The best audiobooks about aliens for curious humans

This brand new translation of the science fiction classic sees main character Kris Kelvin arriving on an orbiting research station to study the impressive ocean on the planet below. Slowly but surely, all of the researchers begin to experience physical manifestations of their most painful memories. When Kris begins to see his late wife, he wonders whether it is worth the sacrifice to try to unlock the mysteries of Solaris. Alessandro Juliani, an actor known to sci-fi fans for his role on Battlestar Galactica, narrates the existential dilemma beautifully.

Set against the backdrop of China's Cultural Revolution, Cixin Liu's The Three Body Problem imagines a future world where a secret military project has made contact with an alien civilization. With their own world on the brink of destruction, the aliens make plans to invade Earth. The Three-Body Problem features a wide range of interesting and complicated characters, and 2012 Narrator of the Year Luke Daniels does a stellar job at bringing each distinct voice to life.

While this Kurt Vonnegut classic is widely known for its searing account of the psychological toll of surviving the Dresden bombing, the protagonist, World War II veteran Billy Pilgrim, experiences much more than traumatic flashbacks. Slaughterhouse-Five tells a nonlinear story that brings Billy to a mysterious zoo-like enclosure inhabited by an alien race known as the Tralfamadorians. With a brilliant mix of historical and speculative fiction, this novel stands the test of time and, as voiced by James Franco, stands out in audio.

One of the major first-contact stories in sci-fi, Rendezvous with Rama focuses on a group of space explorers and planet-bound scientists preparing for a history-making encounter with a giant alien starship and its unknown inhabitants. Not only does it hold fierce allegiance to real science—this Hugo and Nebula Award-winning novel makes for a heck of a mystery too. Pulsing with suspense and chock-full of fascinating ideas, this listen is signature Arthur C. Clarke and a genuine classic.

This entry is the first in a series of novels based on the hit science-fiction horror film franchise that began with Alien. Ridley Scott's dark, dangerous corner of the galaxy is crawling with a deadly alien race known as Xenomorphs. Covenant takes place on a colony ship bearing the same name and follows what happens to the crew when they land on a remote planet that turns out to be worlds apart from the paradise they had anticipated.

There is something special about this near-future sci-fi novel. The first installment in The Wormwood Trilogy, Rosewater is set in a fictional Nigerian community that was spawned following the appearance of a mysterious alien biodome with immense powers. Author Tade Thompson’s voice is truly unique, and his one-of-a-kind science-fiction experience is a perfect hook to get into the series.

This 1898 novel is widely considered the granddaddy of modern science fiction. In War of the Worlds, H.G. Wells takes us on a journey to turn-of-the-century England after hostile Martians land just outside London. At first, the invaders seem harmless, even laughable, as they struggle to acclimate to Earth's comparatively heavy gravity. But it quickly turns to a battle for survival, as the Martians effortlessly crush England's military defense efforts and demonstrate their thirst for human blood. Multiple Audie Award-winning narrator Simon Vance captures the escalating horror of it all.

The Sparrow brings themes of faith and understanding to the wide world of speculative alien fiction. In this novel, Jesuit priest and linguist Emilio Sandoz is tasked with leading a mission to make first contact with intelligent alien life. While this expedition begins with optimism and good fortune, things slowly take a turn towards more bleak outcomes as the team learns more about their subjects.

Author Sue Burke's first dive into science fiction, Semiosis tells a compelling, and deeply creepy, tale of human colonists looking for a place in the cosmos to settle. Faced with limited food and even more sparse options, they land on a lush but dangerous planet, full of flora and fauna that provide unique challenges. As evidence of an intelligent life form mounts, it soon becomes clear that the settlers are way out of their league. Narrators Daniel Thomas May and Caitlin Davies bring the large cast, both humans and aliens, to life.

N.K. Jemisin’s novel The City We Became marks the beginning of a series that follows the story of five New Yorkers who must come together to defend their city. In this world, every city has a soul, and New York has six of them—one for each borough plus a mysterious sixth soul. Hall of Fame narrator Robin Miles nails the intrigue and local color in a performance that Audible listeners describe as "phenomenal" and "excellent as always."

In The Disordered Cosmos, theoretical physicist Chanda Prescod-Weinstein—one of fewer than 100 Black American women to hold a PhD in physics at the time of publication—shares her truly groundbreaking vision of the cosmos, informed by science, history, politics, feminism, and the wisdom of Star Trek. Along with detailing her mind-expanding theories, Prescod-Weinstein calls attention to the racism and misogyny rampant in her field and lays out a bold new approach to science and society, grounded in a belief in every human's unalienable right to know and love the night sky.

In Interstellar, esteemed scientist Avi Loeb, the longest serving Chair of Harvard's Astronomy Department, lays out his persuasive argument for the existence of alien life. Throughout this revelatory listen, the author expounds on his theory—previously laid out in his bestselling Extraterrestrial—that a piece of alien technology from a distant star likely visited our solar system. Combining scientific and philosophical perspectives, this listen raises some of the biggest questions facing the human race, including, What would we do if aliens visited us?

The Possibility of Life bridges speculative science with anthropology. Author Jaime Green considers the cosmos's infinite possibility for life and reflects this grand consideration back onto humanity, examining our innate fascination with the beyond. Tracking scientific advancements, pop culture touchstones, and the common human experience, she brings a deeply human lens to the big question: "Are we alone?"

While the late, great astronomer Carl Sagan was no stranger to science fiction (his classic novel Contact brilliantly combines scientific discoveries with hypothetical scenarios), he is best known for his contributions to theoretical physics. In this seminal entry, Sagan explores the possibilities of humankind as it enters the space age. Starting with the space race in the Cold War, Sagan traces our history of touching the sky, eventually delving into possibilities for future space explorations. With his signature sense of wonder, Sagan maps out a hopeful future for the human race.

This comprehensive guide explores the history of the now infamous unacknowledged government facility, Area 51. Located deep in the Nevada desert, this base has long been the target of conspiracy theorists worldwide. Said to contain the US government's archive of alien artifacts, the possibilities surrounding this mysterious location are captivating, to say the least. Author Annie Jacobsen secured exclusive access to 19 men who worked on the base, debunking some theories and adding even more questions to others.

Not so long ago, the thought of true believers in UFOs inspired images of people wearing tinfoil hats. But now, the idea isn’t so far-fetched and it's picking up mainstream appeal, especially after respected astronomer and Harvard professor Avi Loeb hopped aboard the speeding UFO train with his debut title, Extraterrestrial. In this audiobook, Loeb focuses on the idea that we recently had an extraterrestrial visit by way of the mysterious Oumuamua in 2017. While many astronomers pegged it as a comet, other researchers, including Loeb, believe Oumuamua was extraterrestrial in nature. This audiobook examines Loeb’s controversial thinking and considers the massive implications on everything from science to religion that alien visitation might have on our society.

Communion is the iconic and riveting firsthand account of author Whitley Strieber's close encounter with an alien in 1985. After this heavily impactful experience, Strieber relentlessly pursued evidence supporting his claims. To this day, Communion remains one of the most influential and compelling testimonials to the reality of extraterrestrial life.

Dreamland tells the intriguing story of physicist Bob Lazar. Lazar was employed at the now notorious Area 51, where, according to him, he was tasked with reverse engineering a mysterious propulsion system that he was told came from outer space. Resolute to not keep this information locked away, he began to tell his family and close friends about the strange assignment, and eventually took his story to award-winning investigative journalist George Knapp. Lazar promptly lost his job and was ousted from the scientific community, sparking a debate over his supposed UFO.

The Believer tells the bizarre story of Dr. John Mack and his tireless commitment to studying hidden dimensions and alternate realities. A Harvard psychiatrist and Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer, Dr. Mack became immersed in investigating personal accounts of encounters with aliens, risking his credibility and career. Author Ralph Blumenthal, who coauthored the 2017 New York Times article that broke the news of a secret Pentagon unit investigating UFOs, draws on interviews with Mack's closest associates and exclusive access to his archives, journals, and psychiatric notes to capture a brilliant man who was utterly captivated by the potential existence of alien life.

In Dimensions, the scientist and prolific UFO researcher and author Jacques Vallee trains an objective eye on historical records citing the existence of UFOs and the general belief in alien contact. Examining reports worldwide over multiple centuries, Vallee seeks to find the common experiences associated with these so-called alien encounters. Considered through a critical lens, Dimensions asks the listener to utilize their own intuition while exploring these cases.

History Network's hit show Ancient Aliens has managed to strike a chord with viewers worldwide. In this audiobook companion piece, many of the most famous cases of potential extraterrestrial visits are explored, from the Great Pyramid of Giza to the mysterious Nazca Lines in Peru. Offering some behind-the-scenes footage from the show's creation, this listen deepens the fascinating possibilities investigated on TV.