I have recently got into audiobooks, with a focus on classic sci-fi, I just finnished Rendezvous With Rama by Arthur C. Clark (narrated by Peter Gamin), which is absolutely brilliant, highly recommended, and The Time Machine by H. G. Wells (narrated by Kelsey Grammer, free on Apple Books), also brilliant, very different from the 1960s film.

Anyway do you have any tips on classic sci-fi (1870s-1990s) that I should listen to?

I use Apple Books to buy the books, I am not really interested in audiobook streaming, I want to own my books, not rent access to them.

At the moment I have several books that I need to listen to, but I want to buy more now so I have them in my library.

I have the following books in my library:

  • Rendezvous with Rama - Arthur C Clark - Narrated by Peter Gamin
  • The Invisible Man - H. G. Wells - Narrated by Alexandra Coles
  • The Time Machine - H. G. Wells - Narrated by Kelsey Grammer
  • The World Set Free - H. G. Wells - Narrated by Sebastian Blackwood
  • I, Robot - Isaac Asimov - Narrated by Scott Brick
  • Ignition, An Informal History of Liquid Rocket Propellants - John Drury Clark - Narrated by Jonathan Todd Ross

I am planning on getting 2001: A Space Oddesy and some even more Arthur C. Clark…

  • Badabinski@kbin.earth
    3·
    2 hours ago

    I love The Player of Games by Iain M. Banks. The audiobook is narrated by Peter Kenny and he does such a good job with it.

  • darkmarx@lemmy.worldEnglish
    3·
    6 hours ago

    Dungeon Crawler Carl

    Hands down the best audio book series I’ve ever listened to. If you like video games, sci-fi, or fantasy, you will not be disappointed.

  • GreenMartian@lemmy.dbzer0.com
    2·
    6 hours ago

    Speaking of classics, there is a Tim Curry performance of Jules Verne’s Journey to the Centre of the Earth.

    If you’re a fan of Tim Curry (who isn’t?), it’s an excellent one to listen to.

    • stoy@lemmy.zipOP
      2·
      6 hours ago

      I am a fan of Jules Verne, and Tim Curry is brilliant, this sounds amazing, thanks for the suggestion

  • neidu3@sh.itjust.worksMEnglish
    6·
    11 hours ago

    Your list of audio books is very similar to how I started. I stumbled across a torrent with a bunch of Hugo winners, and those were included.

    Some recommendations off the top of my head:

    • Project Hail Mary (Weir).
    • Snow Crash. (Stephenson).
    • Cryptonomicon (Stephenson. Not sci-fi, but I highly recommend it anyway).
    • The End of Eternity (Asimov. His only time travel book).

    And of more recent date, the “Dungeon Crawler Carl” series as released by sound booth Theater is pretty much the gold standard in Audio book production. Seems pretty shallow at first, but the sci-fi element becomes more and more prevalent with time, and it weaves a pretty interesting story. On top of being hilarious. I cannot recommend this series enough.

    In addition to those, Discworld makes for some great audio books as well.

    • TheFunkyMonk@lemmy.world
      3·
      10 hours ago

      Project Hail Mary was my first thought when I read “audiobooks” and “sci-fi”. Not only is there an aspect to the story that lends itself particularly well to the audiobook format, but the narrator (Ray Porter) is so good I’ve sought out other books he’s narrated.

      • Lukaro@piefed.zipEnglish
        2·
        5 hours ago

        One of the single most enjoyable audiobooks I’ve ever “read”. Was just thinking of starting it again this morning, I’ll take this as a sign from the universe that I should.

    • Jarix@lemmy.world
      2·
      11 hours ago

      I’ve just recently listened to book 1 of Dungeon Crawler Carl on audible. I’m really not sold on his partner(I won’t say more than that). Just a style thing, it’s not for me. However I’m enjoying it enough to continue reading more of them. Do you know if there are different audio book versions?

      I read He Who Fights With Monsters and have really enjoyed the voice work in that series.

      • neidu3@sh.itjust.worksMEnglish
        1·
        11 hours ago

        I only know of the version I’ve heard on Audible, and that’s the Sound Booth Theater one (autocorrect butchered the studio name in my comment. Fixed)

  • anon6789@lemmy.world
    1·
    8 hours ago

    The Moon is a Harsh Mistress - Heinlein

    The Mote in God’s Eye - Niven / Pournelle

    Solaris - Lem

    Fire Upon the Deep - Vinge

    Flowers for Algernon - Keyes

    Diamond Age - Stephenson

    Startide Rising - Brin

    The Demolished Man - Bester

    Have Space Suit - Will travel - Heinlein

    Out of the Silent Planet - CS Lewis

    Uplift War - Brin

  • icerunner_origin@startrek.website
    5·
    12 hours ago

    Arthur C Clarke is an excellent author and the Rama series is one of my all-time favourites. I’d recommend anything by Philip K Dick, though honestly I think a good reference would be to pick works listed in the SF Masterworks collection, it’s how I found many of my favourite SF novels.

    If you fancy venturing into modern SF classics, my favourites are by Peter F Hamilton, Iain M Banks and William Gibson; though does Gibson count? He doesn’t even have a middle initial 😄

    • stoy@lemmy.zipOP
      1·
      12 hours ago

      Thank you for your suggestions!

      As for getting into modern sci-fi, I am sure that will happen sooner or later (:

  • ProdigalFrog@slrpnk.netEnglish
    2·
    8 hours ago

    I would highly recommend The Chrysalids by John Wyndham. There’s an excellent audio book version available for free on Archive.org.

    It’s very well written classic sci-fi.

    Some others that I thoroughly enjoyed:

    • Starwolf - Edmond Hamilton
    • The Stainless Steel Rat - Harry Harrison
    • The Jameson Satellite - Neil R. Jones
    • Gunner Cade - Cyril Kornbluth & Judith Merrill
    • The Shockwave Rider - John Brunner
    • Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury
    • Phaid the Gambler - Mick Ferran
    • The Dispossessed - Ursula Le’Guin