Need audiobook recommendations for a road trip. Background: I'm going on

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Mar 25, 2025
7:34:16pm

Hypnotoad All-American

Need audiobook recommendations for a road trip. Background: I'm going on

a short road trip with my parents. I'm a degenerate who will consume content regardless of content if the story is good. My parents are more righteous. I'm looking for something that is light on language and violence and doesn't have sex. But I don't want silly YA stuff. Andy Weir would be a great option, but I recently read Project Hail Mary and don't have a ton of interest in The Martian since I've seen the movie. My dad and I enjoy science fiction, so something in that vein would work.

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Hypnotoad

Previous username: hessrp
Bio page: Hypnotoad
Joined: Jun 24, 2013
Last login: Mar 30, 2025
Total posts: 49,553 (2,059 FO)

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Messages

Author

Time

Need audiobook recommendations for a road trip. Background: I'm going on

Hypnotoad

Mar 25, 7:34pm

Ready Player One

JDBlue

Mar 25, 7:35pm

Not a bad recommendation. Unfortunately, that also doesn't interest me.

Hypnotoad

Mar 25, 7:37pm

It’s a great audiobook. I liked it much better than I thought I would.

cruiserhead

Mar 25, 7:51pm

I heard about it for a long time and didn’t read it for the exact same reason. I

Russell Feathers

Mar 25, 8:18pm

The audiobook is amazing. First chapter and I was hooked.

Magneto

Mar 25, 8:54pm

I just finished Les Mis and am currently going through Hunchback of Notre Dame.

cruoti

Mar 25, 7:36pm

Lonesome Dove

Baron

Mar 25, 7:37pm

I'm guessing that's a tad more tame than Blood Meridian.

Hypnotoad

Mar 25, 7:39pm

Um yes...Blood Meridian was like a nightmare. Lonesome Dove is LaVell Edwards

Sam's Dad

Mar 25, 7:46pm

It is great but can be a bit casually graphic about the whores and the cowboys

fulano

Mar 25, 7:51pm

This is true but LaVall endorsed it so I read it and it was good.

Sam's Dad

Mar 25, 9:57pm

Yeah I know. I was being sarcastic. Nobody does violence like Cormac McCarthy.

Hypnotoad

Mar 25, 7:52pm

Murderbot. Bobiverse

scootsy

Mar 25, 7:37pm

A good friend suggested that as well. He said the first book isn't good, though,

Hypnotoad

Mar 25, 7:38pm

The first four books are really short. Audiobooks are maybe 3 hours. I liked the first, but if you don’t, it’s no more

scootsy

Mar 25, 7:40pm

First three of Bobiverse are better than the rest. All swear.

Shawarma

Mar 25, 8:21pm

He said light on language

swimbro

Mar 25, 7:40pm

Well, Murderbot is pretty light on language.

scootsy

Mar 25, 7:41pm

I've read the first 3 Bobiverse books and gave up during book 4. The nostalgia

Hypnotoad

Mar 25, 7:42pm

Expeditionary Force

jpesk2

Mar 25, 7:39pm

Awesome series. Heavy on language.

Bradleyd16

Mar 25, 7:43pm

This is a good suggestion.

dave

Mar 25, 7:58pm

Hate the language but love the series. Narration is excellent.

Shawarma

Mar 25, 8:31pm

Dune. Greatest science fiction of all time in my opinion. Can’t remember

ShellieCooper

Mar 25, 7:41pm

I recently read that as well. I'm a pretty avid reader. Asimov, on the other

Hypnotoad

Mar 25, 7:44pm

Asimov is so clever. Do it!

Scooter

Mar 25, 7:52pm

Just started reading Foundation. Ran out of new Sci Fi. Trying out the classics.

Shawarma

Mar 25, 8:30pm

What do you think of it so far?

Hypnotoad

Mar 25, 8:55pm

The foundation series is awesome. The hardest part is deciding what order to read them in.

supertux

Mar 25, 9:45pm

This is the answer. And I don’t even like Sci fi

Mar 25, 8:00pm

Project Hail Mary. Or, We Are Legion (We Are Bob).

Bradleyd16

Mar 25, 7:44pm

Gotta read other posts first. I've already read those.

Hypnotoad

Mar 25, 7:45pm

Sorry, not gonna read every post first before I offer a suggestion.

Bradleyd16

Mar 25, 7:47pm

Just saw someone already suggested the Bobiverse series.

Bradleyd16

Mar 25, 7:46pm

Children of Time

couldge

Mar 25, 7:46pm

I will recommend the same thing every time someone asks. A specific podcast that

King of Y

Mar 25, 7:46pm

The Sunlit Man from Brandon Sanderson. Fast paced and he took inspiration from

Mar 25, 7:47pm

+1 on Sunlit Man

flyonawall

Mar 25, 7:48pm

Mistborn. Or any historical documentaries by David McCullough (e.g., John Adams)

flyonawall

Mar 25, 7:47pm

Leviathan Wakes

WorfoSAUR

Mar 25, 7:47pm

I've started that book. I'm dubious that it will be light on language.

Hypnotoad

Mar 25, 7:50pm

The show is amazing.

Mar 25, 8:06pm

Sanderson.

trueblue04

Mar 25, 7:47pm

I've read all the Cosmere books.

Hypnotoad

Mar 25, 7:50pm

Good man.

trueblue04

Mar 25, 10:32pm

SF : Ender's game, Ender's Shadow, Expanse series books. Fantasy : Fred the Vampire Accountant

greatbam

Mar 25, 7:48pm

Red Rising

BYUnerd

Mar 25, 7:48pm

Great series, despite what Shimmy says.

Hypnotoad

Mar 25, 7:51pm

A Gentleman in Moscow

Plato

Mar 25, 7:49pm

^^^THIS

fulano

Mar 25, 7:53pm

My favorite book in the last few months is James by Percival Everett

Belboz

Mar 25, 7:52pm

Wool (Silo book)

Mar 25, 7:52pm

Timely thread for me. I’m doing a solo 18 hour drive next weekend. Hope to see some good recommendations.

cruiserhead

Mar 25, 7:53pm

My recommendation is the Sun Eater series.

Hypnotoad

Mar 25, 7:55pm

Thanks I’ll check it out

cruiserhead

Mar 25, 7:57pm

Stephen Fry wrote and recorded a series based on mythology — Mythos/Heroes/Troy.

d-coug

Mar 25, 7:54pm

Nightfall by Isaac Asimov. A little over an hour long

AggieWeekendCougar

Mar 25, 7:58pm

I enjoy the Helldivers series. Some language.

dave

Mar 25, 7:59pm

Dark Matter (Blake Crouch), Wool (Hugh Howey),

SWKTNative

Mar 25, 8:00pm

I watched (and liked) the Dark Matter TV show. Still worth reading the book?

cruiserhead

Mar 25, 9:14pm

In the Kingdom of Ice by Hampton Sides

bluebrotha

Mar 25, 8:01pm

I literally just checked this book out two days ago.

Herewego

Mar 25, 9:43pm

Some suggestions:

Gustav

Mar 25, 8:01pm

Blake crouch Dark Matter

RexIdaCoug

Mar 25, 8:10pm

I'm a Blake Crouch hipster. I've been reading him since before he became famous.

Hypnotoad

Mar 25, 8:13pm

The Mercy of Gods by James S. A. Corey

bythenumbers

Mar 25, 8:11pm

Ooh. Good call.

Hypnotoad

Mar 25, 8:15pm

As good as expanse series?

SWKTNative

Mar 25, 8:23pm

No. It was actually pretty lame but good enough to read.

supertux

Mar 25, 9:42pm

Well darn. Yeah I tried once and didn't make it very far, but think

SWKTNative

Mar 26, 8:33am

I mean most people loved it

bythenumbers

Mar 26, 10:59am

Storm Front, Wizard for Hire series

Mar 25, 8:11pm

The Count of Monte Cristo Unabridged

vwbus

Mar 25, 8:16pm

This is on my short list

Hypnotoad

Mar 25, 8:16pm

<< Deleted >>

JimmyZ

Mar 25, 8:24pm

Move it to the top. It is so good.

flyonawall

Mar 25, 8:48pm

And at 52 hours, it would more than cover all the driving. I'd probably get

Hypnotoad

Mar 25, 8:57pm

Best book ever written.

cruiserhead

Mar 25, 10:02pm

The Royal Game: A Chess Story by Stefan Zweig

Nikomedes

Mar 25, 8:16pm

Watching The Martian ≠ reading The Martian

Shawarma

Mar 25, 8:17pm

Do they have the college edition on Audiobook?

Rubble

Mar 26, 1:04am

Agree on all counts. I read the student edition with my kids at night. No audio

Shawarma

Mar 26, 1:18am

Endurance. Always my first recommendation.

Russell Feathers

Mar 25, 8:20pm

Just listen to Erasure.

Mathew

Mar 25, 8:20pm

RE: Just listen to Erasure.

Russell Feathers

Mar 25, 8:22pm

A Land Remembered. Meets all the criteria and everyone I recommend it to love it

BR549

Mar 25, 8:27pm

I just finished Skyward by Brandon Sanderson. It's an easy, fun sci-fi listen

Magic8Ball

Mar 25, 8:31pm

The new Hunger Games book

Zoobieman

Mar 25, 8:38pm

The Will of the Many. By James islington. Incredible book.

Groym

Mar 25, 8:41pm

Agree. I check for updates on The Strength of the Few weekly, and will

Hypnotoad

Mar 25, 8:52pm

How about Rage of Dragons by Evan Winter? Great book.

Groym

Mar 25, 9:08pm

Never heard of it

Hypnotoad

Mar 25, 9:16pm

Beneath a scarlet sky

volleyjiver

Mar 25, 8:42pm

One of my favorites

TPcoug

Mar 25, 8:50pm

If you like Military SciFi, Galaxy’s Edge is Epic.

Shawarma

Mar 25, 8:46pm

Red Rising would fit the bill.

desertcolt

Mar 25, 8:48pm

I have read them all and will pre-order Red God.

Hypnotoad

Mar 25, 8:53pm

Highly recommend Guards! Guards! by Terry Patchett. Fun audiobook.

Tominator

Mar 25, 9:03pm

Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradury.

Oregano

Mar 25, 9:15pm

Astoria if you’re driving anywhere between St. Louis and Portland also a good time to start Wheel of Time

Osteotome

Mar 25, 9:17pm

Wheel of Time might be juuust long enough to cover the drive 🙂

daJimmer

Mar 25, 9:44pm

Audible has the complete Sherlock Holmes, which I liked a lot (except for the

Kaladin

Mar 25, 9:21pm

A Man Called Ove. Perfect for parents.

Murray

Mar 25, 9:27pm

The Spy and the Traitor

Herewego

Mar 25, 9:45pm

The slow horses series by Mick Herron read by Gerard Doyle (he's the goat)

supertux

Mar 25, 9:46pm

Mickey7

supertux

Mar 25, 9:46pm

Umm he said no sex.

Oregano

Mar 25, 9:54pm

I'm only halfway through is there more sex? So far they basically have said

supertux

Mar 25, 10:23pm

Expanse series

supertux

Mar 25, 9:47pm

The Jeeves books by PG Wodehouse are great to listen to

supertux

Mar 25, 9:48pm

Pat McManus

supertux

Mar 25, 9:48pm

Sleeping Giants

supertux

Mar 25, 9:49pm

The Three Body Problem, Ghost Station, Go Like Hell

mightybrick

Mar 25, 10:13pm

Three body is great

supertux

Mar 25, 10:24pm

Yup. I'm halfway through Death's End right now. Good stuff.

mightybrick

Mar 26, 7:56am

Les Miserables. The French reader. It'll take an hour to fully understand. After

Best Guess

Mar 26, 11:29am

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