Diving into a good book is one of my favorite escapes, especially when the setting transports me to another world, a secret world within our world, or deep into outer space. (Seriously: “Beam me up, Scotty!”) While reading Science Fiction and Fantasy in print often allows readers to enjoy beautifully illustrated maps or informative technical drawings, there are some wonderful titles that are even more fabulous on audio thanks to their narrators’ performances. I am over-the-moon thrilled to share these fantastic SFF audiobooks with y’all today.
Fellow escapist readers will understand the readerly desire to be transported to long ago and far, far away by a story. I am always on the hunt for a book that will captivate me with the same excitingly unique ambiance as some of my all time favorite fantasy and sci-fi from pop culture. Think Mandy Patinkin saying, “My name is Inigo Montoya” in The Princess Bride, the “I Want to Believe” poster from Mulder’s office in The X-Files, and the updated cylons in the 2004 reboot of Battlestar Galactica. That’s where exceptional SFF audiobooks come into play! The audio experience truly carries me away to the out-of-this-world setting and creates extraordinary reading adventures.
One major thing all these audiobooks have in common is their enchanting narrators and immersive performances. We are talking about some real audio wizardry! Audiobook enthusiasts will spot a few familiar favorite narrators, celebrities, and even a couple of full cast recordings with sound effects. For those new to audiobooks, you may enjoy taking a chance on one of these titles and discovering new fascinating places to explore.
Sci-fi and fantasy are expansive genres with tons of different types of books so this list has a little bit of everything: space operas, adventures, retellings, love stories, alternate histories, mysteries, and more. While by no means exhaustive, think of this list as a jumping off point with great otherworldly places to get started. Plus, I cannot wait to hear everyone’s recommendations for awesome SFF audiobooks to use a credit on or place on hold at the library. Make sure to comment below with your fantabulous favorites!
SFF that is fabulous on audiobook
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This Is How You Lose the Time War
One of the most cerebral and atmospheric books I have read. Red and Blue are two rival time-travel agents for their warring enemies, brought together in remarkable ways after discovering a letter that reads ”Burn before reading.” The epistolary sapphic tale really works on audio thanks to the impressive performances of Cynthia Farrell and Emily Woo Zeller. I am not sure I could even explain half of the time-travel elements or the world building but I was happy to go along for the ride and here for the otherworldly vibes. 4 hrs 16 mins. More info →
Legendborn
This impressive fantasy YA novel weaves secret societies through familiar Arthurian legend on UNC Chapel Hill’s campus. Bree has just arrived for a residential high school program when she witnesses a magical demon attack and is thrust into the world of the Legendborn. Deonn adds so depth and history to this immersive series by addressing grief, generational trauma, and the racist South. Bree’s story is packed with action, creature battles, fun YA tropes, and surprises, and narrator Joniece Abbott-Pratt brings it all vividly to life. The short chapters and quick pacing make the longest audiobook on this list feel too short, in a good way. Content warnings apply. 18 hrs 54 mins. More info →
Carry On
One of my three books I loved when I was on WSIRN Ep 275: How many book clubs is too many book clubs? and the first in a fantasy series set at Watford, a magickal school following Simon Snow aka “the worst Chosen One who's ever been chosen” and his nemesis/roommate Baz. I am still completely smitten with this book and cannot recommend the splendid audiobook narrated by Euan Morton enough. The plot is entertaining, surprising, and layered with emotion. The magickal spells like “U can’t touch this” & “these aren’t the droids you are looking for” are very clever and the delightful world-building is top notch. (If you enjoy creative meta fiction, it is fun to note Carry On began as a “book within a book” of Rainbow Rowell’s YA novel Fangirl.) This MM enemies to lovers story has my whole heart. 13 hrs 38 mins. More info →
The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi
The Pirates of the Caribbean meets Oceans 11 in this 2023 MMD Minimalist Summer Reading Guide pick. Amina, a renegade pirate captain and middle-aged mother, is simply trying to enjoy a quiet retirement. But when she is hired to save a former crewmate’s kidnapped daughter, Amina pulls together her old ragtag crew to help with one last job. I was hooked immediately by the interactive storytelling expertly narrated on audio by Lameece Issaq and Amin El Gamal. Action-packed, funny, and creative, this is a truly unique and exciting tale. 16 hrs 59 mins. More info →
Artemis
A heist on the moon? Sign me up! Jazz Bashara lives and works as a porter in Artemis, the moon’s only city. Living on the moon is pricey, so she has to do some light smuggling on the side to make ends meet. But when Jazz stumbles across an opportunity to settle her debts once and for all, this "good-hearted crook" gets tangled up in a conspiracy she didn’t expect. The absolutely fantastic performance by Rosario Dawson (recorded before she traveled to a galaxy far, far away as Ahsoka) makes this fast-paced and often humorous sci-fi a must listen. I was fascinated by the descriptions and explanations of how life on the moon worked and couldn’t stop listening or rooting for Jazz. 8 hrs 57 mins. More info →
In the Quick
I wish more classic literature retellings were set in space! This tale follows young and brilliant astronaut trainee June from her time at the National Space Program to her assignment as the Engineer on a space station. I absolutely loved the quick chapters, technical details, and sparseness of the story. (Short chapters are my love language.) The fabulous audiobook was captivating, as performed by one of my personal favorites, Rebecca Lowman. Add extra bonus points for a female sci-fi writer and a strong, interesting female lead. 7 hrs 58 mins. More info →
Nimona
After loving this incredible graphic novel about shapeshifter Nimona and her "evil" boss, I was excited to find the full cast audiobook with cool sound effects. The narration by Rebecca Soler, Jonathan Davis, and Marc Thompson brings the story to life in such a creative way. Funny, sad, sweet, strange, action-packed, and heartwarming. What a treasure! Plus, there is a Netflix adaptation that would make an awesome pairing. 2 hrs 16 mins. More info →
Foe
Wow, this eerie psychological sci-fi really packs a punch. Married couple Junior and Henrietta live a quiet life on their farm before a stranger arrives with news that Junior has been randomly selected to take part in a mission to space with the company OuterMore. The sparse and weird story that follows is great on audio, as narrated by Jacques Roy. I thoroughly enjoyed this twisty tale and think fans of Annihilation and Ex-Machina would too. 5 hrs 31 mins. More info →
The Starless Sea: A Novel
A beautiful and layered novel about graduate student Zachary Ezra Rawlins and some very magical adventures, I loved this even more than the author’s The Night Circus which I highlighted in 21 spine-tingling but not TOO scary audiobooks for fall. Her way with words and characters is astounding. I absolutely adored the full cast narration by Dominic Hoffman, Dion Graham, Bahni Turpin, Fiona Hardingham, Allan Corduner, and Jorjeana Marie. And while this seems to be one of those polarizing books that readers either love wholeheartedly or just can’t get into, I am pleased to say I fall in the former category. If you like libraries, fresh-baked goods, cats, fairy tales, and/or video games then this might be the book for you too. 18 hrs 37 mins. More info →
Tress of the Emerald Sea
The first release from Sanderson’s record-breaking Kickstarter book campaign, this standalone fantasy was written as a gift for his wife to make her smile during those early pandemic days. Thankfully, she urged him to share the book with readers, who embraced this delightful tale of a young woman journeying far across a treacherous sea to save her beloved from an evil Sorceress. If Tress’s quest sounds familiar, that is because it is heavily inspired by the much beloved The Princess Bride. The lively audiobook is performed by Michael Kramer, one-half of the married duo who narrates most of the author’s books. Whimsical, adventurous, and full of unique characters, it is hard not to have fun with this audiobook. Note: Sanderson initially chose not to make the audiobook available on Audible but he recently announced a deal is forthcoming. 12 hr 27 min. More info →
Magic for Liars
This gritty sapphic detective noir set at a magic school is wonderfully haunting on audio, as performed by Xe Sands! Imagine The Magicians meets Who Framed Roger Rabbit? with dashes of Chinatown and Jessica Jones. The book follows Ivy, a private investigator hired to look into the gruesome murder of a faculty member at the private magical academy where her estranged sister Tabitha works. Magical and mysterious with diverse characters, this one was right in my wheelhouse. Content warnings apply. 9 hrs 23 mins. More info →
A Dead Djinn in Cairo
Hats off again to MMD team member Shannan for introducing me to Clark’s Dead Djinn Universe, a fantasy series set in an alternate Egypt in 1912. When Special Investigator Fatma el-Sha’arawi is sent to investigate a suspicious death from suicide by Cairo’s Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments, and Supernatural Entities, she is quickly pulled into a much larger sinister plot. I really enjoyed the world-building and procedural investigation details in the atmospheric audiobook narrated by Suehyla El-Attar. The first in the series, this a short novella that can be read as a standalone and listened to in an afternoon! 1 hr 41 mins. More info →
Binti
This fast-paced space novella that drops you straight into another world! Quick-thinking Binti is the first of her people to attend the prestigious galactic Oomza University. While she travels the universe, Binti uses her culture’s knowledge and strength in the face of great danger. Robin Miles’s terrific narration creates a stellar audiobook. (Pun intended.) Readers who prefer a clean-cut conclusion, be aware that this one truly feels like the first in a trilogy with that ending! 2 hrs 30 mins. More info →
The Kaiju Preservation Society
This sci-fi action book is so much fun! Pacific Rim meets Jurassic Park in this energetic audiobook narrated by fan favorite Wil Wheaton. Jamie is a food delivery driver during COVID-19 who gets the unique opportunity to work for a highly secret company in a location far away with some VERY large creatures. Very entertaining and humorous, this Audible original is like listening to a summer movie blockbuster. (Honestly, I am surprised we haven’t seen it on the screen yet.) 8 hrs 2 mins. More info →
All Systems Red: The Murderbot Diaries
Murderbot is the best, simply the best. The first novella in a popular series about a rogue Security Unit (SecUnit) who hacks their governor module and just wants to watch its favorite media program “The Rise and Fall of Sanctuary Moon” undisturbed. You may have already heard about this book, but it's worth sharing again because Kevin R. Free’s phenomenal narration makes the series even better. I will never be able to read it in print again; the audiobooks are seriously that good! Light on the world-building and full of humor, this is my favorite book series currently being published. Plus, it's the perfect time to listen to the audiobook before the Apple TV+ show starring Alexander Skarsgård premiers. 3 hrs 17 mins. More info →
Quintessence
I don’t read middle grade books often, but I always love ones written by Jess Redman. Full disclosure: I am lucky enough to call Jess a good friend and truly cherish this heartwarming tale with notes of friendship, family, and finding your way. And of course, a good dose of magic and science! This is a touching story about Alma, a twelve-year-old who has recently moved to the town of Four Points and is suffering from panic attacks brought on by the move. When she witnesses a star that is shaped like a child fall from the sky, Alma and her friends set off on an exciting quest to save the starling. The wonderful audiobook is read by Caitlin Davies, who also narrates The Ex Hex. Perfect for fans of Stardustby Neil Gaiman. 7 hrs 28 mins. More info →
Piranesi
So grateful to MMD team members Baylee and Ginger for giving me the push to read this mysterious novel I've had on my TBR since its 2020 release. I firmly believe it is best to know very little about this book before diving in, but I can share this much: Piranesi lives in a labyrinth lined with statues and surrounded by water with only one other person in the gigantic home, The Other. He is content with his life and weekly meetings with The Other but over the course of his explorations he begins to unravel the mystery and secrets of his world. This twisty and beautifully written tale is absolutely EXCELLENT on audio as narrated by actor Chiwetel Ejiofor. One of my top ten audiobook experiences ever! 6 hrs 58 mins. More info →
Gideon the Ninth
I am currently reading and digging this darkly hilarious fantasy horror novel about Gideon, a lesbian swordswoman in a world of necromancers. Narrator Moira Quirk's voices are lively and simply charming, which is a lot to say for a book with so much blood and reanimated skeletons. A favorite of MMD Team member Leigh as well, I keep finding myself laughing out loud while listening and am reminded of the movie Army of Darkness. My friend Julie aptly describes this funny, touching, and gross first in a series as MTV’s Daria in space. Content warnings apply. 16 hrs 50 mins. More info →
Shuri: A Black Panther Novel (Marvel)
Marvel fans, this one's for you! So glad MMD Team member Donna recommended it to me after I mentioned enjoying the comic book adaptation of Shuri by Nnedi Okorafor. In this lively middle grade novel, T’Challa’s younger sister steps into the spotlight while on a quest to save Wakanda’s Heart-Shaped Herb. The audiobook has an especially cinematic feel thanks to the superb narration by Anika Noni Rose who also lends her beautiful voice to Disney’s Princess Tiana. 5 hrs 42 mins. More info →
Blood Oath (Nathaniel Cade Book 1)
It's been years since I binge listened to this gory vampire series, but I often think of the excellent and surprising audiobook performance by actor Bronson Pinchot. (Yes, Cousin Balki Bartokomous for those who remember Perfect Strangers.) The premise is wild. Nathaniel Cade is a dedicated secret agent for the President of the United States Cade. But he's no ordinary agent—he's a centuries-old vampire bound by a blood oath to protect US citizens from the stuff of nightmares with the aid of his human handler Zach Barrows. This one is not for the faint of heart, but great for fans of Blade and unique odd couple/buddy cop duos. Content warnings apply. 10 hrs 22 mins. More info →
What are your favorite science fiction and fantasy audiobooks? Please share in the comments.
P.S. Science Fiction/Fantasy for beginners.
About the author
Brigid Misselhorn is our MMD Book Club Community Administrator. Her go-to genres are mystery, romance, and sci-fi. You can find Brigid on Instagram @brigid_emily.
51 comments
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir was excellent on audio! It’s the only Andy Weir book I’ve read, so I’m looking forward to checking out the one you recommended above!
I LOVED Amina Al Sirafi – and hoping for a sequel coming soon! Also love Naomi Novik – her Spinning Silver and Deadly Education trilogy are great on audio!
Oh, and the Broken Earth trilogy by N.K. Jemisin is fantastic on audio! Narrated by the always amazing Robin Miles.
My friend was just recommending this one to me the other day and I enjoy Robin Miles’ narration too!
Oh you’ll have to read The Martian too!! Great either on audio or physical, and paired with the wonderful movie version!
I second the Martian! SO good and another one read by Mr. Wil Wheaton.
I loved that so much on audio!! One of my all time favorites audiobooks!
NK Jemisin’s Broken Earth trilogy and Great Cities duo are terrific on audio with Robin Miles narrating.
I’m surprised that The City We Became didn’t make this list!
Andy Serkis has read all three volumes of The Lord of the Rings, as well as The Hobbit and The Silmarillion. By all reports, he did an excellent job.
For those wanting more First Age material from Tolkien in audio format, Christopher Lee was wonderful reading The Children of Hurin.
My all-time favorite, Heinlein’s Stranger in a Strange Land.
The Raven Boys series and the Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer are both fantastic book series that are made even better by fantastic narrators!
Ooh, than you for the rec Vicky! I have tried those before but never on audio.
What a great list! I’m adding Foe to my to-listen list, and I’m putting A Starless Sea on my libro.fm wish list for a reread. I love Amina Al-Sarifi and Murderbot, so I’m happy to see them listed, too!
Cannot wait to hear what you think of Foe, Melanie!
Such a great list!! I would also add the ever popular Project Hail Mary (so perfect on audio IYKYK) and Jemisen’s The City We Became duology! Easily one of my most unforgettable sci fi listens ever
That is good to know about The City We Became, I have wondered about that one on audio. And totally agree on PHM, Kimberly!
I absolutely loved Ancillary Justice and the rest of the trilogy by Ann Leckie and narrated by Adjoa Andoh.
Amelia, thank you for the recommendation! I have not heard of this series and I adore Adjoa Andoh’s narration!
Red Rising! One of my favorite series, I’ve listened to them all twice and the narrator is incredible!
Love these too! Especially the Graphic Audio versions. Anxiously awaiting Part 2 of Morning Star. Gorydamn exciting.
I must also chime in on Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir. I think it’s the best sci fi out there.
Totally agree!
IF Xe Sands narrates it, I’m down for it! Looking forward to reading Magic for Liars.
Tami, same! Xe Sands’ voice is so unique. Hope you enjoy it.
Omg this list is amazing! I am adding so many titles to my Libby holds! Thank you!
Yay! Glad to hear it, Sarah! Hope you enjoy the audiobooks.
I am not sure if it falls under this category, but I have just finished Fourth Wing and I am now listening to Iron Flame. I never thought I would love this genre, these books are so good! They have held my interest and I can’t wait to see here Violet and her dragon go next.
Kim, you are not alone! They sure are popular. So glad you enjoy them. (This was a rare series that I actually preferred on print and liked the second better than the first.)
I recently starting getting back into fantasy, and so I picked on up on audio. I found it sooo difficult to listen to because (a) there are sooo many characters and (b) the names are so weird that it made it hard to track who’s who. My workaround ended up using the Kindle whisper-sync, so I could at least have a visual on the characters and their names. But I wonder if fantasy is worse than sci-fi for this reason?
This is a great point, Courtney! I often keep a print or ebook copy around to reference as well with both genres. Plus, I often gravitate to fantasy set in a familiar place or time to help with some of my confusion about characters!
For audiobook, Paladin of Souls by Lous McMaster Bujold!
Currently working my way through Al Sirafi and I echo your praise! I also want to highlight The Priory of the Orange Tree / A Day of Fallen Night which features multiple audio narrators. Both are fantastic fantasy reads – sapphic, lots of queer representation, lots of dragons, epic battles, very cool world and lore based on the legend of St. George and the Dragon.
Michah! How did I never know that the Priory has St. George and the Dragon inspiration?! Thank you!
I thrift, and always I’m on the lookout for vintage 80s fantasy or scifi by women writers. Two of my favorites are Joyce Ballou Gregorian, and J. V. Jones. Highly recommend!
That is so fun Vicki, I will have to start looking for those at used bookshops. My husband enjoys The Elric Saga by Michael Moorcock so we are always on the hunt for those.
I would recommend Sisters of the Vast Black, A Spindle Splintered, Ninth House, Amari and the Night Brothers, A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking, and Soulless on audio. Thanks for all the great recommendations above; I’ve never heard of some of them!
Thank you, Amy! I enjoyed A Spindle Splintered as well and have Amari waiting for me to read in my Libro library!
This is such a great collection that you’ve shared with us, Brigid! Thanks for all the recs; I’ve added a handful to my TBR: Artemis, In The Quick, The Kaiju Preservation Society, All Systems Red, and Quintessence! Looking forward to reading all of these!
I don’t have any recommendations; I just wanted to join in on super-fan-girling over the Murderbot series! SO good and so hilarious, if you have a dry, slightly cynical sense of humor like me. It is the rare book that my husband and I both enjoyed on audio, and he pretty much doesn’t ever listen to audiobooks. I’m sure Murderbot has been recommended a lot but seriously, it’s such a good rec! 😀
AGREE SUSANNAH!
I’m interested to try a few of these—some of my favorites are The Illuminae Files (it’s so good on audio), the Aurora Cycle, Brandon Sanderson’s Skyward, Red Rising, and An Ember in the Ashes (I could listen to Steve West read ANYTHING). Also, The League of Princes narrated by Bronson Pinchot was a hit with my whole family—my six year old, my tween, and my husband loved it.
Oh fun, adding The League of Princes to my TBR. And totally agree on Skyward! Thanks, Susan!
WAIT – Balki now narrates books? I just pulled his canon in Libby and added several to my wishlist. But there are SO MANY that he’s done. What a great day!
Right?! And he is so good, Stefanie. I just realized that he reads the second in the Area X Trilogy and I got to listen to it now!
Kenneth Branagh’s reading of the brilliant Mortal Engines series by Philip Reeve is, according to my children, ‘perfect’. The stories are wonderful and moving and I highly recommend them in any form.
The Apollo Murders by Chris Hadfield and The Illuminae Files series by Amie Kaufman. Both are great good fun. If you are in the mood for space opera try the Starbound series, also by Amie K.
Oh that is good to know, Criss! I didn’t realize the same author wrote Illuminae and the Starbound series. I have yet to read them but have seen them around for years. And The Apollo Murders is the same narrator as PHM, Ray Porter!
Thanks for the SF and Fantasy list. I’m rediscovering the joy of SF with the remarkable Adrian Tchaikovsky trilogy: Children of Time. Future space exploration, planet seeding, and a brilliant mix of story and science. I’m 70 and enjoying this author so much I wanted to share. Book Worms United!
Raybearer is excellent on audio.
I just finished the second installment in the Murderbot series. How absolutely delightful. Fast read, not a lot of science. Good character building. Also really enjoyed Artemis. Knew I would because it’s Andy Weir! Can’t go wrong there.