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The 30 Best Fiction Books About Time Travel, Ranked By Readers

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Time travel has long fascinated readers and writers alike, offering a narrative escape hatch to the past or future, where the possibilities are as limitless as the imagination. This fascination is abundantly reflected in the myriad of fiction books about time travel that span genres, styles, and epochs. From the speculative to the historical, good time travel books invite readers on journeys that defy the linear constraints of time, allowing us to explore what-if scenarios, alternate histories, and the complex web of cause and effect. Our list, curated by sci-fi book enthusiasts and ranked from best to worst by Goodreads review averages, is a testament to the enduring allure of time travel in literature.

Among the standout titles is Kindred by Octavia E. Butler, a compelling blend of historical fiction and science fiction that offers a poignant exploration of race, power, and identity through the lens of time travel. 11/22/63 by Stephen King combines meticulous historical research with the author’s signature storytelling prowess to reimagine the events leading to the assassination of JFK. Meanwhile, Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut uses the motif of time travel to craft a deeply moving anti-war narrative, showcasing the genre’s capacity to tackle profound themes.

Curated with the input of dedicated sci-fi book enthusiasts, our list aims to guide readers through the vast and varied landscape of time travel fiction. Whether you’re a seasoned time traveler or a newcomer to the genre, these books promise to transport you beyond the boundaries of time and reality, challenging your perceptions and igniting your imagination. Below, find the top fiction books about time travel, ranked by their Goodreads review averages.

Note: These Goodreads ratings are subject to change and are accurate as of 2/5/24.

1 Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut

Goodreads:  4.41

Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut is a seminal work in American literature, blending science fiction, satire, and war memoir to explore the themes of free will, fatalism, and the absurdity of human conflict. It’s often mentioned on lists of the best sci-fi books of all time. The book tells the story of Billy Pilgrim, a World War II veteran and POW survivor of the Dresden bombing, who becomes “unstuck in time” and experiences moments of his life out of sequence. This non-linear narrative structure allows Vonnegut to weave together the past, present, and future, including Billy’s abduction by aliens from the planet Tralfamadore. Since its release in 1969, Slaughterhouse-Five has received widespread acclaim, cementing its place in the literary canon. While it has not won specific awards, its impact and significance have been recognized through its inclusion in various lists of the greatest books ever written and its enduring presence in academic and literary discussions.

The novel’s distinction as one of the best books about time travel stems not from its depiction of time travel as a technological or fantastical phenomenon but from its innovative use of the concept as a narrative device to explore the human condition. Vonnegut’s portrayal of time travel reflects the fragmented nature of memory and the human psyche, particularly in response to trauma and the incomprehensibility of war. Through Billy Pilgrim’s journeys across time, Slaughterhouse-Five challenges readers to reconsider linear narratives and confront the cyclic nature of violence and despair. This philosophical and existential approach to time travel, combined with Vonnegut’s sharp wit and profound insights into the absurdities of human existence, secures the novel’s place as a timeless masterpiece in the genre.

2 11/22/63 by Stephen King

Goodreads:  4.33

11/22/6 3 by Stephen King is a riveting novel that merges elements of historical fiction, science fiction, and thriller. The plot centers around Jake Epping, a high school English teacher who discovers a time portal in a local diner that leads back to September 9, 1958. With the guidance of the diner’s owner, Al, Jake embarks on a mission to prevent the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, believing that changing this one event could positively alter the course of history. Throughout his journey, Jake encounters the complexities of living in the past, falls in love, and faces the moral and ethical dilemmas of changing history. The book has been acclaimed for its detailed research and compelling narrative, earning it a spot on The New York Times Best Seller list and notable recognition among readers and critics alike.

Considered one of the best books about time travel, 11/22/63 stands out for its intricate plot, deep character development, and the thought-provoking exploration of the “butterfly effect” — the idea that small changes can have large, unforeseen consequences. Stephen King masterfully combines historical accuracy with speculative fiction, creating a vivid portrayal of the late 1950s and early 1960s in America. The novel’s ability to blend real historical events with the fictional journey of its protagonist offers readers a unique and immersive experience. King’s exploration of themes such as love, loss, and the weight of history, coupled with his skillful narrative construction, makes 11/22/63 a standout work in the genre of time travel fiction, resonating with readers long after they turn the last page.

3 Kindred by Octavia E. Butler

Goodreads:  4.30

Kindred, authored by Octavia E. Butler, stands as a profound and pioneering work within the science fiction genre, melding elements of time travel with a stark examination of American history. The novel follows Dana, a young African-American woman in the 1970s who finds herself repeatedly transported back in time to the early 19th century. In this antebellum Maryland, she encounters her ancestors: a white slave owner and a black woman who is one of his slaves. While Kindred has not been awarded in the traditional sense often associated with science fiction, its impact and significance have been recognized through its inclusion in academic curricula and its influence on subsequent generations of writers. It is celebrated not only for its innovative use of the time travel trope but also for its unflinching confrontation with the complexities of race, slavery, and power dynamics.

The acclaim of Kindred as one of the best books about time travel stems not only from its imaginative narrative structure but also from its ability to leverage the time-traveling experience as a powerful lens through which the enduring effects of slavery and racism in America are explored. Butler’s novel is distinguished by its emotional depth, compelling character development, and the seamless integration of historical fact with speculative fiction elements. This unique combination allows readers to engage with the historical past in a deeply personal and reflective manner. The book’s enduring popularity and relevance are testament to its standing as a seminal work that transcends the typical boundaries of genre to offer insights into the human condition and the cyclical nature of history.

4 Hyperion by Dan Simmons

Goodreads:  4.26

Hyperion by Dan Simmons is a towering achievement in the science fiction genre, weaving together the tales of seven pilgrims who journey across a far-future universe to the distant world of Hyperion. On the eve of an interstellar war, these characters—each with a unique story that is gradually unveiled—seek the answers to their deepest questions before the mysterious and deadly entity known as the Shrike. This Hugo Award-winning novel, released in 1989, masterfully combines elements of space opera with deep philosophical questions and a richly imagined universe, showcasing Simmons’ prowess in storytelling and world-building.

Considered one of the best books about time travel, Hyperion stands out due to its innovative use of time travel as a central plot device. The novel intricately explores the concept through the Shrike and the Time Tombs, around which much of the story’s mystery revolves. Simmons employs time travel not just as a means of moving characters through space and time but as a profound element that affects the narrative’s structure, themes, and the characters’ fates. The way time travel is woven into the plot highlights the complexities of causality, destiny, and personal choice, making Hyperion a compelling and thought-provoking read that pushes the boundaries of the genre and offers a unique perspective on the consequences and paradoxes of time travel.

5 Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon is not just a novel; it’s a sprawling journey across time that marries elements of historical fiction, romance , and adventure. First published in 1991, the story introduces readers to Claire Randall, a former World War II nurse who, while on a second honeymoon in Scotland with her husband Frank, is mysteriously transported back in time to 1743. Thrust into a world of clan politics, stark landscapes, and looming conflict, Claire encounters Jamie Fraser, a gallant and chivalrous young Scots warrior, and her life becomes irrevocably intertwined with his. As she navigates the dangers of a bygone era, Claire is torn between her fidelity to the future and the love she discovers in the past. Outlander has captivated millions with its rich historical detail, compelling characters, and thrilling narrative, earning Gabaldon a dedicated fanbase and several awards, including the Quill Award and the Romance Writers of America’s RITA Award for Best Romance of 1991.

Considered one of the top time travel romance books of all time, Outlander stands out for its unique blend of historical accuracy, time travel, and deep, enduring romance. Gabaldon’s meticulous research into the period brings 18th-century Scotland to vivid life, providing a lush backdrop for the passionate relationship between Claire and Jamie. Unlike many time travel stories that focus solely on the mechanics of time travel or the butterfly effect, Outlander delves into the human element—exploring the complexities of love and loyalty across different times. This novel transcends the genre by focusing on the emotional journey of its characters, making it a quintessential read for fans of romance and time travel alike.

6 The End of Eternity by Isaac Asimov

Goodreads:  4.24

The End of Eternity by Isaac Asimov is a quintessential piece of science fiction literature that delves into the complex themes of time travel and its far-reaching consequences. Published in 1955, the novel introduces readers to The Eternity, a secretive organization that exists outside conventional time, with the ability to manipulate and alter historical events to prevent human suffering and catastrophe. The story follows Andrew Harlan, a Technician in Eternity who specializes in making these delicate temporal adjustments, as he navigates the moral and ethical dilemmas posed by manipulating time. Despite its critical acclaim and the way it showcases Asimov’s prowess in building intricate, thought-provoking narratives, The End of Eternity did not receive contemporary awards at the time of its release. However, its enduring popularity and influence on the science fiction genre underscore its significance and the way it captures the imagination of readers, illustrating Asimov’s masterful exploration of time travel’s complexities and its impact on humanity.

7 Replay by Ken Grimwood

Goodreads:  4.15

Replay by Ken Grimwood is an intriguing exploration of time travel, life’s possibilities, and the concept of destiny. The novel follows Jeff Winston, a radio journalist who dies of a heart attack at 43 and inexplicably wakes up in his 18-year-old body in 1963, with all his memories intact. As Jeff lives his life over and over, he experiences different paths and choices, each “replay” offering new opportunities, challenges, and insights into the human condition. Despite its fantastical premise, the book delves deeply into themes of love, regret, and the significance of the choices we make.

Since its release, Replay has been acclaimed for its originality and depth, winning the World Fantasy Award for Best Novel in 1988. It remains a cherished work for its profound narrative and the emotional journey it offers readers, making it a standout title in the time travel genre.

8 To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis

Goodreads:  4.11

To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis is a delightful foray into the world of time travel, combining wit, historical intrigue, and a dash of romance. The novel follows Ned Henry, a time-traveling historian who is sent back to the Victorian era to correct an anomaly that threatens to alter history. His mission becomes entangled with that of fellow historian Verity Kindle, leading to a series of comedic and chaotic adventures as they navigate the complexities of 19th-century social etiquette, all while trying to ensure the future remains unchanged.

Willis masterfully blends elements of science fiction with the historical setting, creating a rich and engaging narrative. Upon its release, the book was met with critical acclaim and went on to win both the Hugo and Locus Awards for Best Science Fiction Novel, cementing its place as a cherished work in the genre.

9 Lightning by Dean Koontz

Goodreads:  4.09

Lightning, a novel by Dean Koontz, stands out as an intriguing blend of science fiction and suspense, masterfully weaving the concept of time travel into a narrative that is as thought-provoking as it is thrilling. The story follows Laura Shane, a woman whose life is intermittently saved by a mysterious stranger, who we come to learn is a time traveler from Nazi Germany. This stranger’s interventions are pivotal at various junctures in Laura’s life, leading to revelations about destiny, the nature of good and evil, and the intricate fabric of time itself. Since its release, Lightning has captivated readers with its unique plot and compelling characters, although it hasn’t been specifically highlighted for literary awards, its enduring popularity and critical acclaim underscore Koontz’s prowess in crafting suspenseful narratives with a science fiction twist. The book remains a standout example of Koontz’s ability to blend genres seamlessly, making it a must-read for fans of time travel fiction and suspense alike.

10 Doomsday Book by Connie Willis

Goodreads:  4.03

Doomsday Book by Connie Willis is an exceptional foray into the realm of time travel, seamlessly blending historical fiction with science fiction elements. The novel follows Kivrin Engle, a young historian who, through the use of futuristic time travel technology, is sent back to the 14th century. However, what was intended to be a meticulous academic observation turns into a harrowing journey of survival when she arrives during the onset of the Black Plague. Willis’s detailed depiction of medieval England, along with the parallel narrative of Kivrin’s colleagues in the 21st century grappling with a deadly influenza outbreak, creates a compelling exploration of humanity, resilience, and the interconnectedness of history and the present. Doomsday Book has garnered critical acclaim for its intricate plot and emotional depth, winning both the Nebula and Hugo Awards for Best Novel, affirming its status as a masterpiece in the science fiction genre.

11 The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August by Claire North

The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August by Claire North is a captivating exploration of immortality and the infinite possibilities of life. The novel follows its titular character, Harry August, who lives his life over and over again with full memory of his previous existences. Each time Harry dies, he is reborn into the same life but with the opportunity to make different choices, leading to varied outcomes. This cycle allows Harry to experience the 20th century multiple times, witnessing its major events and technological advancements firsthand. However, the equilibrium of his perpetual rebirths is threatened when he receives a message from the future indicating a looming catastrophe that only he can prevent. This unique take on time travel and reincarnation has not only captivated readers worldwide but also earned critical acclaim.

Since its release, the book has been recognized for its originality and depth, including being nominated for the Arthur C. Clarke Award and winning the John W. Campbell Memorial Award for Best Science Fiction Novel. North’s novel stands out for its philosophical musings on time, memory, and the human condition, making it a significant contribution to the genre.

12 The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

Goodreads:  3.99

The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger is a uniquely crafted narrative that intertwines romance, science fiction, and the raw complexities of human relationships through the lens of time travel. The novel introduces readers to Clare and Henry, an artist and a librarian who have an unconventional love story shaped by Henry’s rare genetic disorder that causes him to involuntarily travel through time. This condition presents both profound connections and heartbreaking challenges as they navigate their lives together, often out of sync in time yet deeply bonded by love. Since its release in 2003, the book has captivated audiences with its emotional depth and innovative storytelling, earning it widespread acclaim.

Although it did not win major literary awards, The Time Traveler’s Wife achieved significant commercial success, became a New York Times bestseller, and was adapted into a film and a television series, highlighting its lasting impact and appeal to both readers and viewers alike.

13 A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle

Goodreads:  3.98

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle is a groundbreaking work of science fiction and fantasy that has captured the imaginations of readers since its publication in 1962. The novel follows the adventures of Meg Murry, her younger brother Charles Wallace, and their friend Calvin O’Keefe as they embark on a perilous journey through space and time to rescue Meg’s father, a scientist trapped on a distant planet by a malevolent force known as IT.

L’Engle masterfully combines elements of science fiction, fantasy, and coming-of-age narrative, exploring themes of love, courage, and the battle between good and evil. A Wrinkle in Time has received widespread acclaim, including the prestigious Newbery Medal in 1963, recognizing it as a significant contribution to American children’s literature. Its enduring popularity has established it as a classic, inspiring generations of readers to look beyond the confines of their reality.

14 Time and Again by Jack Finney

Goodreads:  3.94

Time and Again by Jack Finney is a classic in the genre of time travel literature, first published in 1970. The novel follows Simon Morley, a young advertising artist who enlists in a secret government project that enables him to travel back in time to New York City in 1882. Using his artistic skills, Morley immerses himself in the past, exploring the rich tapestry of late 19th-century life with an eye for detail that brings the era to vivid life. As he becomes entangled in the lives of the people he encounters, Morley finds himself faced with choices that have the power to alter history. Time and Again ‘s enduring popularity and critical acclaim have cemented its status as a beloved masterpiece of time travel fiction. The novel is celebrated for its meticulous historical research, engaging plot, and the philosophical questions it raises about the nature of time and our place within it.

15 The Gone World by Tom Sweterlitsch

Goodreads:  3.93

The Gone World by Tom Sweterlitsch is a mesmerizing entry in the realm of books about time travel, blending elements of science fiction, mystery, and thriller genres to create a gripping narrative. The story follows NCIS Special Agent Shannon Moss as she investigates the murder of a Navy SEAL’s family and the disappearance of his teenage daughter. Moss is part of a secretive military division that investigates crimes by traveling to future timelines. Her quest for answers leads her to a future that should never happen and reveals a terrifying world-ending event known as the Terminus.

Sweterlitsch masterfully constructs a complex, multi-layered plot that challenges the boundaries of time and space, inviting readers to contemplate the implications of diving into the unknown and the impact of our choices on the future.

16 Lest Darkness Fall by L. Sprague de Camp

Goodreads:  3.92

Lest Darkness Fall by L. Sprague de Camp is often heralded as one of the top books about time travel, thanks to its inventive plot and engaging narrative. This classic novel transports its protagonist, Martin Padway, to sixth-century Rome, just before the onset of the Dark Ages. Armed with his knowledge of modern technology and historical events, Padway endeavors to alter the course of history to prevent the impending collapse of civilization. Through his attempts to introduce advancements and thwart the fall of Rome, the book explores themes of innovation, cultural impact, and the intricate dance of cause and effect. De Camp’s meticulous attention to historical detail, combined with his imaginative speculation, makes Lest Darkness Fall a standout tale in the time travel genre, engaging readers with its blend of history, science fiction, and adventure.

17 The Anubis Gates by Tim Powers

Goodreads:  3.90

The Anubis Gates by Tim Powers is a riveting entry in the pantheon of top books about time travel, masterfully blending historical fiction, fantasy, and science fiction into a cohesive and enthralling narrative. The story transports readers to 19th-century London, where a modern-day scholar finds himself caught up in a dark and complex plot involving ancient Egyptian magic, body-swapping, and a secret society of time travelers. Powers crafts a meticulously researched Victorian London as the backdrop for this adventure, weaving real historical figures and events with fantastical elements. The novel’s richly detailed world, combined with its intricate plot and compelling characters, makes The Anubis Gates not just a journey through time but an immersive dive into a past as dangerous as it is enchanting, solidifying its status among the top books about time travel.

18 The Time Keeper by Mitch Albom

Goodreads:  3.89

The Time Keeper by Mitch Albom is a thought-provoking addition to the genre of time travel literature, weaving a narrative that stands out among the top books about time travel. This novel introduces readers to Dor, the first person to measure time, who is punished for trying to quantify life’s moments. Banished to a cave for centuries, he is forced to listen to the world’s pleas for more time. It is not until he is granted his freedom, with a mission to teach two earthly souls the true meaning of time, that Dor can truly understand the depth and complexities of his invention. Albom’s storytelling is both unique and insightful, exploring the profound impact time has on human experiences and relationships. Through Dor’s journey, The Time Keeper delves into the essence of time’s value, making it a poignant and memorable read in the exploration of time travel’s narrative possibilities.

19 The Time Machine by H.G. Wells

The Time Machine by H.G. Wells stands as a cornerstone in the pantheon of classic time travel books, setting the foundation for the genre with its innovative concept and imaginative exploration of the future. In this seminal work, Wells introduces readers to the Time Traveller, a scientist who invents a machine that enables him to journey into the distant future. There, he encounters the Eloi and the Morlocks, two divergent species evolved from humanity, offering a stark, evolutionary vision of Earth’s fate. Through its vividly imagined future and philosophical underpinnings, The Time Machine not only captivates with its adventurous plot but also invites reflection on the social and scientific implications of time travel, cementing its status as a timeless masterpiece in science fiction literature.

20 Timeline by Michael Crichton

Goodreads:  3.86

Timeline by Michael Crichton stands as a noteworthy entry among classic time travel books, masterfully weaving historical fiction with cutting-edge science fiction. The novel plunges its characters—and readers—into the heart of medieval France, where a group of archaeologists and historians from a modern-day technological corporation use quantum technology to travel back in time. Their mission is to rescue their professor, who has become stranded in the 14th century amidst the feudal conflicts and the stark realities of medieval life.

Crichton’s meticulous research into the period brings an authenticity to the adventure, while his exploration of quantum mechanics adds a plausible scientific foundation to the time travel narrative. Timeline captivates with its thrilling plot, rich historical detail, and the timeless allure of journeying into the past, marking it as a must-read for fans of the genre.

21 Blackout/All Clear by Connie Willis

Goodreads:  3.85

Blackout/All Clear by Connie Willis is an ambitious duo of time travel novels that masterfully blend historical detail with the speculative intrigue of time travel. Set against the backdrop of World War II, the story follows a group of historians from 2060 who travel back to the 1940s to observe and document the everyday lives of those who lived through the Blitz, the evacuation of Dunkirk, and other pivotal moments of the war.

However, their mission takes a perilous turn when they become trapped in the past, unable to return to their own time. Willis’s meticulous research and vivid storytelling immerse readers in the era, while the novel’s exploration of history, memory, and the human experience through the lens of time travel offers a poignant reflection on the resilience and courage of those who faced the uncertainties of war.

22 The Man Who Folded Himself by David Gerrold

Goodreads:  3.81

The Man Who Folded Himself by David Gerrold is a time travel novel that delves into the mind-bending possibilities of self-interaction across different timelines. This narrative follows Daniel Eakins, a young man who inherits a time belt from his uncle, granting him the power to travel through time. Unlike typical time travel stories that focus on altering historical events or exploring the future, Gerrold’s novel takes a more introspective approach. Daniel uses the time belt to visit different periods in history, meet versions of himself from alternative timelines, and even attend his own parties, leading to profound existential questions and the exploration of free will, identity, and the human condition. Gerrold’s ingenious plotting and philosophical insights make The Man Who Folded Himself a standout in the genre, offering a unique take on the consequences and paradoxes of time travel.

23 All Our Wrong Todays by Elan Mastai

Goodreads:  3.75

All Our Wrong Todays by Elan Mastai is a captivating time travel novel that skillfully blends elements of science fiction and romance to explore the consequences of technology and the complexity of human emotions through the lens of time travel. The story is set in a 2016 that feels like the utopian future people in the 1950s imagined we would have, complete with flying cars, moving sidewalks, and no pollution. It follows Tom Barren, who, after a time travel experiment goes awry, finds himself in a starkly different 2016—the one we know. As Tom navigates this alternate reality, he is confronted with the profound impact of his actions on the world and the lives of those he loves. Mastai’s novel is a thought-provoking journey that questions the idea of perfection, the value of imperfection, and the intricate paths that lead us to the lives we are meant to live.

24 Version Control by Dexter Palmer

Goodreads:  3.73

Version Control by Dexter Palmer is a thought-provoking time travel novel that delves into the complexities of reality, the impact of technology on human relationships, and the nature of time itself. The story centers around Rebecca Wright, who suspects her world feels off-kilter and not quite real following a personal tragedy. Her husband, Philip, is a physicist working on a causality violation device, which is ostensibly not a time machine but begins to hint at the possibility of altering timelines. As the narrative unfolds, Palmer explores the subtle yet profound effects of technology on everyday life and the concept of “version control” in both software development and the fabric of the universe. This novel stands out for its deep philosophical inquiries, its critique of modern life, and the way it seamlessly blends science fiction with the emotional depth of its characters’ personal lives, making it a unique and compelling read within the time travel genre.

25 The Accidental Time Machine by Joe Haldeman

Goodreads: 3.72

The Accidental Time Machine by Joe Haldeman is a compelling science fiction novel that explores the adventures of Matt Fuller, a lab assistant at MIT, who stumbles upon a time machine quite by accident. As Fuller uses the device to leap forward in time, he encounters various futures, each more bizarre and fascinating than the last. The plot weaves through these temporal shifts, delivering a narrative rich in speculative science, social commentary, and the human condition. Upon its release, the book received positive reviews for its imaginative storytelling, Haldeman’s crisp writing, and the engaging way it addresses the consequences of time travel. While The Accidental Time Machine did not win major science fiction awards like the Hugo or Nebula, it further cemented Joe Haldeman’s reputation as a master storyteller in the genre, capturing the interest of readers and critics alike for its inventive take on the time travel theme.

26 The Psychology of Time Travel by Kate Mascarenhas

Goodreads:  3.71

The Psychology of Time Travel by Kate Mascarenhas weaves an intricate narrative that explores the ramifications of time travel on human psychology and relationships. Published in 2018, the book introduces readers to a unique world where time travel is not only possible but has also created a complex society with its own rules and norms. The plot unfolds through the perspectives of multiple characters across different timelines, showcasing Mascarenhas’s skill in handling non-linear storytelling. This debut novel has been well-received for its innovative approach to science fiction, blending mystery, and feminist themes seamlessly. Critics have praised Mascarenhas for her thought-provoking exploration of how time travel might affect mental health, power dynamics, and interpersonal connections. While The Psychology of Time Travel has not been highlighted by major award wins, its positive reception and unique contributions to the science fiction genre have made it a noteworthy read for enthusiasts and casual readers alike, marking Mascarenhas as an author to watch.

27 The Chronoliths by Robert Charles Wilson

Goodreads:  3.68

The Chronoliths, penned by Robert Charles Wilson, unfolds around the enigmatic appearance of massive monuments, known as Chronoliths, which materialize across the globe. These monuments, inscribed with dates 20 years in the future, herald the military victories of a leader named Kuin. The narrative centers on Scott Warden, a man who finds himself intricately linked to these phenomena and the global efforts to decipher their origins and implications. The novel adeptly blends the elements of science fiction with deep psychological and sociopolitical themes, exploring how humanity grapples with the known and the unknown, destiny, and the concept of free will. Upon its release, The Chronoliths was met with critical acclaim for its originality, compelling storytelling, and the depth of its character development. It not only received praise for its thought-provoking content but also clinched the John W. Campbell Memorial Award for Best Science Fiction Novel in 2002, solidifying Wilson’s reputation as a distinguished voice in the science fiction genre.

28 Bones of the Earth by Michael Swanwick

Goodreads:  3.49

Bones of the Earth by Michael Swanwick is a sci-fi novel that intricately weaves together themes of time travel, paleontology, and the ethics of scientific discovery. The plot centers around a group of paleontologists who are given the opportunity to study dinosaurs in their natural habitats, thanks to the advent of time travel. However, as they delve deeper into the prehistoric past, they uncover mysteries that challenge their understanding of time and existence itself. Upon its release, the book was met with critical acclaim for its imaginative storytelling and thorough research into dinosaur science, earning Swanwick praise for blending hard science fiction with engaging narrative elements.

Bones of the Earth was nominated for several prestigious awards, including the Hugo, Nebula, and Locus Awards for Best Novel, showcasing its impact within the science fiction community and affirming Swanwick’s reputation as a masterful storyteller.

29 How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe by Charles Yu

Goodreads:  3.45

How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe , penned by Charles Yu, unfolds within a universe where time travel is not just possible but has become an integral part of the fabric of existence. The narrative follows the life of a time machine repairman named Charles Yu, who shares the author’s name. Trapped in a time loop, the protagonist embarks on a deeply introspective journey, exploring themes of loneliness, family dynamics, and the quest for meaning within the confines of a meticulously constructed science fictional setting.

Upon its release, the book garnered attention for its innovative blend of science fiction elements with poignant, introspective storytelling, earning praise for Yu’s unique voice and imaginative approach to the genre. Critics lauded its clever use of metafiction and the ways it grapples with the complexities of human emotion against a backdrop of time travel and theoretical physics. Although it didn’t snag any major science fiction awards, it firmly established Charles Yu as a significant voice in contemporary science fiction, receiving critical acclaim and a warm reception from readers who appreciated its thoughtful exploration of the human condition through the lens of science fiction.

30 The Map of Time by Félix J. Palma

Goodreads:  3.39

The Map of Time by Félix J. Palma is a riveting novel that intricately weaves together history, science fiction, and romance into a captivating narrative. Set in Victorian London, it explores the concept of time travel through the lives of its characters, intertwining their stories with real historical figures such as H.G. Wells. The plot is rich with twists and turns, offering readers a blend of suspense, mystery, and a deep reflection on the nature of time and love. Upon its release, the book received critical acclaim for its imaginative storytelling, detailed historical research, and the ability to blend genres seamlessly. Critics praised Palma’s skillful narrative and the novel’s complex character development. While The Map of Time has been celebrated for its innovation and depth, it is more noted for its literary achievements and storytelling prowess than for winning specific awards. Nonetheless, its reception among readers and critics alike cements its status as a standout work in speculative fiction.

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25 of the Best Time Travel Books

Welcome to Top Sci Fi’s countdown of the 25 best time travel books on the market. A mix of classics and modern novels have been chosen. The books offer unique and thought-provoking twists on time travel. If you like the sound of any of the books on the list, you can enjoy two for free by signing up for Audible's one month free trial .

The Time Machine

By HG Wells

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HG Wells is one of the true titans of the scifi genre and The Time Machine is one of his finest stories. This time travel tale focuses on the story of a Time Traveller who has ventured hundreds of thousands of years beyond his own time. The level of imagination shown in the story is especially impressive when the reader considers Wells published The Time Machine in 1895. The story was the first to help Wells breakthrough as an author and remains essential reading for time travel fans.

By Stephen King

Stephen King is well known as a horror author, but in 11/22/63 he shows is a more than capable master of time travel fiction. This is a story which explores one of the most interesting chapters in American history and showcases the humanity behind the history books. As always, King presents a gripping, character-focused story full of twists and turns guaranteed to keep you guessing until the very last page.

Slaughterhouse 5

By Kurt Vonnegut

Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse 5 is proof that time travel fiction can be critically acclaimed and have literary merit at the same time. Slaughterhouse 5 is a time travel book with a powerful antiwar message. Vonnegut entertains while making his point through the use of masterfully crafted characters including memorable members of the British military. Slaughterhouse 5 is the ideal time travel novel for a reader with discerning literary taste.

A Wrinkle in Time

By Madeleine L'Engle

The Time Quintet series begins with A Wrinkle in Time. This time travel novel tells the story of a family who are interrupted by a mysterious visitor. The fact that the father of the family has been carrying out mysterious scientific work is no coincidence. A Wrinkle in Time is a captivating story of rescue and time travel which is the perfect introduction to L’Engle’s series.

By Michael Crichton

Timeline is a combination of classic time travel fiction with pure page turner thriller elements. A group of brave men and women are sent back six centuries into the fast with a vital mission. They are fighting for far more than their own survival. Timeline has been praised for making some of the complex scientific theories which would make time travel possible understandable for a layman reader.

The End of Eternity

By Isaac Asimov

The End of Eternity is a classic take on the time travel genre by science fiction mastermind Isaac Asimov. The book’s main character is Andrew Harlan, a man tasked with the cosmic role of Eternal. This job requires Andrew to travel back and forth through time, making adjustments to its course where needed. However, Andrew soon makes the decision to begin twisting the direction of time for his own purposes.

The Accidental Time Machine

By Joe Haldeman

Joe Haldeman is one of the most talented modern science fiction writers, and The Accidental Time Machine is perfect for those new to his work, as well as existing fans. The story tells the tale of a scientific researcher who accidentally creates a time machine. Deciding that time travel is more alluring than his present life, the scientist sets off on a time traveling adventure that scifi fans are sure to love.

Somewhere in Time

By Richard Matheson

Richard Matheson tells the story of a man seeking his soulmate by traveling back in time to iconic past eras. Somewhere in Time is a story of mortality, love, and the concept of a soulmate. The story is an interesting take on the time travel genre, and was popular enough at the time of publication to be adapted into a major movie.

Flashforward

By Robert J Sawyer

Robert J Sawyer makes use of a fascinating premise to tell the story of Flashforward. This time travel novel is based in a world where everyone has blacked out for a couple of minutes. This naturally causes widespread death and destruction and significantly disrupts life on Earth. However, the people who survive the blackout have been given glimpses of their own future, drastically altering their behavior as a result.

The Time Ships

By Stephen Baxter

The Time Ships is Stephen Baxter’s homage to classic time travel science fiction. This time travel novel makes use of classic ideas, characters, and concepts from the world of science fiction. The Time Ships is an authorised and direct sequel to HG Wells’ classic The Time Machine. Updating such a classic text is a mammoth task, but Baxter has managed it, much to the delight of time travel fans.

The Anubis Gates

By Tim Powers

Tim Powers imagines a world where time traveling is such a commonplace activity that it requires guides to accompany those who make the journey. Brendan Doyle is one such guide who manages to get stranded in the past during the course of a routine journey. Stuck in an ancient time which is far from his own, Doyle becomes mixed up in a complex plot where his actions will have a crucial role to play in the final outcome.

By Rysa Walker

Rysa Walker begins The Chronos Files with Timebound, a story of genetic time travelers who must use their ability to positively impact events in the present. Timebound explores the complexities that come with altering the past, and the way that doing so can have unintended consequences for the present day. Timebound is a superb time travel novel as it makes the personal implications of changing time relatable and moving.

The Devil's Arithmetic

By Jane Yolen

Jane Yolen offers a time travel novel with genuine depth in The Devil’s Arithmetic. The story is about the Holocaust and presents an unflinching look at the atrocities which took place. Although the story is often presented to young adults, readers of any age are sure to find meaning and interest in its pages. Although the subject matter is upsetting, this story of a young American Jewish girl traveling back in time is an important read.

The Chronoliths

By William Gibson

Robert Charles Wilson’s The Chronoliths is a time travel novel telling the story of a slacker called Scott Warden. Scott is drifting through life when a major event happens which disrupts humanity and its collective understanding of the nature of reality. Although Scott Warden is only interested in looking out for himself, he keeps getting drawn into the story’s events, and it soon becomes clear why.

By Arthur C Clarke and Stephen Baxter

The first installment in A Time Odyssey is Time’s Eye, a collaborative work from two masterful time travel writers, Stephen Baxter and Arthur C Clarke. Time’s Eye looks at what happens when a mysterious group of beings known as The Firstborn plunge the Earth into chaos, mixing up many different timelines into a single ‘present’. Historical figures and relatable everyday characters all have a role to play in getting to the bottom of these strange events.

Up The Line

By Robert Silverberg

Up The Line is a time travel novel considering the practicalities and temptations faced by a Time Courier, someone whose job it is to accompany time tourists back to a significant historical event, again and again. The book’s main character, Judson, eventually learns that it is possible to break the rules, and Up The Line explores the consequences when this occurs.

Time Travelers Never Die

By Jack McDevitt

Time Travelers Never Die sees a linguist and the son of a scientist embarking on an unexpected adventure through time. The two are in search of a missing scientist who is feared to be lost somewhere in time. Many significant periods from Earth’s history feature in their quest. The two have a rule to never visit the future - a rule which is eventually violated with significant ramifications.

Now Wait for Last Year

By Philip K Dick

Philip K Dick is one of the most significant authors in the science fiction genre, and Now Wait for Last Year is a time travel tale which causes you to question the very nature of time itself. The story is exciting and features an intergalactic war as well as engaging and relatable human characters. This is one of the more obscure Philip K Dick novels and is one of his most imaginative and creative.

Faces in Time

By Lewis Aleman

Lewis Aleman makes his mark on the time travel genre with Faces in Time, the story of a man racing back through history to prevent the woman he loves making a massive mistake. He ends up making plenty of enemies along the way, and finds himself chased by an ever growing cast of adversaries. Faces in Time explores the vast personal cost which can be associated with time travel, and explores what would motivate us to take such a drastic journey.

Time on My Hands

By Peter Delacorte

Time on My Hands is a time travel novel exploring what happens when a travel writer is offered a trip like no other - a trip through time. In order to receive this journey, the writer is given a task to carry out. Time on my Hands looks at both the big picture implications of traveling back in time with knowledge of the future, and also considers the personal questions we would have to answer.

Towards Yesterday

By Paul Antony Jones

Towards Yesterday is a fascinating spin on the time travel genre, as it deals with an entire human population being sent back in time, rather than the usual situation of one or two individuals. The entire population of 2042 are sent a quarter of a century back into the past. Towards Yesterday has an incredible set of unconventional characters, coupled with a unique premise, and is guaranteed to be hard to put down for all fans of time travel science fiction.

All Our Yesterdays

By Christin Terrill

Cristin Terrill uses All Our Yesterdays to tell the story of Em. Em is trapped in her present reality, at least until she finds a very unusual note. The note is from none other than her future self and orders her back in time to prevent an event from taking place. All Our Yesterdays is a Young Adult time travel tale which is likely to appeal to fans of the genre of any age. Christin Terrill offers a gripping look at the personal implications of a mission spanning the eras of time.

If I Never Get Back

By Darryl Brock

If I Never Get Back is a true treat for fans of baseball and fans of time travel science fiction. The story is based around a dissatisfied reporter who is sent back through time, and soon finds the past to be very much to his taste. Darryl Brock’s vivid descriptions of some of the most classic times in baseball history make the reader feel as if they have actually been on the journey!

Shadow of Ashland

By Terence M Green

The first book in the Ashland series, Shadow of Ashland, explores the implications of the Great Depression and how it resonates on through the ages. The book’s main character is Leo Nolan, who must keep his promise to his dying mother. His discovery is fascinating and leads him down the path of complex family discovery which will keep readers hanging on for the next book in the series.

The Shadow Hunter

By Pat Murphy

The Shadow Hunter is an incredibly imaginative time travel tale which mixes futuristic technology with the very earliest ancestors on Earth. Pat Murphy has updated the story since its original publication to more faithfully represent the story of The Shadow Hunter. This time travel novel is a fascinating mix of spirituality and science fiction which is sure to leave an impression on the reader long after the story ends.

Time Travel: Science Fiction or Fantasy

If you had to categorize time travel into a specific genre, what would it be? Many hardcore genre enthusiasts would be hard pressed to give you an answer. The casual passing fan will more than likely call science fiction. This may be due largely in part to the H.G. Wells Classic, The Time Machine . 

But does that mean all time travel books are SciFi?

Depends on how you look at it. There's a particular school of thought I like to follow. The question is not "What is it?" but "What's the methodology?". If we're hopping the timeline via Tardis, genetic ability, or a souped up DeLorean... then we're talking SciFi. 

But if spells, ancient beings, artifacts, or other forms of wizardry are employed... Fantasy. However, the lines tend to get blurred more often than not with both Fantasy geeks and SciFi nerds clamoring for control of the genre . 

Either way that does not change the fact that Time Travel books are freaking awesome and should be part of any bookavore's diet.

A Brief History of Time Travel in Science Fiction

Time loops, slips, and paradoxes: what's what.

When approaching a time travel theme, authors have so many to choose from. But what are the different angles they can take? What's the difference?

First, time loops. Books with time loops are rather interesting. This is where the character's repeatedly experience the same time period. Many times with the hopes of escaping via some redeemable action or changing the way events are to unfold. Remember that Bill Murray movie Groundhog Day ? Time loop.

Next up: Time slips. What are time slips? This is where the character travels through time often unexpectedly for an indeterminate amount of time. Books about time machines often times are NOT time slips. Time machines normally allow for a controlled venture throughout the timeline with a destination both in space and time predetermined. However, time slips occur due to seemingly random events and are either corrected by another seemingly random event. Or the character is just stuck and must learn to get by. Oh well.

Lastly, everybody loves a good time paradox. Time paradoxes are really neat stuff. This is when a character travels through time (normally to the past) to change an event and alter the future. These are primarily disruptive events and even have their own classification of paradox known as The Grandfather Paradox . Pretty much... What would happen if you went back in time and killed your own grandparents? Sorry Grandma. 

The Butterfly Effect

Not all time travel is just based purely on science fiction (or fantasy), but on some real world magic.

Mathematics.

The Butterfly Effect is one often used in time travel stories. Based off of real-life Chaos Theory , the butterfly effect states that even the simplest of actions causes a ripple in time. These ripples then eventually grow into waves which mature into tsunamis. 

For instance, if you were to go back in time and kill one locust during the dinosaur days... that may lead to the a mass hunger among certain flying lizards. This could cause those lizards to migrate towards the ocean for food. Which then causes them to evolve to be ocean creatures. That leading to survival after the extinction event. Leading to reptilian creatures to swarm the gene pool. Yadda yadda yadda... Lizard people. 

There's actually a movie dedicated to this called (That's right. You guessed it.) The Butterfly Effect starring Ashton Kutcher. But the most notable example of the butterfly effect in science fiction literature is A Sound of Thunder written by SciFi legend Ray Bradbury .    

Get These Best SciFi Time Travel Books for Free!

If you are interested in getting some of these science fiction cyberpunk books for free here are two ways in which you can do that: 

1. Audible's One Month Free Trial : You can download any two of the time travel books found on this list by signing up for Audible’s free trial. Audible is arguably the best audiobook service on the market. Even if you cancel your trial and decide not to continue with a membership, you can still keep the two books you chose.

1 thought on “25 of the Best Time Travel Books”

How the book “Time and Again” by Jack Finney is not on this list is beyond me. It’s like leaving babe Ruth off the list as one of the 25 greatest baseball players of all time

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The 35 Best Books About Time Travel

Here's what to read after you finish Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series.

Every item on this page was chosen by a Town & Country editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy.

Gabaldon first published Outlander —the book that would eventually inspire the television series starring Caitriona Balfe as Claire and Sam Heughan as Jamie —in 1991, and the ninth novel in the series, Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone , came out in November 2021.

Ahead of the seventh season of Outlander , now's the perfect time (ha) to dive into time travel books. From time traveling romance to alternate realities to murder mysteries, there's something for everyone here.

The Time Traveler's Wife

Any list about time travel books must begin with The Time Traveler's Wife , right? This bestselling novel tells the love story of Henry DeTamble, a dashing, adventuresome librarian who inadvertently travels through time, and Clare Abshire, an artist whose life takes a natural sequential course. Plot sound familiar? The book was adapted into a 2009 film starring Rachel McAdams and Eric Bana, and a 2022 TV show starring Theo James and Rose Leslie .

Read more: 20 of the best Time Travel Films Ever Made

A Murder in Time

Kendra Donovan is a rising star at the FBI, until one disastrous raid when half her team is murdered and a mole in the FBI is uncovered. After she recovers from her wounds, she's determined to find the man responsible for the death of her team—yet upon her arrival in England, she stumbles back in time to 1815. Mistaken for a lady's maid, Kendra is forced to quickly adapt to the period as she figures out how to get back to her own timeline. There are five books in the Kendra Donovan series , so if you love a time travel mystery, don't miss these.

Author Octavia Butler is a queen of science fiction, and Kindred is her bestselling novel about time travel. In it, she tells the story of Dana, a Black woman, who is celebrating her 26th birthday in 1976. Abruptly, she's transported back to Maryland, circa 1815, where she's on a plantation and has to save Rufus, the white son of the plantation owner. It's not just a time travel book, but one that expertly weaves in narratives of enslaved people and explores the Antebellum South.

Faye, Faraway

Diana Gabaldon herself called Faye, Faraway "a lovely, deeply moving story of loss and love and memory made real , " so you know it's going to be good. The plot focuses on Faye, a mother of two, who lost her own mother, Jeanie, when she was just 8 years old. When Faye suddenly finds herself transported back in time, she befriends her mother—but doesn't let on who she really is. Eventually, she has to choose between her past and her future.

The Eyre Affair

In this version of Great Britain circa 1985, time travel is routine. Our protagonist is Thursday Next, a literary detective, who is placed on a case when someone begins kidnapping characters from works of literature and plucks Jane Eyre from the pages of Brontë's novel.

Bonus: The Eyre Affair is the first in a seven book series following Thursday.

The River of No Return: A Novel

Lord Nicholas Davenant is about to die in the Napoleonic Wars in 1812, and wakes up 200 years later. But he longs to return back in time to his love, Julia. When he arrives in modern society, a mysterious organization called the Guild tells him "there is no return," until one day, they summon him to London and he learns it's possible to travel back through time. A spy thriller that's also historical romance that's also time travel... Say less.

One Last Stop

Casey McQuiston's second novel ( following Red, White, and Royal blue, which is going to be a major motion picture this summer ) is a queer time-loop romance set on the Q train in New York City, and it's riveting. August is 23, working at a 24-hour diner, and meets a gorgeous, charming girl on the train: Jane. But she can't seem to meet up with her off the Q train—until they figure out Jane is stuck in time from the 1970s. How did she travel through time? Can August get Jane unstuck? Will they live happily ever after!? The questions abound.

What the Wind Knows

Anne Gallagher grew up hearing her grandfather’s stories of Ireland. When she returns to the country to spread his ashes, she is transported back in time to 1921—and is drawn into the struggle for Irish independence. There, she meets Dr. Thomas Smith, and must decide whether or not she should return to her own timeline or stay in the past. As one reviewer wrote on Amazon, What the Wind Knows is a "spectacular time travel journey filled with love and loss."

The Midnight Library: A Novel

Imagine a library with an infinite number of books—each containing an alternate reality about your life. That's the plot of The Midnight Library , where our protagonist Nora Seed enters different versions of her life. She undoes old breakups, follows her dream of becoming a glaciologist, and so much more—but what happens to her original life?

The Rise and Fall of D.O.D.O.: A Novel

In this novel from Neal Stephenson and Nicole Galland, magic existed—until 1851. A secret government organization, the Department of Diachronic Operations (or D.O.D.O. for short), is dedicated to bringing magic back, and its members will travel through time to change history to do so. As Kirkus Reviews wrote , the novel "blend[s] time travel with Bourne-worthy skulduggery." It's a delight for any fans of science fiction, with a slow burn romance between military intelligence operator Tristan Lyons and linguist Melisande Stokes.

This Is How You Lose the Time War

Cowritten by two beloved and award-winning sci-fi writers, this epistolary romantic novel tells the story of two time-traveling rivals who fall in love. Agents Red and Blue travel back and forth throughout time, trying to alter universes on behalf of their warring empires—and start to leave each other messages. The messages begin taunting but soon turn flirtatious—and when Red's commander discovers her affection for Blue, they soon embark down a timeline they can't change.

The House on the Strand

Set at an ancient Cornish house called Kilmarth, where Daphne du Maurier lived from 1967, The House on the Strand story follows Dick Young, who has been offered use of Kilmarth by an old college friend, Magnus Lane. Magnus, a biophysicist, is developing a drug that enables people to travel back to the 14th century, and Dick reluctantly agrees to be a test subject. The catch: If you touch anyone, you're transported back to the present. As the story goes on, Dick's visits back to the 1300s become more frequent, and his life back in the modern world becomes unstable.

The Kingdoms

It’s 1898 and there’s a man named Joe, who lives in London, which is, in this alternate historical, a part of the French Empire as in this version of the past, Britain lost the Napoleonic Wars. Joe has gotten off a train from Scotland and cannot remember anything about who he is or where he’s from. He soon returns to his work, and after a few years, he is sent to repair a lighthouse in Eilean Mor in the Outer Hebrides. Joe then finds himself a century earlier, on a British boat with a mysterious captain, fighting the French and hoping for a future that is different than the one he came from. If you're into time travel and queer romance and alternate history, this is for you.

The Future of Another Timeline

In 1992, 17-year-old Beth agrees to help hide the dead body of her friend's abusive boyfriend. The murder sets Beth and her friends on "a path of escalating violence and vengeance" to protect other young women. In 2022, Tess decides to use time travel to fight for change around key moments in history. When Tess believes she's found a way to make an edit to history that actually sticks, she encounters a group of time travelers bent on stopping her at any cost. Tess and Beth's lives intertwine, and war breaks out across the timeline.

Shadow of Night

The sequel to A Discovery of Witches , the plot of Shadow of Night picks up right where the story left off: With Matthew, a vampire, and Diana, a witch, traveling back in time to Elizabethan London to search for an enchanted manuscript. You really need to read the first book before reading Shadow of Night , but the series by Deborah Harkness is a swoony magical romance.

And: It's now a TV show! ( Season one is streaming on Amazon Prime Video .)

The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle

In The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, the same day happens again and again. Each day, Evelyn Hardcastle is murdered at 11:00 p.m at Blackheath. And each day, our protagonist Aiden Bishop wakes up in the body of a different witness—and tries to solve her murder. He only has eight days, and it's a race against time to solve Evelyn's murder and to escape the time loop.

Recursion: A Novel

In 2018 New York City, detective Barry Sutton fails to talk Ann out of jumping off a building. But before Ann falls to her death, she tells him she is suffering from False Memory Syndrome—a new neurological disease where people are afflicted with memories of lives they never lived. The dissonance between their present and these memories drives them to death. This is best read unspoiled, but it's undoubtedly a time travel story you haven't read before.

On the eve of her wedding day, Shay Garrett looks into her grandmother's antique mirror and faints. When she wakes up, she's in the same house—but in the body of her grandmother, Brandy, as a young woman in 1900. And Brandy awakens in Shay's body in the present day in 1978. It's like Freaky Friday , but with time travel to the Victorian era.

Here and Now and Then

Kin Stewart is a time traveler from 2142, stuck in 1990s suburban San Francisco. A rescue team arrives to bring Kin back to his timeline—but 18 years too late. Does Kin stay with his "new" family, and the life he's built for himself in San Francisco, or does he return to his original timeline? He's stuck between two families—and ultimately, this is a time travel tale about fatherhood.

A Knight in Shining Armor

Originally published in 1989, this romance novel features a present-day heroine and a knight from the 16th century who fall in love. Per the book's description: "Abandoned by a cruel fate, lovely Dougless Montgomery lies weeping upon a cold tombstone in an English church. Suddenly, the most extraordinary man appears. It is Nicholas Stafford, Earl of Thornwyck…and according to his tombstone he died in 1564. Drawn to his side by a bond so sudden and compelling it overshadows reason, Dougless knows that Nicholas is nothing less than a miracle: a man who does not seek to change her, who finds her perfect, fascinating, just as she is. What Dougless never imagined was how strong the chains are that tie them to the past…or the grand adventure that lay before them."

Emily Burack (she/her) is the Senior News Editor for Town & Country, where she covers entertainment, culture, the royals, and a range of other subjects. Before joining T&C, she was the deputy managing editor at Hey Alma , a Jewish culture site. Follow her @emburack on Twitter and Instagram .

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The 10 best time travel novels

Posted by Mal Warwick | Reading Recommendations , Science Fiction | 0

Time travel  is one of the most familiar tropes in science fiction. Many scholars trace the idea to Charles Dickens in  A Christmas Carol  (1843) and Mark Twain in  A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court  (1889). ( Others differ , finding antecedents as early as 1733 in Samuel Madden’s  Memoirs of the Twentieth Century .) But time travel’s first occurrence in modern science fiction came in 1895 with the publication of H.G. Wells’  The Time Machine .

Estimated reading time: 13 minutes

Early in the Golden Age of Science Fiction , time travel anchored popular works such as L. Sprague de Camp’s novel,  Lest Darkness Fall  (1939), Robert Heinlein’s  By His Bootstraps  (1941), and A.E. van Vogt’s  The Seesaw  (1941). Prominent later examples include Isaac Asimov’s  A Pebble in Time  (1950), Ray Bradbury’s  A Sound of Thunder  (1952), Alfred Bester’s  The Stars My Destination  (1956), Harry Harrison’s  The Technicolor Time Machine  (1967), and Robert Silverberg’s  Hawksbill Station  (1968). During the first half-century of modern science fiction, it was rare for any well-established author not to write at least one time travel novel. Many wrote several. 

Having read many of the time travel stories published during the genre’s early years, I’ve concentrated largely on more recent works. Below I’m listing the best of those I’ve encountered so far. They’re listed in alphabetical order by the authors’ last names. 

This post was updated on November 13, 2023.

The best time travel novels

Timescape  by Gregory Benford (1980) 514 pages ★★★★☆ –  An ingenious twist on time travel

Physics can drive you crazy.  Solid matter isn’t solid .  Black holes  don’t just make matter and light disappear; they suck up information, too. And  Schrödinger’s cat  is both alive and dead at the same time. Go figure. And if paradoxes like these rattle your nerves, you may want to avoid reading Gregory Benford’s masterful hard-science-fiction novel about time travel,  Timescape . It’s a brilliant story, and gracefully written. But it will challenge your reading comprehension unless you’re well versed in contemporary physics.

Timescape is a story of unintended consequences, of husbands and wives, of environmental collapse, and of academic politics. But above all it’s an account of how scientific research is conducted in the age of Big Science. And Benford indulges his characters’ tendency to think aloud about the most profound questions in theoretical physics. It’s far above the level of most people’s understanding, or at least above mine. But the story at the core of this novel is suspenseful to a fault and beautifully executed. Read more . 

Fata Morgana  by Steven R. Boyett and Ken Mitchroney (2017) 384 pages ★★★★☆ –  Clever plot twists in a time travel tale

Science fiction authors love time travel stories, because it affords them abundant opportunities to build plots full of clever  plot twists  and turns. Sometimes the surprises are really anything but shocking. But that’s not the case with the ingenious tale  Steven R. Boyett  and  Ken Mitchroney  have written under the title  Fata Morgana . Perhaps someone more discerning than I am could suss out the plot twists in advance, but I was taken aback when the reality descended on me of what really happens in this well-paced story. 

In several opening chapters, Boyett and Mitchroney paint a detailed and engrossing picture of the experience of an American bomber crew based in England during World War II. Those chapters read like a well-researched and capably written war story. I read a great deal about World War II, but what I found here was revealing. In fact, both the beginning and the end of this book, which deal with the bomber crew’s experiences during the war, are exceptionally good. And the clever plot twists add a layer of fun. Read more . 

Here and Now and Then  by Mike Chen (2019) 336 pages ★★★★☆ –  A novel treatment of time travel in this promising science fiction debut

Time travel is one of the themes most commonly found in classic science fiction. But it’s taken a back seat in recent years to dystopian novels and space opera, not to mention epic fantasy (which I don’t consider science fiction at all). Of course, time travel back to the past has no basis in known science (although relativity makes time travel forward quite easy). But the paradoxes that open up in any logical treatment of the subject offer a wealth of possible plots. That’s the opening for suspense that  Mike Chen  found in his promising science fiction debut,  Here and Now and Then .  Read more .

New Pompeii  by Daniel Godfrey (2016) 352 pages ★★★★☆ – It’s not time travel. But it looks like it.

In a brief prologue, we meet Manius Calpurnius Barbatus, duumvir (co-ruler) of Pompeii, and his young adult daughter, Calpurnia. They are cowering in the mounting ashfall from Mt. Vesuvius as it gradually buries their town. Much will happen before we meet them again. But then they will play major roles in this intriguing story.

On one track in the story, a young woman named Kirsten Chapman faces years of terror. She repeatedly finds herself submerged in a bathtub in a locked room, only to be jerked back there soon after she emerges. On the other, major track, a young history graduate student named Nick Houghton faces the ruin of his career. Cutbacks decimate the faculty and fellowship funds at his “third-rate university” in England, and he is certain to lose his stipend. But Nick is not trapped in his depressing reality. For suddenly he finds himself employed by a company called Novus Particles UK LLP, or NovusPart, which has somehow muddled into a way to meddle with the timeline. Read more .

Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel (2022) 218 pages ★★★★★ – Emily St. John Mandel writes about a pandemic again

Emily St. John Mandel came to the attention of millions of readers worldwide with the publication of her third novel, Station Eleven . The book has sold at least 1.5 million copies and elevated Mandel to the ranks of superstar status in the literary firmament. Perhaps it was foreordained that a beautifully written novel about a pandemic would sell so well while COVID-19 ran rampant across the globe. And, with COVID still upending lives everywhere, we might expect that her sixth novel, Sea of Tranquility , which is also about a pandemic, would hit the bestseller lists, too.

Mandel writes science fiction with the science largely in the background. In Sea of Tranquility , she uses the time-honored sci-fi device of time travel to illuminate the lives of a handful of characters who are linked together across five centuries. Time travel is a given in the story, simply an artifact of the reality Mandel imagines. It’s the characters we care about as we shuttle back and forth from 1912 to 2020 to 2203 to 2401. The story hangs on a pandemic, but it, too, is merely a pivot in the plot.

The Future of Another Timeline  by Annalee Newitz (2019) 344 pages ★★★★☆ –  Alternate feminist history by a gifted science fiction author

What is history, and how does it work? We know, of course, that history isn’t fixed and immutable. It’s subject to the revision and reinterpretation of successive waves of scholars. Sometimes the fresh approach is based on new information that comes to light. But more often what we call history is merely a story historians tell us using carefully selected facts filtered through the cloudy lens of their own values and beliefs. We know, too, that history doesn’t travel in straight lines. But what makes it swerve? Indeed, how does change happen? Is it the product of the individual genius of so-called  Great Men  or the inevitable outcome of the ideas and social movements that engage a nation or an era? These are among the questions explored in Annalee Newitz’s thought-provoking feminist alternate history,  The Future of Another Timeline .  Read more .

The Continuum (Place in Time #1)  by Wendy Nikel (2018) 174 pages ★★★★☆ –  An ingenious take on time travel

Novels about time travel frequently twist themselves into knots about the paradox that comes into play when travelers attempt to change something in the past that might mean they would never have been born. In  The Continuum , the first of a series by science fiction newcomer Wendy Nikel, the  grandfather paradox  never surfaces . . . but somehow it seems that it ought to. The novel is a truly original take on time travel.

Here’s what you need to know about Wendy Nikel’s universe:

• The discoverer of time travel, a certain Dr. Wells, has opened the Place in Time Travel Agency, or PITTA.
• You can only travel back in time to dates that are one or more centuries in the past on precisely the same day, time, and place from which you leave.
• To return to the present, you press your thumb on a small spherical device called a Wormhole. So, be sure not to lose it! (As I said, this is an original take on time travel.)
• But you’re not supposed to travel back to key turning points in history. Those are Black Dates. They’re a no-no.
• The heroine of this novel is young Elise Morley, who is a Retrieval Specialist for PITTA. Her job it is to rescue clients who have disregarded the rules by going to when they shouldn’t or attempting to overstay their time in the past. Read more .

Mammoth  by John Varley— A novel about time travel featuring wooly mammoths and an eccentric billionaire

The concept of time travel as it’s typically treated in science fiction is a straightforward affair. You’ll find that in almost any novel about time travel. Somebody figures out how to build a “time machine,” steps into the chamber, and—presto, change-o—ends up somewhere back or forward in time. Maybe a hundred years in the past or future, maybe 100,000. In any case, it’s all a matter of finding a way to locate a particular spot on the continuum of time and violating the laws of physics to get there. Well, if you’re skeptical, as I certainly am, you’ll find an entirely different view of time and time travel in John Varley’s supremely entertaining novel, Mammoth . And along the way you’ll learn a good deal about the spectacular fauna of North America in the Pleistocene Era more than 12,000 years ago. Oh, and by the way, there’s also hidden in the text a novel explanation for UFOs, or Unidentified Aerial Phenomena. Read more .

Doomsday Book (Oxford Time Travel #2 of 5)  by Connie Willis— A time travel novel about the Black Death

What do we know about the past, and how do we know it? Historians rely largely on the contemporaneous written records they call primary sources . But other disciplines make important contributions to history as well, including archaeology, physics, and genetics. Still, what they learn comes exclusively from what remains of the past. What if historians could learn first-hand by sending scholars into previous centuries to compare the historical record to the reality? Award-winning author Connie Willis explores that idea in her monumental 1992 science fiction tale, The Doomsday Book , a novel about the Black Death.

Kivrin Engle is a bright and adventurous first-year student in medieval history at Oxford’s Brasenose College . In the mid-21st century, time travel is well established as a method for historians to study conditions over the past four or five hundred years, and Kivrin is eager to explore 14th-century England. Together with the acting head of medieval studies, Mr. Gilchrist, and her history tutor at Balliol College , Mr. Dunworthy, she develops a plan for a two-week visit in 1320, farther back than others have previously gone. Her target is the village of Skendgate, near the city of Bath in the country’s far southwest. Unfortunately for all concerned, everything goes wrong when Kivrin sets out for the past. Read more .

Blackout (Oxford Time Travel #4 of 5)  by Connie Willis (2010) 650 pages ★★★★☆— Historians study World War II in person

History is often an unreliable guide to the past. Documents go missing or remain classified. Records may be erroneous—or even have been written to be misleading. And historians inevitably build their own prejudices and expectations into their interpretation of past events. How extraordinary it might be, then, for an historian to travel back in time and observe those events in person as they unfold. That’s the conceit at the heart of Connie Willis ‘ award-winning novels about mid-21st century Oxford historians who do exactly that. Blackout is the first of a pair of those novels that trace the adventures of three young historians as they travel in time to study World War II as it happened. Read more .

Time travel novels that didn’t make the grade

Of course, I’ve read a lot more time travel stories than these few. I’m listing above only the best ones I’ve come across in recent years. Below, however, are several additional time travel novels I’ve read and reviewed that don’t merit inclusion above. 

Permafrost  by Alastair Reynolds (2019) 178 pages ★★★☆☆ –  Time travel and the apocalypse

The Corridors of Time  by Poul Anderson (1965) 186 pages ★★★☆☆ –  A legendary sci-fi author makes a mess of time travel

Feedback (First Contact # 3)  by Peter Cawdron (2014) 462 pages ★★★☆☆ –  Time travel dominates this tale of First Contact

Quantum Time (Quantum #3)  by Douglas Phillips (2019) 371 pages ★★★★☆— An entertaining tale of time travel

Hawksbill Station by Robert Silverberg (1967) 166 pages ★★★★☆ – A science fiction Grand Master gets it wrong about the future

Just One Damned Thing After Another (Chronicles of St. Mary’s #1) by Jodi Taylor (2013) 324 pages ★★★★☆ – Historians blunder about in the past in this time travel story

In addition to these five novels I gave lower ratings, there are two highly touted books I couldn’t even finish. Connie Willis’ All Clear , the sequel to Blackout , won both the Hugo and Nebula Awards. But I couldn’t get past chapter 3. And Time and Again by Jack Finney, which Stephen King calls “the time travel novel,” was so filled with trivial detail that I gave up about halfway through.

For related reading

For more good reading, check out:

• These novels won both Hugo and Nebula Awards
• The ultimate guide to the all-time best science fiction novels
• 10 top science fiction novels
• The five best First Contact novels
• Seven new science fiction authors worth reading
• The top 10 dystopian novels

And you can always find my most popular reviews, and the most recent ones, on the  Home Page .

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25 Best Time Travel Books That Defy Time and Genre

By looking at the earliest iterations of traveling through time to the modern interpretations, we’ve collected the best time travel books. These best books vary from classic middle grade to contemporary romance. Each book defies a single timeline and a single defining genre.

25 Best Time Travel Books

The following books all feature time travel as a foundational element to the plot. In some, time travel is a narrative device which reveals more about the main character. Meanwhile, in others it is the hard-and-fast time machine that perhaps springs to mind. The inner workings of how the time travels functions are explained, or not explained, to various degrees.

Books about time travel have been around for more than a century and dip into almost every other genre. The picks on this list can also be categorized as romance or thriller, from middle grade to young adult to adult.

This is by no means an exhaustive list, but is our recommendations for the best time travel books. If your favorite book about time travel isn’t on this list, leave a comment below to let other readers know your recommendation.

25. The Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes

Most time traveling books imbue a lesson about life and the importance of the small moments. This often occurs through a protagonist who, even if they aren’t perfect, is trying to be better. But what if the ability to travel through time landed in the hands of someone evil? That’s what Lauren Beukes explores in The Shining Girls.

This horror sci-fi is about a killer who finds a portal to the past. He then uses it to track, visit, and murder his victims.

Except one victim, Kirby Mazrachi, survives his attack. Now Kirby will do whatever it takes, no matter how improbable, to bring her attacker to justice.

24. Wrong Place Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister

In a similar vein, Wrong Place Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister is a combination of the 1993 movie Groundhog Day and murder. That’s because the main character is up late waiting for her son to return home when she sees the impossible. Her son kills a stranger right in front of their house.

With her son in custody and a million questions swirling in her mind, the main character goes to sleep and wakes up the day before yesterday. Each morning she wakes up one day earlier searching for the reason her son committed the murder, determined to find it.

23. Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier

The first book in the Ruby Red Trilogy veers slightly from the previous mystery thriller recommendations. That’s because Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier is a young adult romance with a historical fiction timeline. The trilogy is translated into English by Anthea Bell.

It follows sixteen-year-old Gwen who lives with her eccentric family in London. A time traveling gene runs through the female half of her lineage. However, Gwen was never introduced to the secrets of time travel as the gene was supposed to have skipped Gwen.

So, she is completely unprepared when she starts taking uncontrolled leaps into the past. Gwen needs to learn the ropes fast, while also dealing with her incredibly attractive time traveling partner Gideon.

22. Recursion by Blake Crouch

The time travel in the world of Recursion by Blake Crouch is slightly different than other recommendations, but the importance of memory is still paramount in this setting.

Barry Sutton, a cop in New York City, is investigating False Memory Syndrome. This is a new phenomenon that is driving victims to insanity.

The mysterious affliction is inserting memories into the minds of its victims. Most cannot cope with the onslaught of trauma. Barry and neuroscientist Helena Smith are the only ones who stand a chance at defeating this terrifying opponent.

21. Hyperion by Dan Simmons

Next in our list of the best time travel books is a classic: Hyperion by Dan Simmons. This is a sci-fi space opera which takes place on the world of Hyperion. It is the first book in a quartet with an additional prequel and sequel.

In this world there is a creature called the Shrike. Some worship it, some fear it, and some wish to destroy it. Structures move backward through time in the Valley of the Time Tombs and this is where the Shrike waits.

But on the eve of Armageddon, seven pilgrims set forth to Hyperion. They seek answers to the unsolved riddles of their lives. Each pilgrim carries hope and a secret, and one may hold the fate of humanity in his hands.

20. An Ocean of Minutes by Thea Lim

This is a story about love and the endurance of humanity. It unfolds against a backdrop of time travel, a flu pandemic, and sacrifice. An Ocean of Minutes by Thea Lim follows two people separated by time.

When Polly’s boyfriend Frank catches the deadly flu virus that is rampaging its way across America, she will do anything to save him. Even agree to a radical contract with a company that has invented time travel to work as a bonded laborer. If she agrees, the company will pay for Frank’s treatment.

Polly and Frank agree to meet in twelve years’ time in Galveston, Texas. But when Polly is sent an additional five years in the future, everything is thrown into question. Now Polly must try to find Frank, see if he is alive, and if their love still rings true.

19. The Rose Garden by Susanna Kearsley

The Rose Garden by Susanna Kearsley is another romance that involves themes of loss, grief, and identity.

Eva and Katrina spent their summers as children in Cornwall, so when Katrina dies that is where Eva returns to spread her ashes. But Eva must confront the metaphorical ghosts of her past. As well as the very real ghosts she finds in the home where she is staying.

That’s because in this home Eva can travel through time back to the eighteenth century. She finds herself interacting with the inhabitants who lived there then. She also finds herself falling for one of them, Daniel Butler, and needing to choose between the life she knows and the past she feels so drawn towards.

18. This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone

Another romance, This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone is equally ethereal and unexpected. It is written in the form of letters between two enemies from opposing sides of a war who slowly, through their shared correspondence, fall in love.

Known only as Red and Blue, their letters begin as taunts, then praise, and then something more. The prose in this book feels more like poetry. As Red and Blue traverse the strands of time and history to weave their own attacks in this War or snip others, we learn more about them, the intimacy of their correspondence, and the chances of their happily-ever-after.

17. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

No list of the best time travel books would be complete without Outlander by Diana Gabaldon, because it has become a beloved modern classic. Claire and Jamie’s love story has sold millions of copies and sprung from the pages into a hit TV adaptation. But this is where it all began.

In 1945, as Claire enjoys a second honeymoon with her husband in Scotland, she walks through an ancient stone circle and finds herself in 1743. Claire does not understand the forces which propelled her back in time, nor does she fully understand the fiery passion she feels for James Fraser, who has her questioning her vows of holy matrimony.

16. The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

Another book that has become synonymous with time travel and likely immediately springs to mind is The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. It too has a popular screen adaptation with a 2009 movie and a more recent 2022 television series.

It follows the love story of Clare and Henry as they try to navigate their lives with Henry’s genetic condition that causes him to travel sporadically through time. They first met when Clare was six and Henry 36, then married when Clare was 22 and Henry was 30. Their fight for each other is moving and unforgettable.

15. All Our Wrong Todays by Elan Mastai

The future imagined by those in the 1950s was remarkable. In the world of All Our Wrong Todays by Elan Mastai, it was also accurate. What we think of as the real world is actually an offshoot that feels like a dystopian wasteland when Tom Barren finds himself in our version of 2016 after a time traveling mishap.

But in this alternate reality Tom finds versions of his family, his career, and the love of his life. Now, Tom must make a decision on whether to he needs to fix his mistake, or if he should forge out a new life in this unpredictable reality.

14. The Impossible Lives of Greta Wells by Andrew Sean Greer

The Impossible Lives of Greta Wells by Andrew Sean Greer opens in 1985 and depicts the various lives Greta might have lived, if she had been born in a different time.

It all starts when Greta begins psychiatric treatment for her depression after the death of her twin brother and a difficult break up. Through her treatment she begins to experience alternative versions of her life in 1918 and 1941. Each comes with its own hardships and losses, but if she had a chance to choose, where would Greta stay?

13. Just One Damned Thing After Another by Jodi Taylor

The next recommendation in our list of the best time travel books is the first in The Chronicles of St Mary’s series. Just One Damned Thing After Another by Jodi Taylor follows a group of time traveling historians who try to stay under the radar, but don’t always succeed. It is a fun adventure-filled read.

That’s because the members of St Mary’s Institute of Historical Research have a penchant for disaster as they investigate major historical events in contemporary time. While they always intend to observe quietly, they quickly realize it’s not just History they’re fighting.

12. Doomsday Book by Connie Willis

This is another book which follows scholars and academics through time travel and is also the first book in a series. Doomsday Book by Connie Willis is the first book in the Oxford Time Travel series. It explores universal themes of evil, suffering, and the resilience of the human spirit.

Kivrin prepared for her next on-site study by receiving inoculations against the diseases of the fourteenth-century and crafting an alibi for a woman traveling alone. Her instructors in the modern day were busy with the painstaking calculations to send her to where she needed to be.

But then a crisis strands Kivrin in a time of superstition and fear. She finds herself becoming an unlikely angel of hope to those around her.

11. Time and Again by Jack Finney

Time and Again is the first book in the Time duology by Jack Finney. It follows a young man who is enlisted into a secret government experiment.

Si Morley finds himself transported from mid-twentieth century New York City to 1882. While enchanted by the city he solves a 20th-century mystery by finding its 19th-century roots. He also falls in love with a beautiful young woman and must choose between the past or the present.

10. The Kingdoms by Natasha Pulley

An alternative history standalone, The Kingdoms by Natasha Pulley asks the question of whether it is worth changing the past to save the future when it costs you everyone you’ve ever loved.

Joe Tournier doesn’t remember anything about his life before he stepped off a train onto the soil of 19th-century England, which is a French colony. The only clue he has is an old postcard of a Scottish lighthouse from 100 years ago. The post card is written in English, which is illegal, and signed with an M.

His search for his identity begins with who wrote this postcard. It will see Joe travel from French-ruled London to rebel-owned Scotland. He will remake history, and himself.

9. The River of No Return by Bee Ridgway

More than halfway through our list of the best time travel books is The River of No Return by Bee Ridgway. It presents another alternative history between London and France.

Lord Nicholas Falcott was dying on a Napoleonic battlefield when he suddenly awoke in 21st-century London. A secretive group of time travelers, The Guild, told him there is no return. But Nick’s heart belongs to Julia Percy back in 1815 and Nick is willing to gamble everything against the rules of time itself for their reunion.

8. One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle

After quite a few romantic time traveling stories, this recommendation ventures into a different type of relationship and form of love. One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle follows Katy to the Amalfi Coast of Italy as she grieves the loss of her mother.

Katy and her mother, Carol, were supposed to travel to Positano together; it is a town where Carol spent the summer before she met Katy’s father. While Katy travels to Italy alone, she soon feels her mother’s spirit all around her, and then she finds her mother walking through the streets, somehow 30 years old again.

Katy has gotten her mother back and has one Italian summer to get to know her as a young woman. But Katy will have to reconcile her version of her mother who knew everything with the young woman before her still figuring it out.

7. The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

This next recommendation quickly became a beloved favorite following its publication, but before you read The Midnight Library by Matt Haig you may want to check out the detailed content warnings as it does have themes of suicide ideation and depression.

Despite the heavy themes, Haig is able to create a world that is lyrical, poignant, and strangely uplifting. Between life and death in this world there is a library which holds all the different variations of your life: The might-have-beens.

Nora Seed finds herself in the Midnight Library with the possibility to change her life for a new one. As she travels through the stacks she must decide what is truly fulfilling in life and what makes life worth living in the first place.

6. 11/22/63 by Stephen King

While he is known as the King of Horror, Stephen King has a grasp on writing that shines through in any genre he tackles. That much is true for 11/22/63 which takes place in two timelines as an English teacher from Maine attempts to stop the Kennedy assassination.

It begins in 2011 as Jake Epping’s friend shares with him the time traveling portal in the back of his diner. Jake agrees to this daring, and seemingly impossible, mission to prevent the Kennedy assassination. But in this world of a bygone era, Jake falls in love with a high school librarian and then encounters a troubled loner named Lee Harvey Oswald…

5. Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut

As we begin counting down the top five best time travel books, this is where we start to feature the classics that undoubtedly affected the course of the genre. The first of these classics is Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut Jr.

The time travelling aspect of this book is part of the narrative and how Billy Pilgrim relives his life in a slightly disorienting and non-linear way. Centering on the infamous bombing of Dresden during the Second World War, Billy Pilgrim’s odyssey through time reflects the mythic journey of our own fractured lives as we search for meaning in what we fear the most.

4. The End of Eternity by Isaac Asimov

Our fourth pick for the best time travel book is The End of Eternity by Issac Asimov. This is a dystopian science fiction in which humanity is split between Eternals and non-Eternals.

Andrew Harlan is an Eternal, which means it is his job to travel through the past and present to monitor Time and, when necessary, change it. But when he falls in love with a non-Eternal woman, he decides to use the powers at his disposal to twist time for his own purposes, so he and the woman he loves can carve out a life together.

3. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle

This next best time travel book is an evocative story about friendship and family. A Wrinkle in Time is the first book in the Time Quintet by Madeleine L’Engle, which is a middle grade classic.

It begins at the Murry house when a stranger beckons Meg, her brother Charles Wallace, and their friend Calvin O’Keefe on a dangerous and extraordinary adventure. It is a journey through time that will threaten their lives and our universe, but the life of Meg’s father hangs in the balance.

2. Kindred by Octavia E. Butler

Our penultimate pick for the best time travel book explores a theme that has not yet featured on our list, which is how time travel can be an incredibly different experience with the dangers of racism. Kindred by Octavia E. Butler is heralded as the first science fiction novel written by a Black woman; Butler and this novel have become a cornerstone of the genre.

In 1976 California, on her 26th birthday, Dana finds herself hurtled through time to antebellum Maryland. She saves a drowning white boy, but finds herself staring down the barrel of a shotgun. She escapes with her life when she is inexplicably transported back to the present, but this is just the beginning of multiple time traveling experiences with the same young man, which makes Dana realize the challenge she has been given.

1. The Time Machine by H.G. Wells

Finally, our best time travel book is the 1895 classic that literally coined the term which has now become universal: The Time Machine by H.G. Wells. Even though it was written more than a century ago, Wells’s novel remains a striking commentary on the duality of human nature.

It is a first-hand account of the main character’s journey from Victorian England to 800,000 years in the future. There the Time Traveller encounters an Earth that is slowly dying and populated by two races: The ethereal Eloi and the subterranean Morlocks. It depicts humanity’s greatest hopes, and its darkest fears.

Final thoughts on the best time travel books

In conclusion, here is a recap of our picks for the best time travel books. These recommendations span more than a century of literature. This list includes the first instances of time travel in fiction and other cornerstone classics that shaped this trope.

Books about time travel can go in countless directions, which makes it a building block for so many other genres: Middle grade, young adult, romance, or mystery. Regardless of whichever genre these time travel books share, each one offers a poignant reflection into the psyche of humanity. Each book on this list explores a what-if and the conclusions reveal a little bit more about our lived reality.

• The Time Machine by H.G. Wells (1895)
• Kindred by Octavia E. Butler (1979)
• A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle (1962)
• The End of Eternity by Isaac Asimov (1955)
• Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut (1969)
• 11/22/63 by Stephen King (2011)
• The Midnight Library by Matt Haig (2020)
• One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle (2022)
• The River of No Return by Bee Ridgway (2013)
• The Kingdoms by Natasha Pulley (2021)
• Time and Again by Jack Finney (1970)
• Doomsday Book by Connie Willis (1992)
• Just One Damned Thing After Another by Jodi Taylor (2013)
• The Impossible Lives of Greta Wells by Andrew Sean Greer (2013)
• All Our Wrong Todays by Elan Mastai (2017)
• The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger (2003)
• Outlander by Diana Gabaldon (1991)
• This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone (2019)
• The Rose Garden by Susanna Kearsley (2011)
• An Ocean of Minutes by Thea Lim (2018)
• Hyperion by Dan Simmons (1989)
• Recursion by Blake Crouch (2019)
• Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier (2009)
• Wrong Place Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister (2022)
• The Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes (2013)

More Book Recommendation Resources

• 21 Best Psychological Thriller Books
• 15 Best Historical Fiction Books
• 17 Best Science Fiction Books
• 30 Best YA Fantasy Books

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The Rules of Time Travel for Fiction Writers

Time travel is a staple of great fiction—when it’s done right. When it’s done wrong, you’re turning wormholes into  plot  holes instead. Here’s how to get a handle on the mechanics of time travel for fiction.

Doing Fictional Research

Start off by researching tales of fictional time travel and go through all the short stories, books, and movies you can get your hands on. Feel free to take your own notes on the story while you do this. If there’s a time paradox, ask yourself which—and  why . Excellent examples from film are  12 Monkeys ,  The Butterfly Effect ,  Project Almanac  and  Back to the Future . (There are plenty more, including  Hot Tub Time Machine .) Good books include  The Time Traveller’s Wife ,  The Time Machine  and  22/11/63 .

Family Guy’s  Back to the Multiverse  does a good job at explaining what’s called the multiverse theory, where people aren’t just traveling through time, but skipping through alternate realities as they do so—here, the “rules” of the universe can be a little different, like the point where Family Guy’s Brian and Stewie find themselves going through a Disney-like alternate reality where there’s, well, a lot of singing.

Sounding “Sciency” the Right Way

We all remember the “flux capacitor” from  Back to the Future . You’ll have to choose a  method  of time travel first. You can be creative: The most obvious solution is a time-machine—but remember to ask whether the time machine stays in one place (as in  22/11/63 ), travels with the time traveler (like  Back to the Future  or  Family Guy ) or is simply  really  weird—in  Butterfly Effect , the protagonist has to be reading from his diary to jump in time.   

Explaining Paradoxes

Paradoxes occur when things contradict each other; time travel paradoxes are plenty, and often part of the fun when writing it.  Just don’t lose track . What counts in one chapter, has to count in another chapter—and if ripples  can  be felt throughout your storyline because of a character’s reckless time traveling, make sure these ripples in time continuously make sense.

The Grandfather Paradox  is a popular example and one best illustrated by  Back to the Future . If you go back in time to kill your grandfather, do you effectively kill your father—and thusly yourself?  The Hitler Paradox  is another example: If you go back in time to kill Hitler, then Hitler doesn’t exist—and you wouldn’t  need  to kill Hitler in the first place. That’s pretty damned trippy, don’t you think?

The Predestination Paradox  is something I’d like to illustrate with a scene from  The Matrix , where Neo meets the Oracle; she warns him to look out for the vase. When he asks ‘what vase?’, he knocks it over. This, simply, is when your past self is the very  cause  of needing to travel back in the first place. This creates an endless loop (hence this also being referred to as a  closed causal loop ) of travel.

The Bootstrap Paradox  happens when something is sent back (often to the traveler themselves), negating the need for its creation in the first place.  Astronomy Trek  explains the Bootstrap Paradox in terms of George Lucas going back and giving  himself  the finished scripts. (Yes, we  really  had to think about that one, too.)

Taking Notes & Mapping Timelines

Obsessive note-taking is always advised for writing fiction, down to the last little plot detail. Outline beforehand, and have an outline of where your story is going to go. This is the secret to many great authors you’ve likely picked up this week, and there are very few authors who can just pull a plot twist out of nowhere.

When writing time travel, your outlines might have to become a little more focused on timelines and consequences. Create a mind map however you like, even if you have to clothespin some twine across your office and start hanging up notes.

Real Studies in Time Travel (and Real Life Oddities)

Don’t discount real science when writing  science fiction . A recent computer simulation managed to come up with a  possible solution to the grandfather paradox   and even more recent studies have shown that, at least in terms of mathematical theory, time travel is  entirely possible . In 2014, scientists studied the  behavior of photons  beamed through time.

Real-life oddities have also popped up from time to time:  John Titor  notably posted on internet forums in the early 2000s, claiming that he was a time traveler from the year 2036 who came with the purpose of warning mankind. In 2006, a man called Håkan Nordkvis claimed that he had found a worm-hole through to meet his 72-year old self under his sink—yes, that does remind us just a little of  Being John Malkovich , but somehow still not as weird…

About the author

Alex j coyne.

Alex J Coyne is an author, freelance journalist and language practitioner. He has written for international publications and blogs, been featured on radio and appeared in NB Publishers’ Skrik op die Lyf, an Afrikaans horror collection. Visit his website and get in touch at http://alexcoyneofficial.wordpress.com.

22/11/63 was so bad I could barely read it. I gave up on it. The book was written for a reason but it seems sure to me at least it wasn’t to investigate time-travel. Time-travel is a conceit, simple as that – an often dumb idea made somehow interesting whatever paradox it comes up against or overcomes or attempts to overcome.

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the eight types of time travel

Time travel is a stable in science fiction. Countless books, comics, movies, and TV shows have used it as their main plot device. Even more have incorporated it into a key moment of the story. Over the years, eight major types of time travel logic emerged. Recently, YouTubers Eric Voss and Héctor Navarro examined all eight types, and looked at which one gets it most correct in term of the real world science behind science fiction.

Type 1 Anything goes

Definition: Characters travel back and forth within their historical timeline.

This approach frees you to have fun and not get lost in the minutiae of how time travel works. Usually, there’s a magical Maguffin that to quote the great Dr. Ememett Brown, “makes time travel possible”. Writers have used a car, a phone booth, and a hot tub, among other options. This approach leads to inconsistent limits on the logic of the time travel, but this doesn’t mean the story is poorly plotted, won’t be enjoyable or won’t be an enormous hit. This approach is more science fantasy than science fiction with no basis in real-world science.

Examples: Back to the Future , Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure , Hot Tube Time Machine , Frequency , Austin Powers , Men In Black 3 , Deadpool 2 , The Simpsons , Galaxy Quest , Star Trek TOS , Doctor Who , 11/22/63 by Stephen King.

Type 2 Branch Reality

Definition: Changes to the past don’t rewrite history. They split the timeline into an alternate branch timeline. This action does not change or erase the original timeline.

As authors got more familiar with the science behind time travel in theoretical physics, this type, based upon the many worlds theory in quantum mechanics, emerged. When the character travels back into the past and changes events, they create a new reality. Their original reality is unchanged. Branches themselves can branch leading to a multiverse of possibilities.

Examples: The Disney Plus series, Loki , used this extensively. See also: Back to the Future Part II , Avenger’s Endgame , the DC Comics multiverse, the Marvel Comics multiverse, Rick and Morty , Star Trek (2009), A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle.

Type 3 Time Dilation

Definition: Characters traveling off-world experience time moving more slowly than elsewhere in the universe, allowing them to move forward in time (but not backward).

This type is the based upon our scientific understanding of how time slows down as you approach the speed of the light. This is a forward-only type of time travel. There’s no going backwards.

Examples: Planet of the Apes , Ender’s Game , Flight of the Navigator , Interstellar , Buck Rodgers .

Type 4 This Always Happened

Definition: All of time is fixed on a predestined loop in which the very act of time travel itself sets the events of the story into motion.

This one can confuse and delves closer to the realm of theology than science. It feels gimmicky, and has become something of a trope making it hard to pull this off in a satisfying way for your audience. This type also invites the audience to question if your protagonist ever had free will or agency in the story.

Examples: Terminator , Terminator 2 , Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban , Game of Thrones -Season 6, Twelve Monkeys , Interstellar , Kate and Leopold , The Butterfly Effect , Predestination , Ricky and Morty -Season 5, Looper .

Type 5 Seeing the Future

Definition: After seeing a vision of their fate, characters choose to change their destiny or embrace their lot.

We’re stretching to call this time travel, but it provides your story with built-in conflict and stakes. Will the hero choose to walk the path knowing how it will end, or will they choose a different path?

Examples: Oedipus Rex , A Christmas Carol , Minority Report , Arrival , Next (Nicolas Cage), Rick and Morty -Season Four. Star Trek:Discovery -Season 2, Avenger’s EndGame with Dr. Strange and the Mind Stone.

Type 6 Time Loop / Groundhog Day

Definition: Characters relive the same day over and over, resetting back to a respawn point once they die or become incapacitated.

This type gained popularity after the movie, Groundhog Day , became a tremendous hit. Most of the other examples take the Groundhog Day idea and put a slight twist on it. Like Type 4 “This Always Happened”, the popularity of this type can make it harder to pull off in a fresh and innovative way.

Examples: Obviously, Groundhog Day with Bill Murray. Edge of Tomorrow , Doctor Strange in the ending battle with Dormammu, Russian Dolls (Netflix), Palm Springs , Star Trek TNG .

Type 7 Unstuck Mind

Definition: Characters consciousness transport through time within his body to his life at different ages.

Nostalgia for the past and dreaming of the future are core parts of the human experience. This type runs more metaphorically than scientific.

Examples: Slaughterhouse 5 by Kurt Vonnegut, X-Men: Days of Future Past , Desmond in the series Lost .

Type 8 Unstuck Body

Definition: A character’s body or object becomes physically detached from the flow of time within the surrounding universe, becoming inverted or younger. Only certain objects or bodies are unstuck from time. Also called Inverted Entropy.

This one will blow your mind if you think about it for too long. Like Type 2 “Branch Reality”, this one comes from the realm of quantum mechanics and theoretical physics. Scientists and mathematicians have all the formulas worked out to make this de-aging a reality, but currently lack the technology to control all the variables in the ways needed. It would like scientists working out than an object could break the speed of the sound in 1890. It would look inconceivable, given the technology of the day, but I wouldn’t put limits on human ingenuity.

Examples: Dr. Strange (the Hong Kong battle). Tenet , briefly in Endgame with Scott Lang and Bruce, Primer .

If you’re writing a time travel story, you’ll need to decide which one of these types you want to deploy. They all have their advantages and disadvantages. In many ways, its similar to designing your magic system, especially if you go with a Type 1 time travel story. The most important thing remains to have relatable characters and to tell a great story while being internally consistent with the rules and logic of your story world.

Ted Atchley  is a freelance writer and professional computer programmer. Whether it’s words or code, he’s always writing. Ted’s love for speculative fiction started early on with Lewis’  Chronicles of Narnia,  and the Star Wars movies. This led to reading Marvel comics and eventually losing himself in Asimov’s Apprentice Adept and the world of Krynn ( Dragonlance Chronicles ). 

After blogging on his own for several years, Blizzard Watch ( blizzardwatch.com ) hired Ted to be a regular columnist in 2016. When the site dropped many of its columns two years later, they retained Ted as a staff writer. 

He lives in beautiful Charleston, SC with his wife and children. When not writing, you’ll find him spending time with his family, and cheering on his beloved Carolina Panthers. He’s currently revising his work-in-progress portal fantasy novel before preparing to query. 

Ted has a quarterly newsletter which  you can join here . You’ll get the latest on his writing and publishing as well as links about writing, Star Wars, and/or Marvel.

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