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  • Top 10 Science Fiction Audio Books

    Posted by Tadej Gregorcic on February 6, 2010

    One thing to keep in mind when picking an audio version is the production quality – e.g. I have encountered a few versions of Dune books I simply could not finish due to a monotonous or uninformed narrator.

    Here is my top 10 list of books that do have great audio versions (some even with multiple narrators and music), along with corresponding links on Audible.

    1. Frank Herbert: Dune Classic Series (6 books)

    This original series containing Dune, Dune Messiah, Children of Dune, God Emperor of Dune, Heretics of Dune and Chapterhouse Dune is perhaps one of the most profound and well written works of science fiction I have ever encountered.

    Strong elements of philosophy and religion – combined with great writing. Where other writers tell the story, Frank Herbert shows it.

    2. Dan Simmons: Hyperion Cantos (4 books)

    Hyperion, The Fall of Hyperion, Endymion, The Rise of Endymion. As profound and memorable as Dune, the writing again near to perfect. Where Dune uses Near-Eastern inspired philosophy as a building block, Simmons pulls the reader/listener into a masterful transformation of the romanticist John Keats’ poetic legacy.

    Very relevant references for present-day questions regarding the transformation and consumption of media as well as the interdependence of man and machine.

    3. Orson Scott Card: Ender’s Game (4 books)

    Ender’s Game, Speaker of the Dead, Xenocide, Ender’s Shadow

    Very popular, contemporary, again emotionally very engaging and well written. For me, especially books 2 and 3 were very powerful.

    4. Neal Stephenson: Cryptonomicon

    View Cryptonomicon on Audible

    Not really science fiction, but a must-listen for computer scientists. A great novel interweaving stories in WW2 and the present day, with emphasis on cryptology and wide-spread hacker appeal.

    5. Neal Stephenson: Snow Crash

    View Snow Crash on Audible

    A great cyberpunk novel introducing the metaverse (inspired Second Life). Often surprising and funny, but also profound.

    6. Arthur C. Clarke: Childhood’s End

    View Childhood’s End on Audible

    An early Clarke novel, perhaps foolishly aspiring in trying to introduce one too many paradigm shifts in a few hours, but nonetheless thought provoking and a must-listen.

    7. Neal Stephenson: Diamond Age

    View Diamond Age on Audible

    A novel about a young lady’s illustrated primer – contains a lot of visionary technological ideas and loads of good Stephenson writing.

    8. Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle: The Mote in God’s Eye

    View the Mote on Audible

    Where Niven is good at dangling the carrot, Pournelle adds some excellent plotting in this very classical sci-fi novel. Hard sci-fi.

    9. Larry Niven: Ringworld (2 books)

    Ringworld, Ringworld’s Children

    As with Mote, Niven’s novels are a bit blunt and straight-forward when compared to more profound masterpieces such Dune and Hyperion (at least in my opinion). But he definitely makes up with story-telling and just pure hard sci-fi.

    10. Neal Stephenson: Anathem

    Anathem on Audible – the link does not seem to work in Europe at the moment

    At number 10 just because I have not managed to get through it. The premise has drawn me since before its release, so I will perhaps have to revisit this list once I am through.

    That’s it – my top 10 sci-fi list for 2010.

    I have been a fan of classic science fiction far longer than I have been listening to audio books, so I knew most of these books before getting an audio version.

    A lot of people I know told me that they are not able to draw equal enjoyment from an audio book, especially not with fiction.

    For me, the experience is very equal and I will often switch from audio to text and back in the middle of a single book, based solely on convenience (e.g. if I am traveling, enjoying the sun on a beach or jogging).

    What is your top 10 sci-fi list? Am I missing a must-read/listen?

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    Tags: audible, audiobooks, sci-fi, science fiction
  • 20 Comments

    1. Notgivingit

      Good list. Hyperion is my favorite. I also enjoy Rendezvous with Rama.

      December 7, 2010 at 6:22 am ·
    2. Calum

      I think you should put Isaac Asimov's Foundation series near the top of this list, is a masterpiece of sci-fi and the reading by Scott Brick read makes it great to listen to.

      January 15, 2011 at 4:19 am ·
    3. Robert

      Anything by Neil Gaiman. I would be hard pressed to pick a favorite between American Gods or Anansi Boys.

      March 8, 2011 at 9:11 pm ·
    4. tadej

      Thanks, will check it out!

      March 8, 2011 at 9:14 pm ·
    5. Cassiusduke

      I am nearing the end of EE Doc Smiths Lensman series Read by Reed McColm. Its a lovely series and well worth a listen.

      March 26, 2011 at 10:55 pm ·
    6. Noirlecroi

      Good list…but should almost be a list of 10 classic audiobook experiences.  I would definitely add the series by Alistair Reynolds and Peter Hamilton.  I'm constantly trying to recreate the fun of listening to those 90+ hour trilogies trying to recreate the fun of listening to those 90+ hour trilogies

      May 16, 2011 at 1:25 am ·
    7. Tadej Gregorcic

      Yes, the post is a year old and I would definitely add at least the Commonwealth and Void sagas in the mean time. Thanks for the Alistair Reynolds tip!

      May 16, 2011 at 7:26 am ·
    8. Montag00

      Totaly agree about the Dune series and the narration being dull for some of the later 3 books

      June 12, 2011 at 11:01 am ·
    9. Simon Hartman

      I much prefer American Gods to Anansi Boys.

      My favourite Sci-fi audio is definitely The Forever War, written by Joe Haldeman. I haven't seen it in any of these 'top sci-fi audiobooks' lists, and am truly surprised. It blew me away (my copy performed by George Wilson, who takes a bit of getting used to though).

      July 8, 2011 at 5:41 am ·
    10. Andy Young

      my top 10 sci – fi audio books are :
      1. The way station – Clifford.D.Simack
      2.City – Clifford.D.Simack
      3.The forever War/Forever Peace – Joe Haldeman
      4.Childhoods End _ Arthur c clarke
      5.Shadow over insmouth/Whisper in the dark – H.P.Lovecraft
      6.Surface Tension – James Blish
      7.Convergance – Charles Sheffield
      8.Selected stories of Philip.K.Dick (Volumes 1 & 2)
      9.The humanoids – Jack Williamson
      10.Farewell to the master – Harry bates

      September 5, 2011 at 8:47 pm ·
    11. Porobot

      I agree completely, hyperion is propably best book in general for my taste and Rama may be mostly sci fi tourism but those vistas are spectacular.

      July 23, 2012 at 11:27 am ·
    12. Sidnaw

      My list of 10, not in order of preference — some more fantasy than science fiction

      Brief History of the Dead – Kevin Brockmeir
      Soon I will be invincible – Austin Grossman
      Contact – Carl Sagan
      Fuzzy Nation – John Scalzi
      The Road – Cormac McCarthy
      Most of the Jack McDevitt books
      More than human – Theodore Sturgeon
      A fire upon the deep – Vernor Vinge
      The Dying Earth – Jack Vance
      Stardust – Neil Gaiman

      August 31, 2012 at 6:52 pm ·
    13. Anthony

      Thanks for the list! (I know I’m late finding it.) I’ve listened to about half and read a few more in print. I might have to try Stephenson again at your suggestion. I listened to Anathem and thought it was a total bore.

      October 4, 2012 at 9:37 pm ·
    14. Andy Phillips

      No one has said Robert A Heinlein
      stranger in a strange land – 1961
      the moon is a harsh mistress – 1966
      starship troopers – 1959
      yes it’s the space bug movie, and yes it’s a must read

      October 26, 2012 at 6:08 am ·
    15. Antigone

      Very nice! I have absolutely loved listening to The Hitchiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, along with the other four books in the series. The first is read wonderfully by Stephen Fry and the rest by Martin Freeman :) I highly recommend!

      November 29, 2012 at 5:38 pm ·
    16. David Levin

      Ender’s Game is definitely one of my favorite Sci-Fi reads ever. I didn’t care for the sequels in the Ender series but the Shaddow series is an amazing follow up.

      February 9, 2013 at 10:09 pm ·
    17. Tadej Gregorcic

      @David: after all this time, I am very tempted to re-read or re-listen to the Ender’s Game. What a masterpiece.

      February 15, 2013 at 9:55 pm ·
    18. Kevmo

      Foundation (1-3)
      Speaker for the dead
      Childhoods end
      Stranger in a strange land
      Hyperion
      Dune
      Those are my favorites, any suggestions on others and where to buy them?

      March 13, 2013 at 3:20 am ·
    19. Max

      I’m so glad Sidnaw included Vernor Vinge. “Fire…” and “Deepness in the Sky” are some awesome examples of an author creating new alien species in cool and different ways.
      And for romping good times across the Milky Way you just can’t go wrong with Peter F. Hamilton’s space operas. Each series gives you a few thousand pages (or 100 hours) of steamy, action packed, brain candy.
      In the same vein, Iain M. Banks culture series is full of fun, stand alone, quality sci-fi. But several are kind of sad as well (“Use of Weapons”, for example) and can be hard to follow in audio form if you’re multi-tasking.

      March 16, 2013 at 4:41 pm ·

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