Looking for an adventurous and intriguing story? If you have an interest in what science and technology may accomplish someday, reading time travel books may be for you! Although time travel books are based on science fiction, these stories can fall into various sub-genres like romance and historical fiction.
We chose Kindred by Octavia Butler as our number one pick due to its combination of social commentary, storyline, and eloquent writing style. Check out the rest of our list of the 10 best time travel books for other great additions to your home library! If this is your first time selecting a time travel book, be sure to read through our buyer's guide for tips. Let's get started!
Quick List - Top Time Travel Books
Claire North
A Humorous Tale of Living Life Over Again
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Table of Contents
There are a few things to consider when choosing a book about time travel. Even though science fiction is often regarded as its genre, look for sub-genres such as romance and history in the story's themes. Think about your preferences and the authors you like to read. Also, consider whether you prefer to read a series or stand-alone novel.
Time travel books will often include themes and sub-genres, such as historical fiction, young adult, and romance. Think about what types of sub-genres interest you and are age-appropriate if you're buying a time travel book as a gift.
Historical fiction combines real events in history with imaginary events and characters. While some of the timelines and descriptions in the story may contain facts, some of them will be made up. In some cases, the genre will incorporate real people that lived during a certain period but fictionalize portions of the story.
Books that use alternate timelines or explore what would have happened if a historical event had turned out differently are examples of historical fiction.
Also known as "YA," young adult fiction is geared toward teen and pre-teen readers. Examples of YA fiction include series like The Babysitter's Club and Ramona.
The plots usually feature age-appropriate topics and language, in addition to scenarios young people encounter in school and society. The stories are often told from the perspectives of adolescents, teenagers, or characters who are coming of age.
Books that fall into the romance genre often tell a love story between two characters as the main plot. The characters' motives and arcs will focus on the developing relationship between two individuals, sometimes going into detail about the challenges they must overcome to be together.
Romance novels often end on an upbeat note or with a happy conclusion. Stories that fall into this genre are more likely to be told from the perspective of a female character.
Some time travel books focus on alternate timelines that are connected to a significant historical event. For example, The Man in the High Castle explores an alternate timeline where the Nazis and Japan won World War II instead of the Allies. It also weaves in other scientific topics related to quantum physics and parallel universes.
Check a storyline's synopsis to get an idea of the themes and topics the author explores. You may want to read a time travel book that incorporates social justice themes related to slavery and race relations, or a period in history that interests you. Or you may want to stick to stories that explore conflicts in human relationships.
Some readers prefer to stick to purely scientific themes that delve into the engineering aspects of time travel. Others might want a novel that includes humorous and satirical commentary about the possibility of time travel.
Writing style can impact whether you'll enjoy a book, regardless of whether you're interested in the topics and themes. You might want to see if authors whose writing styles you enjoy have written time travel books, or use online resources to look up authors who have similar styles to writers you enjoy.
Some writers are experimental, which can be more challenging and disjointed for some readers. Other readers gravitate toward authors who rely on poetic prose and lyrical and thought-provoking sentences.
Think about whether you like authors who tend to write plot or character-driven stories. You may enjoy a time travel book that's written in a stream of consciousness style that uses memories and reflections to illustrate time travel. Or you may want to stick to something more plot-driven that's focused on adventure and action.
Sometimes, you may even want to find a mix of styles in a single story. You can check online recommendations and reviews from sites like Goodreads to get a sense of how readers reacted to the author's writing style and stories.
Many time travel books are stand-alone stories, but some are written as part of a series. Some readers find more satisfaction in a series because of an emotional attachment to a character or because the story merits further development. They like to keep following characters and story arcs, similar to what's seen in a TV series or genres like soap operas.
Other readers like stand-alone books because of leisure time constraints or because they prefer to read a variety of stories. There is also the risk that the series will fall flat or readers will become disinterested in the way the story progresses. Some prefer that their initial impressions of the story and characters don't change or become diluted.
Reading a series can also present challenges, such as being able to locate and purchase all the books. You may also have to wait for the publishing and release of additional books in a series. However, stand-alone books might leave readers hanging or wanting more from the story.
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Octavia E. Butler Kindred|Paperback | ![]() | A Portrait of the Effects of Slavery | |
2 | Madeleine L'Engle A Wrinkle in Time|Paperback | ![]() | A Young Adult Classic | |
3 | Isaac Asimov The End of Eternity|Paperback | ![]() | A Story About Alternate Timelines and Love | |
4 | Claire North The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August|Paperback | ![]() | A Humorous Tale of Living Life Over Again | |
5 | Stephen King 11/22/63|Paperback | ![]() | An Alternate Timeline About JFK | |
6 | Blake Crouch Recursion|Paperback | ![]() | A Twist on What Memory Is | |
7 | Elan Mastai All Our Wrong Todays|Paperback | ![]() | Using Time Travel to Repair Love | |
8 | H.G. Wells The Time Machine|Paperback | ![]() | A Classic Story About Time Travel | |
9 | Bee Ridgway The River of No Return|Paperback | ![]() | A Combination of Romance, Mystery, and History | |
10 | Audrey Niffenegger The Time Traveler's Wife|Paperback | ![]() | A Romantic Tale |
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.
Are you an avid reader? You'll want to check out our other top picks for books from non-fiction to fantasy.
No. 1: Octavia E. Butler|Kindred|Paperback
No. 2: Madeleine L'Engle|A Wrinkle in Time|Paperback
No. 3: Isaac Asimov|The End of Eternity|Paperback
No. 4: Claire North|The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August|Paperback
No. 5: Stephen King|11/22/63|Paperback
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