It was a particularly astounding year for sci-fi Originals. The casts had some star power, sure (Jessica Chastain, Brendan Fraser, Rose Leslie, among others), but these performers did not rely on recognition alone, giving their hearts and souls to each scene. Immersive sound design, including Dolby Atmos spatial audio, proved the near-limitless potential of audio storytelling. Beloved authors and narrators make an appearance on this list—as well as three debuts that stole our SFF editor's heart.
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Months after listening, I still can't get this story out of my mind. Some Desperate Glory delivers a rich, terrifying vision of post-Earth humanity and a misguided hero whose redemption you can’t help but root for. Sena Bryer delivers such a nuanced and emotionally charged performance of Emily Tesh’s complex characters—human and nonhuman alike. I cannot wait to hear more from her. —Sam D.
Jessica Chastain stars as a psychiatrist tasked with helping multiple patients who have all had the same bizarre, unexplained experience. One of the most exciting releases of the year sounds like a must-see movie. Instead The Space Within is a superbly performed, absolutely compulsive, and thought-provoking eight-episode podcast series. I found it incredibly difficult to hit pause on this one or stop after just one episode, and I actually listened twice—once to unravel the mystery as quickly as possible, and once to catch all the finer details and hints throughout. —S.D.
The writing of John Scalzi combined with the narration of Wil Wheaton is always a sure bet—I’m pretty certain at this point the two are involved in some kind of nerdy mind meld. But Wil’s energetic delivery and knack for deadpan humor shines extra bright in this wildly fun, outlandish tale. Did I mention there are sentient cats? Scalzi is clearly a friend among us self-identified cat people—and you might just look at your own pet slightly differently after hearing this one. —S.D.
Naomi Alderman may be the smartest writer working today. In The Future, as she did in her breakout hit The Power, she draws on rich religious traditions, cutting-edge technology, world history, climate science, and a deep, unflinching understanding of human nature to deliver a complex and multilayered speculative thriller with an imaginative structure that keeps you on your toes. Her massive cast of well-sculpted characters has been matched with an equally impressive narrative cast, including Natalie Naudus, Guinevere Turner, and Santino Fontana. It's hard to sum up everything I loved about this listen, but maybe top of the list is how I can't seem to stop thinking about it. —Emily C.
Sci-fi veteran author Robert J. Sawyer has crafted a twisty, frightening tale with big sci-fi concepts and a full cast that delivers the humanity. Academy Award winner Brendan Fraser proves that his triumphant return to acting is only getting started, portraying a complex character—a convicted crime-of-passion murderer—with incredible nuance. His delivery is at once gruff and weary, and I found myself eagerly awaiting each turn in his story. —S.D.
This Original podcast tosses listeners right into the danger and action with a thrilling tale of war and time travel. The sound design is harrowing, which makes it perhaps unsurprising to learn that creator Justin Lockey is a renowned composer and musician. Rose Leslie (Game of Thrones) and Ariyon Bakare (Good Omens) ground this high-concept story with deep, sensitive performances. —S.D.
Howlers, rejoice—the Reaper has returned. Pierce Brown’s sweeping dystopian epic (the penultimate novel in the Red Rising series) goes back to its roots with a singular narrator, Tim Gerard Reynolds, who originated the voice of Darrow in the original trilogy. His performance is nothing short of a bloody damn triumph. And the story itself is no different. Full of political intrigue, complex character work, and a continuation of the saga’s long-standing themes of identity, duty, war, forgiveness, and found family, Light Bringer is both an excellent new installment in a fan favorite sci-fi series and a feat of storytelling in its own right. —Alanna M.
Every year during our Best of the Year selection process, we discover a handful of listens that have somehow evaded our radars throughout the year. Thankfully, this gem was one of those revelations. Perfect for fans of N. K. Jemisin's Broken Earth trilogy, this lush, imaginative science fantasy is elevated by a truly inspired dual narration, courtesy of Pranshu Mishra and Sharmila Devar. —S.D.
At its heart, TJ Klune’s tale is a love letter to literature and pop culture in all its forms—subverting the beloved Pinocchio story and weaving in elements of science fiction that harken back to the classics. And while it’s filled with androids and other robots, there’s a theatricality to the story compounded by the bevy of voices narrator Daniel Henning breaks out in his performance—and that really breathes life into the narrative. In the Lives of Puppets is a little bit queer romance, a little bit sci-fi, and a little bit comedy, but it’s all escapism. —Michael C.
A less capable narrator might have been intimidated by this complex story and its multitudinous characters, but fortunately, the impeccable Natalie Naudus is our guide. Bethany Jacobs has crafted a richly imagined world with high stakes and imminent perils, and Naudus draws the listener in effortlessly. I'm already hungry for the next installment in this trilogy. —S.D.
In this second full-length novel in the series, Martha Wells's Murderbot shows no signs of slowing down. In fact, this may just be the most vulnerable we've seen our favorite ruthless killing construct. Kevin R. Free is similarly unstoppable as a performer. AI has never had so much heart. —S.D.
Translation State offers a welcome return to Ann Leckie's Imperial Radch universe with a story engrossing enough to captivate new fans. A narrative so centered on language might intimidate an unseasoned performer, but for Adjoa Andoh, it's an opportunity to show off her incredible range of voices, characters, and emotion. —S.D.
