Science Fiction
Read Science Fiction Classics in English
320 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 The Butterfly Kiss, The British Barbarians and The Brain. 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 C1Science FictionLooking Backward, 2000 to 1887A man born in 1857 awakens in the year 2000 to find a society transformed by equality and shared prosperity, challenging his 19th-century beliefs about class, wealth, and the meani…
Level B2Science FictionLongevityIn a post-apocalyptic world, Captain Hinrik leads a daring expedition to rediscover the lost western continent, only to uncover eerie remnants of a vanished civilization and crypti…
Level C1Science FictionLimanoraA man awakens in a dazzling, otherworldly chamber of shimmering architecture and mysterious materials, surrounded by endless vistas of fields and sea.
Level B2Science FictionLesson for TodayAfter a devastating nuclear apocalypse, Helen and her child Robbie find themselves mysteriously protected under a strange dome and sustained by alien food—now they must journey acr…
Level B2Science FictionLes MachinesIn a future where the line between humans and machines blurs, Isobel d'Larte faces trial for her husband's brutal murder.
Level C1Science FictionLast and first menA visionary exploration of humanity’s distant future unfolds through myth and imagination, portraying the rise and fall of civilizations as they confront the limits of their ideals…
Level B2Science FictionJubilation, U.S.A.Two curious aliens in metallic suits arrive on a strange, dusty highway and cautiously venture into a desert bar where human customs—like gambling and suspicious glances—challenge…
Level B2Science FictionJoy RideIn a world dominated by cybernetic control and automated publishing, unexpected glitches unleash strange and rebellious messages, erratic traffic systems, and mysterious broadcast…
Level B2Science FictionJohn Harper's InsightA factory worker shocks everyone by abandoning his steady job to pursue an impossible dream: becoming a concert pianist with no prior training.
Level B2Science FictionJoe Carson's WeaponMars invaders seek to steal the weapon of Joe Carson's brilliant mind to conquer Earth, while Joe, a passionate sci-fi fan, battles his own wild imagination and the chaos it unleas…
Level B2Science FictionJingle in the JungleIn a world where prize-fighting is outlawed and corruption runs deep, Charlie Jingle stands alone, fighting a rigged system with nothing but his skill and grit.
Level B2Science FictionJewels of GwahlurA fierce warrior scales deadly cliffs to reach the hidden, legendary palace of Alkmeenon, where a fabled treasure—The Teeth of Gwahlur—beckons amidst dangerous political intrigues…
Level B2Science FictionJekyll-Hyde PlanetA family escapes Earth's overcrowded, war-torn future to colonize Centifor, a pristine, untouched paradise planet.
Level C1Science FictionJason, Son of JasonIn a world where death is just a gateway, a physician's astral travels lead him to a distant planet and a mysterious twin soul who challenges the boundaries of life, spirit, and re…
Level B2Science FictionJack of No TradesIn a distant asteroid belt, a resourceful man transforms a battered tug’s powerful drive unit into a mobile asteroid, sparking curiosity and intrigue as others watch his unconventi…
Level B2Science FictionJabberwock, Beware!Earth’s survival hinges on a high-stakes intellectual duel with giant Jovian aliens who have already destroyed the moon; Joe Waters, a brilliant yet reluctant champion, must face t…
Level C1Science FictionIs That You Xeluchli?Two curious observers break the rules on a galactic tour and discover a fledgling civilization on the brink of collapse.
Level B2Science FictionInvader From InfinityWhen a mysterious alien sphere invades the Solar System, Commander Jon McPartland must lead humanity’s fastest, deadliest space fighter in a desperate battle to protect Earth from…
Level C1Science FictionIn the year 2889In a dazzling 29th-century world where humanity harnesses infinite energy and aerial travel reigns, a pioneering newspaper revolutionizes journalism by delivering news through spok…
Level C1Science FictionIn the Year Ten ThousandIn a distant future where humans communicate through thought, an ancient man reveals to a boy the strange and brutal past of humanity—when books, war, and crude art shaped a world…
Level C1Science FictionIn the Wrong Paradise, and Other StoriesA fiercely devout missionary confronts the clash between rigid faith and ancient pagan customs in a series of tales where civilization’s gaze meets the untamed spirit of the natura…
Level B2Science FictionIn the Sargasso Sea: A NovelA young mechanical engineer secures a risky, cheap passage aboard the brig Golden Hind, bound for Africa’s West Coast, where adventure and danger lurk on the mysterious Sargasso Se…
Level C1Science FictionIn the Days of the CometAs a comet approaches Earth, a man reflects on a transformative event he calls the Great Change—an upheaval that reshapes society and challenges the boundaries between past and fut…
Level C1Science FictionIn Search of the UnknownAn ex-government official takes on a new role managing exotic waterfowl at a New York zoological garden, where a mysterious letter hints at the existence of a legendary, supposedly…
Level B2Science FictionIf at First You Don't...In a future where satellites are relics of a bygone era, a historic orbital satellite faces destruction, sparking fierce political debates about preservation versus progress.
Level B2Science FictionHoles, IncorporatedTwo inventors unveil a mysterious device that creates holes into the fourth dimension, defying all logic and revolutionizing construction.
Level C1Science FictionHistory of a World of Immortals without a GodA bitter misanthrope and surgeon turned traveler, Gervaas Van Varken abandons his profession to explore the East, seeking answers in a world where immortality reigns without divine…
Level B2Science FictionHigh ManCaught in a whirlwind of suspicion and silence, a man becomes entangled with a renegade professor whose anti-gravity belt promises to defy the limits of Earth—and launch them into…
Level B2Science FictionHeavenly GiftsIn a quiet lab, a humble janitor’s midnight prayers are answered in extraordinary ways when mysterious gifts begin appearing—transforming faith into a cosmic connection that blurs…
Level C1Science FictionHarilekAmid the rugged landscapes of Central Asia, a soldier’s mysterious diary reveals encounters with enigmatic tribes, mystical lands, and shadowy figures, blurring the line between ha…
Level B2Science FictionHandymanTrapped alone on a post-apocalyptic Earth, James Ypsilanti battles cold and confinement by chopping up his prison doors for firewood—while a relentless, emotionless carpenter robot…
Level C1Science FictionGulliver of MarsA disillusioned Navy lieutenant crosses paths with a mysterious, otherworldly stranger who collapses in the streets of New York, setting off a surreal adventure that will challenge…
Level B2Science FictionGrove of the UnbornStranded alone on a mysterious alien planet, a starship engineer uncovers unsettling secrets beneath a seemingly peaceful civilization—where strange creatures are sacred and a fana…
Level B2Science FictionGreen Grew the LassesWhen a mysterious green plant overtakes a town, women and girls begin turning green overnight, sparking panic and isolation in Mimosa Beach.
Level B2Science FictionGoslingsIn early 20th-century London, George Gosling, a respectable family man and head clerk, navigates the delicate balance between social respectability and hidden desires, revealing th…
Level B2Science FictionGoodbye, Dead Man!In a tense mountain reactor installation under Outsider control, two friends face the deadly menace of Orley Mattup, a guard whose lethal power and sinister card games threaten the…
Level B2Science FictionGoma's FolliclesStranded on the remote mining colony of Procyon IV, a weary traveler faces unexpected dangers just trying to get a haircut aboard a starship.
Level B2MysteryGold of the GodsWhen a priceless ancient Peruvian dagger is stolen from a university museum, a determined explorer and a keen investigator uncover hidden clues, including mysterious shoeprints and…
Level C1Science FictionGods of the NorthIn a frozen wasteland where brutal clans clash and gods linger in shadows, a lone warrior named Amra confronts a mysterious, enchanting woman whose allegiance—and power—defy the ha…
Level B2Science FictionGet Out of My Body!An alien fugitive hides by possessing a young girl in Knoxville, sparking a tense hunt as a human tour-chief races against a looming alien intervention to capture him before disast…
Level B2Science FictionGenerals Help ThemselvesIn a tense future where a devastating defeat on Venus has shattered hope, an admiral entrusts a disgraced commander with the critical defense of Base Q, the Federation’s vital ener…
Level C1Science FictionG-r-r-r...!In a cloister steeped in piety, Brother Ambrose seethes with hatred for the sanctimonious and lustful Brother Lorenzo, whose false devotion and secret vices drive Ambrose to desper…
Level C1Science FictionFrom the Earth to the moon; and, round the moonInventors of colossal artillery in post-war Baltimore redirect their genius toward an audacious new venture: launching a projectile to the moon.
Level B2Science FictionFrom Zone to Zone: Or, The Wonderful Trip of Frank Reade, Jr., with His Latest Air-ShipA visionary inventor unveils his revolutionary airship, promising to conquer the uncharted polar regions deemed unreachable by traditional means.
Level C1Science FictionFriend IslandAmid a fierce sea storm, a tough sea-woman recalls her harrowing last voyage aboard the sturdy turbine-powered Shouter, where disaster strikes and survival depends on courage and u…
Level C1Science FictionFreudian SlipWhen the Earth vanishes beneath his feet, Herman Raye faces a surreal reality where solid ground is replaced by invisible voids and the familiar world dissolves into eerie nothingn…
Level B2Science FictionFrank Reade, Jr., with his new steam man in Mexico: or, hot work among the greasersWhen a letter arrives from Mexico revealing the disappearance of Frank Reade Jr.
Level B2MysteryFrank Reade, Jr., with his new steam horse in the great American desert: or, The sandy trail of deathIn the wild West, a brilliant inventor sets out on a daring journey aboard his revolutionary Steam Horse, a mechanical marvel built to brave the harsh desert.