Extinction Cycle: Dark Age series

Books in Series: Extinction Shadow (Book 1); Extinction Inferno (Book 2); Extinction Ashes (Book 3)

In the wake of an engineered virus that permeated the globe, many humans have been infected and transformed into Variants, brutal apex predators that know nothing but violence. A war to take down these infected creatures united nations against them, and ultimately humans were victorious. A decade later, as civilization rebuilds, nefarious forces have come together with the surviving Variants to wipe out humanity once and for all. Narrator R.C. Bray takes the brutality and intensity of this series to new heights with an expert performance.

Dune series

Books in Series: Dune (Book 1); Dune Messiah (Book 2); Children of Dune (Book 3); God Emperor of Dune (Book 4); Heretics of Dune (Book 5); Chapterhouse Dune (Book 6)

A standard-bearer of sci-fi excellence, Dune comes to life in a completely different way in audio, especially as performed by a full cast of narrators, all of whom bring their own spin to Frank Herbert's iconic work. On the desert planet Arrakis, two families wage an intergenerational struggle for control over the planet, which is the universe's only home for melange, a spice that cures sickness, elongates life, and gives its users supernatural abilities. With its themes of environmentalism, Dune's timeliness is only matched by its utter excellence.

Hyperion series

Books in Series: Hyperion (Book 1); The Fall of Hyperion (Book 2); Endymion (Book 3); The Rise of Endymion (Book 4)

The world of Hyperion is home to an ominous creature called the Shrike: an idol of worship to some, a source of terror to others, and a target of intense hatred and destruction for others still. The Shrike awaits the arrival of seven pilgrims, who are traveling to meet it on the eve of an invasion from a race of superhumans. This fast-paced and riveting series gives each character the stage to tell their story, matched with deft oratory from a pool of talented narrators.

Binti series

Books in Series: Binti (Book 1); Binti: Home (Book 2); Binti: The Night Masquerade (Book 3)

Nnedi Okorafor is a truly gifted storyteller, able to create a deeply layered, tangible world in the space of only a few hundred pages. Binti is a quick listen—the entire trilogy clocks in at just under 13 hours on Audible—but the world of Oomza University and the conflicts facing the title character are no less realized than in a series two or three times its length. Robin Miles lends pathos and subtlety to performing Okorafor's prose, culminating in a truly unforgettable audiobook experience.

Three Body series

Books in Series: Ball Lightning (Book 0); The Three-Body Problem (Book 1); The Dark Forest (Book 2); Death's End (Book 3); The Redemption of Time (Book 4)

Interweaving sci-fi with real-life Chinese history, volume one of Three Body takes place all over a fractured timeline during China's Cultural Revolution. A secret military project is attempting to establish contact with alien life, signals of which are intercepted by an alien civilization on the brink of total collapse. They form a plan to save their civilization by invading and conquering Earth. From there, this series explores the full implications of extraterrestrial contact.

Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series

Books in Series: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (Book 1); The Restaurant at the End of the Universe (Book 2); Life, the Universe, and Everything (Book 3); So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish (Book 4); Mostly Harmless (Book 5); And Another Thing... (Book 6)

While sci-fi book series are often associated with very serious topics—everything from universe-wide existential threats to the extinction of humanity—it cannot be overstated just how well Douglas Adams managed to combine science fiction with comedy in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Following the haphazard voyage of an everyday man from Earth who is flung all around the galaxy, this series hits well on the fun and playfulness of science fiction as a genre. This is especially aided by the brilliant comic timing of the all-star narrators, as well as the great finale penned by Eoin Colfer after Adams's death.

Earthseed Duology series

Books in Series: Parable of the Sower (Book 1); Parable of the Talents (Book 2)

Octavia E. Butler was a master of science fiction, and her Earthseed duology may just be the best in her decorated body of work. Set in a near-future Earth, these two books depict the evolution of Earthseed, a religious movement built on the belief that “God is Change,” in response to the chaos and violence of modern society. Told through a series of diary entries by protagonist Lauren Olamina, the prophet of the Earthseed movement, this series illuminates vital truths about humanity and the necessity of adaptation to survival.

Vorkosigan Saga series

Books in Series: Falling Free (Book 1); Shards of Honor (Book 2); Barrayar (Book 3); The Warrior's Apprentice (Book 4); The Vor Game (Book 5); Cetaganda (Book 6); Ethan of Athos (Book 7); Borders of Infinity (Book 8); Brothers in Arms (Book 9); Mirror Dance (Book 10); Memory (Book 11); Komarr (Book 12); A Civil Campaign (Book 13); Winterfair Gifts (Book 13.1); Diplomatic Immunity (Book 14); The Flowers of Vashnoi (Book 14.1); Captain Vorpatril's Alliance (Book 15); Cryoburn (Book 16); Gentleman Jole and the Red Queen (Book 17)

This sprawling epic of sci-fi is a testament to just how much an author can explore a world or concept when they have a dedicated vision. Beginning with the story of a humble engineer named Leo Graf who has been assigned to a morally questionable project that involved the genetic manipulation of innocent children, this 17-book series is at turns thrilling and heartbreaking, crafting a fascinating rumination on the consequences of humanity's desire to control their fate. Grover Gardner provides narration to every volume in this expansive series, leaving listeners dozens of hours to savor Lois McMaster Bujold's masterful storytelling.

Wayfarers series

Books in Series: The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet (Book 1); A Closed and Common Orbit (Book 2); Record of a Spaceborn Few (Book 3)

Rosemary Harper is a crew member of the Wayfarer, , voyaging through space in an attempt to distance herself from a troubled past. However, said troubled past may very well have been traded in for a chaotic present, as she must navigate the personalities and quirks of her fellow crew. When the crew is offered a job building a hyperspace tunnel to a planet on the far reaches of the universe, they jump at the opportunity to earn a massive payday, even if it means facing dangers unlike any they've encountered in their numerous travels. Author Becky Chambers explores the implications of the Wayfarer crew’s decision over the course of three novels, accompanied by Patricia Rodriguez's inviting narration.

Machineries of Empire series

Books in Series: Ninefox Gambit (Book 1); Raven Stratagem (Book 2); Revenant Gun (Book 3)

After a battle against a band of heretics goes wrong, Captain Kel Cheris is disgraced, ostracized, and left with only one prospect for redemption: taking back a star fortress that has been captured by the opposition. In order to have any hope of succeeding in this mission, Cheris seeks out an unlikely ally: an undead general who went mad in his first life, massacring his own army in battle. While planning a siege on the taken fortress, the pair forms an unexpected bond, despite Cheris's doubts of how much she can trust her new partner. This is the launching point of an exhilarating trilogy that explores the fallout of wartime decisions.

The Imperial Radch series

Books in Series: Ancillary Justice (Book 1); Ancillary Sword (Book 2); Ancillary Mercy (Book 3)

A starship is destroyed, and the only survivor is the ship's artificial consciousness, setting the stage with a vengeance for this thrilling space opera. In Ancillary Justice, author Ann Leckie introduces listeners to Breq, a character who does not recognize gender and is compelled by a desire for revenge against those who destroyed its initial starship form. In three fast-paced volumes, Leckie invites listeners into a world ravaged by conflict, betrayal, and uncertainty, and provides a considerable depth to a character that is otherwise regarded as an automaton. By the time Breq's journey reaches its end in Ancillary Mercy, it is impossible not to bite your nails in anticipation of how it will all conclude. The Imperial Radch trilogy is a unique and emotional listen, enhanced by the nuanced and dedicated narration of Adjoa Andoh, who captures the energy of Lackie's writing perfectly.

Murderbot Diaries series

Books in Series: All Systems Red (Book 1); Artificial Condition (Book 2); Rogue Protocol (Book 3); Exit Strategy (Book 4); Network Effect (Book 5)

Beginning with the novella All Systems Red, Martha Wells's Murderbot Diaries series explore the ethics of artificial intelligence by asking difficult questions and providing tight, intensely listenable prose. The protagonist, a robot that has managed to hack its own program and become self-aware enough to ask existential questions (as well as give itself the name Murderbot), is assigned to a mission with a crew to explore an alien planet. When one of the crew members is attacked by a giant native creature, Murderbot saves her and discovers that important survival information was omitted from the crew's files for this expedition. Martha Wells's great writing is brought further to life by Kevin R. Free's impassioned, committed narrative performance. This ongoing series is one to watch, especially for those of us who appreciate dilemmas of morality and conscience.