come to terms with the trauma of her youth.

Arguably the most poignant antiwar novel of all time, Slaughterhouse-Five employs several narrative devices such as the unreliable narrator, non-linear storytelling, and Vonnegut’s own syntactical style to masterful effect. The story follows an American soldier, Billy, throughout through World War II, and its aftermath. Most notably during his time held captive by the Germans, and his experience during the firebombing of Dresden.

For many, the sci-fi genre begins and ends with Star Wars. Over the years hundreds of novels, comics, video games, and more have produced to quench our thirst for light sabers duels, quippy droids, and epic space battles in the universe created by George Lucas.

Before Disney bought the galaxy far, far away back to big screen, fans knew Heir to the Empire, Dark Force Rising, and The Last Command as the official episodes VII, VII, and IX of the Star Wars saga. Introducing beloved characters like Grand Admiral Thrawn, Luke Skywalker’s life love: Mara Jade, and Han Solo and Princess Leia’s children: Jacen and Jaina Solo to the Star Wars universe. The Thrawn Trilogy explores the galaxy in aftermath of a fallen empire and the rise of the fledgling New Republic.