Project Hail Mary and six other audiobooks that are better than the originals

From Dune to Harry Potter, these picks by The National's staff prove spoken word can be more immersive than text

Favourite audiobooks of The National's staff span genres from sci-fi to music memoirs

Not all books are meant to be read. Audiobooks, with authors or stars as narrators and high production values that include music and sound effects, have become more than mere vocal adaptations.

They offer new ways of experiencing a story that are sometimes so effective that they surpass the original. Below are some of our favourite audiobooks, arranged alphabetically, and why we think they are better than the original.

1. Project Hail Mary: Written by Andy Weir, narrated by Ray Porter (2021)

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir. Photo: Penguin Random House

Project Hail Mary, the third novel from The Martian scribe Andy Weir, has shot to the top of the charts as of late, thanks to love from the BookTok community, its upcoming film adaptation starring Ryan Gosling and a rip-roaring audiobook read by voice actor Ray Porter (Zack Snyder's Justice League).

If you've never listened to an audiobook, there are few better introductions to the format, as Porter brings warmth and humour to the story of a man who wakes up at the edges of space and slowly remembers he's there to save Earth when the sun mysteriously begins to die. And without giving anything away – it's best to go in cold (avoid the film trailer!) – sound becomes integral to the story.

This one will hook you – and keep you guessing – until the very end.

William Mullally, arts & culture editor

2. Dune: Written by Frank Herbert, full cast narration (2020)

The Dune audiobook is narrated by a full cast, complete with atmospheric sounds. Photo: Macmillan Audio

Dune, the seminal sci-fi novel by Frank Herbert, is set in a distant future where rival noble families battle for control of the desert planet Arrakis.

First published in 1965, the novel is famously dense and considered challenging for new readers. The audiobook is narrated by a full cast including Scott Brick, Orlagh Cassidy, Euan Morton, Simon Vance and Ilyana Kadushin.

The production includes atmospheric sound design – wind, echoes, ambient textures – that enhances immersion without overwhelming the narration. The shifts in voice and sound design help you move between scenes and storylines more clearly, making it easier to stay engaged and retain information.

Fadah Jassem, head of data visualisation

3. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone: Written by JK Rowling, narrated by Stephen Fry (1999)

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone is narrated by Stephen Fry

Like much of the world, when the first Harry Potter film came out, I rushed to read the books. I lugged Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone around London despite finding it hard to get into, but was assured by friends with small children (who were reading it on repeat at bedtimes) that it was worth persevering with and I would soon be captivated. So I struggled on, and even made it to halfway before I gave up, baffled by the storyline. I tried to connect with the film, but was also unmoved.

Then, earlier this year while recovering from a migraine, I stumbled upon the audiobook version narrated by Stephen Fry. Locked in post-migraine misery, Fry’s soft voice and the magical, wizardly story became my lullaby, softly carried me back to the world of the living and showed me why the world loves Harry Potter. But, despite having listened to it, I am still not ready to tackle the books.

Sarah Maisey, deputy Luxury editor

4. A Scanner Darkly: Written by Philip K Dick, narrated by Paul Giamatti (2006)

Paul Giamatti was supposed to play Philip K Dick in a biopic of his life

The voice of the maverick, iconoclastic science fiction writer Philip K Dick is difficult to capture. He’s best known now for adaptations of his work – Blade Runner, Minority Report, Total Recall – but no reimagining has quite captured the totality of his genius. The closest anyone has got is Paul Giamatti’s 2006 reading of the 1977 novel A Scanner Darkly, a dark satire about a world controlled by an illicit substance shrouded in conspiracy.

Giamatti was supposed to play Dick in a biopic. While that project never came to fruition, this audiobook proves that no one could play him better. It's funny, thought-provoking and morbidly comforting.

William Mullally, arts & culture editor

5. Me: Written and narrated by Elton John, with Taron Egerton (2019)

Taron Egerton, who plays Elton John in his biopic, joins the singer in the audiobook

While the physical book was fun and zipped by, the audiobook version of Elton John’s best-selling memoir felt like a fully fledged album. The format includes additional song snippets, used to explain the creative impulses behind tracks such Your Song and Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.

Incorporating Elton John and actor Taron Egerton, who played him in the 2019 biopic Rocketman, also works. John reads the prologue and epilogue, and Taron the rest, showing the passing of age vocally and making the book feel richer and more immersive.

Saeed Saeed, features writer

6. Pet Sematary: Written by Stephen King, narrated by Michael C Hall (2018)

Pet Sematary is narrated by actor Michael C Hall

Who would have thought there was a way to make Stephen King’s Pet Sematary even more creepy.

In a brilliant reading by Dexter star Michael C Hall, the audiobook captures the enveloping dread and emotional weight of a story about Louis Creed, who moves with his family to rural Maine, where a nearby burial ground can bring the dead back to life.

Hall’s measured pacing, tonal shifts and ability to embody different characters make the listening experience immersive, adding a chilling layer that heightens King’s already haunting narrative.

Evelyn Lau, assistant features editor

7. Talking to Strangers: Written and narrated by Malcolm Gladwell (2019)

The audiobook of Talking to Strangers by Malcolm Gladwell incorporates soundbites

Malcolm Gladwell’s Talking to Strangers is a more creative way of doing audiobooks and deals with how we miscommunicate with each other.

In an era of social media and WhatsApp, when we’re messaging constantly, we’re not hearing the tone of individuals. That is one of the clinch points of the book: we are talking to each other without hearing tone and therefore we’re not fully understanding each other.

At the beginning of the audiobook, Gladwell uses sound bites from the people he has interviewed. This gives you an idea of how these people sound and how we often miscommunicate, which is the main point of the book.

Enas Refaei, assistant editor-in-chief