10 Best Time Travel Books in 2022 (Madeleine L'Engle, Octavia E. Butler, and More)

Kindred is a story about an African-American woman who is transported back in time to the days of slavery. The woman is destined to save the son of a plantation owner, but she is subject to the harmful effects of slavery and oppression. The book is written by a well-known, award-winning author.

Some reviewers thought the way slavery was presented in the book was too simple. They felt there should have been more development of how it impacted the protagonist's perspectives. These readers also thought there could have been more to the story and the protagonist's relationship with her husband.

A larger set of readers enjoyed the way the author transported the main character and her husband back in time. They also thought the relationship dynamics between the protagonist and the character she saves in the past were presented well.

A Wrinkle in Time is one of the most well-known time travel books for children and adolescents, although many adults also enjoy the book. The story introduces a time-traveling stranger to the main character and her brother. A Wrinkle in Time won the Newbery Medal in 1963. 

A small group of reviewers thought the plot was not riveting enough and did not believe in the sincerity of the narrative. More readers enjoyed the journey of the main character and how she overcame her personal difficulties. These reviewers also enjoyed reading the book as adolescents and later in life as adults. 

This book is considered one of Isaac Asimov's best science fiction works. The storyline is based on the idea of a separate existence called Eternity. Living within that existence is the main character, who is able to manipulate real timelines, often altering them to achieve some benefit.

Some reviewers found the writing style difficult to read and grasp, stating that it was too intellectual and came to conclusions too quickly. A larger group of reviewers liked the suspense within the book and the ideas that the story presented. They also appreciated the romantic themes. 

The protagonist in this story, Harry, keeps dying and returning to the same point in his childhood. He goes through this cycle 11 times before encountering a mysterious stranger who changes the course of his actions. There is humor injected into the storyline, and the premise is similar to the movie Groundhog Day.

There was a small group of reviewers that found the pacing of the story to be too slow in the beginning. Some had difficulty being captivated by the characters. More reviewers enjoyed the premise of the book's story and found that the author's weaving together of different lives and timelines was done well. 

Stephen King's novel is about changing a critical event in history: the assassination of U.S. President John F. Kennedy. The storyline follows an English teacher with access to a diner that is a time portal. To change the course of history, the teacher decides to go back to the year that JFK was killed. 

A group of reviewers thought the story was too long, and in some places was difficult to believe.

A larger group of reviewers was impressed with the author's ability to account for the differences between modern-day living and life in the early 1960s. They thought the plot and historical details and events were interesting and attention-grabbing. 

The author explores the details of what memory is and how it can determine the way we perceive and experience the past, present and future. In the story, "false memory syndrome" and the creation of a possible cure reveals some of the dangers of technology.

Some readers were not able to emotionally connect with the characters and the storyline. Others thought the story and character arcs became too repetitive. 

More readers became engrossed in the plot and found that the book's examination of memories, déjà vu, dreams, and timelines was thought-provoking. They liked the complexity of the book and the fast pace of the plot. 

This is a debut novel from author Elan Mastai. The plot follows the protagonist, Tom, who uses a time machine to alter the course of his relationship with his girlfriend. The idea of how people become who they are through a series of events and decisions is explored.

A few readers found the main character unlikable. A handful of others had issues remaining focused on the plot. More readers found the author's insight into human behaviors and perspectives engaging and insightful. They enjoyed the first-person point of view and the book's conclusion.  

The Time Machine is one of the classic stories about the possibility of time travel and is suitable for young adults. The main character invents a time machine and travels into the future. He discovers different versions of humans are living on Earth.

A group of reviewers enjoyed the pacing of the movie adaptation better. Others discovered a lot of errors in the Kindle version.

More readers liked how the author went into the potential future of humanity and thought the story was a mainstay they could go back to throughout the years. They enjoyed the quick pace of the book and that it was fast to read.   

This book follows a member of royalty as he perishes during the Napoleonic war. After his death, the protagonist finds himself in the future and being cared for by a secret society. He spends the rest of the time trying to get back to the person he's in love with. 

Some reviewers did not like the abrupt ending of the story. A larger number of readers enjoyed the author's prose and how she weaves romance into the specifics of time travel. Overall, they enjoyed following the story and finding out what happened to the characters. 

The Time Traveler's Wife is a story of a librarian who is able to travel back and forth in time, and his wife, an artist. Despite the husband's time travel adventures, he and his wife are able to sustain their relationship. This story explores the meaning of love and the ways it can endure.

A group of readers found some inconsistencies in the book's plot. Some also had trouble relating to the characters.

More reviewers liked the exploration of the romance between the two main characters and noted that the author's style was honest. They also liked some of the book's details and ideas regarding time travel.