This is a stellar list of audiobooks with glittering performances destined to turn even those most set against the format into fans. Seriously! There are many good and practical reasons to listen to audiobooks, but one of the best reasons is simply for the entertainment value brought by a great story narrated well. Which one of these ten was the very best of the best? Read on to find out which audiobook the Discover Sci-Fi community singled out as their top pick! 

Without further ado, based on the combined nominations and votes here on the Discover Sci-Fi blog and the Facebook group, here are your top choices for the best sci-fi audiobook of all time!  

10. Galaxy's Edge by Jason Anspach and Nick Cole narrated by R.C. Bray

This is not the last time you'll see the name R.C Bray on our list. If you're already an audiobook fan, there is no doubt you've encountered Bray's work and know exactly why books he has narrated dominate the top 10. If you are new to audiobooks, take your pick of any sci-fi favorite narrated by Bray and you are sure to have a winner! For space opera and military sci-fi fans, the best-selling Galaxy's Edge series by Jason Anspach and Nick Cole is a great one to check out, starting with the first book in the series, Legionnaire.

The Galaxy is a Dumpster Fire

A hot, stinking, dumpster fire. And most days I don’t know if the legionnaires are putting out the flames, or fanning them into an inferno.

A hostile force ambushes Victory Company during a reconnaissance-in-force deep inside enemy territory. Stranded behind enemy lines, a sergeant must lead a band of survivors against merciless insurgents on a deadly alien world somewhere along the galaxy’s edge. With no room for error, the Republic’s elite fighting force must struggle to survive under siege while waiting on a rescue that might never come.

Pick up Legionnaire here on Amazon

9. Old Man's War by John Scalzi narrated by William Dufris

Not every narrator can populate an audio performance with a perfect cast, but William Dufris commands a dazzling array of voices that bring to life the dozens of audiobooks he’s narrated. —Audiofile Magazine

Sadly, William Dufris, the voice actor who provided the brilliant narration for John Scalzi’s Old Man’s War died this year. He was among the very best narrators in business; a multi-award winner with a passion for the medium that is evident in every performance. His work on Old Man’s War is no exception. It is a performance likely to win over even the most reluctant listener. If you are still unsure if audiobooks are for you, this might just be the one to check out. 

John Perry did two things on his 75th birthday. First, he visited his wife's grave. Then he joined the army.

The good news is that humanity finally made it into interstellar space. The bad news is that planets fit to live on are scarce - and alien races willing to fight us for them are common. So, we fight, to defend Earth and to stake our own claim to planetary real estate. Far from Earth, the war has been going on for decades: brutal, bloody, unyielding.”

Start listening to Old Man's War here on Amazon.

8. Renegade Star Series by JN Chaney narrated by Luke Daniels

Drawing on his background in classical theatre and film, Luke Daniels is well suited to audiobook narration—thanks to his expressive and engaging voice. —Audible

There are half a dozen incredible narrators on this list, but Luke Daniels is the only one who has been inducted into the Narrator Hall of Fame. Daniels has narrated hundreds of books and won countless awards for his work. Through his thoughtful and expressive narration, he brings every story and every character into full living color; and so it is with JN Chaney's epic Renegade Star series. For many fans of the series, Luke Daniels is Jace Hughes. The Renegade Star series drew to a close September with the final instalment, Renegade Peace (not yet available in audio, but it's coming!). And while fans may lament that the series is over, there is good news: you can continue to follow Jace in a brand new series, The Renegade, also narrated by Daniels.

Jace Hughes is a Renegade.

That means taking almost any job that comes his way, no matter the situation. So long as he can keep his ship floating, he's free to live the life he wants. But that all changes when he meets Abigail Pryar, a nun looking for safe passage out of the system. Too bad there's something off about the cargo she's carrying.

Jace knows he shouldn't ask too many questions, but when strange sounds start coming from inside the large, metal box, he can't help but check it out. Big mistake. To make matters worse, he's being pursued by unknown ships - people who want that cargo. Does Jace give up the goods and hand over the nun ...or does he risk it all for an even bigger payout?

Get your copy of Renegade Star here on Amazon.

7. The Expanse Series by James S. A. Corey narrated by Jefferson Mays

“As brilliant as the author's use of language is, Jefferson Mays' narration brings a next-level genius of his own.” —Expanse Fandom

No doubt you’ve heard of The Expanse. The series, co-written by Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck under the name James S.A. Corey, was one of the biggest sci-fi hits of the last decade. Even those sci-fi fans who haven’t read the books will probably be familiar with the T.V. show based on the series.

Even if you’ve read the series and watched the show, the audiobooks, narrated by Tony Award winning actor Jefferson Mays, are absolutely worth a listen. If you’re ready to give it a go, start with the first book in the series, Leviathan Wakes.

Leviathan Wakes is James S. A. Corey's first novel in the epic New York Times best-selling series The Expanse, a modern masterwork of science fiction in which humanity has colonized the solar system. 

Two hundred years after migrating into space, mankind is in turmoil. When a reluctant ship's captain and washed-up detective find themselves involved in the case of a missing girl, what they discover brings our solar system to the brink of civil war and exposes the greatest conspiracy in human history.

Take a listen to Leviathan Wakes here on Amazon.

6. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline narrated by Wil Wheaton

Eureka! I finally found one: an audiobook that I loved. I mean what 80’s baby wouldn’t appreciate an audiobook narrated by Wil Wheaton loaded with 80’s pop culture references to boot? —Saturday Nite Reader 

Perhaps best known for his roles in T.V. and film—highly visible roles such as Wesley Crusher in the iconic Star Trek franchise—Wil Wheaton has been performing as a voice actor for almost 40 years; quite the legacy for a man who is not yet 50. Starting at 10 years old with ‘The Secret of NIMH,’ Wheaton has gone on to voice characters in dozens of shows and, for the last several years, has lent his talents to a number of notable audiobook productions, including Ernest Cline’s Ready Player One.

This book, especially as narrated by Wheaton, manages to have broad appeal so while we’re all sci-fi fans here, if somewhere in your future you have a long drive with a friend or family member who is NOT and you’re looking for some entertainment you can both enjoy, this audiobook might fit the bill. The story is fun, it’s nostalgic and Wheaton does a tremendous job bringing it to life. And if you fall in love with the book, know you can look forward to Ready Player Two, out next month, also narrated by Wheaton. 

At once wildly original and stuffed with irresistible nostalgia, Ready Player One is a spectacularly genre-busting, ambitious, and charming debut - part quest novel, part love story, and part virtual space opera set in a universe where spell-slinging mages battle giant Japanese robots, entire planets are inspired by Blade Runner, and flying DeLoreans achieve light speed.

Grab Ready Player One here on Amazon.

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5. Hell Divers by Nicholas Sansbury Smith narrated by RC Bray

Nicholas Sansbury Smith’s Hell Divers series is one of four titles on this list narrated by R.C. Bray—clearly he is in demand as a narrator, and clearly fans love what he is putting out. We wanted to speak directly with one of the authors working with Bray and hear, from their perspective, why Bray was chosen to bring their story to life, and what it is like working with one of the most sought after voices working in narration today. Lucky for us, Smith was happy to oblige:

The Hell Divers series started as a gritty, dark vision of the future where electrical storms dominate the skies, and mutated beasts roam the wastelands on the surface of Earth. Over two hundred and fifty years have passed since World War III destroyed the planet. The only hope for the few survivors of humanity are Hell Divers. The MC, Xavier Rodriguez "X", is a legendary diver that has survived 95 jumps into those wastes to retrieve parts and supplies for the airship he calls home. And while some of the passengers see X as a hero, those that know him best know he's a reckless alcoholic with a death wish.

Due to the content, I knew this series would need a gritty, deep voice to match the environment of these books, and that's exactly what we got with R.C. Bray. He brings X to life in a way I'm not sure anyone else could, as Bray’s scratchy, gruff voice works well to paint a picture of the trials and tribulations X experiences as a Hell Diver. Thanks to R.C. Bray, the series continues to reach a new level and new readers. The books have hit the NYT bestseller list twice, they were picked by Audible as a 2016 Science Fiction best, and as an Audible Editor's pick. Most recently, Hell Divers 7 was selected as a finalist for the 2020 SOVAs voice awards in the science fiction category. 

We couldn't have done any of this without our listeners, and I'm grateful for each and every one of you. For potential new readers, thank you for considering this series as your next listen. 

They dive so humanity survives …

More than two centuries after World War III poisoned the planet, the final bastion of humanity lives on massive airships circling the globe in search of a habitable area to call home. Aging and outdated, most of the ships plummeted back to earth long ago. The only thing keeping the two surviving lifeboats in the sky are Hell Divers—men and women who risk their lives by skydiving to the surface to scavenge for parts the ships desperately need.

When one of the remaining airships is damaged in an electrical storm, a Hell Diver team is deployed to a hostile zone called Hades. But there’s something down there far worse than the mutated creatures discovered on dives in the past—something that threatens the fragile future of humanity.

Get your copy of Hell Divers, book one in the series  here on Amazon.

4. The Martian by Andy Weir narrated by R.C. Bray

“Fan favorite R.C. Bray has narrated over 300 audiobooks. He is the recipient of multiple industry awards including his Audie Award-winning performance of Andy Weir’s The Martian which continues to help make it one of the best-selling audiobooks of all time.” —Business Wire

Fans loved the R.C. Bray narrated version of Andy Weir's The Martian and it certainly didn’t need to be reworked, but like many things, the decision to do so came down to money. A pile of it, according to Weir. We’re not saying we don’t think the version voiced by Wil Wheaton is bad, but we understand why people loved the original and why it was the version nominated for the poll.

It would appear the only audiobook version of The Martian available for purchase now is the one narrated by Wheaton, but it is worth checking your libraries to see if you can find a copy of the original to borrow. If your local library doesn't have it and you'd like to hear what the hype is about, you can check out a sample of the original here.

Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on Mars.

Now, he's sure he'll be the first person to die there.

After a dust storm nearly kills him and forces his crew to evacuate while thinking him dead, Mark finds himself stranded and completely alone with no way to even signal Earth that he’s alive - and even if he could get word out, his supplies would be gone long before a rescue could arrive.

Chances are, though, he won't have time to starve to death. The damaged machinery, unforgiving environment, or plain old "human error" are much more likely to kill him first.

But Mark isn't ready to give up yet. Drawing on his ingenuity, his engineering skills - and a relentless, dogged refusal to quit - he steadfastly confronts one seemingly insurmountable obstacle after the next. Will his resourcefulness be enough to overcome the impossible odds against him?

Dive intoThe Martian here on Amazon.

3. Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams narrated by Stephen Fry

Douglas Adams’ Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy is a hilarious sci-fi romp that has landed on many of our top 10 lists through the years. Not only that, if you were to do a google search for “funniest sci-fi” you’d almost certainly find the book there. All to say, pairing this book with the narration skills of notable actor and comedian Stephen Fry was a solid choice for a can’t-miss listen. 

If you’ve read HHGTTG, you know it is a book that begs to be re-read, so whether you’re considering this title for the first time, or contemplating reading it for the tenth time, definitely give the audiobook a shot. 

Seconds before the Earth is demolished to make way for a galactic freeway, Arthur Dent is plucked off the planet by his friend Ford Prefect, a researcher for the revised edition of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy who, for the last 15 years, has been posing as an out-of-work actor.

Together this dynamic pair begin a journey through space aided by quotes from The Hitchhiker's Guide and a galaxy full of fellow travelers.

Get your copy of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy  here on Amazon.

2. We Are Legion (We Are Bob): Bobiverse by Dennis E. Taylor narrated Ray Porter

"The thing I'm happiest about is the diversity of work projects. You have everything from Greil Marcus's book to Jonathan Maberry's Joe Ledger series to books about physics..." —Ray Porter

Ray Porter is a thoughtful and talented narrator with dozens of titles under his belt across many genres, but perhaps his most popular performances are those he's done for Dennis E. Taylor's series We Are Legion (We Are Bob.)

As the good folks over at Bookriot note, We Are Legion (We Are Bob) is one of the rare books out there that has more ratings on Audible than it does on Goodreads, and while we can't say for sure that this means more people are listening to the audiobook than are reading the book, it seems a logical conclusion. It's a highly entertaining story and the reading experience is enhanced by Porter's excellent performance. It's no mystery why this series was popular right out of the gate, and why its fanbase continues to grow.

Bob Johansson has just sold his software company for a small fortune and is looking forward to a life of leisure. The first item on his to-do list: Spending his newfound windfall. On an urge to splurge, he signs up to have his head cryogenically preserved in case of death. Then he gets himself killed crossing the street. Waking up 117 years later, Bob discovers his mind has been uploaded into a sentient space probe with the ability to replicate itself. Bob and his clones are on a mission to find new homes for humanity and boldly go where no Bob has gone before. 

Start reading We Are Legion (We Are Bob)  here on Amazon.

1. Expeditionary Force by Craig Alanson narrated by R.C. Bray

There is no denying that Alanson’s Exforce is a rip-roaring good time, no matter the format you choose. But ask any fan who has listened to the audiobooks and they will tell you, that R.C. Bray really does take the whole experience to the next level! Alanson’s fans are a passionate bunch, to say the least, and they come out in droves to support his work when it is nominated, but it will surprise no one who has heard Bray’s performance of the series to see this one come out on top. It’s definitely worthy! The only question is why the heck hasn’t Bray, who voiced four of the ten titles on our list, been inducted into the Audible Hall of Fame yet? Exforce fans: maybe you need to make this your next group project. 

Whether you’re an audiobook fan who has yet to experience this dazzling production, or a print-loving hold out skeptical of the format, you’ll want to listen to this one. Start with the Audie nominated first book, Columbus Day and be prepared to binge from there! 

When the morning sky twinkled again, this time with Kristang starships jumping in to hammer the Ruhar, we thought we were saved. The UN Expeditionary Force hitched a ride on Kristang ships to fight the Ruhar wherever our new allies thought we could be useful. So, I went from fighting with the US Army in Nigeria to fighting in space. It was lies, all of it. We shouldn't even be fighting the Ruhar; they aren't our enemy. Our allies are. 

I'd better start at the beginning.

Grab Columbus Day  here on Amazon.

We'll never convince all of you to give audiobooks a shot, but if you haven't taken a listen before, or if you have but the book fell flat, we recommend you give the ones on this list a shot.  Where should you start? That is up to you.

To those of you who are already audiobook fans: What do you think of our top 10? How many of these audiobooks have you listened to? Which one will you try next? We'd love to hear from you!

Weigh in on the comments here on the blog, or visit us  here in our Facebook group to chime in on the debate, and make sure to check out our most recent poll while you're there!

*All book-related copy in this post was pulled from Amazon, Goodreads & Wikipedia, unless otherwise credited.