Science Fiction
Read Science Fiction Classics in English
589 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 Threlkeld's Daughter, This One Problem and Thirty Degrees Cattywonkus. 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 FictionThe Abandoned of YanIn a harsh society where the Abandoned have no rights or hopes, Marigold faces the brutal reality of being left alone and stripped of her family, forced to navigate a future filled…
Level B2Science FictionThe Abandoned Country; or, Frank Reade, Jr., Exploring a New Continent.A daring explorer and a seasoned sailor recount their harrowing journey through icy seas to an uncharted, volcanic land beyond the Antarctic Circle—teeming with forests and wildlif…
Level B2Science FictionThe 4-D DoodlerIn a lab where fourth-dimensional space is dismissed as fantasy, a young assistant’s strange "four-dimensional doodles" hint at a hidden reality—and a breakthrough that could solve…
Level B2Science FictionTest Rocket!A mysterious rocket identical to their own but built on an unknown scale lands unexpectedly, carrying an alien man who cannot read his instruments.
Level B2Science FictionTest ProblemA student faces a high-stakes final exam that challenges him to mentally recreate an entire star system—including all its life forms—from raw space materials.
Level B2Science FictionTape JockeyIn a society stratified by Echelon levels, the Melopsych Center broadcasts therapeutic music tailored to each class, while an interviewer uncovers the peculiar dedication of a man…
Level C1Science FictionTales of the UnexpectedA sudden, mysterious seizure leaves Sidney Davidson seeing and interacting with an unseen world, shattering reality in a laboratory where science and perception collide.
Level C1Science FictionTales of Space and TimeIn a grimy London shop, a mysterious crystal egg draws the eager attention of two unusual visitors, sparking a tense negotiation and revealing secrets beyond the ordinary.
Level C1Science FictionTales of Fantasy and FactEmbark on a mysterious voyage through imaginary lands like the City of Destruction and Ultima Thule, guided by the enigmatic Captain Vanderdecken, whose tales intertwine legend and…
Level C1Science FictionSymzonia: Voyage of DiscoveryEmbark on a daring voyage to the mysterious southern polar regions, where a captain discovers an unknown continent and enters a hidden internal world inhabited by advanced beings w…
Level C1Science FictionSweet Their Blood and StickyIn a desolate world where only a mysterious machine endlessly produces sticky pink taffy, two explorers uncover strange, living creatures drawn to its sweet output.
Level B2Science FictionSurvivorsIn a post-atomic war world, survivors navigate a harsh wilderness where remnants of old technology and mutated humanity collide.
Level C1Science FictionSurvival of the fittestIn a world where androids demand equal rights and threaten rebellion, humans grapple with the rise of near-human robots capable of original thought, sparking a tense struggle for s…
Level B2Science FictionSuch Blooming TalkA scientist’s breakthrough in giving plants the ability to walk and talk unleashes a lively and unexpected world where flowers not only move—but have plenty to say.
Level B2Science FictionStopoverIn a post-war world fractured by atomic devastation, a weary young Searcher with mysterious powers arrives in a small town, seeking lost family and a place to belong.
Level B2Science FictionStellar VengeanceTrapped in a remote cabin with a captured alien warning of impending doom, a geologist faces a tense standoff as extraterrestrial reinforcements arrive seeking their comrade’s free…
Level B2Science FictionSteel Giants of ChaosGene Drummond returns from a perilous Venus expedition only to find Earth caught in chaos, where mysterious forces threaten survival and loyalty is tested.
Level C1Science FictionStar-Crossed LoverA chance encounter with a mysterious old woman leads an ordinary man into a bewildering world where nothing is as it seems, forcing him to confront illusions, danger, and secrets b…
Level B2Science FictionStar of RebirthA desperate tribe faces starvation as their last hunt yields no game, forcing their leader Atanta to confront fading gods and dwindling hope within the icy expanse.
Level B2Science FictionSpoilers of the SpacewaysIn a desperate bid against alien conquerors, a man undergoes a radical transformation to become a Trygonian officer, inheriting not only their knowledge but the burden of espionage…
Level B2Science FictionSpacemen are bornTrase Barnes, born on the Moon with a normal ear and grounded by gravity, dreams of joining the elite spacemen born for the stars.
Level B2Science FictionSpace BatLou Flint defends a fragile ecosystem on a wild planetoid from ruthless hunters wielding deadly ice-ray pistols.
Level B2Science FictionSouth to PropontisStranded in a scorching Martian desert, Don Moffat escapes a deadly betrayal only to be forced into a perilous journey south toward Propontis, Mars' capital, alongside two ruthless…
Level B2Science FictionSolid SolutionIn a vast desert owned by the enigmatic genius David Adam Smith, expelled students struggle with their fate while uncovering a groundbreaking method to enlarge geological specimens…
Level C1Science FictionSolar StiffStranded on a frozen alien planet with a failing ship, a five-headed Mercurian faces certain death while reflecting on his ambitious wife’s quest to solve their world’s hunger cris…
Level B2Science FictionSolander's Radio TombWhen the wealthy Remington Solander enlists a radio-enthusiast lawyer and cemetery trustee to craft a mysterious clause in his will, the boundaries between life, death, and radio t…
Level B2MysteryShuddering castleIn a secluded Long Island castle, a reclusive family’s quiet life shatters when a scientist’s quest to contact Mars via radio sparks eerie phenomena and a mysterious visitor from t…
Level C1Science FictionShock TroopAn alien invasion force prepares to conquer a mysterious, mammalian-inhabited planet using shock tactics and telepathic assault, but their unfamiliarity with the natives and their…
Level B2Science FictionShipwreck in the SkyA pioneering pilot's record-breaking spaceflight turns perilous when he discovers a mysterious, tiny second moon orbiting Earth—its gravity threatening a deadly collision with his…
Level C1Science FictionShadows in the MoonlightA desperate girl flees through a wild marshland, hunted by a ruthless conqueror who delights in her torment—until a bloodied stranger emerges, driven by a furious thirst for vengea…
Level C1Science FictionShadows in ZamboulaIn the bustling, dangerous streets of Zamboula, a mighty warrior confronts whispers of a sinister tavern where travelers vanish without a trace—haunted by demons and dark secrets.
Level B2Science FictionSequelStranded in the void with dwindling oxygen, a failed Academy dropout drifts toward a lonely asteroid, haunted by betrayal and the ruthless mutiny that sealed his fate.
Level B2Science FictionSee?Four hobos bound by hardship navigate the Road’s harsh realities until Dirty Pete discovers a mysterious, repulsive object that threatens their fragile camaraderie and challenges t…
Level B2Science FictionSecurityTrapped in a high-security lab where every discovery is censored, a frustrated scientist battles stifling restrictions that choke the free flow of knowledge and threaten the very s…
Level B2Science FictionScent Makes a DifferenceA physicist plagued by bizarre sleep disturbances seeks help from an experimental psychiatrist using powerful new tranquilizers.
Level B2Science FictionSay "Hello" for MeStranded alone on Mars for twenty years, Professor Pettibone awaits rescue while adapting mysteriously to the alien world.
Level B2Science FictionSales TalkA determined salesman inherits a time machine and, convinced Earth is on the brink of disaster, plans a daring escape into the distant future with his wife and two fox-terriers—lea…
Level B2Science FictionRuth's Marriage in Mars: A Scientific NovelIn a mystical hilltop sanctuary blending ancient faiths and psychic visions, a mysterious princess finds healing and spiritual awakening among a royal family dedicated to soul deve…
Level C1Science FictionRondah; or, thirty-three years in a starLost in a fierce storm, four travelers are swept from Earth to a volcanic star inhabited by mysterious bird-people who hibernate through a twenty-year winter.
Level C1MysteryRomance IslandA sudden inheritance transforms a struggling journalist into a yacht owner, thrusting him into a world of wealth and mystery.
Level B2Science FictionRobur the ConquerorStrange trumpet-like sounds echo mysteriously across the globe, baffling scientists and igniting international curiosity.
Level C1Science FictionRipeness is AllIn a future where androids satisfy every desire and human connection feels hollow, a man drifts through a world of artificial pleasures, searching for meaning beyond flesh and flee…
Level C1Science FictionRex Ex MachinaA dying father reveals a secret weapon: a device capable of hypnotizing the entire world, forged in Cold War espionage and moral conflict.
Level B2Science FictionRestricted ToolA hunter stumbles upon a mysterious forbidden device, triggering a tense encounter with alien explorers bound by strict interstellar laws—forcing him to decide the fate of a powerf…
Level B2Science FictionRescue SquadLost in space and drifting helplessly toward the Sun, a young, inexperienced mail pilot battles fear and isolation while struggling to survive against an overwhelming cosmic force.
Level C1Science FictionReinsternJourney through a vast, desolate landscape to a mysterious, idyllic community where government-provided abundance and education in natural history shape a society free of poverty a…
Level C1Science FictionRed NailsIn a vast, silent forest, a fierce warrior woman named Valeria discovers a mysterious city beyond the trees, sparking a journey filled with danger and dark secrets in a world where…
Level B2Science FictionRats in the BelfryA determined couple commissions a wildly eccentric home that defies all architectural logic, pushing their contractor to the brink as he struggles to build their bizarre "dream cas…