Science Fiction
Read Science Fiction Classics in English
596 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 FictionFlight Into the UnknownA rookie astronaut faces the terrifying realities of space travel as mysterious creatures and deadly dangers close in on his crew during their mission beyond Saturn.
Level C1Science FictionFive Weeks in a Balloon: Or, Journeys and Discoveries in Africa by Three EnglishmenThree Englishmen embark on a daring aerial expedition across Africa in a revolutionary balloon, navigating unknown landscapes and encountering thrilling adventures that challenge t…
Level B2Science FictionFive Thousand Miles Underground; Or, the Mystery of the Centre of the EarthA brilliant professor and two adventurous youths prepare to test a revolutionary airship and submarine on daring quests beneath the ocean and beyond the poles.
Level B2Science FictionFirst Stage: MoonA crew returns from the first manned Moon mission, carrying the hopes of a divided Earth eager for unity and glory.
Level B2Science FictionFifteen Hundred Miles an HourJourney beyond Earth begins with a mysterious meteorite crash in the Sahara, leading to a daring expedition aboard the spaceship Sirius as explorers venture through space toward Ma…
Level B2Science FictionField TripIn a future where time travel is tightly controlled by strict laws, two travelers become stranded in the 20th century, confronting forbidden emotions and the dangers of breaking th…
Level B2Science FictionFairyland planetOn a distant planet where a fatherly figure cares for 137 children, the joy of a perfect world is challenged when a young visitor doubts the existence of Santa Claus, sparking ques…
Level C1Science FictionFacing the FlagIn a secluded North Carolina sanitarium, a brilliant yet mentally troubled inventor named Thomas Roch is confined, his genius shadowed by madness.
Level B2Science FictionEvil Out of OnzarIn a galaxy torn between the Allied Worlds and the Darzent Empire, the orphan system of Onzar seethes under a paranoid leader determined to seize control of vital warp-lines.
Level B2Science FictionEscape From PlutoExiled to Pluto’s frozen wasteland for his tyrannical ambitions, Marcius Kemble plots a fiery comeback while mysterious native beings monitor his every move—setting the stage for a…
Level B2Science FictionEquation of DoomStranded on the harsh planet Irwadi after its government seizes control of interstellar transfers, pilot Jason Ramsey must navigate alien hostility and uncertain futures amid polit…
Level C1Science FictionEqualityA man from 1887 awakens in the year 2000 to find a society transformed by equality, where private wealth has vanished and all work serves the common good.
Level C1Science FictionEly's Automatic HousemaidFed up with unreliable cooks, a man invests in Harrison Ely’s groundbreaking invention: an electric, automatic housemaid designed to revolutionize domestic life.
Level B2Science FictionEgocentric OrbitAlone in orbit, a lone astronaut experiences the awe of weightlessness and the vast panorama of Earth and stars, while grappling with the mysterious fate of his predecessors who re…
Level C1Science FictionEdison's Conquest of MarsEarth lies in ruins after a devastating Martian invasion, but a determined band of scientists, led by the ingenious Thomas Edison, races to uncover the secrets of the alien war mac…
Level B2Science FictionEarth's Maginot LineA daring crew breaks through Earth's deadly ionosphere barrier, venturing into space aboard the New Hope.
Level B2MysteryEarth Is Missing!In a frozen 87th Century Earth, Detective Johnny Steel faces a deadly gang led by a monstrous foe known as The Bear.
Level C1Science FictionE BeingA pioneer traveling at light speed finds himself transformed into a shimmering energy being, stranded in a realm of mysterious "mush" inhabited by strange round entities.
Level C1Science FictionDrowsyIn a secluded villa overlooking the Adriatic, a world-renowned opera singer and her daring American lover hide from scandal and society’s gossip, bound by love and secrets amid whi…
Level B2Science FictionDroozleAn artist’s unusual pet—a twelve-inch ballpoint snake named Droozle—becomes a bestselling novelist, but his insistence on writing sprawling literary classics threatens the couple’s…
Level C1Science FictionDr. Heidenhoff's ProcessIn a small town’s prayer meeting, George Bayley, a repentant man haunted by past misdeeds, takes a bold step that disrupts the decorum and tests the community’s capacity for forgiv…
Level B2Science FictionDouble TakeWhen alien historians unearth a 20th-century time capsule, they discover not just a documentary on American life but the hidden, raw emotions behind its creation—revealing a far mo…
Level B2Science FictionDon't ShootA physicist’s invention meant to revolutionize Hollywood instead transforms a ruthless movie magnate into the legendary Abominable Snowman, sparking a bizarre mystery that blurs th…
Level C1Science FictionDoctor Jones' PicnicIn a world desperate for change, a determined doctor challenges failed Arctic expeditions and envisions a revolutionary path guided by science and the Golden Rule.
Level B2Science FictionDirect WireTwo small-time gamblers, Mort and Mike, suddenly enlist in the armed forces during wartime, leaving their racket behind.
Level B2Science FictionDick and Dr. Dan; Or, the boy monster hunters of the Bad LandsTwo boys working at the National Museum are drawn into a mysterious expedition after reports of a terrifying lake monster in the Bad Lands challenge their scientific skepticism.
Level B2Science FictionDeath's WisherCalled away from his research on telepathy and mind control, a parapsychologist is thrust into a Pentagon mystery where his extraordinary abilities might be the key to disarming a…
Level B2MysteryDeath Walks on MarsOn a harsh Martian frontier, Leeda Carson confronts ruthless killers who murdered her husband and seek a hidden cache of precious Martian Sunbursts, forcing her to navigate deadly…
Level B2Science FictionDay of the CometAs a comet hurtles toward Earth, nations and individuals confront the imminent apocalypse, forcing bitter enemies to seek unity and estranged lovers to face their regrets in the sh…
Level B2Science FictionDay of WrathAs volcanic eruptions and earthquakes threaten Rona, the vital food planet of the Norgan System, leaders must face an urgent evacuation and desperate measures to save their civiliz…
Level B2Science FictionDave Dashaway and His Hydroplane; Or, Daring Adventures over the Great LakeA young aviator receives a mysterious telegram that could change his daring career in hydroplane racing over the Great Lakes.
Level B2Science FictionDaughter of the Sun: A Tale of AdventureIn a dusty border town, the daring Jim Kendric returns with a mysterious letter and a wild spirit, ready to stir trouble and chase adventure across the lawless line into Old Town M…
Level B2Science FictionDarkness and DawnAwakening alone in a decayed, abandoned tower, Beatrice Kendrick confronts a transformed world where time and reality have shattered.
Level C1MysteryDanger! and Other StoriesA small European navy captain reveals how England’s mighty fleet is rendered powerless when a hidden threat exploits its overlooked vulnerabilities, forcing a nation to confront th…
Level C1Science FictionCæsar's Column: A Story of the Twentieth CenturyIn a future where society teeters on the brink of collapse, a man chronicles the rise of inequality, hatred, and impending conflict between the oppressed masses and the powerful el…
Level B2Science FictionCrisis on TitanStranded on Titan with scarce supplies, a tough patrol confronts hostile natives and the daunting task of mining a vital mineral that could secure humanity's future in space.
Level C1Science FictionCountdownIn a tense future where five nations teeter on the brink of annihilation, three men hold the fate of billions under their trembling fingers, each poised to unleash or withhold a de…
Level B2Science FictionCollectivumIn a world overrun by the parasitic Orenians, a fierce she-cat named Shera escapes a deadly fate and joins forces with Morgan, a rugged survivor navigating the perilous swamps and…
Level C1Science FictionClassified objectAn unidentified, silent spacecraft descends slowly over New York, triggering alarm among air traffic controllers and drawing a lone observer into a tense, mysterious encounter that…
Level C1Science FictionCircle of FlightTwo leaders of a shattered resistance face impossible choices: one plans to escape into the infinite vastness of hyperspace to fight back, while the other seeks to unlock the secre…
Level B2Science FictionChain ReactionFour former colleagues reunite for a tense poker game in a sanitarium, where a disgraced scientist warns that a dangerous project is about to trigger a catastrophic total conversio…
Level C1Science FictionCaxton's Book: A Collection of Essays, Poems, Tales, and Sketches.Explore a rich collection of essays, poems, and tales born from a brilliant mind torn between law and literature, blending wit, pathos, and scientific imagination that captivates a…
Level B2Science FictionCave-Dwellers of SaturnIn a future where Earth faces a dire threat from Martian invaders wielding an unstoppable weapon, a skilled soldier is chosen to lead a perilous mission to Saturn’s mysterious ring…
Level B2Science FictionCause of DeathHaunted by the mystery of death, a man resolves to experience it firsthand and return to share what lies beyond—armed only with determination, curiosity, and carefully laid plans t…
Level B2MysteryCastle of TerrorA tense flight turns deadly when a volatile criminal seizes a gun midair, trapping passengers in a terrifying struggle at 10,000 feet.
Level B2MysteryCaptains of soulsA mysterious stranger with a commanding presence disrupts the quiet life of Beryl Merville, hinting at hidden connections and shadowy business dealings that unsettle her family and…
Level C1Science FictionCamperdown; or, News from our neighbourhoodA wealthy, well-traveled bachelor grapples with solitude and the desire for love as he transforms his Pennsylvania estate, finding solace and intrigue in quiet musings and unexpect…
Level C1Science FictionBride of the Dark OneIn a shadowy outpost for galactic outcasts, Ransome, a weary Earthman marked by misfortune, faces a deadly bargain as a seductive dancer and a cunning Venusian offer escape from re…