Best Cyberpunk Audiobooks
It’s no surprise I’m a massive fan of cyberpunk audiobooks. Cyberpunk is a science fiction sub-genre that takes place in a dystopian future. Technology and humans have intertwined in an unwanted and often dangerous way. It imagines a world that is dark, gritty, and often apocalyptic. While it may be a daunting experience to maneuver the complicated themes that coincide with this genre, listening to a cyberpunk audiobook can be an immersive experience. Dive into the best cyberpunk audiobooks that will leave you with a new sense of appreciation for this genre.
Neuromancer by William Gibson
William Gibson’s Neuromancer is an excellent start if you are new to cyberpunk. It’s the book the basically founded the entire genre. The story follows the Case, a former hacker who finds himself stripped of his ability to jack into cyberspace. That is until a mysterious employer comes along and makes him an offer he can’t refuse. The cyberpunk audiobook production narrated by Robertson Dean brings the world to life. Its electrifying energy transports the listeners into the dystopian world. Find it on Audible here.
Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson (our top recommended best cyberpunk audiobooks)
Snow Crash is a satire on the corporate and societal aspects in a cyberpunk world. Our protagonist, Hiro Protagonist, works as a swordfighter in a virtual reality. When a new drug called “Snow Crash” hits the market, Hiro must go on a wild ride to save the world from a dangerous virus. Jonathan Davis narrates the audiobook, who gives voice to the humor and vivid descriptions scattered throughout the story. Undoubtedly one of the best cyberpunk audiobooks ever. Find it on Audible here.
Altered Carbon by Richard Morgan
Altered Carbon was a game-changer in cyberpunk and brings up the concept of “sleeving” as a means to immortality. Set in a future where death has lost all its meaning, we follow Takeshi Kovacs, a former soldier who is brought back to life to solve a mysterious crime in exchange for a second chance at life. This best cyberpunk audiobook narrated by Todd McLaren is a perfect blend of slow-revealing and action-packed thriller. Find it on Audible here.
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
In an overpopulated and dark future, people spend most of their time playing a virtual reality game called the OASIS. The creator of the game, James Halliday, died and left his immense fortune to whoever solves the riddles hidden in the game. We follow the protagonist, Wade Watts, as he becomes the first person to solve the first riddle and sets off a dangerous competition to solve the rest. The audiobook , narrated by Wil Wheaton, adds an enthusiasm that brings the world of OASIS fully to life. Find it on Audible here.
36 Streets by T.R. Napper (best cyberpunk audiobook you’ve never heard of)
36 Street is an ultra-violent whirlwind set amongst a futuristic world of organized crime in Vietnam. We follow outsider Lin “The Silent One” Vu – a gangster and private investigator living in Chinese-occupied Hanoi. It’s a paranoid world full of deception with more twists and turns than a VR circuit board. Sexy and breathtaking in equal measure, this is an uncovered gem world worth digging up. Definitely one of the best cyberpunk audiobooks you’ve never heard of. Find it on Audible here.
And finally, my latest cyberpunk audiobook…
Thrill Switch by Tim Hawken (my own best cyberpunk audiobook)
Thrill Switch is a new cyberpunk audiobook that is an absolute earbender. It follows foul-mouthed, rooked detective Ada Byron into the dark side of The Holos (a contemporary version of The Metaverse). Slated as Silence of the Lambs meets Ready Player One, this pick in our best cyberpunk audiobooks list has been getting wildly high praise online. Destined to become a true classic. The perfectly noir narration of Molly Secours is a must listen. Find it on Audible here.
Cyberpunk is unlike any other sub-genre of science fiction. Its bleak settings and dark tones paint a dystopian world in which everything has to go wrong, but still manages to hook the reader from start to finish. The audiobooks bring an added dimension of immersion that increases the stakes and makes the world’s danger feel all too real. These picks can be a great place to start your journey into cyberpunk and fall in love with the genre. Listen to them on a dark night, and you will feel like you have peeked into a different, but oh so familiar future.