Science Fiction
Read Science Fiction Classics in English
331 science fiction books at CEFR A2 to C2 — learn English by reading the stories worth reading. Select any word for an instant translation, listen to the narration read the page aloud, and save the vocabulary you meet. Pick your level and start with a free sample.
What are the best science fiction classics to read in English as a learner?
The best science fiction classics for English learners are the well-known titles you can read in the original — start with Zero Data, Zeritsky's Law and Zarlah the Martian. Each one is labelled with a CEFR level, any word you do not know is one selection away from a translation, and the narration reads the page aloud while it highlights the words.
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Level B2Science FictionZeritsky's LawWhen a cat accidentally freezes itself and comes back to life unchanged, it sparks a revolutionary idea: freezing humans to pause life itself.
Level B2Science FictionYoung Man from ElsewhenAn old man embarks on a train journey, defying his age and restrictions, as he navigates the challenges of growing old and clings to memories of freedom and youth.
Level B2Science FictionWorld in a MirrorOn a distant planet where everything is reversed—from social customs to driving—an interstellar expedition struggles to bridge cultural divides amid rising tensions and unexpected…
Level B2Science FictionWho Goes There?Two battle-worn ships flee a relentless enemy through the solar system, desperately seeking refuge on a watery planet to deliver a critical message that could save their world.
Level B2Science FictionWhen Whirlybirds CallIn a city terrorized by enormous, whirlwind-like birds that snatch victims midair, a fearless gunslinger armed with futuristic weapons arrives to confront the deadly "Coocoo-downdr…
Level B2Science FictionWhen Day is DoneIn a futuristic world where businessmen escape the office jungle for a literal one, a middle-aged executive dons his jungle suit and sonic pistol to navigate a perilous artificial…
Level B2Science FictionWhat Rough Beast?In a dystopian future where education has failed and chaos reigns, a teacher faces violent riots fueled by mysterious, mechanical beasts.
Level B2Science FictionWe're Off to Mars!When a mysterious package arrives from the future, Joe Linger is enlisted in a daring experiment to navigate the tangled branches of time and alternate universes.
Level B2Science FictionWar-Lords of the MoonAs the Earth-Moon fleet races toward the Moon, mysterious cosmic disturbances dim the stars and cripple communications, leaving Flight-Commander Bruce Ross to confront a deadly thr…
Level B2Science FictionWait for WeightAt a rocket research station, Dr.
Level B2Science FictionVital IngredientIn a future where fighters’ every move is mentally controlled by veterans, a champion boxer faces his last match—and the temptation to break free and fight on his own.
Level B2Science FictionVenus Has Green EyesStranded in Venus’s relentless Black Swamp with a dubious map to a lost xanite mine, space adventurer Flip Miller faces ruthless pirates, a mysterious native queen, and forty days…
Level B2Science FictionVassiFacing a grim medical prognosis, Julia Fenway retreats to her lonely apartment—only to find herself haunted by a mysterious, disembodied voice claiming to be a historian from anoth…
Level B2Science FictionValley of the CroenIn a divided Korea, a mysterious golden statue points the way to a hidden valley where flying disks land and unknown tribes thrive.
Level B2Science FictionValley of DreamsA perilous Martian expedition races against time to return before Earth’s orbit shifts, while two explorers brave deadly terrain to recover crucial scientific films—and uncover mys…
Level B2Science FictionUnder the desert starsA mysterious European woman, lost in distant thoughts and harboring secrets, captivates a keen observer in bustling New York.
Level B2Science FictionTybaltA rebellious teenager, Mallison, challenges his physics teacher's authority, masking deeper discontent beneath his indifferent exterior.
Level B2Science FictionTrips to the MoonA sharp-witted traveler breaks free from tradition to challenge gods, philosophers, and historians in a bold, satirical journey through ancient myths and the art of storytelling, b…
Level B2Science FictionTrees Are Where You Find ThemIn the timber country of Oregon, a small logging community faces the threat of a powerful newcomer aiming to buy out local mills and strip the land bare for a pulp mill—jeopardizin…
Level B2Science FictionTransientA biologist's computer begins spitting out cryptic astrological messages instead of scientific data, hinting at a mysterious malfunction—or something more uncanny.
Level B2Science FictionTom Swift circling the globe; or, The daring cruise of the Air MonarchAn audacious wager challenges Tom Swift to circle the globe in just twenty days, relying on his inventive genius and an array of cutting-edge machines.
Level B2Science FictionTom Swift and His Submarine Boat; Or, Under the Ocean for Sunken TreasureAn inventive young man returns from a daring airship flight to join his father in perfecting a groundbreaking submarine, aiming to explore the ocean depths and uncover hidden treas…
Level B2Science FictionTime PaymentA notorious racketeer fleeing the law seizes a chance to escape extradition by traveling twenty years into the future—using a mysterious device that suspends awareness and challeng…
Level B2Science FictionTime Enough at LastIn a world shattered by catastrophe, bespectacled Henry Bemis finally finds the time and solitude to pursue his lifelong dream: to read a book uninterrupted.
Level B2Science FictionThrough the Asteroids—To Hell!In a perilous asteroid tunnel, Blair Freedman pilots the massive Cutter to keep the passage open but dreams of escaping the monotony for the thrilling Warrior Patrol.
Level B2Science FictionThrough the Air to the North Pole: Or, The Wonderful Cruise of the Electric MonarchTwo orphaned boys, shunned and driven from their town, set out together with nothing but hope and hunger—ready to face unknown adventures that might just take them beyond the famil…
Level B2Science FictionThis One ProblemOn a lawless asteroid outpost, comptroller Marc Polder balances fragile alliances with criminals to protect vital resources amid growing threats of piracy and war, while idealistic…
Level B2Science FictionThirty Degrees CattywonkusNewlyweds Ernie and Melinee move into a vast house where an extra door mysteriously appears and disappears, shrouding their home—and their lives—in unsettling uncertainty.
Level B2Science FictionThere Will Be School TomorrowIn a future where robotic teachers have replaced all humans, children suddenly vanish from schools without explanation, leaving parents desperate and fearful as the machines begin…
Level B2Science FictionThe young naval captainAs the United States faces war declared by the entire world in 1936, young machinist Oscar Pelham races against time to help build advanced warships that might turn the tide.
Level B2Science FictionThe tunnel thru the airBorn into a troubled world on the Texas frontier in 1906, young Robert Gordon’s life unfolds amid financial panic, family hopes, and deep biblical faith.
Level B2Science FictionThe small bearsExplorers land on a mysterious planet littered with abandoned Earth spaceships and encounter small, seemingly harmless creatures resembling teddy bears.
Level B2Science FictionThe recalcitrantIn a peaceful garden home, a man with extraordinary strength faces relentless pursuit by mysterious forces determined to destroy him, forcing him and his beloved Amelia to confront…
Level B2Science FictionThe outlaw of TornIn 13th-century England, a bold challenge to King Henry III ignites a fierce power struggle, setting the stage for the mysterious visored horseman and a tale of revenge and lost ro…
Level B2Science FictionThe marrying monsterA lonely cooper longs for a wife who cooks well but doesn't eat much—until a mysterious, wiry woman appears, charming and tireless, yet harboring a strange secret that could change…
Level B2Science FictionThe legacyIn a post-apocalyptic wasteland, the last man walks through the ruins of civilization, collecting remnants of humanity’s past to preserve a legacy for those who might come after.
Level B2Science FictionThe isle of dead shipsA mysterious floating island formed from countless shipwrecks drifts in the Atlantic, defying maps and tempting fate.
Level B2Science FictionThe gods of MarsA man long believed dead returns with a secret: the power to travel between planets at will.
Level B2Science FictionThe eternal savageA primal hunter in a savage Stone Age jungle must prove his worth by facing a ferocious saber-toothed tiger, while a modern woman finds herself mysteriously drawn into this ancient…
Level B2Science FictionThe deadly thinkersA vast, mile-wide machine known as Urei begins to show signs of sentience, sparking fear as it might influence or even control human minds.
Level B2Science FictionThe cave girlStranded on a lonely shore, a fragile intellectual faces a mysterious, shadowy creature lurking at the forest’s edge, forcing him to confront his fears and primal instincts in a de…
Level B2Science FictionThe bridge of lightAn explorer’s chance discovery in an old Spanish port leads to a journey steeped in ancient Mayan legends, mysterious symbols, and forgotten technologies.
Level B2Science FictionThe Worlds of IfA habitual latecomer and engineer crosses paths with a brilliant physicist obsessed with time, sparking a daring exploration into the realities of time travel far beyond popular fa…
Level B2Science FictionThe World MastersIn a besieged Alsace laboratory, a determined scientist unlocks a terrifying power that can shatter steel and control nations.
Level B2Science FictionThe Wolf-Men: A Tale of Amazing Adventure in the Under-WorldA daring expedition to the Arctic Pole unfolds as a brilliant professor and a seasoned baronet prepare to pilot a revolutionary, liquid air-powered submarine beneath the ice, uncov…
Level B2Science FictionThe Winged Men of Orcon: A Complete NoveletteWaking handcuffed aboard a wrecked spaceship on the strange planet Orcon, a reluctant scientist must confront a mysterious threat and unravel why he was forcibly brought to this ee…
Level B2Science FictionThe Way of DecisionIn a near-future suburban landscape, clan leader Tom Vord faces a critical decision: accept Marcia, the daughter of a skeptical industrialist, into their clan to secure a vital con…
Level B2Science FictionThe War in the AirAs early flying balloons captivate a changing English village, Mr.