Ask HN: Best audiobooks you've listened to recently? (Cosmic horror/non-fiction)

by febedon 4/26/2025, 4:19 AMwith 13 comments

I have a long flight coming up and I’m looking for audiobook recommendations — fiction or non-fiction. If it’s fiction would be interested in cosmic horror or sci fi genres.

by DantesKiteon 4/26/2025, 6:36 AM

I really enjoyed the Edward Herrman narration of the "At the Mountains of Madness" when I listened to it years ago.

What struck me is how it still feels haunting even decades later; it aged quite well. I couldn't help shake the creepy feeling there was something unearthly at the edges of our world.

by romanhnon 4/26/2025, 5:46 AM

I really enjoyed listening to the Silo series by Hugh Howey recently. I also went through a Stephen King binge years ago and I specifically recall Frank Muller did a great job with the narration on many of the books (sadly he passed away before finishing the Dark Tower series).

by paulcoleon 4/29/2025, 9:17 PM

No super recent but I listened to Devolution by Max Brooks (World War Z author) while trail running in the PNW

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devolution_(Brooks_novel)

It's read by Judy Greer (among others) and I liked it a lot.

by LarsLarsonon 4/26/2025, 7:20 AM

The Bobiverse series is a top notch sci-fi audiobook with great narration. https://audiobookdb.net/series/3B5S2xAj

or if you want a single audiobook you have to listen to Project Hail Mary from the author of the Martian https://audiobookdb.net/audiobooks/Vg0f71nk

hope you enjoy these

by riffraffon 4/26/2025, 5:03 AM

"greatest hits", a collection of short stories by Harlan Ellison. Should be available on many platforms, I listened to it on audible.

Mostly sci-fi, some great, some good. Most are read by the author himself, who has a peculiar style ("over the top" perhaps is the best way to describe it).

Some of the stories are classic, so I think it's worth reading/listening to.

Some are just boring and/or confusing for me, ymmv.

by blindedon 4/26/2025, 4:35 AM

I recently finished book 4 of Red Rising series. Its great! The author is finishing the last book and it should be out early next year.

by cpachon 4/26/2025, 11:46 AM

I’ve been listening to The Road to Serfdom by FA Hayek. It’s quite interesting.

by mshon 4/27/2025, 7:54 PM

For cosmic horror “a colder war” by Charlie stross is great.

by ktalletton 4/26/2025, 1:53 PM

Beyond the Wall was a really interesting listen about the DDR.

by jelicicmon 4/27/2025, 8:43 PM

Haruki Murakami's What I talk about when I talk about running was a nice listen. For bonus points, listen while running obviously.

by ivapeon 4/28/2025, 3:51 PM

The Last Lion, Winston Spencer Churchill.