names for time travel books

40 Best Time Travel Books To Read Right Now (2024)

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Travel back in time with the best time travel books, including engrossing thrillers, romance, contemporary lit, and mind-bending sci-fi.

What We Recommend

Best Time Travel Books

Books about time travel promise to not only transport you across time periods and space – Doctor Who-style – but also tesser you into new dimensions and around the world. Most readers already know about classics like The Time Traveler’s Wife , A Christmas Carol , and The Time Machine .

For romance time travel, grab In A Holidaze or One Last Stop . For contemporary and new time travel books, Haig’s The Midnight Library and Serle’s In Five Years captivated our hearts and minds.

Recursion re-kindled our love for science fiction, and Ruby Red transported us to 18th-century London. Books like Displacement promise intuitive and raw commentary about generational trauma and racism in graphic novel form.

Below, find the best time travel novels across genres for adults and teens, including history, romance, classics, sci-fi, YA, and thrilling fiction. Get ready to travel in the blink of an eye, and be sure to let us know your favorites in the comments. Let’s get started!

Contemporary & Literary Fiction

If you enjoy contemporary and literary fiction filled with strong main characters, these are some of the best books in the time travel genre. Uncover new releases as well as books on the bestseller lists. Of course, we’ll share a few lesser-known gems too.

In Five Years by Rebecca Serle

Would your life change if you had one seemingly real dream or premonition? What if some key facts were missing but you had no idea? Can we change the future?

One of the best books about time travel and friendship, don’t skip In Five Years . In fact, we read this New York City-based novel in half a day. Have the tissue box ready.

Dannie nails an important job interview and is hoping to get engaged. Of course, this is all a part of her perfect 5-year plan. Dannie has arranged every minute of her life ever since her brother died in a drunk driving accident.

On the night of Dannie’s “scheduled” engagement, she falls asleep only to have a vision of herself 5 years into the future in the arms of another man. Did she just time travel or could this be a dream? When Dannie arrives back in 2020, her life goes back to normal. …That is until she meets the man from her dream.

We were expecting In Five Years to be a time travel romance story; however, this is a different type of love and one of the best books about strong friendships .

Read In Five Years : Amazon | Goodreads

Before the coffee gets cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

Translated by Geoffrey Trousselot | We just love Japanese literature . One of the most debated time travel books among our readers – you’ll either love it or hate it – Before the coffee gets cold takes place at a cafe in Tokyo, Japan.

Along with coffee, this 140-year-old, back-alley cafe lets visitors travel back in time. Four visitors at the cafe are hoping to time travel to see someone for the last (or first) time. The way each patron views the cafe says a lot about them. The details and repetition are everything.

True to the title, visits may only last as long as it takes for the coffee to grow cold. If they don’t finish their coffee in time, there are ghostly consequences.

Before the coffee gets cold asks, who would you want to see one last time, and what issues you would confront?

Along with the many rules of time travel, these visitors are warned that the present will not change. Would you still travel back knowing this? Can something, anything, still change – even within you?

The story has a drop of humor with a beautiful message. We shed a tear or two. Discover even more terrific and thought-provoking Japanese fantasy novels here .

Read Before the coffee gets cold : Amazon | Goodreads

If you are looking for the most inspiring take on time travel in books, Haig’s The Midnight Library is it. This is one of those profound stories that make you think more deeply . TWs for pet death (early on) and suicide ideation.

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

Imagine if you could see your other possible lives and fix your regrets. Would that path be better? Would these changes make you happier?

Set in Bedford, England, and at a library , Nora answers these questions as she intentionally overdoses on pills. Caught in the Midnight Library – a purgatory of sorts – Nora explores books filled with the ways her life could have turned out. She tries on these alternative lives, pursuing different dreams, marrying different people, and realizing that some parts of her root life were not as they seemed on the surface.

Find hope and simplicity in one of the most authentic and heaviest time travel novels on this list. Haig addresses mental health through a new lens that is both beautiful and moving.

With a team full of avid readers and librarians, discover our top selections featuring more books about books .

Read The Midnight Library : Amazon | Goodreads

The Two Lives of Lydia Bird by Josie Silver

Some of the best time travel books are those with alternate realities, including The Two Lives of Lydia Bird . There are content warnings for prescription pill addiction and more.

Set in England, Lydia and Freddie are planning their marriage when the unthinkable happens. Freddie dies in a car accident on the way to Lydia’s birthday dinner. In a matter of seconds, Lydia’s world falls apart. She isn’t sure how she will survive. When Lydia starts taking magical pink sleeping pills, she enters an alternate universe where Freddie is alive and well.

Caught between her dream world and real life, Lydia must decide if she will give in to her addiction – living in a temporary fantasy world – or give it up completely.

While the repetitive and predictable plot drags a bit – slightly hurting the pacing – the overall story shows emotional growth and the nature of healing after loss. And, as Lydia soon learns via her dreams, no love is perfect. Maybe her future was destined to be different anyway, which is reminiscent of Matt Haig’s The Midnight Library .

Read The Two Lives of Lydia Bird Jose Silver : Amazon | Goodreads

The First Fifteen Lives Of Harry August by Claire North

If you are looking for more suspenseful books about time travel and like Groundhog Day , check out The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August. However, this is not just one day on repeat; instead, this is a lifetime.

Harry August is repeatedly reborn into the same life, retaining his memories each time. No matter what Harry does or says, when he lands on his deathbed, he always returns back to his childhood, again and again. On the verge of his eleventh death, though, a girl changes the course of his life. He must use his accumulated wisdom to prevent catastrophe.

Read The First Fifteen Lives Of Harry August : Amazon | Goodreads

An Ocean of Minutes by Thea Lim

When it comes to time travel books, An Ocean of Minutes is one of the most original takes about time travel’s effects on alternate history.

Polly and Frank are deeply in love in 1981 when a pandemic devastates the planet. By the end of 1981, time travel (invented in this alternate reality in 1993) has been made available.

Because of this invention, individuals can sign on to work for the TimeRaiser corporation in order to escape or save their loved ones in the present. Due to a flaw in the technology, though, they can only transport people for 12 years. This prevents them from stopping the pandemic by just 6 months.

When Frank gets ill, Polly signs up, both agreeing they will meet back up in 1993. Now alone in the future, Polly has to learn to navigate a world she has less than zero preparation for. In this world, she is a time refugee, bonded to TimeRaiser without a physical cent to her name.

Lim uses the time travel mechanic to cleverly explore the subject of immigration, forcing the reader to follow Polly blindly into a world they should know, but don’t. This is what makes An Ocean of Minutes one of the most unique time travel novels on this reading list.

Read An Ocean of Minutes : Amazon | Goodreads

Time Travel In Science Fiction

For fantasy and sci-fi lovers, take a quantum leap into fictional worlds, quantum physics, possible futures, black holes, and endless possibilities. See if you can tell the difference between the real world and new dimensions.

Recursion by Blake Crouch

Recursion is one of our all-time favorite time travel books to gift to dads who love sci-fi. Can you tell what we gave our dad for Christmas one year?

In Recursion, no one actually physically time travels – well, sort of. Instead, memories become the time-traveling reality.

Detective Barry Sutton is investigating False Memory Syndrome. Neuroscientist Helena Smith might have the answers he needs. The disease drives people crazy – and to their deaths – by causing them to remember entire lives that aren’t theirs. Or are they!?

All goes to heck when the government gets its hands on this mind-blowing technology. Can Barry and Helena stop this endless loop?

Recursion is also a (2019) Goodreads Best Book for Science Fiction.

Read Recursion : Amazon | Goodreads

This Is How You Lose The War by Max Gladstone and Amal El-Mohtar 

A Goodreads runner-up for one of the best science fiction novels (of 2019) – and one of the shortest time travel novels on this list – This Is How You Lose The Time War follows two warring time-traveling agents falling in love through a letter exchange.

Red and Blue have nothing in common except that they travel across time and space and are alone. Their growing and forbidden love is punishable by death and their agencies might be onto them.

In a somewhat beautiful yet bizarre story, we watch as Red and Blue slowly fall for each other and confess their love. They engage in playful banter and nicknames. Every shade of red and blue reminds them of each other.

The first half of the novel is a bit abstract. You might wonder what the heck you’ve gotten yourself into. However, once you get your feet planted firmly on the ground of the plot, the story picks up and starts making more sense.

We can’t promise you’ll love or even understand This Is How You Lose The Time War – we aren’t sure we do. However, this is truly one of the most unique sci-fi and LGBTQ+ time travel romance books on this reading list – written by two authors. Also, maybe crack out the dictionary…

Explore even more of the best LGBTQ+ fantasy books to read next.

Read This Is How You Lose The War : Amazon | Goodreads

All Our Wrong Todays by Elan Mastai

A debut novel, All Our Wrong Todays is both a humorous and entertaining time travel book that speaks to how we become who we are.

In 2016, technology perfected the world for Tom Barren. However, we all know that perfection doesn’t equate to happiness. Barren has lost his girlfriend, and he just happens to own a time machine… Now, Barren has to decide if he wants to keep his new, manipulated future or if he just wants to go back home to his depressing but normal life.

Read All Our Wrong Todays : Amazon | Goodreads

Here And Now And Then by Mike Chen

Imagine getting trapped in time and starting over. That’s exactly what happens to IT worker, Kin Stewart, in one of the bestselling science fiction time travel books, Here And Now And Then .

Stewart has two lives since he is a displaced time-traveling agent stuck in San Francisco in the 1990s. He has a family that knows nothing about his past; or, should we say future. When a rescue team arrives to take him back, Stewart has to decide what he is willing to risk for his new family.

Here And Now And Then is a time travel book filled with emotional depth surrounding themes of bonds, identity, and sacrifice. Find even more books set in San Francisco, California (and more!).

Read Here And Now And Then : Amazon | Goodreads

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

How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe is one of the most unusual books about time travel out there.

Our protagonist Charles Yu lives in a world where time travel exists and is readily available to the average person. And yes, he is named after the author, and yes, it is as meta as it sounds; and yes, this is just the beginning of this speculative fiction time travel book.

Charles Yu’s day job is spent repairing time machines for Time Warner Time. But in his free time, he tries to help the people who use time travel to do so safely and to counsel them if things have gone wrong.

It’s no surprise that Charles’ entire life revolves around time travel since his father invented the technology many years ago. And then he disappeared. In fact, Charles is also trying to find out just what happened to his dad, and where – or when – he’s gone.

How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe won’t be for everyone, but it’s one of the best time travel books if you want delightfully meta, fantastically non-linear, and very very weird.

Read How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe : Amazon | Goodreads

The Vanished Birds by Simon Jimenez

For beautiful, lyrical time travel novels about found family and love, The Vanished Birds is a must-read.

Nia Imani exists outside of time and space. She travels in and out of the world through a pocket of time with her space crew. They emerge to trade or sell goods every eight months. But eight months for them is 15 years for everyone else.

She has lived this way for hundreds of years. Though she has her crew, and there are people she shares connections with sporadically throughout their lives, she is lonely. And although she barely ages, she watches friends and lovers grow old and die.

One such person is Kaeda, who meets Nia for the first time when he is 7. The next time he sees her, he has aged 15 years, while she is only months older. She continues to come every 15 years of his life, always looking the same.

Then one day a mysterious, mute boy falls from the sky into Nia’s life. His name is Ahro, and there’s something extra special about him. Something that could revolutionize space travel forever. And now there might be people after Ahro who won’t love him the way Nia does.

If you love a character-driven book with exquisite prose – and a few time warps – this is one of the best time travel books for you.

Read The Vanished Birds : Amazon | Goodreads

Night Watch by Terry Pratchett

Night Watch is one of the most fun and thrilling books about time travel. It’s also a bit ridiculous and very very British.

Why can’t policing just be simple? All Sam Vimes wanted to do was capture and arrest a dangerous murderer. But thanks to those damned wizards and their experiments, he and the killer have both been accidentally thrown back in time thirty years.

And to top it off, the man who would have become a mentor to young Sam Vimes in the past has been killed in the process! How’s Vimes going to get this all sorted out?

The City Watch he’s spent years improving is just a bunch of semi-competent volunteers at this point. He’s got no money, no clothes, and no friends. But at least he’s making enemies fast. Can he catch the killer, stop history from not repeating itself, and get home to his family? Oh, and the city’s about to dissolve into civil war. Typical.

Night Watch is perfect if you prefer your time travel books to be fantasy-based.

P.S. There may be mild spoilers for previous books in the Discworld series, but this can be read as a standalone. And if you only ever read one Discworld novel, this is one of the best there is – and so far the only one of the Discworld books with time travel!

Read Night Watch : Amazon | Goodreads

The Future of Another Timeline by Annalee Newitz

The Future of Another Timeline is one of the few time travel books to explore history through a feminist lens.

In 1992, Beth – a high school senior – and her friends Heather, Lizzy, and Soojin attend a riot grrl concert with Heather’s boyfriend Scott. But afterward, one of Scott’s not-so-funny sexist jokes gets out of hand and Lizzy accidentally kills him. Now they’re on the run, and the bodies just keep piling up.

Meanwhile, in 2022, Tess is part of a group of women and non-binary people working together to change history. They have the use of five time devices which only allow them to travel backward and back to the present day – but never forwards.

Beth and Tess come from two wildly different times (1992, and 2022, respectively). But, while Beth is busy making history, Tess is quite literally trying to change it. However, both of them want the same thing: a better world. When their worlds collide, will they be able to save each other – and the world?

The Future of Another Timeline is a time travel fiction celebration of feminism and queerness with lots of sci-fi and punk rock thrown in. This is one of the best time travel novels for those who enjoy stellar women making history .

Read The Future of Another Timeline : Amazon | Goodreads

The Kingdoms by Natasha Pulley

The Kingdoms is wildly imaginative and sure to enchant fans of time travel books, alternative history stories, and tales about parallel universes.

In 1898 Joe Tournier steps off a train and suddenly can’t remember anything that comes before that moment. The world he now finds himself in is as foreign to him as it is to us: an alternate history/reality where the UK lost the Battle of Trafalgar and is now a French colony.

In this world, the British are kept as slaves. Napoleon is a popular name for pets, and tartan is outlawed. Since Joe arrives on a train from Glasgow speaking English and wearing tartan, there is some speculation he might be from The Saints, a terrorist group based in Edinburgh fighting for freedom.

But all Joe remembers is the fading image of a woman and the name Madeline. Although he is identified by his owner and brought “home,” Joe is determined to find this Madeline. And his resolve is only strengthened when he receives a postcard signed ‘– M’ and dated 90 years in the past.

Discover even more books about Scottish culture, history, and everyday life.

Read The Kingdoms : Amazon | Goodreads

The Light Brigade by Kameron Hurley

The Light Brigade is one of the best time travel stories for anyone who loves character-driven tales or books about war and conflict.

As war wages on Mars, the military has devised the perfect soldier to fight on the frontlines: being made of light. The Light Brigade, as they’re called back home, is made up of soldiers who have undergone a procedure that breaks them down into atoms capable of traveling at the speed of light. They are the perfect soldiers, but broken people.

The book follows one such soldier, Dietz, an eager new recruit who is experiencing battle out of sync with everyone else. Because of this, she – and we – see a different reality of the war than the one presented by the Corporate Corps. As Dietz becomes more and more unstuck in time, she becomes more and more unsure of her own sanity and the role she is playing in this war.

Read The Light Brigade : Amazon | Goodreads

The Umbrella Academy by Gerard Way

You Look Like Death Volume 1 | Now a popular (and excellent) Netflix TV show, The Umbrella Academy is one of the best time travel books of all time.

One day, forty-seven children are suddenly and inexplicably born to women who were not previously pregnant. Eccentric millionaire Reginald Hargreeves goes around the world buying as many of the surviving children as he possibly can. He is able to get seven.

These children, it turns out, all have superpowers (except, it seems, for the unremarkable Number Seven aka Vanya). They become the crime-fighting group: The Umbrella Academy.

Fast forward several years, and Number Five, whose special power is that he can travel in time a few seconds or minutes per go, has mysteriously appeared after Hargreeves dies. And now he brings warning of an apocalypse – one which he insists none of his siblings will survive.

The Umbrella Academy series currently has three volumes, all packed with tales of time travel, parallel worlds, family drama, and lots of epic battles. We’ve absolutely loved this time travel book series so far; we can’t wait to see what Gerard Way does with future installments.

Discover even more great books with music, musicians, and bands.

Read The Umbrella Academy : Amazon | Goodreads

Historical Fiction

Travel back in time to witness wars and history. See what happens if you try to rewrite the future. Many of these historical fiction books with time travel promise to teach you more.

The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton

We have a plethora of Agatha Christie fans amongst our Uncorked Readers , and Turton’s The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evenlyn Hardcastle is inspired by Christie.

Similar to Levithan’s Every Day , each day, Aiden wakes up in a different body from the guests of the Blackheath Manor. Trapped in a time loop, Aiden must solve Evelyn Hardcastle’s murder to escape. In the process, he navigates the tangled web of secrets, lies, and interconnected lives of the guests. Can he identify the killer and break the cycle?

The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle is an award-winning historical thriller and one of the best time travel novels if you enjoy Downton Abbey and Groundhog’s Day . Discover even more great books set at hotels, mansions, and more.

Read The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle : Amazon | Goodreads

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

Travel back in time to Scotland in one of the most well-known time travel book series (and now TV series) of all time. Outlander is a part of pop culture. A New York Times bestseller and one of the top 10 most loved books according to The Great America Read, get ready to enter Scotland in 1743.

Claire Randall, a former British combat nurse, walks through an ancient circle of stones and is transported into a world of love, death, and war. This is a place of political intrigue, clan conflicts, and romantic entanglements. Claire must navigate the unfamiliar landscape while grappling with her feelings for the dashing Jamie Fraser.

Encounter even more cult-classic books from the ’90s like A Game Of Thrones , which is perfect for fantasy map lovers .

Read Outlander : Amazon | Goodreads

11/22/63: A Novel by Stephen King

Written by bestselling author, Stephen King, 11/22/63 is one of the best award-winning time travel books for historical fiction lovers. Set in 1963 when President Kennedy is shot, 11/22/63 begs the question: what if you could go back in time and change history?

Enter Jake Epping in Lisbon Falls, Maine.  Epping asks his students to write about a time that altered the course of their lives. Inspired by one of those haunting essays, Epping enlists to prevent Kennedy’s assassination.  How is this time travel possible? With the discovery of a time portal in a local diner’s storeroom…

11/22/63 is one of the most thrilling and realistic books about time travel, according to both critics and readers.

Read 11/22/63 : Amazon | Goodreads

Kindred by Octavia E. Butler

If you are looking for historical fiction novels about time travel that address slavery and racism, be sure to check out Butler’s Kindred. This is also one of the best books published in the 1970s .

One minute Dana is celebrating her birthday in modern-day California. The next, she finds herself in the Antebellum South on a Pre-Civil War Maryland plantation. Dana is expected to save the plantation owner’s son from drowning. Each time Dana finds herself back in this time period as well as the slave quarters, her stays grow longer and longer as well as more dangerous.

Examine the haunting legacy and trauma of slavery across time. For younger readers, there is also a graphic novel adaptation . Discover more books that will transport you to the South .

Read Kindred : Amazon | Goodreads

What The Wind Knows by Amy Harmon

A bestseller and Goodreads top choice book, if you devour historical Irish fiction, What The Wind Knows will transport you to Ireland in the 1920s.

Anne Gallagher heads to Ireland to spread her grandfather’s ashes. Devastated, her grief pulls her into another time. Ireland is on the verge of entering a war, and Anne embraces a case of mistaken identity. She finds herself pulled into Ireland’s fight for Independence at the risk of losing her future life. She also falls for another main character and doctor, Thomas Smith.

What The Wind Knows is one of the best time travel novels that both romance and fantasy readers can appreciate. Witness connections that transcend time.

Read What The Wind Knows : Amazon | Goodreads

The Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes

Known for being one of the best time travel books for thriller lovers, The Shining Girls also has the reputation as the spookiest novel on this reading list.

Kirby Mazrachi is the last shining girl – a girl with a future and so much potential. Harper Curtis is a murderer from the past meant to kill Mazrachi. However, Kirby is not about to easily go out without a fight, leading her on one violent quantum leap through multiple decades.

As Kirby races against time to track down a serial killer and unravel the mysteries of the House, encounter themes of resilience, fate, and the shining spirit that can transcend even the darkest forces.

Read The Shining Girls : Amazon | Goodreads

Time Travel Romance Books

We love a good time-travel romance novel, but we also understand how hard it can be to hold onto love when time is so unstable. From queer love stories set on trains to holiday celebrations, fall in love across time with these books.

One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston

From bestselling author, Casey McQuiston of Red, White, & Royal Blue – one of our favorite LGBTQ+ books for new adults – don’t miss the most-talked-about book (from 2021), One Last Stop.

Twenty-three-year-old August is quite the cynic and living in New York City. Up until now, August has jumped schools and towns as often as you change a pair of socks. August has also never been in a serious relationship and wants to find “her person.” August’s life suddenly changes, though, when she meets a beautiful and mysterious woman on the train.

Jane looks a little…out of date… and for good reason; she’s from the 1970s and trapped in the train’s energy. August wants nothing more than to help Jane leave the train, but does that mean leaving her too?

A feel-good, older coming-of-age story, laugh out loud and be utterly dazzled as you follow love across time and space. You’ll cozy (and drink) up in the parties and community surrounding August. One Last Stop is one of the all-time best LGBTQ+ time travel books – and perfect if you enjoy books that take place on trains .

Read One Last Stop : Amazon | Goodreads

The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

The Time Traveler’s Wife is one the top time travel romance novels – and not just because the story features a librarian . We are so biased.

Henry and Clare have loved each other pretty much forever. Unfortunately, Henry has Chrono-Displacement Disorder, sporadically misplacing him in time. Of course, this time-traveling dilemma makes Clare’s and Henry’s marriage and future together pretty darn interesting.

Grab some Kleenex as they attempt to live normal lives and survive impending devastation. The Time Traveler’s Wife has also been made into a romantic movie classic . Watch even more fantasy movies with romance .

Read The Time Traveler’s Wife : Amazon | Goodreads

In A Holidaze by Christina Lauren

If you are looking for a sweet and sexy holiday rom-com set in Utah, grab In A Holidaze by Christina Lauren.

Mae leaves her family and friend’s Christmas vacation home after drunkenly making out with an old childhood friend. Blame the spiked eggnog. Unfortunately, Mae’s secretly in love with her best friend’s brother, Andrew. On the ride to the airport, Mae wishes for happiness just as a truck hits her parent’s car. 

Mae lands in a time-travel loop where her dreams start coming true.  Is it too good to last?   What happens when she isn’t happy once again? Is she trapped?

For holiday books about time travel, this one is sure to put you in the Christmas spirit if you enjoy movies like Holidates  or  Groundhog’s Day . It’s light with a happy ending – typical of this author duo. We also recommend In A Holidaze if you are looking for Christmas family gathering books – a big request we see here at TUL.

P.S. Did you know that Christina Lauren is a pen name for a writing duo, Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings? Christina Lauren also wrote The Unhoneymooners , which was also hilariously enjoyable and set on an island .

Read In A Holidaze : Amazon | Goodreads

A Knight In Shining Armor by Jude Deveraux

For cozy time travel romance books and a feminist tale set abroad, try A Knight In Shining Armor .

Dougless Montgomery is weeping on top of a tombstone when Nicholas Stafford, Earl of Thornwyck, appears. Although this armor-clad hunk allegedly died in 1564, he stands before her about to embark on a journey to clear his name. Convicted of treason, Montgomery vows to help her soon-to-be lover find his accuser and set the record straight.

Read A Knight In Shining Armor : Amazon | Goodreads

The Night Mark by Tiffany Reisz

Set in South Carolina, if you love lighthouses and beach vibes, you’ll find something enjoyable in the time travel romance, The Night Mark .

After Faye’s husband dies, she cannot move on and recover. Accepting a photographer job in SC, Faye becomes obsessed with the local lighthouse’s myth, The Lady of the Light.

Back in 1921, the lighthouse keeper’s daughter mysteriously drowned. Faye is drawn into a love story that isn’t hers and becomes entangled in a passionate and forbidden love affair.

Read The Night Mark : Amazon | Goodreads

The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston

Anyone who likes their time travel books to have a magical love story should pick up The Seven Year Slip for their next read. It’s one of our favorite magical realism novels .

When Clementine’s aunt dies, she inherits her fancy New York apartment on the Upper East Side. Although Clementine would really rather have her aunt back and can’t imagine living in her home, she eventually forces herself to move in and inhabit her aunt’s space.

And not long after, she wakes up to discover a strange man in her living room… except it’s not her living room, it’s her aunt’s… from seven years ago. Clementine’s aunt always said her apartment held a touch of magic; sometimes it created time slips that brought two people together when they were at a crossroads.

But what happens when you start to fall for someone stuck seven years in the past? Clementine knows there’s no future together, but she also can’t let go of this link to her aunt.

Like her previous speculative fiction romance, The Dead Romantics , Ashely Poston’s unique time travel tale is full of heartache and grief. However, it will also make you swoon. Basically, this one is a must if you are a fan of time travel romance books.

Read The Seven Year Slip : Amazon | Goodreads

Classic Books

No time travel reading list would be complete without the classics. Below, uncover just a few great time travel novels that started it all.

The End of Eternity by Issac Asimov

The End of Eternity is said to be one of Asimov’s science fiction masterpieces. This is also one of the most spellbinding books about time travel – although some criticize the story for its loopholes.

Harlan is a member of the elite future known as an Eternal. He lives and works in Eternity, which like any good time travel novel, is located separately from time and space.

Harlan makes small changes in the timeline in order to better history. Of course, altering the course of the world is dangerous and comes with repercussions, especially when Harlan falls in love.

Read The End of Eternity : Amazon | Goodreads

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

It goes without saying that Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol is one of the most famous and best time travel books for classic lovers – and a literary canon-worthy Christmas novel.

Ebenezer Scrooge is a greedy, lonely, and cruel man who truly has no Christmas spirit. Haunted by the ghosts of the past, present, and future, Scrooge must find the ultimate redemption before it’s too late. Does he have a heart?

Find even more classic and contemporary ghost books , including a few unique takes on ghosts.

Read A Christmas Carol : Amazon | Goodreads

Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut

Slaughterhouse-Five is a somewhat bizarre time travel book about finding meaning in our sometimes fractured and broken lives. It’s also one of the most popular books published in the ’60s .

Similar to The Time Traveler’s Wife, Billy Pilgrim is “unstuck” in time in Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five. Drafted into World War II, Pilgrim serves as a Chaplain’s assistant until he is captured by the Germans. He survives the bombing at Dresden and ultimately becomes a married optometrist. Things get a little wild…

Suffering from PTSD, Billy claims that he is kidnapped by aliens in a different dimension. Like most time travel novels, the story is out of order and Billy travels to different parts of his life.

Aliens come in all shapes and sizes; have more alien encounters with this reading list .

Read Slaughterhouse-Five : Amazon | Goodreads

A Connecticut Yankee In King Arthur’s Court by Mark Twain

First published in 1889, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court is one of the most popular classic and satirical time travel novels that’s set close to our childhood home. Having grown up in CT close to the old Colt factory, this story makes us smile.

Hank Morgan supervises the gun factory and is knocked unconscious. Upon waking, he finds himself in Britain about to be executed by the Knights of King Arthur’s Round Table in Camelot.

Morgan uses his future knowledge to his advantage, making him a powerful and revered wizard, which unfortunately doesn’t quite save him as he hopes. Not to mention that Morgan tries to introduce modern-day conveniences and luxuries to a time period that isn’t quite ready for them.

Read A Connecticut Yankee In King Arthur’s Court : Amazon | Goodreads

The Time Machine by H.G. Wells

The Time Machine is one of the best frontrunner time travel books of all time. Published in 1895, the Time Traveler recalls his exhausting time travel adventures to incredulous believers. He even disappears in front of them.

Blended with fantasy and science fiction over the course of 800,000 years, the Time Traveler battles “bad guys.” He also loses his time machine, debatably falls in love, and meets the underground dwelling Morlocks.

Read The Time Machine : Amazon | Goodreads

Young Adults Books

For young adults and teens – plus adults who appreciate YA – read the best middle-grade and high school time travel books. We’ve included more time travel graphic novels and manga here too.

Displacement by Kiku Hughes

For historical YA graphic novels , Displacement is one of the must-read books about time travel that will teach young readers about generational trauma, racism, politics, and war.

Follow Kiku, who is displaced in time, back to the period of U.S. Japanese incarceration [internment] camps – essentially glorified prisons – during WW2. Kiku begins learning more about her deceased grandmother’s history, which mirrors the horrid actions under former President Donald Trump. How can Kiku help stop the past from repeating itself, and more so, how can we?

In a simplistic but powerful style of storytelling, Hughes’s emotional YA WW2 book is accessible to young readers. Displacement is also one of the shorter and quicker books with time travel on this list. Find even more LGBT+ graphic novels to read – one of our favorite genres.

Read Displacement : Amazon | Goodreads

The Girl From Everywhere by Heidi Heilig

Changing the past can be pretty tempting. We’ve even seen that The Flash cannot resist. However, altering the course of history can be dangerous…

The first of two YA time travel books, Nix is the daughter of a time traveler. Her dad can sail anywhere on his ship, The Temptation. Her dad has his own temptation, though: to travel back to Honolulu in 1868, the year before her mom dies in childbirth. Nix’s father threatens to possibly erase her life and destroy a relationship with her only friend.

Discover even more great books about maps. Or, travel via armchair with these ship books.

Read The Girl From Everywhere : Amazon | Goodreads

Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier

Translated by Anthea Bell | If you are looking for time travel in books and enjoy YA historical fiction, try Ruby Red , which is the first in the Ruby Red Trilogy.

Gwyneth Shepherd quickly learns that she can easily time travel, unlike her cousin who has been preparing her entire life for the feat. Gwyneth wants to know why such a secret was kept from her. There are so many lies. Gwyneth time travels with the handsome Gideon back and forth between modern-day and 18th-century London to uncover secrets from the past.

Back in our MLIS and library days, Ruby Red was one of our favorite YA time travel books to recommend since so few knew about the series. Just a small warning that this enemies-to-lovers trope is a tad sexist, though. Find books like Ruby Red on our books with red (and more colors) in the title reading list .

Read Ruby Red : Amazon | Goodreads

Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

A little creepier for young adult time travel novels, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children is all about time loops. We’ve only read the first in this eerie series that mixes manipulated vintage photography with a suspenseful and chilling story.

Jacob discovers a decaying orphanage on a mysterious island off the coast of Wales. Known as Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, the building isn’t exactly abandoned… Jacob runs into peculiar children who might be more than just ghosts.

If you are looking for Kurt Vonnegut-esque time travel books for teenagers, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children is for you. Find even more great adult and YA haunted house books to add to your reading list .

Read Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children : Amazon | Goodreads

A Wrinkle In Time by Madeleine L’Engle

One of the most well-known books about time travel for families – made even more popular by Oprah and Mindy Kaling, A Wrinkle In Time , is the first book in The Time Quintet .

Although a time travel book series for elementary and middle-grade students – and also a 1963 Newbery Medal winner – adults will love the lessons and whimsical sci-fi quality of A Wrinkle In Time.

Meg Murray and her brother, Charles Wallace, go on an adventure in time to find and rescue their father. Their dad disappeared while working for the government on a mysterious tesseract project.

Watch this thrilling time travel adventure mixed with a coming-of-age story and a little girl power, too.

Read A Wrinkle in Time : Amazon | Goodreads

Orange by Ichigo Takano

Translated by Lasse Christian Christiansen and Amber Tamosaitis | This YA sci-fi romance manga is one of the most endearing time travel books you’ll ever read.

On the first day of 11th grade, Naho oversleeps for the first time ever. She also receives a letter that claims to be sent from herself 10 years in the future. The letter tells her both of the two big things that will happen to her that day as proof of sender: she will be late, and there will be a new kid in class named Naruse Kakeru from Tokyo who will sit next to her.

Naho is unsure if she trusts the letter, or whether or not she should heed its warnings – especially since it talks about past regrets and trying to undo them.

Orange is an adorable, but heartbreaking time travel manga that teaches us the meaning of friendship, love, regret, and so much more. If you’re looking for the best books about time travel for teens, Orange is the perfect option (and adults will love it too).

Read Orange : Amazon | Goodreads

If you devour the time travel genre, don’t miss these great movies…

If you enjoy books that take you back in time, you might also appreciate these top movies with time loops . Would you be able to fix past mistakes, fall in love, and you know, maybe not die this time? Find out if these protagonists succeed.

Travel Back In Time With These Reading Lists:

• Best ’90s Books
• Iconic ’80s Books
• Best WWII Historical Fiction

Christine Frascarelli

Christine (she/her) is the owner, lead editor, and tipsy book sommelier of The Uncorked Librarian LLC, an online literary publication showcasing books and movies to inspire travel and home to the famed Uncorked Reading Challenge. With a BA in English & History from Smith College, an MLIS from USF-Tampa, and a U.S. Fulbright Fellowship in Christine's back pocket, there isn't a bookstore, library, or winery that can hide from her. Christine loves brewery yoga, adopting all of the kitties, and a glass of oaked Chardonnay. Charcuterie is her favorite food group.

Dagney McKinney

Dagney (pronouns: any) is a neurodivergent writer and book nerd who is drawn to all things weird and macabre. She also loves anything to do with fast cars, unhinged anti-heroes, and salt. When she isn’t working or reading, you’re likely to find her eating Indian food, playing board games, or hiding out somewhere dark and quiet, stuck down an internet rabbit hole. The easiest way to win her over is through cats and camels.

45 Comments

Hi, nice list but just FYI you have one of the novels named incorrectly: it should be All Our Wrong Todays, not All Our Wrongs Today.

Thanks for letting us know! Every year, this list grows, and sometimes we miss a few mistakes.

The Things Are Bad Series by Paul L Giles is the funniest, most insightful time travel books I’ve ever read. It has everything!

Thanks so much for the review and rec!

Dream Daughter by Diane Chamberlain is an engrossing time travel book that I enjoyed immensely.

Our readers and contributors are big Diane Chamberlain fans. Thanks!

A huge time travel fan. A great list. Another time travel book recommendation: Oona Out of Order by Margarita Montemore. Wonderful story.

Thank you so much for the kind words and recommendation! We’ll have to check it out.

Great list, thanks. I also love seeing all the recommendations in the comments. I would add the Chronos Files series to your list. And, of course, the film ABOUT TIME, which is fantastic!

Thanks so much for the recommendations. We appreciate it!

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50 Best Time Travel Books of All Time

I love the concept of time travel in books (and movies!). It just opens up so many creative possibilities, which make them so fun to read. So, here’s my list of the 50 Best Time Travel books!

This list includes titles released at any point in time, but has a slight preference for newer titles. It’s divided up into General Time Travel, Literary, Romance and Young Adult titles .

And feel free to drop a comment if you have a favorite time travel book that belongs on this list!

General Time Travel

Literary time travel, time travel romance, young adult, other time travel books.

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Bookshelf: Development Diary

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Wow. What a great list. I have only read a handful of these and have added another big handful to my TBR list. So glad to see Kindred here. It is a favorite of mine. Thanks for the post.

thanks rosi, glad you liked it! :)

I’m really interested in time travel nowadays, especially going into the past. I always wonder how I would manage 100, 200, 500 years ago. Life was so different!

yes! and I love how the change in time periods make for interesting perspective clashes that are a lot of fun to read about :)

An amazing list, thank you.

One of the best recent additions to the time travel genre is Novikov Windows: A Time Travel Novel, by Chris Cosmain.

Best Time Travel Books

Embark on a journey through time with this list of widely acclaimed time travel books. whether for adventure, historical exploration, or quantum conundrums, these titles have been recognized and repeatedly highlighted by top science fiction reviewers and readers alike..

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 21 best books about time travel, from science fiction classics to time loop romances

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• Time travel is a popular subgenre amongst science fiction readers .
• Authors have used time travel to tell incredible stories, from romances to historic events.
• These are 21 of the best time travel books, from ' Outlander ' to Octavia Butler's ' Kindred .'

Science fiction is a broad and exciting genre with plenty of fun subgenres for readers to explore, such as space operas where readers travel across galaxies or dystopian novels that provide a glimpse at terrifying possible futures. 

One popular science fiction subgenre is time travel, where characters cross time and space using parallel universes, advanced technology, or simply unexplainable magic. Time travel novels let readers imagine the limitless pasts and futures where anything is possible. 

To gather these recommendations, we looked at bestseller lists and popular recommendations from Amazon , Bookshop , and Goodreads . From epic romances to genre-bending classics, here are the best time travel books to take you on a reading adventure through time. 

The best time travel books to read in 2022:

An epic time travel love story.

"Outlander" by Diana Gabaldon, available at Amazon and Bookshop , from $9.19

In this series that inspired a beloved TV show of the same name, Claire Randall and her husband are enjoying a second honeymoon after she returns from serving as a combat nurse in WWII. Their celebration is cut short, however, when Claire suddenly finds herself thrust back through time to 1743 Scotland. An outlander in this strange time, Claire meets a young warrior named James Fraser, whose love tears her heart between two times.

A modern time travel classic

"The Time Traveler's Wife" by Audrey Niffenegger, available at Amazon and Bookshop , from $13.79

This contemporary time travel novel has quickly become a classic love story between Clare and Henry, who gravitate towards each other despite Henry's Chrono-Displacement Disorder, which causes him to be misplaced through time. Imaginative and original, " The Time Traveler's Wife " uses multiple points of view to tell an emotional story of love, friendship, and the effects of time on both.

A romantic time travel read

"This Is How You Lose the Time War" by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone, available at Amazon and Bookshop , from $13.15

" This Is How You Lose the Time War " is a new, award-winning novel about rival agents Red and Blue who leave each other secret messages as they travel through time, altering history on behalf of their warring home empires. Though the messages begin as playful taunting, they soon become much more in this Queer, sci-fi romance .

A time travel novel from the king of horror

"11/22/63" by Stephen King, available at Amazon and Bookshop , from $15

This nearly-1,000 page historical science fiction read is a gripping time travel thriller  — and one of the highest-reviewed Stephen King books . Jake Epping is a high school English teacher who discovers a secret portal to 1958 and is enlisted to go back in time and try to stop the Kennedy assassination, the effects of which can't be known until Jake either succeeds or fails.

A classic time travel tale

"Kindred" by Octavia E. Butler, available at Amazon and Bookshop , from $10.39

When Dana, a young, Black writer, is inexplicably thrust backward in time from 1976 to a pre-Civil War Maryland plantation, she's met with the drowning of a young white boy, whom she tries but fails to save. As she continues to drift between the past and present, Dana is accused of murdering the child, meets her ancestors, and is forced into slavery, all while trying to find her way back to the present.

A journey to the Medieval times

"Doomsday Book" by Connie Willis, available at Amazon and Bookshop , from $8.27

Beginning in near-future London, time travel technology is used by universities to send historians back in time for research purposes. When Kivrin is sent to the past to experience a Medieval village, everything goes immediately wrong and Kivrin is stuck with no way to return home, a mysterious illness, and disaster coming her way in this page-turning novel that won the Hugo, Nebula, and Locus Awards in 1993.

An equally devastating and remarkable time travel novel

"Recursion" by Blake Crouch, available at Amazon and Bookshop , from $11.99

When a technology emerges that allows humans to return and re-experience their most precious and emotional memories, the effects begin to devastate the world as parallel worlds collide, unraveling society and threatening humanity in its entirety. " Recursion " is one of my all-time favorite novels, an undeniable page-turner that completely engrossed countless readers with Blake Crouch's masterful writing.

A non-linear time travel classic

"Slaughterhouse-Five" by Kurt Vonnegut Jr., available at Amazon and Bookshop , from $7.35

" Slaughterhouse-Five " is an American classic and considered one of the greatest novels of all time . First published in 1969, this science fiction novel follows Billy Pilgrim from childhood through his time as a soldier during World War II,] and beyond as he travels back and forth through time and tells his story with messages about war, post-traumatic stress, life, and love.

A time travel love story

"How to Stop Time" by Matt Haig, available at Amazon and Bookshop , from $15.30

Tom Hazard has lived through many centuries but is ready to settle down as a high school history teacher and live a normal life. Because of his condition, he must not fall in love, but when the French teacher at school catches his eye, Tom flashes back through his many lives to help him figure out how to live in the present.

A time loop romance

"One Last Stop" by Casey McQuiston, available at Amazon and Bookshop , from $10.25

When cynical August moves to New York City, she doesn't believe in magical love stories, until she meets Jane on the Q train. As August continues to ride the Q train as often as she can to spend time with Jane, the two realize Jane is stuck there on a strange time loop, displaced from the 1970s and in desperate need of August's help to get her unstuck.

An original time travel novel featuring magical realism

"Oona Out of Order" by Margarita Montimore, available at Amazon and Bookshop , from $15.99

On New Year's Eve in 1982, Oona Lockhart is minutes away from turning 19 and has a life of opportunities ahead of her, until the clock strikes midnight and Oona wakes up on her 51st birthday. Destined to travel back and forth through time and live her life out of order, Oona must figure out how to navigate life, love, and everything in between.

A holiday-themed time travel read

"In a Holidaze" by Christina Lauren, available at Amazon and Bookshop , from $11.59

This holiday read is a rom-com fan-favorite about Maelyn Jones, who is on her way to the airport after a final family vacation at their beloved Utah cabin when she sees a truck hurtling towards their car. Just before the truck can hit them, Mae wakes up on the airplane headed to the cabin, stuck in a cycle of reliving the trip over and over until she can discover what makes her happy.

A devastating middle-grade time travel read

"The Shape of Thunder" by Jasmine Warga, available at Amazon, $14.49

Cora and Quinn are next-door neighbors and best friends who haven't spoken to each other in a year since a tragedy changed both of their lives forever. When Quinn decides the only way to bridge the distance between them is by going back in time to stop that horrible day from ever happening, the two try to unravel the mysteries of time travel in this middle-grade novel about trauma, loss, and healing.

A time travel graphic novel about true events

"Displacement" by Kiku Hughes, available at Amazon and Bookshop , from $16.55

This incredible graphic novel is about Kiku Hughes, who is on vacation in San Francisco when she's abruptly transported back in time to witness the internment camp into which her grandmother was forcibly relocated during World War II. Unsure how or if she will be able to return to the present, Kiku learns her grandmother's true history and begins to see the long-term effects her experiences had on their family and countless other Japanese Americans.

A young adult time loop fantasy novel

"Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children" by Ransom Riggs, available at Amazon and Bookshop , from $13.79

In this best-selling young adult fantasy book , Jacob Magellan Portman is taken to a remote island off the coast of Wales to deal with his trauma after a horrible family tragedy. Though the home is allegedly haunted by the inhabitants who died on September 3, 1940, Jacob discovers peculiar children stuck in a time loop, cared for by the equally peculiar Miss Peregrine.

A classic time travel story

"A Wrinkle in Time" by Madeleine L'Engle, available at Amazon and Bookshop , from $5.35

On a dark and stormy night, Meg Murry, along with her brother and her friend, set out on a dangerous but extraordinary adventure to rescue her father who mysteriously disappeared. With the help of supernatural friends, the group uses a tesseract to travel through space and time in this 1962 story of love, evil, and purpose.

A young adult novel about time travel and love

"Opposite of Always" by Justin A. Reynolds, available at Amazon and Bookshop , from $10.99

Jack and Kate are immediately drawn to each other when they meet at a party and begin to fall in love in the weeks that follow. When Kate tragically dies from a genetic disease, Jack finds himself back at the moment they met, determined to do anything to prevent her death, even if it means hurting others in the process.

A magical time travel manga

"Tokyo Revengers" by Ken Wakui, available at Amazon and Bookshop , from $7.99

Takemichi Hanagaki is stuck in his less-than-thrilling life when he learns his middle school girlfriend, Hinata, has been killed by a villainous gang. When an accident sends him 12 years back in time to middle school, Takemichi is determined to change his life and save Hinata in this time travel manga .

A time travel story of a father and son

"How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe" by Charles Yu, available at Amazon and Bookshop , from $11.69

Charles Yu lives in a science fiction reality, working as a time machine repairman and searching for his father, who invented time travel and has since disappeared. In this heartfelt read , Charles must navigate the universe with his companions to find a moment where he and his father can meet in memory.

A feminist time travel novel

"The Future of Another Timeline" by Annalee Newitz, available at Amazon and Bookshop , from $17.47

Told through alternating first-person narratives, this time travel story focuses on two main timelines as Beth finds herself in 1992 with a front-row seat to a murder while Tess is determined to use time travel to fight for a change in 2022. As the two stories intertwine across time, war threatens to destroy time travel in this smart, feminist read .

An irresistible time travel read

"Here and Now and Then" by Mike Chen, available at Amazon and Bookshop , from $14.49

Kin Stewart may seem like an average man but has a secret: He's actually a time-traveling secret agent from the year 2142, stuck in the present ever since a mission failed 18 years ago. When his rescue team finally arrives, Kin is torn between his two families, trying to keep them both, until a risk to his daughter's existence stretches Kin's love across time to save her.

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Booklist Queen

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37 Mind-Bending Time Travel Books

Jump into the best time travel books and discover the mind-bending scenarios only possible in the best time travel fiction.

The other night at dinner, I was asking my kids whether they would like to travel to the past or the future. The myriad replies included visiting the dinosaurs and flying in a spaceship across the galaxy.

The linear nature of our lives means that we can only imagine a different way of experiencing time. The best time travel books use this impossibility to create mind-bending scenarios for us to contemplate.

Today, I wanted to share with you some of my favorite time travel books, along with a whole slew of intriguing books with time travel to fire up your imagination.

Have fun exploring the twisty what-if scenarios in these time traveling books and let me know your favorites in the comments!

Don’t Miss a Thing

Best Time Travel Books

The Time Traveler’s Wife

Audrey niffenegger.

When you think of the best books about time travel, Audrey Niffenegger’s debut novel comes to mind. In this classic love story, art student Clare and librarian Henry try for a sense of normalcy as Henry time shifts through their life. Henry has Chrono-Displacement Disorder; he unexpectedly gets pulled to important emotional moments in his past and future life. A mind-bending romance that is a must-read for any fan of time travel books.

Publication Date: 2003 Amazon | Goodreads | More Info

Stephen King

Stephen King seems to write amazingly in every genre, and time travel fiction is no different. In 11/22/63 , English teacher Jake Epping discovers that this friend Al has a portal in his diner storeroom that leads back to 1958. As Jake emerges into the past, he starts by trying to change the life of one of his students and eventually concocts a plan to prevent President John F. Kennedy’s assassination. But playing with time always has unintended consequences.

Publication Date: 8 November 2011 Amazon | Goodreads | More Info

Diana Gabaldon

One of the ultimate time travel romance books, Gabaldon’s Outlander series creates a sweeping love triangle. Recently returned from serving as a WWII nurse, Claire Randall decides to take a second honeymoon with her husband. When she steps through a standing stone in the British Isles, she finds herself transported back to 1743 in war-torn Scotland. As Claire allies with the great warrior James Fraser, she must decide between the love of two completely men in two completely different times.

Publication Date: 1 June 1991 Amazon | Goodreads | More Info

Blake Crouch

America has fallen victim to False Memory Syndrome – a disease where victims are driven mad by memories of a life they never lived … or have they? It’s up to NYPD cop Barry Sutton and neuroscientist Helena Smith to figure out how to stop this epidemic, even as reality is shifting all around them. You’ll have a hard time putting this one down, so you’ll certainly want to pick up a copy before the film adaptation hits Netflix.

Publication Date: 11 June 2019 Amazon | Goodreads | More Info

The 7 ½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle

Stuart turton.

On the 19th anniversary of their son’s murder, Lord and Lady Hardcastle throw a party with the same guests as that fateful day long ago. At 11 pm, Evelyn Hardcastle is murdered. In a Groundhog Day -esque fashion, Aidan Bishop must relive this day 8 times, but from the perspective of eight different witnesses. His task: identify Evelyn’s murderer, or do it all over again. Evelyn Hardcastle will throw you into a brilliant game of Clue as you see the same events from multiple viewpoints. Just ignore the why this happening and jump right into the mystery come to life, with plenty of fun twists and turns along the way.

Publication Date: 8 February 2018 Amazon | Goodreads | More Info

Save for Later

Recent Books on Time Travel

Wrong Place Wrong Time

Gillian mcallister.

Just after midnight, Jen is watching out the window for her teenage son Todd to come home when she sees him murder an older man right outside their house. With her son in custody, Jen goes to be in despair but wakes to find the day starting all over again. Caught in a time loop, Jen must find out the impetus for the murder and try anything she can to stop it.

Publication Date: 2 August 2022 Amazon | Goodreads | More Info

One Italian Summer

Rebecca serle.

One Italian Summer is a time travel novel about grieving and understanding a parent. When her mother dies just before their planned mother-daughter trip to Italy, Katy decides to still spend the summer exploring the Amalfi coast as she grieves. Magically, Katy meets a younger version of her mother, giving Katy a whole new perspective on her mother as a person.

Publication Date: 1 March 2022 Amazon | Goodreads | More Info

This Time Tomorrow

Emma straub.

On the eve of her 40th birthday, Alice feels satisfied with everything in her life except her distant relationship with her father. When she wakes up the next day, she finds she has been transported back in the past to her 16-year-old self. Now with the eyes of an adult, Alice sees it as an opportunity to connect with her father and correct past mistakes.

Publication Date: 17 May 2022 Amazon | Goodreads | More Info

One Last Stop

Casey mcquiston.

One of the most anticipated time travel books of 2021 comes from the author of Red, White & Royal Blue . Cynical August doesn’t believe life will ever change until she develops a crush on a girl from her subway commute. Jane is perfect and the highlight of August’s every day. But when August and Jane finally meet, August realizes that somehow Jane actually lives in the 1970s. A time-defying romance perfect for your summer reading list.

Publication Date: 1 June 2021 Amazon | Goodreads | More Info

Faye, Faraway

Helen fisher.

Faye is a happily married mother of two who still feels the ache of the loss of her mother as a child. When she suddenly finds herself transported back in time, she has the opportunity to befriend her mother. Faye, Faraway is a slow heartfelt debut novel that spends most of the story contemplating the psychology of time travel, faith, and the relationship between parents and children.

Publication Date: 26 January 2021 Amazon | Goodreads | More Info

Time Travel Books for Your Reading List

The Midnight Library

In the Midnight Library, there are two books – one book for the life you’ve lived and one for the one you could have lived. After attempting suicide, Nora Seed finds herself there. Now she must decide which book to choose from. What if she had made different choices? Would her life have been any better? All of us have regrets, and by allowing Nora the possibility to redo her life, Haig does a brilliant job showing how we can never predict the outcomes of our choices. A thoroughly enjoyable read that intimately talks about the pain depression and second-guessing has on our life.

Publication Date: 29 September 2020 Amazon | Goodreads | More Info

In Five Years

Dannie Cohan knows exactly where she’ll be in five years – until the night of her engagement. In her post-engagement bliss, she has a vision of herself in five years engaged to someone else. She doesn’t think much of it, until years later when she finds he is dating her best friend. While the premise sounds light-hearted, partway through the story, beach read goes out the window and thought-provoking steps in. You’ll feel compelled to know if the vision came true and surprised at how well Serle counters your expectations.

Publication Date: 10 March 2020 Amazon | Goodreads | More Info

Rainbow Rowell

Sitcom writer Georgie McCool knows her marriage is struggling, but she can’t pass up the chance to pitch the pilot show she’s been dreaming about for years, even if it means missing Christmas. While he’s away, she finds that calling Neal on the landline results in her talking to a younger version of her husband in the days just before he proposed. With the time-traveling communication messing with her head, Georgie recalls her courtship with Neal and ponders what to do about her marriage.

Publication Date: 8 July 2014 Amazon | Goodreads | More Info

Oona Out of Order

Margarita montimore.

On New Year’s Eve in 1982, Oona Lockhart is faced with a life-changing decision: travel abroad to continue her studies in London or pursue fame as a member of her boyfriend’s rock band. As the clock strikes midnight and Oona turns 19, she faints and wakes up as a fifty-year-old. Thus begins the mixed-up time travel life of Oona, where every year she gets to randomly experience her life at different stages. One of the best recent books with time travel, Oona Out of Order explores if we can change our destiny while having fun highlighting the differences between decades.

Publication Date: 25 February 2020 Amazon | Goodreads | More Info

In a Holidaze

Christina lauren.

With her love life in shatters, Maelyn Jones is devastated to find this will be her last Christmas spent with her family at the snowy Utah cabin. As she drives away, a car crash sends her into a time loop to relive the same Christmas vacation over and over again. Now she must figure out how to end the time loop so she can live happily ever after. A lighthearted romance with a Groundhog Day premise perfect for your holiday reading list.

Publication Date: 6 October 2020 Amazon | Goodreads | More Info

Classics Books on Time Travel

Octavia E. Butler

In 1976, Dana, a young African-American writer, finds herself inexplicably sent back through time to a pre-Civil War plantation in Maryland. After saving a drowning white boy, she finds herself back in Los Angeles. Over and over, Dana finds herself returning to the plantation, which she realizes is where her ancestors lived. As her stays in the past become longer, Dana becomes entangled in the plantation and is forced to make harder and harder choices to survive. Octavia Butler’s genre-bending novel is a must-read among time travel books.

Publication Date: June 1979 Amazon | Goodreads

The Time Machine

H. g. wells.

In this classic story which pioneered time travel fiction and coined the word “time machine,” the time traveler pulls a lever and transports himself 800,000 years in the future. On a dying Earth, he meets two strange races – the innocent childlike Eloi and the Morlocks, brutal underground dwellers. Highlighting class conflict, The Time Machine warns against the assumption of the inevitable progress of mankind.

Publication Date: 1895 Amazon | Goodreads

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court

After being hit over the hit, Hank Morgan wakes up to find himself miraculously in King Arthur’s Camelot. The nineteenth-century mechanic sets out to modernize the medieval era with electricity and gunfire, quickly creating chaos. Mark Twain’s imaginative satire sharply criticizes his contemporary culture, with interesting parallels to our world today. 

Publication Date: 1889 Amazon | Goodreads

Slaughterhouse-Five

Kurt vonnegut.

How to describe Slaughterhouse-Five? In this postmodern anti-war science fiction World War II novel, the unreliable narrator tells the tale of Billy Pilgrim, a time-traveling man being held in an alien zoo. Through flashbacks, we relive Billy’s capture during the Battle of the Bulge, life as a POW working in a slaughterhouse (Slaughterhous #5) during the Dresden firebombing, and his subsequent life after the war. If you can get past Vonnegut’s strange style, his discussion of fate, free will, and death earn it its place among the best classic time travel books. For, “so it goes.”

Publication Date: 31 March 1969 Amazon | Goodreads | More Info

The End of Eternity

Isaac asimov.

Andrew Harlan is an Eternal, tasked with sifting through past and present centuries to monitor progress and, when necessary, changing things to ensure things play out how his organization wishes. When Andrew falls in love with a non-eternal, he must decide where his loyalties lie and at what cost his happily ever after ending is worth.

Publication Date: 1955 Amazon | Goodreads

Interesting Time Travel Novels

This Is How You Lose the Time War

Amal el-mohtar and max gladstone.

If you love more literary books on time travel, you’ll want to pick up this award-winning novella. In a world devastated by war for generations, two rival agents, known simply as Red and Blue, are tasked with securing the best possible outcome for her side. When an unlikely correspondence sparks between them, their romantic bond threatens to change both the past and the future.

Publication Date: 16 July 2019 Amazon | Goodreads | More Info

Night Watch

Terry pratchett.

As policeman Sam Vimes chases notorious serial killer Carcer, they are both caught up in a magical storm. Unexpectedly finding themselves in the past, Carcer ends up killer Vimes’s mentor John Keel. Now on the eve of Revolution, Vimes must impersonate Keel and act as the mentor to his younger self while trying to capture the killer without ruining the timeline. Although the 29th book in the Disc World series, Night Watch can be read as a standalone novel.

Publication Date: 2002 Amazon | Goodreads

Sea of Tranquility

Emily st. john mandel.

In 1912, a young man hears a violin playing in the Canadian woods, an event that a videographer captures in the present day. Two hundred years later, a famous writer includes a similar haunting scene in one of her books. Decades later, Gaspery-Jacques Roberts is hired to investigate this anomaly in time, one that has the potential to disrupt the universe’s timeline.

Publication Date: 5 April 2022 Amazon | Goodreads | More Info

The Dream Daughter

Diane chamberlain.

In 1970, Caroline Sears is devastated to learn her newborn daughter has a heart defect that cannot be cured. Except, her brother-in-law declares there is a cure. Hunter claims to be a time traveler from the future who promises that if she jumps to 2001, she can have fetal heart surgery and save her baby. Now Carly must decide what she believes and whether she should take a leap of faith.

Publication Date: 2 October 2018 Amazon | Goodreads | More Info

The Accidental Time Machine

Joe haldeman.

After dropping out of grad school, Matt Fuller finds himself in a dead-end job working as a research assistant at MIT. When he accidentally creates a time machine while studying gravity and electromagnetic forces, Matt assumes he has nothing to lose by taking a jump in time. Every time each jumps, he travels further into the future, getting tangled into more and more complicated situations and hoping that with one more jump he can return to his present.

Publication Date: 2007 Amazon | Goodreads

Michael Crichton

In France, an archaeology professor leads a group of graduate students researching two fourteenth-century towns. When Professor Johnston flies back to America to handle their shady sponsors, the students begin to unearth his modern-day possessions buried in the ruins at the dig site. Quickly they are whisked away to a secret site and told that they must travel back to the time of knights if they are to save their professor.

Publication Date: 16 November 1999 Amazon | Goodreads

Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict

Laurie viera rigler.

A Jane Austen-obsessed woman wakes up one day to find herself back in Regency England. Now Courtney must pretend to be the Miss Jane Mansfield whose life she seems to be inhabiting. All while dealing with the inconveniences of the nineteenth century and handling chaperones, seducers, and unwanted marriage proposals. When she meets the enigmatic Mr. Edgeworth, Courtney is flooded with Jane’s memories of him and wonders if Jane might have judged him wrongly.

Books About Parallel Universes

Dark Matter

I know parallel universe stories aren’t quite the same as time travel, but they are so irresistibly fun I couldn’t help but highlight a few. Walking home one night, Jason Dessen is kidnapped and forced into an alternate reality. He’s been thrust into the multiverse, a world where instead of marrying his wife when she got pregnant with their child, he single-mindedly persevered on with his research. Although the middle was a bit slow, Crouch’s premise will boggle your mind and the story concludes with a thrilling finale.

Publication Date: 26 July 2016 Amazon | Goodreads | More Info

The Two Lives of Lydia Bird

Josie silver.

After the death of her fiance, Lydia is struggling to cope. Thanks to an experimental sleeping pill, she gets a chance to live the life she would have had with her fiance in her dreams. However, living in her dream life is messing with her waking life. Which life should she choose? Silver does an excellent job showing how much grief has changed Lydia and how dangerous it is to interfere with the grief process.

Publication Date: 3 March 2020 Amazon | Goodreads | More Info

Haruki Murakami

If you are craving something a bit different, you might want to try this mind-bending work from famed Japanese author Haruki Murakami. In 1984, Aomame notices strange discrepancies and finds she has entered a parallel version of her life, 1Q84. Quickly caught up in a religious cult, Aomame wonders what is truly real. Meanwhile, ghostwriter Tengo accepts an assignment to rewrite a book, a decision that changes his whole life and leads him closer to Aomame.

Publication Date: 29 May 2009 Amazon | Goodreads

Dean Koontz

After his wife Michelle left years ago, Jeffy Coltrane has tried his best to make a good life for him and his seven-year-old daughter, Amity. One day, the local eccentric leaves a mysterious device at their house, warning them they must never use it. Once Jeffy and Amity realize it allows you to travel between parallel universes, they question what life would have been like if Michelle hadn’t left. But other people are after the device, wanting to use it for their own nefarious purposes.

Publication Date: 6 October 2020 Amazon | Goodreads

Again Again

E. lockhart.

While recovering from a devastating breakup and dealing with her brother’s opioid addiction, Adelaide Buchwald is spending her summer as a dog walker. When Adelaide meets a cute new boy, you get to see all the possibilities of how her life could unfold that summer – what was versus what might have been. 

Publication Date: 2 June 2020 Amazon | Goodreads

Time Travel Books for Kids and Teens

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children

Ransom riggs.

One of the most popular time travel books for teens is Ransom Riggs’s unique young adult series that mixes vintage photography with fantastical storytelling. Jacob never quite believed his grandfather’s outlandish tales of a magical orphanage. When Jacob starts having nightmares about the stories, his parents send him to the remote island in Wales to show him that there is nothing to fear. Instead, he meets a collection of peculiar and potentially dangerous children caught in a time loop.

Publication Date: 7 June 2011 Amazon | Goodreads

Kerstin Gier

Although sixteen-year-old Gwen’s family is quite eccentric, she has been able to live a normal life as a London teenager. Until she finds out that the time-traveling gene which runs in her family didn’t skip over her as everyone thought. Not having been inducted into the mysteries of time travel, Gwen is unprepared for the unexpected jumps into the past and must rely on her time-traveling counterpart Gideon, a stunningly gorgeous and insufferable know-it-all teenage boy.

Publication Date: 2009 Amazon | Goodreads

Before I Fall

Lauren oliver.

Another popular choice among YA time travel books is Lauren Oliver’s story of a popular high schooler caught in a time loop. At Samantha Kingston’s high school, February 12th is “Cupid Day,” a day of valentines and roses and a big party. At the end of the night, Samantha dies in a terrible accident, only to wake up the next day to relive it all over again. As Samantha learns that small changes can make dramatic differences, she is forced to finally give serious thought to her actions.

Publication Date: 14 February 2010 Amazon | Goodreads

The Time Travelers

Linda buckley-archer.

Originally published as Gideon the Cutpurse , Linda Buckley-Archer’s time travelers series follows Peter Schock and Kate Dyer. After a brush with an antigravity machine, they find themselves back in 1763. There the two children meet ally with Gideon, a local street urchin, to get back the machine from Gideon’s nemesis, the evil Tar Man.

Publication Date: 5 June 2006 Amazon | Goodreads

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

J. k. rowling.

How can I end a list of time travel novels without the Harry Potter time travel book? And no, I don’t mean the poorly written sequel Harry Potter and the Cursed Child . In his third year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Harry Potter’s life is seriously curtailed as the infamous killer Sirius Black is on the loose and bent on killing our favorite boy wizard.

Publication Date: 8 July 1999 Amazon | Goodreads

What are Your Favorite Time Travel Books

What do you think? Would you want to jump to the future or visit the past? What time travel novels am I missing from my list? As always, let me know in the comments!

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Recommended

Reader Interactions

Fatheya says

April 13, 2021 at 3:27 pm

Thank you for this excellent list, Rachael. I’m a very big fan of time travel books. I’ve read several of these books and several others are on my TBR. There’s one book I would recommend adding to the list: A Knight in Shining Armor by Jude Devereaux. It’s a lovely time travel romance.

April 14, 2021 at 12:48 pm

Wow! I love this list. Thanks so much!

I am a huge fan of Outlander. I’ve read them all and Diana has finished book 9!!!! Publication date still pending, but cannot wait for more Jamie and Claire. The combo of accurate historical info and time travel and LOVE is irresistible. Gabaldon is an excellent writer.

Amazingly, I was not immediately sucked into the first book. I think I ran across it on a list of Romances. I picked it up from the library and did not finish it. Then the t.v. series came out and the first season was so well done, I was hooked. I went back to the book and actually watched and read in unison. I generally feel books are better than the television or movie versions, but in this case I used the books to dive deeper into these wonderful stories. The later seasons of the show are great too, but sometimes the omissions and switch ups in the stories can bug me. Why mess with a good thing. I bet they bug Diana Gabaldon too.

I know this will be very unpopular, but I did not like The Midnight Library. I liked the premise, but frankly did not think the book was all it was hyped up to be.

I’ve seen the Lydia Bird title and had not realized it was time travel related. So that will be a TBR for me! Also Faye, Faraway sounds good.

I am going to give my age away, but I was enthralled with the movie version of The Time Machine as a kid. The main actor was the very handsome Rod Taylor. I actually have it recorded on my DVR. It was on Movies! channel. Not sure how closely it follows H.G. Wells original. It has the scary Morlocks in it. I loved a good scare as a child. I was born the year this came out, but remember loving to watch when it was on television.

I think going back in time was always the draw for me as a child. I love history.

MamaNewtNewt says

July 24, 2021 at 3:13 pm

The Chronicles of St Mary’s series by Jodi Taylor us brilliant and there are so many of them.

August 17, 2021 at 8:29 pm

Thank you so much for your list, Rachael. I would add The Doomsday Book by Connie Willis. It is 600 pages long, but I still read it in one sitting!

John Abraham says

March 31, 2022 at 8:19 am

I would recommend a book titled ‘Threads of Time by JP Harris’ aspects include actual accounts from individuals who may have slipped into other timelines or interdimensional locations..it also covers people who actually created devices as for example.In a terraced house in Bath, Somerset, UK, a retired watchmaker created a healing device that also had the additional capability of being used as a time machine.

•   The best books about time travel to read right now

The best books about time travel to read right now

Spanning genres and continents, author and ancient historian jean menzies shares some of her favourite books about time travel, from tales of redemption to murder mysteries..

‘Time is an illusion. Lunchtime doubly so.’ Or so says  Douglas Adams  in  The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy . When I think time travel, I think science-fiction. And when I think science-fiction I think  The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy . But the more I mulled it over the more I started to realise how the most impactful time travel novels I’ve read traverse so much more than traditional hard science-fiction. In fact, the time travel genre as I’m now going to call it might be one of the most relatable genres of literature, encompassing the full range of human emotions and experiences. Let me prove it to you.

Before the Coffee Gets Cold

By toshikazu kawaguchi.

First released in Japan in 2015, this bestseller has since been translated for English audiences. The story takes place in a small basement café in Japan, home to a very special urban legend: visitors can travel back in time. There are strict rules, however; you can only travel back to speak to people who have visited the café itself, you cannot leave your seat while in the past, nothing you do will change the present, and you must return before your coffee gets cold. Each character comes to the café with a new reason to time travel. As many of the patrons discover, you can’t change the present, but you can change yourself.

by Octavia E. Butler

In Butler’s 1970’s classic, we witness our protagonist Dana transported back to the antebellum south at random intervals. Dana is a black woman living in 1970s North America who thinks herself well-versed in the experience of slaves. Knowing and experiencing, however, are two very different things. Appearing in the past without warning, Dana is forced into the role of house-slave to survive. Based on the historical accounts of slaves themselves, Butler uses time travel to great effect. The contrast between Dana’s 20th century expectations and what she must do to survive in the 1800s makes the reader face their biases head-on.

A Christmas Carol 

By charles dickens.

I doubt many of us think science-fiction when we think Dickens, but in actuality,  A Christmas Carol  is one of the original time travel novels. Set in mid-1800s London, this classic follows Ebenezer Scrooge, a wealthy and miserly Englishman who knows not ‘the meaning of Christmas’. Over the course of one night Scrooge is visited by the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future. They show Scrooge the impact his cruelty had, has, and will have on one Christmas Day. Each time period offers Scrooge new insights and helps him learn ‘the true meaning of Christmas’. 

The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle

By stuart turton.

A complex blend of time travel and body-swapping, this is a mystery that has you on your toes every step of the way. Set during an extravagant party held in a manor house, our nameless protagonist wakes every morning to experience the same day, just in a different host’s body. Why? As it turns out he has been tasked with finding out ‘who killed Evelyn Hardcastle’ and he must do so by the seventh day, or all of his memories will be wiped. Time travel doesn’t have to cross huge distances to be exciting, and with each repeat of the day we learn new details surrounding the crime that will inevitably take place each evening. 

Opposite of Always

By justin a. reynolds.

What everyone really hopes for from a bit of time travel, a second chance . . .  or five. Reynold’s young adult debut uses time travel to explore the universal experiences of love and grief. The story follows Jack, a young man who’s head over heels in love with his girlfriend Kate. Their relationship comes to a devasting end, however, when Kate dies. Or does it? Unexpectedly, Jack finds himself stuck in an endless loop, reliving his time with Kate, but hoping for a different ending. This is a beautiful and moving novel, where time travels draws us a little deeper into Jack and Kate's story. 

The Time Machine

By h. g. wells.

Most of the books on this list, haven’t really dealt with the ‘scientific’ aspect of ttime travel. Enter  The Time Machine , literally. Throughout the story, we follow an inventor dubbed ‘The Time Traveller’ whose latest creation transports him more than eight-hundred-thousand years into the future where humanity has been replaced by two races known as Eloi and Morlocks. Through his speculative time travel, Wells poses questions surrounding hierarchy and human relationships. The book popularised the concept in fiction and has continued to have a huge influence on the genre.

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Sea of tranquility.

The exiled son of an aristocrat driven to madness, a writer trapped far from home, and a detective in the ever-dark Night City. Three storylines entwine across centuries in the captivating worlds of Emily St John Mandel, author of award-winning Station Eleven . Perceptive and poignant about art, love, and what we must do to survive, Sea of Tranquility is a novel that investigates the idea of parallel worlds and possibilities, that plays with the very line along which time should run.

One Last Stop

By casey mcquiston.

Both hilarious and full of heart, Casey McQuiston brings us the story of cynical twenty-three-year-old August in her latest rom-com. August doesn't believe in magic and cinematic love stories, and she's sure her move to New York will prove her right. But then, on the train, she meets Jane. Instantly charmed by her swoopy hair and soft smile, August's subway crush becomes the best part of her day. There's just one problem: Jane is displaced in time from the 1970s, and August is going to have to use everything she tried to leave in her own past to help Jane. 

Stories of Your Life and Others

Stories of Your Life and Others deftly blends human emotion and scientific rationalism in eight remarkably diverse stories where all the characters must confront sudden change while striving to maintain some sense of normalcy. From a soaring Babylonian tower that connects a flat Earth with the firmament above, to a world where angelic visitations are a wondrous and terrifying part of everyday life; from a neural modification that eliminates the appeal of physical beauty, to an alien language that challenges our very perception of time and reality, Chiang’s rigorously imagined fantasias invite us to question our understanding of the universe and our place in it.

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10 fascinating books about time travel

One of the joys of fiction is that it allows writers to bend the rules - even those of time. Here are the best time travel books to transport you.

If you had a time machine, where would you go? Back to Austen ’s England, or the swinging Sixties? To an exciting / terrifying future millennium (delete as applicable)? Time travel has been with us ever since Charles Dickens ’s A Christmas Carol whisked Ebenezer Scrooge into the past and future to learn the error of his miserly ways. Since then, writers’ imaginations have been fired by the idea of jumping through time, or time flowing backwards, or any other permutation of the enticing and the impossible. Here are some of the best examples of time travel in novels.

The Time Machine (1895) by H.G. Wells

The great grandfather of modern science fiction ( Men on the moon ! A war of the worlds !) popularised the idea of being able to scoot back and forward in time at will. The hero is a classic gentleman scientist, who travels hundreds of millennia into the future to find humanity has evolved into two types: the elegant Eloi, and the ape-like Morlocks, representing an extreme version of class divisions in Victorian society. As with most science fiction , Wells was writing not about the future, but about his own society, and about evergreen human truths.

A Connecticut Yankee at King Arthur’s Court (1889) by Mark Twain

Twain got there a few years before Wells, but he didn’t really care about the theory of time travel – he just gave his modern-day engineer, Hank Morgan, a bash on the head and transported him back to King Arthur’s England. These days we call it the time-slip genre. And he invented another classic time travel idea: Hank uses his modern knowledge (such as knowing when a solar eclipse will take place) to persuade the Arthurians that he’s a powerful wizard, as any sensible person would. It’s all in the service of Twain’s romping satire of romantic ideas about the Middle Ages, which he saw not as romantic but filthy and snobbish.

Tom’s Midnight Garden (1958) by Philippa Pearce

This classic children’s book is a ghost story with a difference. Hero Tom, staying with relatives for the summer, discovers a secret garden one night when the clock strikes thirteen (“‘Fancy striking midnight twice in one night!’ jeered Tom”), and befriends the girl living there, Hatty. The garden is not just in another world, but in another time: Victorian England, and to Hatty, Tom is a kind of ghost. This is a book that appeals both to children and the adults who used to be children: full of adventure but also tinged with memory and loss.

Slaughterhouse-Five (1969) by Kurt Vonnegut

“All this happened, more or less”, begins Kurt Vonnegut’s most famous novel. The book was both true – inspired by the fire-bombing of the German city of Dresden, which Vonnegut witnessed during World War Two – and extravagantly invented, as its hero Billy Pilgrim becomes “unstuck in time”. He shifts between decades and is kidnapped by aliens, and that’s just the start of it. Vonnegut, a charming and funny man, had an overall message for the reader, encapsulated in one word at the end of the book’s long and winding subtitle. “Peace.”

Woman on the Edge of Time (1976) by Marge Piercy

Before The Handmaid’s Tale or The Power , there was Woman on the Edge of Time . In it, Connie Ramos, a mental hospital patient in New York, is visited by a being from the 22nd Century, who describes a utopian future. But the future is not certain, and Connie must help to make it happen. Equal parts polemic and plot, Woman on the Edge of Time is undeniably powerful, and aptly enough for a novel about seeing the future, it was well ahead of its time in its highlighting of queer characters and gender-neutral pronouns (“per”, short for “person”).

Kindred (1979) by Octavia Butler

Butler was the first African-American woman to become a successful science fiction writer, though she preferred to classify her best-known novel as “a kind of grim fantasy.” The premise is as juicy as you could wish for: in modern-day America, a Black woman, Dana, time-slips back to the 1800s, where she has to save the life of her ancestor who is also an abusive slave-owner. Butler’s boldness in applying genre rules to Black slave history was followed by Toni Morrison and Colson Whitehead , among others. If you think you don’t like speculative fiction, wrote the New York Times, “ Kindred will change your mind.”

Time’s Arrow (1991) by Martin Amis

There’s a different kind of time travel in Martin Amis’s most audacious novel – the narrator slowly comes to realise, after the reader does, that he’s living his life backwards. This creates strange experiences, some funny (imagine going to the toilet), some disturbing (domestic abusers ‘cure’ their victims). But “when is the world going to start making sense?” wonders our man. “Yet the answer is out there. It is rushing toward me over the uneven ground.” The destination is Auschwitz, where the narrator is a Nazi doctor: only in a world running in reverse, argues Amis, could such a place make sense.

Timeline (1999) by Michael Crichton

A lesser-spotted work by the high-concept literary machine who gave us Jurassic Park and The Andromeda Strain , Timeline is a wild ride. It uses Crichton’s usual interest in science to develop the idea of time travel via quantum physics, and then jets off into a world where American historians can investigate medieval France up close. Timeline, with jousting knights and testicles for dessert, gives us a literal race against time (can the Americans find their way back to the present?) and asks us whether we really understand the past.

Life After Life (2013) by Kate Atkinson

A favourite time travel game is: if you could go back in time and kill Adolf Hitler, would you? In Kate Atkinson’s most acclaimed novel, Ursula Todd may have the chance to do just that. Ursula keeps getting whisked back in time to live her life over and over, learning a little more each time – like a literary Groundhog Day . Atkinson described Life After Life , with its glorious blend of alternative reality, family drama and wartime horror, as “the best thing I’ll ever write”. It also inspired a companion novel, A God in Ruins .

Sea of Tranquility (2022) by Emily St John Mandel

Everyone knows that the first rule of going into the past is not to interfere with it, as a time traveller in Ray Bradbury’s A Sound of Thunder discovered when he crushed a butterfly in the Cretaceous period and then returned home to find his world changed beyond recognition (hence ‘ butterfly effect ’). In Sea of Tranquility , a man from the 25th Century investigating parallel hallucinations disregards this rule by warning a woman of her impending death. Whoops! Like all the novels on this list, Sea of Tranquility uses inspired techniques to take on the biggest stuff of all, including the end of the world. Follow that.

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The 20 Best Time Travel Books

Time travel fiction is a subgenre of science fiction that explores the concept of travelling through time, whether backward or forward. It delves into the possibilities and consequences of altering the past, present, or future, often raising philosophical questions about fate, causality, and the nature of reality.

What distinguishes time travel fiction from general science fiction is its focus on the manipulation of time itself as a central plot device, rather than merely incorporating futuristic technology or alien worlds. Time travel narratives often involve intricate paradoxes, alternate timelines, and the exploration of the human condition across different temporal settings.

Some great classics of time travel fiction include H.G. Wells’ “The Time Machine,” which popularized the concept of time travel in modern literature, exploring social commentary alongside its scientific premise. Another notable example is Ray Bradbury’s “A Sound of Thunder,” which emphasizes the butterfly effect and the delicate balance of history. More contemporary works like Audrey Niffenegger’s “The Time Traveler’s Wife” blend romance with time travel, showcasing its versatility as a narrative device across genres. These classics have paved the way for a rich tapestry of time travel stories, each offering unique perspectives on the complexities of temporal manipulation.

Here are twenty great time travel novels:

The Time Machine by H.G. Wells (1895) In “The Time Machine,” an unnamed protagonist invents a machine that allows him to travel through time. He ventures into the distant future, where he encounters two distinct species—the peaceful Eloi and the monstrous Morlocks—and witnesses the eventual decline of human civilization. Wells’ seminal work not only popularized the concept of time travel but also serves as a social commentary on class division and the consequences of industrialization.

A Sound of Thunder by Ray Bradbury (1952) “A Sound of Thunder” follows a group of hunters who travel back in time to hunt dinosaurs, but one member inadvertently steps off the path and alters history. This classic short story explores the concept of the butterfly effect, illustrating how seemingly small actions in the past can have significant repercussions on the future. Bradbury’s work serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of tampering with the past and the fragile interconnectedness of time.

The End of Eternity by Isaac Asimov (1955) “The End of Eternity” is set in a distant future where a secret organization, known as Eternity, controls the flow of history by manipulating time. When an ambitious time traveller named Andrew Harlan falls in love with a woman from the past, he risks unravelling the fabric of time itself. Asimov’s novel is a thought-provoking exploration of the consequences of tampering with the past and the ethical implications of playing God with time.

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle (1962) In “A Wrinkle in Time,” siblings Meg and Charles Wallace, along with their friend Calvin, embark on a journey through space and time to rescue Meg’s father from the clutches of an evil force known as IT. Guided by three mysterious beings, they travel to different planets and dimensions, confronting darkness and discovering the power of love and individuality. L’Engle’s novel is a beloved classic of children’s literature that combines elements of science fiction, fantasy, and philosophy, offering a timeless and inspiring adventure that celebrates the triumph of good over evil.

Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut (1969) “Slaughterhouse-Five” follows the experiences of Billy Pilgrim, an optometrist who becomes “unstuck in time” and experiences various moments of his life, including his time as a prisoner of war during World War II and his encounters with aliens on the planet Tralfamadore. Vonnegut’s novel is a blend of dark humour, anti-war sentiment, and existential exploration, using time travel as a narrative device to highlight the absurdity and trauma of war.

Time and Again by Jack Finney (1970) In “Time and Again,” advertising artist Si Morley participates in a secret government experiment and finds himself transported back to New York City in 1882. As Si immerses himself in the past and becomes involved in a mystery, he must navigate the complexities of time travel and its impact on his own identity. Finney’s novel is a classic time travel tale that combines meticulous historical detail with a compelling mystery, offering a captivating glimpse into the past and the possibilities of altering history.

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon (1991) In “Outlander,” Claire Randall, a World War II nurse, is mysteriously transported back in time from 1945 to 1743 Scotland. Struggling to adapt to her new reality, Claire becomes entangled in the politics and conflicts of the time period, while navigating a complicated romance with the dashing Highlander, Jamie Fraser. Gabaldon’s series combines elements of historical fiction, romance, and fantasy, using time travel to transport readers to a vividly realized past filled with intrigue and adventure.

Doomsday Book by Connie Willis (1992) In “Doomsday Book,” a historian named Kivrin is sent back in time from Oxford in 2054 to the Middle Ages, but due to an error, she ends up in the midst of the Black Death in the 14th century. As Kivrin struggles to survive in a plague-ridden world, her colleagues in the future race to rescue her. Willis’ novel is a masterful blend of historical fiction and science fiction, exploring themes of mortality, resilience, and the impact of technology on human relationships.

Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon (1992) In “Dragonfly in Amber,” the second book in the Outlander series, Claire Randall continues her time-travelling adventures in 18th-century Scotland, while also navigating the political turmoil leading up to the Jacobite Rising of 1745. As Claire grapples with her loyalty to two different worlds and the consequences of her actions, Gabaldon weaves a captivating tale of love, loss, and resilience across time periods, further expanding the rich tapestry of her Outlander universe.

To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis (1997) In “To Say Nothing of the Dog,” time traveller Ned Henry is sent to Victorian England to retrieve a valuable artifact, but his mission is complicated by a series of misadventures and a meddling cat. As Ned navigates the quirks of the past and tries to maintain the integrity of the timeline, he finds himself entangled in a web of comedic misunderstandings and romantic entanglements. Willis’ novel is a delightful blend of historical fiction, comedy, and time travel, offering a charming and witty exploration of the complexities of causality.

Timeline by Michael Crichton (1999) In “Timeline,” a team of archaeologists and historians travel back in time to 14th-century France to rescue their colleague who is trapped in the past. As they navigate the dangers of the medieval world, they uncover a conspiracy that threatens to alter the course of history. Crichton’s novel is a thrilling adventure that combines elements of science fiction, historical fiction, and action-packed suspense, offering a gripping exploration of the perils of time travel.

The Time Traveller’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger (2003) In “The Time Traveller’s Wife,” Henry suffers from a rare genetic disorder that causes him to involuntarily time travel. The novel follows his nonlinear relationship with Clare, who he meets at different stages of her life while he jumps through time. Niffenegger’s novel is a poignant exploration of love, fate, and the complexities of temporal displacement, presenting time travel as both a blessing and a curse that shapes the characters’ lives in unexpected ways.

11/22/63 by Stephen King (2011) In “11/22/63,” high school English teacher Jake Epping discovers a time portal that leads to 1958, with the aim of preventing the assassination of John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963. As Jake navigates the complexities of altering the past, he faces numerous obstacles and moral dilemmas. King’s novel intricately weaves together historical events with elements of science fiction, offering a gripping tale of time travel and its potential consequences.

Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi (2015) In “Before the Coffee Gets Cold,” customers at a quaint café in Tokyo have the opportunity to travel back in time to revisit moments from their past, but there are strict rules and limitations to the experience. As each character grapples with their regrets and desires, they discover profound truths about themselves and the nature of life. Kawaguchi’s novel is a tender and introspective exploration of love, loss, and the fleeting nature of time, offering a gentle reminder to cherish every moment before it slips away.

The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton (2018) In “The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle,” the protagonist is trapped in a time loop, forced to relive the same day and solve a murder mystery. Each day, he wakes up in the body of a different guest at a party, trying to uncover the truth behind Evelyn Hardcastle’s death. Turton’s novel is a mind-bending thriller that combines elements of mystery, fantasy, and time travel, offering a unique and intricate narrative that keeps readers guessing until the very end.

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig (2020) In “The Midnight Library,” Nora Seed finds herself in a magical library between life and death, where she can explore alternate versions of her life by undoing past regrets. As Nora travels through different realities, she grapples with existential questions about the nature of happiness, regret, and the choices that shape our lives. Haig’s novel is a poignant and thought-provoking meditation on the importance of embracing the present moment and finding meaning in the face of uncertainty.

One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston (2021) In “One Last Stop,” August moves to New York City and meets Jane on the subway, who seems to be displaced from the 1970s. As August falls for Jane and tries to unravel the mystery of her time displacement, she discovers the power of love to transcend time and space. McQuiston’s novel is a heartwarming and magical romance that explores themes of identity, belonging, and the bonds that connect us across different eras.

Faye, Faraway by Helen Fisher (2021) In “Faye, Faraway,” Faye, a discontented 42-year-old woman, suddenly finds herself transported to 1977 where she gets the chance to relive her youth. As she navigates the past, Faye must confront unresolved issues and make peace with her present. Fisher’s novel is a poignant exploration of regret, second chances, and the power of self-discovery, using time travel as a vehicle for personal transformation and emotional healing.

Sea of Tranquillity by Emily St. John Mandel (2022) In “Sea of Tranquillity,” a group of astronauts embarks on a mission to colonize a distant planet. However, when they arrive, they discover that they have travelled much further into the future than anticipated. As they grapple with the consequences of their journey and the collapse of civilization on Earth, they must confront their own mortality and the fragility of human existence. Mandel’s novel is a haunting meditation on time, memory, and the search for meaning in an uncertain world.

This Time Tomorrow by Tessa Bailey (2023) In “This Time Tomorrow,” time traveler Rachael Claremont is tasked with preventing disasters throughout history, but when she falls in love with a man from the past, she must choose between her duty and her heart. As Rachael navigates the complexities of time travel and romance, she learns valuable lessons about sacrifice, redemption, and the power of love to transcend time. Bailey’s novel is a captivating blend of science fiction and romance, offering a thrilling and heartfelt exploration of destiny and free will.

And that’s our list of the 20 best time travel books. What’s your take on these – any surprises, or any time travel novels not on this list that you feel should make the top 20?

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Top Sci-fi Books

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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Best time travel books 🕰️

Curated by our reviewers this week

THURSDAY 18th JULY, 2024

Time travel.

The finale to the Syd Brixton trilogy is a continuation of the fast pace and action of the others in the series, leading to a s...

Reviewed by Rachel Deeming

The Movement (Time Corrector Series Book 2)

A sequel just as lyrical, engaging and beautiful as the original volume

Reviewed by Adam Wright

The Timepiece and the Girl Who Went Astray

Ollie Simmonds

An exciting book with in-depth characters that demonstrates a great written narrative mixed with an interesting and original st...

Reviewed by Daniel Crocker

The Normandy Club

Bill Walker

A German blitz brings war to Avalon. Can two imperfect heroes erase an alternate history to restore the past?

Reviewed by Abby Lane

Sunder of Time

Kristin McTiernan

Sunder of Time by Kristin McTiernan was such a pleasant surprise that's perfect for fans of Doomsday Book by Connie Willis.

Reviewed by Lauren Stoolfire

The Whisper

Jared Millet

If you're a fan of classic Hollywood film noir, Flash Gordon, The Shadow, and Back to the Future, I have a feeling you'll enjoy...

Outsmarting Time

Laura Hanks Kline

OUTSMARTING TIME does exactly what a sci-fi should do; it messes with your head and feeds you pieces of information in a race t...

Reviewed by Alexia Chantel

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Apply to become a reviewer.

Adam Wright

Time travel.

I am an avid reader. I love books and discovering something new to recommend to people. I love epic fantasy and horror the most but I will read anything as long as it is good quality.

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Daniel Crocker

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11 Time Travel Novels That Will Transport You

Anne Mai Yee Jansen

Anne Mai Yee Jansen is a literature and ethnic studies professor and a lifelong story addict. She exists on a steady diet of books and hot chocolate, with a heaping side of travel whenever possible. Originally hailing from the sun and sandstone of southern California, she currently resides with her partner, offspring, and feline companion in the sleepy mountains of western North Carolina.

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This unique ability of time travel novels means that these books either harken back to the past or project into the future (or, sometimes, both). If you’re interested in spending a little more time thinking about this, give the essay “Time Traveling Books: Historical Fiction or Speculative Fiction?” a read.

And while many time travel novels often feature complex mechanisms for time travel (such as Charles Yu’s fascinating How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe ), not all time travel requires a time machine. Take Octavia Butler’s Kindred — a true classic! Butler’s protagonist finds herself unwittingly thrust into the past at unpredictable moments in her life…an extremely perilous situation for a Black American woman who keeps finding herself in the antebellum South.

The future of literary time travel is just as exciting as its past and present. You can expect Stephen Graham Jones’s “historical slasher” comic series Earthdivers to premier this October. (Incidentally, some of Jones’ other books — like Ledfeather and The Bird is Gone — also dabble in time travel.) No matter when you look for it, there’s always a good time travel novel to be found.

Long Division by Kiese Laymon

Originally published in 2013, Kiese Laymon’s time warping novel about racism across the decades was republished in 2021. It’s the story of “City” Coldson, a teenager who spectacularly fails at a nationally televised spelling contest. His timeline begins in 2013, but shortly after being sent to stay with his grandmother in a small southern town things get…weird. Things take a metafictional turn for the character when he discovers a book called Long Division written in the 1980s by an author with his same name. And then 1964 makes an appearance, and before you know it, Laymon has taken you on a wild ride spanning half a century and confronting racism across the years.

The Mexican Flyboy by Alfredo Véa, Jr.

Simon Vegas acquired a time machine in Vietnam…and he’s been trying to get it in working order ever since. Once he gets it working, things get really wild really fast. Simon’s time machine has a focus: seeking out injustice and delivering its victims to a utopian afterlife. There are plenty of famous names sprinkled in there, but the real focus of this novel is on questions of power (or, perhaps more aptly, powerlessness), compassion and humanity, and trauma and justice. Since it’s Alfredo Véa, Jr. doing the writing, there’s a masterful blurring of genre lines and the larger question at the core of the time travel: is it real, or is it all in Simon’s head?

An Ocean of Minutes by Thea Lim

This is a time travel novel that feels uncannily timely. It’s a book that already gave readers a lot to think about, but given its release one year before the COVID-19 pandemic, the global context adds another layer of meaning. It’s 1981 and the U.S. is in the middle of a deadly pandemic. (Sound familiar?) Frank is sick, but people in the future mastered time travel in order to try to subvert the pandemic. So Polly has contracted out her future in order to save him. Of course, when love and time travel happen, nothing ever goes smoothly — their plan to be reunited at a set time in a set location is ruined when Polly gets sent too far into the future. As Polly tries to find Frank, Lim’s novel asks deep questions about love, connection, and these troubled times we live in.

The Girl from Everywhere by Heidi Heilig

Nix is a time traveler’s daughter, and she’s been seemingly everywhere and everywhen. It’s been a grand adventure…but then her dad is navigating toward an uncertain past: the year before Nix was born in the place where she was born. The problem is, Nix’s mother died in childbirth. The big question, then, is what her father intends to do when they get to when they’re going. And Kash, Nix’s mischievous love interest, throws another wrench into the works. Heilig’s novel is so hard to put down, and if you like The Girl From Everywhere , the second book of the duology, The Ship Beyond Time , is also available!

This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone

It’s nearly impossible to not be at least mildly interested in a semi-epistolary novel co-authored by the likes of Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone. Their improbable protagonists are on opposite sides of a war: technology vs. biology (obvs, I’m being a bit reductive). And yet… love . Despite the improbability of it all, despite the war they’re caught up in, despite the very real danger their correspondence represents to each of them. Love .

The Perishing by Natashia Deón

This is an unconventional time travel novel, for sure. For starters, protagonist Lou is immortal. She’s also, apparently, an amnesiac, having woken up in an alley with no memory of her past. Set in Los Angeles during the Great Depression, The Perishing follows Lou as she makes a name for herself and breaks all kinds of barriers as a professional journalist. But then she makes a new friend and is shocked to find that his face is one she’s been drawing for years. Deón crafts a fascinating mystery that will have you pondering all manner of ideas, big and small, long after you’ve finished the last page.

Here and Now and Then by Mike Chen

How can you go wrong with a time travel novel featuring a secret agent protagonist? I would argue that you can’t. Kin Stewart is living the suburban lifestyle in San Francisco, but it’s not suburbia he needs to be rescued from. It’s his life, which is a facade while he waits for someone to come get him and return him to his real life over a century and a half in the future. But help takes almost two decades to show up, and in the meantime Kin has been living his life — complete with a wife and daughter. Chen’s novel is appealingly deep, exploring the many dynamics that define the self even as it entertains with its fresh take on time travel.

Miko Kings: An Indian Baseball Story by LeAnne Howe

Miko Kings is the oldest book on this list, but it’s a fascinating read. Howe’s novel follows an intriguing cast of characters as the Native American baseball team in Oklahoma, the Miko Kings, strive to win the championship. The year: 1907. Yup, that’s the same year Oklahoma (the majority of which was officially known as Indian Territory ) was granted statehood by the United States. With that political history looming in the background, Hope Little Leader is caught up in some events that are far larger than his role as pitcher for the team. And then there’s the odd and brilliant Ezol Day, whose theories on time are intertwined with linguistics and Indigenous epistemologies. This book has it all: conspiracy, romance, and political scheming. To top it off, you’ll find some wonderfully non-standard textual elements here, like newspaper clippings and handwritten journal entries.

A Bubble of Time by Pepper Pace

What would you do if, in your 50s, you suddenly found yourself reliving your high school years as your actual 16-year-old self? That’s exactly what happens to Kenya Daniels in Pepper Pace’s hilarious and smart time travel novel A Bubble of Time . She’s 16 again, but with all of her half-century of lived experience alive and well in her memory. There’s a truly comedic element here for anyone who lived through the ’80s, because it’s pretty entertaining to follow Kenya as she is forced to revisit the wild decade as her younger self. But Pace’s time travel novel is also at turns thoughtful, heartwarming, and unexpected, too.

Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

What would you do if you could travel through time? What if you could travel through time, but only for a very short duration and without the ability to change the present? In Toshikazu Kawaguchi’s time travel novel, there’s a cafe in a basement in Tokyo where this is possible. But only from the cafe. With these interesting constraints on their time, patrons (and staffers) in the cafe time travel for small but profound reasons. It’s a strikingly beautiful meditation on the little regrets we carry with us throughout our lives. If you’re a fan of this book, you’ll be happy to know that it’s the first part of a trilogy; Tales from the Cafe came out two years ago and the third book, Before Your Memory Fades , is scheduled for release this November!

The Kingdoms by Natasha Pulley

The Kingdoms is a wild ride! It’s historical fiction as much as it is a time travel novel. It opens with Joe Tournier’s confused arrival in 19th century England, but this is a very different England than the one you might have learned about in the history books: this England is a French colony. Shortly after his arrival, a mysterious postcard arrives. Not only is it written in English (a forbidden language in this alternate reality), but it’s addressed to him. As Joe seeks answers, he travels into Scotland (which is also an alternate Scotland) and beyond. It’s a captivating read — if you’ve ever read Pulley’s other works, this will come as no surprise.

Wanna buy yourself more time?

Get yourself stuck in a literary time loop by checking out the books on this list of time loop books . Or, if you’re feeling lovey, try a selection from this list of romantic time travel novels . And of course, you can’t go wrong with any of the options on this list of must-read time travel books !

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36 Best Time Travel Books of All Time

Our goal : Find the best Time Travel books according to the internet (not just one random person's opinion).

• Type "best time travel books" into our search engine and study the top 5+ pages.
• Add only the books mentioned 2+ times.
• Rank the results neatly for you here! 😊 (It was a lot of work. But hey! That's why we're here, right?)

(Updated 2024)

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Last Updated: Monday 1 Jan, 2024

• Best Time Travel Books

Octavia E. Butler

Slaughterhouse-Five

Kurt Vonnegut

This is How You Lose the Time War

Amal El-Mohtar

The Time Machine

Outlander, Book 1

Diana Gabaldon

Stephen King

The Time Traveler's Wife

Audrey Niffenegger

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court

A Christmas Carol

Charles Dickens

A Wrinkle in Time

Madeleine L'Engle

The Shining Girls

Lauren Beukes

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children

Miss peregrine's peculiar children, book 1.

Ransom Riggs

Blake Crouch

The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle

Stuart Turton

Michael Crichton

The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August

Claire North

The End of Eternity

Isaac Asimov

All Our Wrong Todays

Elan Mastai

The Accidental Time Machine

Joe Haldeman

The Midnight Library

In Five Years

Rebecca Serle

What the Wind Knows

In a Holidaze

Christina Lauren

Just One Damned Thing After Another

Chronicles of st. mary's, book 1.

Jodi Taylor

One Last Stop

Casey McQuiston

Dean Koontz

The Two Lives of Lydia Bird

Josie Silver

Night Watch

Discworld, book 29.

Terry Pratchett

Time and Again

Time series, book 1.

Jack Finney

Doomsday Book

Connie Willis

The Door into Summer

Robert A. Heinlein

How to Invent Everything

A survival guide for the stranded time traveler.

Somewhere In Time

Richard Matheson

Here and Now and Then

Ruby Red Trilogy, Book 1

Kerstin Gier

The Girl from Everywhere

Heidi Heilig

• Best time travel books | Books about time travel | CTC coolthingschicago.com
• 20 Of The Best Time Travel Books | Book Riot bookriot.com
• Time travel books www.booklistqueen.com
• 30 Best Time Travel Books | The Uncorked Librarian www.theuncorkedlibrarian.com
• 50 Best Time Travel Books of All Time - The Bibliofile the-bibliofile.com

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• BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS

The 21 Best Time Travel Books You Haven’t Read Yet

Take a quantum leap into the world of time travel lit.

• Photo Credit: Uros Jovicic / Unsplash

Time travel, like robots, cryosleep and aliens, is one of the tropes that makes the sci-fi genre so much fun—especially because every author is able to add their own rules to the mind-bending phenomenon. With that in mind, reading a new time-travel book is like finding a whole new dimension: the portals leading to brilliantly imagined worlds are infinite. 

Take a quantum leap with us as we explore the best time travel books you haven’t read, but should definitely check out. Where we’re going, you don’t need roads—but you do need a fully charged e-reader.

Needle in a Timestack

By Robert Silverberg

This collection of short stories explores many common themes of science fiction, from time travel to space travel. In the title story, a woman's marriage is in jeopardy when her jealous ex-husband decides to change time. This story is also the inspiration for a new movie starring Leslie Odom Jr., Cynthia Erivo and Orlando Bloom.

The Book of Kells

By R. A. MacAvoy

An enchanting adventure through Celtic mythology, R.A. MacAvoy’s Book of Kells is as lush in character development and fantastical imagery as the real-life hills of Ireland’s verdant countryside. MacAvoy’s hero, the meekly mannered John Thornburn, and heroine, the strong-willed Derval, travel back to 10th-century Ireland to avenge a Viking attack. Part fantasy, part science fiction and completely captivating, this book will make you feel as though you've been transported back 11 centuries, too.

RELATED: 10 More Books to Read if You Like Game of Thrones

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court

By Mark Twain

Though it’s not quite as famous as Huckleberry Finn or Tom Sawyer , Mark Twain’s forays into time travel are just as deserving of your attention, especially if you’re a sci-fi fan. In fact, this 1889 satire is often lauded as one of the foundational works of the subgenre—for reference, H.G. Wells’ The Time Machine , the first novel to imagine a time travel apparatus, wouldn’t be published for another 6 years. This novel sends Hank Morgan, a supervisor at a Connecticut firearms factory, back to the year 528. Once there, he must deal with churlish knights, fears of science, and the little issue of having been sentenced to burn at the stake. 

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The Sterkarm Handshake

By Susan Price

A sort of time-traveling star-crossed lovers’ tale, Susan Price’s Sterkarm Handshake introduces you to protagonist Andrea Mitchell, a young anthropologist who’s been sent from 21st-century Great Britain to 16th-century Scotland to deal with the Sterkarms, a primitive tribe standing in the way of her corporation’s access to Scotland’s unlimited and untouched natural resources. Love, loss, and where-do-your-liberties-lie await.

Shadow of Ashland

By Terence M. Green

A small-town Kentucky mystery that will keep you guessing until the final chapter, Shadow of Ashland is Terence M. Green’s time-shifting novel that Entertainment Weekly simply touts as “THE BOOK YOU HAVE TO READ.” It all begins with Leo Nolan’s dying mother asking him to find her brother who went missing 50 years prior. Lucky for Leo, his uncle has just sent him a letter. The odd part: It’s postmarked 1934. So begins Leo’s journey.

RELATED: 8 Historical Mystery Novels That Will Transport You Back in Time

Everyone Says That at the End of the World

By Owen Egerton

This humorous, absurdist take on science fiction starts about four days before the world’s end—apparently, the world is an asylum for the incurably insane, and it’s about to be shut down. Milton and Rica, a couple who are expecting their first child, decide to attempt survival and wind up on a cross-country trip that involves ghosts, angels, inter-dimensional time travelers and a whole lot more. With a whole lot of luck, they just might make it out alive.

Time and Again

By Clifford D. Simak

A staple on any sci-fi fiend’s bookshelf, Clifford Simak is a virtuoso and Grandmaster when it comes to crafting sci-fi as stimulating as it is imaginative. In Time and Again , a multilayered space odyssey originally written in 1951, cosmic voyager Asher Sutton resurfaces after 20 years of being lost in space. His destiny: to change the world. Obvious, right? But how will he do it and what is the secret he’s harboring? Now, that just may blow your mind.

The Shadow Hunter

By Pat Murphy

Nebula Award-winning author Pat Murphy unlocks the mysteries of time with her debut, a faunal sci-fi novel called The Shadow Hunter . Following a Neanderthal boy who’s transported from the ancient past into a futuristic dimension beyond his understanding, The Shadow Hunter plays with culture conflicts and clashes to deliver a survival tale that’s at once enthralling and spiritual.

RELATED: 13 Groundbreaking Female Science Fiction and Fantasy Authors  

The Cat's Pajamas

By James Morrow

James Morrow was once called “the most provocative satiric voice in science fiction” by the Washington Post , and it’s not hard to see why. This collection of 13 short stories runs the gamut from a New Jersey suburb being overrun by the dead (don’t worry, they’re do-gooders), to Columbus “discovering” a modern-day New York City, to a doctor gifting his mutant creatures with ethical superiority. 

Time Loves a Hero

By Allen Steele

Allen Steele, a two-time Hugo Award winner, expands upon his award-winning novella ... Where Angels Fear to Tread , fleshing out his thrilling narrative with what happens before, during, and after a pair of time-traveling operatives travel from the 24th century to study the cause of the Hindenburg explosion. Brilliant yet consumable hard sci-fi, Time Loves a Hero— a.k.a. Chronospace—weaves historical fact with UFO fiction to create a 340-page wormhole you’ll happily be sucked into.

The Far Arena

By Richard Ben Sapir

Here's the gist: Lucius Aurelius Eugenianus, a Roman champion gladiator encased in ice, is dug up by a Texan doing research in the Arctic. We know what you’re thinking: Sounds like Maximus Decimus Meridius meets Encino Man . But trust us, Richard Ben Sapir’s time-jumping genre-blender is way more thought-provoking than a couple of blockbusters. An old soul in a modern age, Eugeni and his colorful cast of accompanying characters turn a completely implausible story into a plausible one, thanks to Sapir’s deft use of history and fantasy.

RELATED: 15 Authors Like Dan Brown

The Dancer from Atlantis

By Poul Anderson

In this historical-romance-meets-time-travel novel, a malfunctioning future time machine sends four people from four different timelines to the year 4000 BCE, on the Mediterranean coast of Egypt. Among them are American architect Duncan Reid, who came all the way from the 20th century, and Erissa, a priestess from Atlantis who has only traveled a few decades through time. Erissa is their best chance of getting back to their respective dimensions—but in order to do so, they must put themselves in grave danger.

Bones of the Earth

By Michael Swanwick

Paleo-nerds, ready the virtual shelf for Jurassic sci-fi of epic proportions. Michael Swanwick crafts a rewarding (albeit taxing and challenging) read that spans hundreds of millions of years. When Smithsonian paleontologist Richard Leyster is presented with the head of a freshly killed Stegosaurus and the opportunity to go back in time to study dinosaurs, the action begins. And, thus, the paying of attention on your part.

RELATED: 13 of the Best Dragons in Science Fiction  

How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe

By Charles Yu

Welcome to an incomplete and unpolished world where the laws of physics are abandoned and the inhabitants consider themselves unfinished. It’s called Minor Universe 31, and it’s the epicenter of which the action revolves in Charles Yu’s quirky how-to featuring his aptly named hero, Charles Yu; Charles’s hypothetical dog; and the apple of Charles’s eye: his feminine AI interface. Bonus: There are pictures.

Man in the Empty Suit

By Sean Ferrell

If you like a little murder mystery with your time travel, this novel is for you. Each year, the time-traveling narrator spends his birthday in a New York hotel room with all the past and future versions of himself. Unfortunately, the party gets derailed on his 39th birthday, when he finds his 40-year-old self killed by a gunshot to the head. Now, he has one year to figure out who his killer is—or else he and all the other versions of himself will cease to exist.  

The End of Eternity

By Isaac Asimov

If ever the declaration of loving someone to the end of eternity were most poignant, it’d be here, in Isaac Asimov’s time-jumping seminal novel about an Eternal whose relationship with a woman outside his elite world threatens to destroy Eternity. Considered one of the “Big Three” during his time, Asimov constructs a tale just about everyone considers “a monument of the flowering of SF.”

RELATED: 8 Heart-Racing Mystery Romance Books  

Planet of the Apes

By Pierre Boulle

Yes, that Planet of the Apes . The mega motion-picture franchise that launched in the late 60s (and again in 2001, and then 2011e) wouldn’t be a blip on the radar without the 1963 French classic from sci-fi writer Pierre Boulle. Though you may be familiar with the plot thanks to Charlton Heston’s interstellar journey to an ape-ruled planet, Boulle’s original hurls through 274 pages to a shocking climax that’s nothing like what you’ve seen on the big screen.

The Time Ships

By Stephen Baxter

In this modern-day sequel, hard SF author Stephen Baxter sets out to answer the question of what would happen had the time machine in H. G. Wells’ same-name classic fallen into the hands of the government. Baxter plays with pasts, presents, and futures to create a compelling damsel-in-distress tale with the Wells’ Eloi-Morlocks conflict at its core. 

RELATED: 7 Alternate History Books  

The Shining Girls

By Lauren Beukes

There’s a serial killer on the loose in Lauren Beukes' avant-garde time-travel novel. But he’s like no other hunter you’ve ever read about. Harper Curtis is the perfect murderer who strikes, then escapes across time. But Harper is about to meet his match: Kirby Mazrachi. And unlike his previous victims, Kirby doesn’t die. And, thus, Harper becomes the hunted. Need more enticement? Gillian Flynn is a fan. 

The Many-Colored Land

By Julian May

Julian May’s The Many-Colored Land is a literary thriller that deals not with other worlds, but with the one we all know: Earth. The year is 2034, and humans have discovered a time warp that transports them to a Pliocene Europe 6 million years in the past. Home to the Tanu and Firvulag, two opposing races, the humans work with the dwarfish Firvulag to free the world from the Tanu clutches—think time-traveling Tolkien.

Doomsday Book

By Connie Willis

A Hugo and Nebula Award winner, Connie Willis’s Doomsday Book took her five years to perfect. It’s about an Oxford history student named Kivrin who is erroneously transported from the year 2048 to the 14th century’s Black Plague, where she’s taken in by an English family and exposed to the never-ending suffering pertaining to the dark times. An action-packed drama, this one’s not. Rather, Willis is more concerned with characterizations and the will of the human spirit. And bravo for it.

Featured photo: Uros Jovicic / Unsplash  

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11 Time Travel Books Guaranteed to Provide a Magical Escape

Woman's World books editor (and book lover!) shares 11 enchanting time travel books — enjoy them all!

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Sometimes after a draining week or a low-key weekend with no plans, the idea of escaping to another time and place entirely sounds exciting. And there’s no easier, cozier way to escape than through the pages of a richly written time travel book. This fan-favorite genre — which is often a blend of science fiction, romance and fantasy — allows readers to explore vastly different possibilities for characters as they navigate choices amid the mind-bending magic of space and time. Whether they whisk you away to the Scottish Highlands in 1743 or Ireland in the 1900s, these novels promise an entertaining adventure filled with heartfelt nostalgia, illuminating choices and poignant reflections.

Here, we rounded up some of our favorite time travel books — both newer and older — that are sure to dazzle. Keep scrolling to discover 11 of the best time travel books, from romance to thriller, historical fiction and more. Happy time traveling!

The Two Lives of Lydia Bird by Josie Silver

Bursting with undeniable wit and charm, this heart-wrenching yet hope-filled tale follows Lydia Bird after she loses her fiancé, Freddie, in an accident. But when Lydia finds a way to be with Freddie through “lucid dreams,” her mom, sister and best friend, Jonah, begin to worry for her. As Jonah helps Lydia through her grief, she slowly starts to see that reality may hold all the love she needs.

What readers are saying: “I loved the magical element that is the foundation of the story, but also how it impacted the main character and the way the story developed. The tale is told in first person, with Lydia as a narrator. I wished it was longer, so I could spend more time in this book world, with these wonderful characters.”

The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

Spellbinding and deeply romantic, author Audrey Niffenegger captures readers’ hearts in this iconic time-travel novel that was made into both a major motion picture starring Rachel McAdams and an HBO TV series. The story follows dashing librarian Henry DeTamble who is an involuntary time traveler, but when he meets artist Clare Abshire, his life changes again. Soon, the two marry and embark on a passionate adventure across time, hoping that Henry’s condition won’t rip them apart. This novel is perfect for fans of science fiction, romance and magical realism!

What readers are saying: “From the moment I picked this book up I was spellbound. If this book is not on your ‘bucket list’ then you need to get it on there, because it will be the best 518 pages you will ever read.”

The Good Part by Sophie Cousens

Memorable scenes, lovable characters and a bit of magic meld in this time-hopping saga. When Lucy Young stumbles upon a wishing machine after a terrible date, she puts in a coin, not knowing what might happen. But she makes a wish anyway: Please, let me skip to the good part of my life. When she wakes up the next morning, she has a husband, a great job and two perfect children. But she soon comes to realize trading her past for her future caused her to miss a huge chunk of her life. Now, she’ll have to decide if going back is worth leaving the good part behind.

What readers are saying: “This delightful blend of women’s fiction and fantasy, infused with enchanting romance vibes, may just be Sophie Cousens’ most hilarious, entertaining and heartwarming work yet. It will remind you of Sophie Kinsella’s Remember Me .”

This Time Tomorrow by Emma Straub

This tender, thought-provoking story penned by bestselling author Emma Straub offers a clever new twist on traditional time travel tropes. When Alice wakes up on what is supposed to be her 40th birthday, she is back in 1996, reliving her 16th birthday in her 16-year-old body. When she sees her dad, he’s the lively 40-something from her childhood, not the ailing father she’s been caring for. With knowledge of the future, Alice now has to decide if there’s anything she could — or should — change about the past.

What readers are saying: “This was my first book from this author and I absolutely adored it. I am always a sucker for time travel and this one made me laugh, cry and everything in between. It may just be one of my favorite books of the year. Highly recommend!”

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

An unforgettable romance and captivating characters abound in the first book of Diana Gabaldon’s acclaimed Outlander series, which was made into an immensely popular Starz TV show. In 1945 Scotland, former British combat nurse Claire Randall embarks on a second honeymoon with her husband. While there, she stumbles upon a standing stone in one of the ancient circles, and suddenly, she turns into a Sassenach — an “outlander” in the year 1743. Now, her only chance at survival is a handsome young Scots warrior named Jamie Fraser. What follows is a fiery battle of wills, time, hearts and, ultimately, love.

What readers are saying: “What a compelling and riveting book. I found Outlander a hard book to put down. Of course, I had to since it is 642 pages. Even though I read very fast, I obviously could not read this one in one setting. This is not the first time I have read this book, but I am certainly that glad I made the decision to read it a second time. Ms. Gabaldon’s writing is so fluid and smooth, and it brings the Highlands to life with her vivid description of the landscape. Talk about using all five senses in one’s writing — this author is a master at this.”

In Five Years by Rebecca Serle

Fans of Me Before You will adore this heartfelt exploration of friendship, loss and love. Dannie Cohan is a lawyer on track to achieve her five-year plan. Then one night, she falls asleep and wakes up in 2025 beside a man — who is not her current fiancé. After an hour, Dannie wakes back up in 2020 and forgets the dream. But four years later, Dannie sees the man from her vision. A dazzling tale about true love and destiny.

What readers are saying: “This book took me on an intriguing roller coaster. Once Dannie had that dream, I kept trying to guess what it meant. Was it a premonition? Was it time travel? Was it her insecurities from her current life manifested in a dream? It was a captivating way to start the book and Rebecca Serle made the pieces come together in a creative way.”

What the Wind Knows by Amy Harmon

Romance and time travel blend in this entrancing novel. Reeling from the loss of her grandfather, Anne Gallagher travels to his ancestral home in Ireland to spread his ashes. She knew this was an enchanting place, but when she awakens to find herself back in 1921, she discovers its magic is real. On the cusp of a war, the Ireland she’s in is different from the one she left. Alone and injured, she’s treated by Dr. Thomas Smith — guardian of the boy who will one day become her grandfather. The spitting image of her missing great-grandmother, Anne takes on her identity, determined to learn how their fates are linked. But will these truths lead her back home or has her heart found a new one?

What readers are saying: “Another Amy Harmon book that I couldn’t put down. I wondered if the time travel aspect would be contrived, but it was so mysterious and magical. I also learned so much about Ireland in the early 1900s. Beautifully written as the story weaves in historical facts with a fictional love story.”

Best ‘Armchair Travel’ Books: Escape to Paris, London, Italy & More Without Leaving Home!

The dream daughter by diane chamberlain.

This rich and breathtakingly written novel begins when Carly Sears, a young woman widowed by the Vietnam war, finds out her unborn baby girl has a heart defect. Contrary to what she’s been told, her brother-in-law, a physicist with a mysterious past, tells her there may be a way to save her baby. Carly’s last hope of rescuing her little one pushes boundaries of faith and science and requires her belief in the unbelievable.

What readers are saying: “I was blown away by this time travel novel! I have always turned and run from any book or movie about time travel, but Diane’s skill in transporting you forward and backward in time was an absolute work of art.”

Woke Up Like This by Amy Lea

A fun and nostalgic story unfolds in Amy Lea’s first time travel novel — and it’s sure to charm the young at heart! All Charlotte Wu needs to do is plan the perfect prom and then she’ll be done with high school. But then, she falls off a ladder right in front of her archnemesis, J. T. Renner. Even worse? When Charlotte wakes up, she finds out that not only is she 30 years old, she’s also engaged to Renner. Now, the two must piece together what happened during the years they missed and try not to fall in love in the process. The book is perfect for fans of the time-travel rom-com Thirteen Going On Thirty !

What readers are saying: “I wasn’t sure about this book at first, but I kept reading and couldn’t put it down. I’d read till I couldn’t keep my eyes open any longer and then when I woke up early the next morning I reached for the book again. The book brought back so many high school memories but also touched on life as an adult. I definitely feel like at times years fly by. Great read and well written!”

The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston

When book publicist Clementine inherits her late aunt’s apartment, she gets much more than real estate — she inherits a magical place that slips through time, both seven years into the future and seven years into the past. So when she comes home to find a handsome stranger with a Southern accent standing in her kitchen, she realizes her new roommate is from seven years ago. Iwan is an aspiring chef who makes the best lemon pie ever. But time is tricky, and one day he vanishes. Will Clementine reconnect with present-day Iwan? And is the man of today the same one from the past?

What time travelers are saying: “What a wonderful story this was! The author wove this tale from past to present with a touch of magic that you really feel like believing. The true magic is the magic of love and the meeting of two meant for each other. I really enjoyed this journey.”

Wrong Place Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister

Bestselling author Gillian McAllister returns with another clever and twisting read. After Jen witnesses her 18-year-old son, seemingly happy son Todd, stab a total stranger on Halloween night, she is distraught. When he’s brought into custody, she falls asleep in total despair. But when she wakes up…it is yesterday — and the murder hasn’t happened yet. Now, Jen must venture back in time to figure out what led Todd to commit such a heinous crime and stop it from happening again. An astonishing, heart-racing thriller!

What readers are saying: “For the first part of Wrong Place Wrong Time , I thought I was the wrong person for this story. Then I rolled with it and was very quickly engrossed in the story. I loved the premise, the storytelling and the plot. The characters were intriguing and the suspense was excellent but most of all, it was a mind game. A mystery thriller that played with your own natural thought process to piece together the plot while the twists kept coming.”

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• Dive into the world of time-travel with novels like H.G. Wells' 'The Time Machine', exploring future societies, and Kerstin Gier's 'Ruby Red', blending history and fantasy through a time-traveling heroine.
• For younger readers, 'Rush Revere and the Brave Pilgrims' makes American history fun, while 'The Eyre Affair' by Jasper Fforde offers a literary adventure, altering classics to change reality.
• These books promise thrilling journeys through time, making history and literature exciting and accessible.

Time-travel adventure novels for every bookshelf

Time-travel stories captivate us by offering a glimpse into other eras, cultures, and worlds, all while exploring the what-ifs of history. These narratives allow readers to embark on journeys that defy the constraints of time, providing both entertainment and reflection on the past, present, and future. This article curates a selection of time-travel adventures suitable for readers of all ages.

'The Time Machine' 

The Time Machine by H.G. Wells is a pioneering science fiction novel that introduces readers to the concept of time travel through the adventures of the Time Traveler. Venturing far into the future, he discovers a world that has evolved beyond recognition. This book not only entertains but also offers insight into human nature and societal evolution, making it a timeless piece for contemplation.

'Ruby Red' 

Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier is a refreshing blend of history and fantasy. It follows Gwyneth Shepherd, a young girl who unexpectedly inherits her family's time-travel gene. Thrust into the past, she must navigate high society while unraveling a mystery that spans centuries. The book combines humor with adventure, making it an engaging read for those interested in both history and fantasy.

'Rush Revere and the Brave Pilgrims' 

Rush Revere and the Brave Pilgrims by Rush Limbaugh takes young readers on an exciting journey back to the time of the Pilgrims' voyage to America aboard the Mayflower. Through talking horse Liberty's ability to travel through time, children are introduced to important historical figures and events in an interactive way. This book makes learning about American history fun and accessible.

'The Eyre Affair' 

The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde features Thursday Next, a literary detective with the power to enter books. Her debut mission takes her into "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Bronte. In Fforde's world, literature is crucial, and altering classics can change reality. This novel is ideal for literature lovers and those who enjoy seeing beloved characters in new scenarios.

The 32 greatest time travel movies

You don't need a DeLorean to revisit these time travel gems

If you had the means to travel in time, where would you go? The past, or the future? For so long, filmmakers have wondered this same question, with more time travel movies than you can count. At least some of them happen to be - ahem, timeless classics.

While time travel has existed in the human imagination for centuries, with examples found in Hindu and Islamic mythologies, our modern understanding of time travel begins with early science fiction tales. Stories like The Year 2440 by French author Louis-Sébastien Mercier, Looking Backward by Edward Bellamy, and The Time Machine by H.G. Wells are some of the earliest and most popular uses of time travel in sci-fi. 

It should be no surprise that as soon as humans invented moving pictures, time travel became a recurring genre. (This is not to be confused with time loop movies, in which stories involve a set and finite time frame that "loop" back and start all over again.) Whether it's to prevent catastrophes or just fall in love, filmmakers have obsessed over time travel as a story device to explore what it really means to be human. With so many time travel movies to choose from, here are 32 of the greatest time travel movies ever made.

32. The Time Machine (1960)

It should be no surprise that the first feature film adaptation of H.G. Wells' seminal science fiction novella The Time Machine also qualifies as one of the best time travel movies ever made. Rod Taylor stars as a scientist inventor, also named "H. George Wells," whose invention of a time machine flings him to Earth's distant future where he sees mankind split between peaceful, gentle Eloi and the predatory Morlocks who feed on them. Though its primitive effects may be hard on modern eyes, George Pal's movie splits the difference between pulp slop and old-school magnificence.

31. Timecop (1994)

It's not saying much that Timecop, an adaptation of comic strips published by Dark Horse, is one of the best movies starring Jean-Claude Van Damme. But JCVD is in top form in Peter Hyams' corny '90s gem. Van Damme stars as a police officer in the Time Enforcement Commission who must stop a corrupt politician (played by Ron Silver) from influencing the past for personal gain. Although Timecop's comic book-y premise and wham-bam filmmaking renders it indistinguishable from other Van Damme flicks, it also happens to feature one of Van Damme's finest performances. 

30. The Time Traveler's Wife (2009)

Based on Audrey Niffenegger's hit debut novel, The Time Traveler's Wife stars Rachel McAdams as the wife of a Chicago librarian (Eric Bana) who suffers from a genetic disorder that causes him to spontaneously travel through time, making a stable life in the present difficult to maintain. Written by Niffenegger as an elaborate metaphor on her failed relationships, the sentimental and sappy movie version - from director Robert Schwentke - efficiently captures that painful desire to stay still in a life that pulls us apart. 

29. Déjà Vu (2006)

In their third collaboration together, actor Denzel Washington and director Tony Scott teamed up for the time travel thriller Déjà Vu. Washington plays a special agent who goes back in time to prevent a terrorist attack in New Orleans. While doing so, he falls in love with a beautiful victim (Paula Patton) and becomes determined to save her. While Déjà Vu isn't the best movie by Scott nor even the best from Scott and Washington's creative tag-teaming, it's still a gritty action thriller with a novel science fiction bent.

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28. Safety Not Guaranteed (2012)

While it may feel too "Tumblr twee" for some, Colin Trevorrow's Safety Not Guaranteed is an emotional comedy-drama about having trust in the impossible. A group of magazine journalists (played by Aubrey Plaza, Jake Johnston, and Karan Soni) investigate a curious classified ad that promises a time travel adventure; Mark Duplass plays the socially awkward grocery clerk who placed the ad, claiming to have a time machine. Safety Not Guaranteed notably launched Trevorrow into the realm of big budget blockbusters, with the director landing the gig of helming Jurassic World shortly after and, for a time, attached to the coveted ninth Star Wars movie. Safety Not Guaranteed is small fries in comparison, but the movie's flightful sensibilities showed what Trevorrow was capable of. 

27. Donnie Darko (2001)

It's a bit of a spoiler to detail exactly how time travel factors into Richard Kelly's morbid teen drama Donnie Darko. But in its tale about a troubled suburban teenager (Jake Gyllenhaal) who receives cryptic psychic messages from an ominous figure in a scary bunny costume, Donnie Darko explores adolescence as a vehicle to meditate on the nature of reality. Years later, Donnie Darko remains a cult classic, not only for its dark and cerebral tone and surprisingly star-studded cast, but for its enthralling portrait of teenage angst and depression through the lens of science fiction and comic book tropes.

26. Star Trek (2009)

In this modern reboot of the classic 1960s sci-fi television saga, the past and present collide in unexpected ways when villainous Romulans (led by Eric Bana) are flung to Starfleet past, changing the course of Star Trek history forever. As the starting point for what has been called the "Kelvin Timeline" - an alternate timeline diverting from original Star Trek canon - J.J. Abrams ' Star Trek satisfies fans both new and old with a zippy, crowd-pleasing blockbuster that is secretly about the burdens of history and legacy and the virtues of pursuing one's own path.

25. Midnight in Paris (2011)

Leave it to Woody Allen to create a time travel movie that isn't about aliens or A.I., but hanging out with famous literary icons. Owen Wilson stars as a dissatisfied screenwriter who, while on a trip to Paris with his fiance (Rachel McAdams), finds himself able to travel to 1920s Paris, meeting the likes of F. Scott Fitzgerald and befriending Ernest Hemingway. After a long period of movies that failed to live up to his established reputation, Allen enjoyed a brief career resurgence with his critically acclaimed Midnight in Paris, a jovial gem (with an excellent Corey Stoll as Hemingway) that romanticizes Paris regardless of whatever era you're seeing it. 

24. X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)

While parsing out the X-Men movie timeline can induce psychic shock, the 2014 tentpole X-Men: Days of Future Past is still one of the franchise's all-time strongest entries. Loosely adapting Chris Claremont's iconic comic book storyline, Bryan Singer's film version swaps Kitty Pryde for fan-favorite Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) who is psychically sent back in time to the 1970s to prevent Bolivar Trask (Peter Dinklage) from creating his menacing Sentinels that will doom mankind and mutantkind alike. With memorable set-pieces and a locked-in Jackman anchoring alongside Michael Fassbender and James McAvoy, the past and present collide like never before in this exquisite sci-fi superhero spectacle.

23. When We First Met (2018)

After falling in love at a Halloween party in 2014, lovestruck Noah (Adam Devine) uses a magical photo booth to relive the night he met the gorgeous and funny Avery (Alexandra Daddario), who only sees Noah as a friend. While Noah tries to relive and redo that night all over again, he quickly finds out that love is sometimes set in stone. Though Ari Sandel's sugary rom-com for Netflix may leave some audiences in the friend zone, for anyone familiar with the pangs of unrequited feelings, When We First Met is a breeze of a movie that can help us figure out why things happen for a reason - or for no reason at all. 

22. Hot Tub Time Machine (2010)

Raunchiness meets bitterness in the R-rated time travel comedy Hot Tub Time Machine. John Cusack, Rob Corddry, and Craig Robinson (plus Clark Duke, as Cusack's nephew) play unsatisfied adult men who - after a freak accident involving a hot tub and an energy drink spillage - find a way to time travel back to one fateful night in 1986. Determined to change their mediocre lives for the better, the men embark on reliving the greatest night of their young lives. With surprising depths of darkness, wistful nostalgia, and an underlying message to never take even one second for granted, Hot Tub Time Machine is more than its simplistic title leads on.

21. Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989)

If your life ethos is to "Be excellent to each other!" and "Party on, dudes!" then you have Bill and Ted to thank. In this cult classic from 1989, Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter co-star as dim-witted high school students and aspiring rock stars who are desperate to pass their history class and avoid being enrolled in military school. With the help of an enigmatic figure - played by the legendary George Carlin - Bill S. Preston Esq. and Ted "Theodore" Logan travel in time to collect the world's greatest figures in history to help them pass. While Bill and Ted inadvertently threaten to change history, Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure is, indeed, an excellent movie about the virtues of friendship and being true to oneself. 

20. Synchronic (2020)

In this time travel horror movie, two New Orleans paramedics - hard-drinking playboy and terminally ill Steve (Anthony Mackie) and family man Dennis (Jamie Dornan) - find a series of bizarre deaths linked to a designer drug called Synchronic, which induces abilities to travel in time. Dennis grows alarmed when his daughter goes missing at a party where Synchronic was rampant. With its explorations of loss and friendship, Synchronic is unlike many other time travel movies with a distinctly dark and grim atmosphere. It's complimented by the skillful filmmaking of Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead, who have helmed films like Spring (2014), The Endless (2017), Something in the Dirt (2022), and the Marvel shows Moon Knight and Loki.

19. Click (2006)

Ever wondered what the "Beyond" was in Bed, Bath, and & Beyond? Adam Sandler found out in the 2006 comedy Click, where Sandler plays a workaholic family man who finds a universal remote that lets him travel in time. Though Sandler has fun "fast-forwarding" mundane moments, he soon finds out how critically important it is to relish every single minute you get in life. While Click initially polarized audiences and critics, it has slowly accrued goodwill, with some observers calling it one of Sandler's best and most mature movies behind Uncut Gems. 

18. Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002)

Oh, behave! In the third installment of the Austin Powers series, the out-of-time special agent Austin Powers (Mike Meyers, reprising one of his most iconic characters) is flung from 2002 back to 1975, teaming up with feisty FBI agent Foxxy Cleopatra (Beyoncé) and his own distant father, Nigel Powers (Michael Caine) to stop the mastermind known as "Goldmember." After spoofing spy-fi media of the 1960s, Jay Roach's Goldmember roasts the grittier, funkier era of '70s James Bond and Blaxploitation classics like Foxy Brown. 

17. Kate & Leopold (2001)

Can love transcend time? That's the idea behind Kate & Leopold, a most enchanting romantic comedy from James Mangold and starring Meg Ryan opposite Hugh Jackman. Jackman plays Leopold, the handsome Duke of Albany from the 19th century who falls through a time portal and ends up in 2001 Manhattan. While adjusting to the 21st century, he begins wooing a successful but lonely ad executive (Ryan). Kate & Leopold is good old fashioned Hollywood magic at its best, being a mismatched couples comedy that champions how love can triumph over all - even time itself.

16. About Time (2013)

Several years after The Time Traveler's Wife, Rachel McAdams again fell in love with a time traveler in Richard Curtis' sappy but sweet romantic dramedy About Time. Domnhall Gleeson plays an ordinary man who inherits a remarkable family power: the power to travel in time. (The only catch: They can only travel in their lived timeline, and never forwards.) Determined to use his power to find love, he becomes smitten with beautiful Mary (McAdams), though using time travel to maintain a perfect life involves a lot more risk than it seems. About Time plays fast and loose with its time travel rules, but the movie's irresistible premise and picturesque romance is enough to thaw even the most cynical of hearts.

15. Peggy Sue Got Married (1986)

After revolutionizing Hollywood filmmaking with his acclaimed gangster epics The Godfather and The Godfather Part II, Francis Ford Coppola lightened up with his lively comedy about middle-age regret and baby boomer nostalgia. In Peggy Sue Got Married, dissatisfied Peggy Sue (Kathleen Turner) is on the brink of divorcing her unfaithful husband Charlie (Nicolas Cage) when she faints at her 25th high school reunion. When she wakes up, she's back in her senior year of high school, learning she's been given a second chance at changing her life for the better.

14. Looper (2012)

Brick star Joseph Gordon-Levitt and director Rian Johnson reunite for one of the best time travel thrillers of the 2010s. Looper, released in 2012, takes place in a near future reality where time travel is possible but illegal; "loopers" are hired assassins who are sent back in time to kill specific targets. Things get complicated for a looper named Joe (Gordon-Levitt) who must "close the loop" when his older self (Bruce Willis) is sent back for him to kill. A trippy action-thriller that was critically acclaimed for its ingenious depiction of time travel, the buzzy success of Looper undoubtedly put Johnson on the map to later helm Star Wars: The Last Jedi in 2017.

13. See You Yesterday (2019)

Time travel whimsy meets timely social commentary in See You Yesterday from director Stefon Bristol and producer Spike Lee. Teenage science prodigies and best friends C.J. (Eden Duncan-Smith) and Sebastian (Danté Crichlow) invent backpacks that enable time travel; they use their inventions to save C.J.'s brother, who was killed by a racist police officer. But in trying to save her family, C.J. finds unforeseen problems in trying to alter the past. A beautiful mix of Amblin-esque adventure and the full weight of systemic racism, See You Yesterday - a sweeping picture about love and the ethics of genius - elevates the time travel genre into something more. 

12. Avengers: Endgame (2019)

To mark the end of Marvel's acclaimed Infinity Saga, directors Joe and Anthony Russo and writers Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely invited Marvel fans to take another lap around the Marvel Cinematic Universe with the time travel-oriented finale Avengers: Endgame. Following up on the events of Avengers: Infinity War, Endgame sees the Avengers reunite and hatch a scheme to reobtain the powerful Infinity Stones - all scattered throughout the MCU's vast canon - and restore a vanished populace, not to mention stop Thanos for good. Avengers: Endgame needs no introduction; it was and still is one of the biggest movies of all time.

11. Time Bandits (1981)

Terry Gilliam brings his strange sensibilities to a more mainstream family audience with his 1981 classic time Bandits. Craig Warnock stars as Kevin, a young boy with a fascination for history who is visited by time-traveling dwarves who plunder treasures from different historical periods. As Kevin joins the dwarves, they escape capture by Evil (David Warner), a malevolent entity who wants to steal the dwarves' map that lets them travel through portals. Time Bandits stands the test of, ahem, time, to look and feel like a riveting children's storybook come to life. 

10. Primer (2004)

In Shane Carruth's debut feature film, two engineers (played by Carruth and David Sullivan) accidentally discover the means of time travel. While experimenting with their discovery, they find out that time travel is a lot more complex than they thought it would be. Still an underground indie favorite to this day, Primer is remembered for its experimental plot structure that mixes philosophical theory with hard mathematics. Primer was concocted by Carruth, who actually majored in mathematics in college and previously worked as an engineer prior to becoming a filmmaker. Primer was a huge hit at the Sundance Film Festival and is still beloved for its cerebral exploration of the ethics of scientific discovery.

9. Time After Time (1979)

Nicholas Meyer pays tribute to the granddaddy of time travel storytelling, H.G. Wells, with his delectable time travel fantasy Time After Time. Malcolm McDowell plays H.G. Wells, who uses his time machine to finally apprehend Jack the Ripper (David Warner) after the famed serial killer escapes to modern-day San Francisco. While Time After Time tries to be a dark thriller, it can't help but have fun with H.G. Wells and Jack the Ripper exploring a most alien environment loaded with fast food chains and disco nightclubs. 

8. Somewhere in Time (1980)

Have you ever been in love so bad you were willing to get lost in time? Shortly after Christopher Reeve took off with Superman: The Movie, the actor strove to play against typecasting with Somewhere in Time. Directed by Jeannot Szwarc, Reeve stars as a playwright who becomes smitten by a beautiful stage actress (Jane Seymour) seen in a portrait dated 1912. Under hypnosis, Reeve's character ends up in 1912 and tries to find and woo the woman. He succeeds, but we won't spoil the devastating ending. While the movie endured bad reviews during its original release, it has since become a beloved romantic classic. The Grand Hotel in Michigan, where the majority of principal photography, hosts annual anniversary screenings of the picture every October.

7. 12 Monkeys (1995)

Terry Gilliam is no stranger to science fiction and time travel stories. One of his most successful Hollywood films to date is still the 1995 classic 12 Monkeys. Bruce Willis plays a convict from 2035 who is sent back in time to 1996 (though he ends up in 1990) to gather information about the terrorist plot that led to a virus wiping out most of humanity. Arriving at the right time to observe the paralyzing inundation of information at the end of the 20th century, 12 Monkeys mesmerized critics and audiences to become the number one movie for two weeks in January 1995. While not strictly a remake of the French New Wave sci-fi La Jetée by Chris Marker - Gilliam even claimed he hadn't even seen it before production - Universal Studios obtained the remake rights to Marker's film after producer Robert Kosberg successfully pitched the studio 12 Monkeys as a movie heavily inspired by it. In 2015, a hit TV series remake premiered on Syfy.

6. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)

Time travel isn't exclusive to science fiction. In the 2004 sequel to the hit fantasy film saga, Mexican auteur Alfonso Cuarón adapts the book of the same name which sees the increasingly aging Hogwarts trio - Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Hermoine (Emma Watson) and Ron (Rupert Grint) - meet the wizard criminal Sirius Black (Gary Oldman) who has connections to Harry's family. A key part of Prisoner of Azkaban's story involves a magical device that lets the characters travel in time; some of the film's most memorable and deliciously staged set pieces center around ingenious depictions of time travel.

5. Source Code (2011)

In the aftermath of major events like 9/11, some Hollywood filmmakers dared to ask if time travel could stop acts of terrorism. Enter: Source Code, from director Duncan Jones. Jake Gyllenhaal stars as a U.S. soldier tasked with using a cutting-edge government program called "Source Code" to relive the final minutes of a commuter train prior to its bombing and identify the terrorist behind it. The catch is that Gyllenhaal's character enters the program inhabiting the body of another unknown man, which creates problems for both himself and the unknown man's beautiful companion (Michelle Monaghan). Jones' movie is a muscular action-thriller that successfully combines time travel with time loop stories, perfectly balancing the two to become something totally unique. 

4. Tenet (2020)

Christopher Nolan is a filmmaker obsessed with time as a thematic motif. But in 2020, Nolan was in top form with his summer sci-fi Tenet. John David Washington stars as the nameless agent, going only by "The Protagonist" who must navigate the twilight world of international espionage to stop the powerful arms dealer Andrei Sator (Kenneth Branagh) and prevent World War III. To accomplish this, he teams up with another enigmatic agent (Robert Pattinson) and the beautiful wife of Sator, Kat (Elizabeth Debicki), all while using the newest tool in his arsenal: inverted entropy, basically the reverse physics of an object in time. Confused yet? A lot of people were. But that hasn't stopped Tenet from amassing a dedicated fanbase who insist that Tenet isn't a movie you think about, but rather feel.

3. Your Name (2016)

In this sweeping animated romantic fantasy by acclaimed director Makoto Shinkai, two teenagers (voiced by Ryunosuke Kamiki and Mone Kamishiraishi in the original Japanese language, and Michael Sinterniklaas and Stephanie Sheh in the English dub) mysteriously find themselves swapping bodies. In their efforts to better understand what is going on, they find a deeper connection linked to a tragic natural disaster. A time travel movie unlike so many others, Your Name was celebrated upon release for its gorgeous visuals and equally breathtaking story about fate, love, and intertwined destinies that transcend time itself.

2. The Terminator (1984) and Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)

Arguably the definitive time travel action blockbusters, James Cameron 's Terminator movies are simply unstoppable. Arnold Scwharzenegger is in top form as the T-800, who is initially dispatched to kill the mother of mankind's hero John Connor, a woman named Sarah (Linda Hamilton). In the bigger, somehow better sequel Terminator 2, Schwarzenegger returns as a repurposed T-800 to save both Sarah and her 12-year-old son John Connor (Edward Furlong). Despite numerous sequels, nothing can top the tech-noir transcendence of the first two Terminator entries.

1. The Back to the Future Trilogy (1984-1989)

Robert Zemeckis' '80s classic trilogy is, without question, one of the greatest time travel adventures ever told, an untouchable sci-fi trilogy if there ever was one. In the first movie, teenager Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) accidentally travels to 1955 and must figure out a way to get his own parents to fall in love again after his presence disrupts the whole town. In the sequels, Marty travels to the "future" year of 2015, and then the distant past of the Old West, all with the help of Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd) and a ridiculously tricked-out DeLorean. The Back to the Future trilogy is foundational for an entire generation, and it's not hard to see why. The movies are fast, fun, and unforgettable, a movie that doesn't need roads to take us away.

Eric Francisco is a freelance entertainment journalist and graduate of Rutgers University. If a movie or TV show has superheroes, spaceships, kung fu, or John Cena, he's your guy to make sense of it. A former senior writer at Inverse, his byline has also appeared at Vulture, The Daily Beast, Observer, and The Mary Sue. You can find him screaming at Devils hockey games or dodging enemy fire in Call of Duty: Warzone.

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15 Amazing Hotels for Book Lovers (#8 Has a Private Library)

Posted: March 30, 2024 | Last updated: March 30, 2024

Books are magical. They sweep us off to faraway places and tap the full power of our imaginations.

If you're a book lover with some vacation time on your hands, there are some incredible hotels that cater to your passion.

Step up your travel game by getting lost in libraries, embracing the ghosts of literary history, and reading to your heart’s content at these fabulous hotels.

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Belmond Venice Simplon-Orient-Express

Bring “Murder on the Orient Express” to life with a stay at this luxe hotel on wheels. You’ll feel like you are a character in an Agatha Christie novel.

Also, enjoy world-class dining and cocktails as you zoom through Europe. There’s plenty of time to read your favorite mystery novels, too.

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Brighton Wonderland House

Step into a Lewis Carroll story at this eclectic seaside hotel in Brighton, England. Each room is themed after characters such as the Tweedles, the Queen of Hearts, and Alice herself.

There is also a Madhatter Banqueting Room straight out of the rabbit hole that offers a gorgeous sea view.

Gladstone's Library

Want to live at a library? Head to this destination in Wales, which has 26 bedrooms, a lounge, and even a restaurant. Spend your days surrounded by 150,000 items and elegant architecture.

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Inn at BoonsBoro

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If you need a new book to enjoy, pop across the street to the Turn the Page Bookstore and Cafe, which Roberts’ husband owns.

Lake Austin Spa Resort

This wellness-oriented resort in Texas is great for book lovers. Relax in the Garden Library, where you can curl up with a novel and enjoy lake views.

The library features a fireplace and crystal gondola chandelier that dates back to the 18th century.

If Oscar Wilde is your favorite writer — and your tastes are equally posh — a vacation at this hotel in Paris is for you.

“The Picture of Dorian Gray” author was staying in the building when he died in 1900. You can even book Wilde’s suite, which has its own private terrace.

Retire Sooner: Take this quiz to see if you can retire early

Pacific Inn

Many fans of the “Twilight” series have made the pilgrimage to Forks, Washington, to see where it all began. The perfect hotel for this journey is the Pacific Inn, which is the ideal setting for your selfie.

Be sure to book the “Twilight”-themed room so you can fully immerse yourself in the magic.

Pulitzer Amsterdam

Few names in modern literature are bigger than Pulitzer, the namesake of this elegant, canal-side hotel in idyllic Amsterdam. The hotel has 25 classic Dutch canal houses that look like they came straight out of a novel.

Naturally, you have to stay in the Book Collector’s Suite, which has a private library.

Saxon Hotel, Villas & Spa

One of the most important autobiographies ever written was Nelson Mandela’s “The Long Walk to Freedom.” The beloved late president of South Africa completed it at this residence-turned-hotel.

This mindfulness-centered South African retreat boasts a premium Nelson Mandela suite if you want to soak in Mandela’s spirit.

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Sylvia Beach Hotel

This Oregon hotel is all about literature — from the author- and book-themed rooms to the James Joyce Library, complete with a roaring fireplace.

There’s no Wi-Fi at this hotel, nor are there televisions or telephones. So, you can truly unplug with that epic 700-page novel you brought.

The Algonquin Hotel

This chic Manhattan mainstay was once a hub of literary geniuses such as Dorothy Parker and Harold Ross. That group of writers was known as the Algonquin Round Table. They would gather, dine, drink, and share ideas during the Roaring ‘20s.

The New Yorker was founded at this landmark hotel, which honors its legacy and traditions.

The Heathman Hotel

The gem of this Portland, Oregon, hotel is its elegant two-story library, complete with mahogany walls. There are more than 2,700 titles to peruse, each signed by its prestigious author.

When you are done reading or taking in a cultural event, enjoy cocktails and bites at The Library restaurant.

The Library Hotel

Book lovers can’t miss this iconic Manhattan hotel, which is library-themed. Rooms are organized via the Dewey Decimal Classification system, with corresponding room decor. Their book collection has more than 6,000 titles.

The rooms have their own private libraries as well. Naturally, there are ample reading spaces to enjoy.

One of the most famous hotels in New York City is known for being the birthplace of the “Eloise” series of books. Fans can have a truly immersive experience in Eloise’s “pink, pink, pink” room.

Head to The Palm Court for afternoon tea and drop a letter in Eloise’s special mailbox.

For added literary appeal, both Truman Capote and F. Scott Fitzgerald were Plaza regulars.

The Study at Yale

A hotel designed with scholarly pursuits in mind? Yes, please! This New Haven, Connecticut, retreat has the Living Room, which hosts exciting cultural happenings and is filled with books and art.

All rooms have leather reading chairs where you can relax and read the day away. Book a King Study suite for the full bookworm experience.

Bottom line

Whether you want a themed experience or just to be surrounded by spines, these hotels are sure to enchant your senses.

So, grab one of the top travel credit cards , cash in those hotel points, and plan the book-loving adventure you have been craving.

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Who is JD Vance? What to know about Donald Trump's VP pick

Former President Donald Trump  tapped JD Vance  to be his running mate at the Republican National Convention , catapulting the Ohio GOP senator even more into the national spotlight.

Here’s what you need to know about Vance.

More: Trump made MAGA happen. JD Vance represents those who will inherit it

Where is JD Vance from?

Vance grew up in Jackson, Kentucky and Middletown, Ohio. He described a childhood consumed by poverty and abuse in his best-selling 2016 memoir , "Hillbilly Elegy." Vance's mother struggled with drug addiction, so he spent many of his formative years with his grandmother – known to him as Mamaw.

How old is JD Vance?

Vance is 39. If elected, he would be the youngest vice president since Richard Nixon. His birthday is Aug. 2, 1984.

Did JD Vance serve in the military?

Vance joined the Marines Corps after high school and served as a public affairs marine in Iraq.

Is JD Vance married?

Vance's wife, Usha Vance, is a litigator for a law firm based in San Francisco and Washington, D.C. The pair met as students at Yale Law School and got married in 2014, one year after they graduated.

The couple has three young children: Ewan, Vivek and Mirabel.

Where does JD Vance live?

Vance and his family live in the East Walnut Hills neighborhood of Cincinnati. The senator also bought a $1.5 million home in Alexandria, Virginia, last year, Politico reported .

How long has JD Vance been in politics?

Vance was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 2022 after defeating former Democratic Rep. Tim Ryan for an open seat in Ohio.

What’s the history between Vance and Trump?

Vance openly criticized Trump in 2016 as pundits used his memoir to explain the former president's popularity with white, rural voters. He previously suggested Trump could be "America’s Hitler," called him noxious and compared him to an opioid.

But Vance changed his tune as he geared up for his 2022 Senate run, deleting controversial tweets and crediting Trump for the work he did in office. He secured Trump's endorsement in a chaotic Republican Senate primary and is now one of the former president's most loyal allies.

JD Vance didn't vote for Donald Trump in 2016

In one NPR interview , he joked that he would rather write his dog on the ballot than vote for Trump or Hillary Clinton.

"I think that I'm going to vote third party because I can't stomach Trump," the "Hillbilly Elegy" author said at the time. "I think that he's noxious and is leading the white working class to a very dark place."

What are Vance's policy positions?

Vance personifies what's known as the New Right , a populist conservatism that rejects many traditional Republican views. He supports tariffs on trade and opposes U.S. intervention in foreign conflicts, particularly the war between Russia and Ukraine. He's also spoken out against potential cuts to Social Security.

Some of Vance's work in the Senate has been bipartisan. He introduced a rail safety bill with Sen. Sherrod Brown after the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. He also worked with Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren on legislation to hold executives accountable for failed banks.

At the same time, many of his other bills reflect conservative views. For example, Vance introduced legislation to ban gender-affirming care for minors and a bill to eliminate diversity programs in the federal government.

Where does JD Vance stand on abortion?

Vance opposes abortion and often says the government should find ways to encourage people to have children.

Like other Republicans, however, Vance changed how he discusses the issue after Ohio and other states voted in favor of abortion access last year. In a December CNN interview , he said Republicans must "accept that people do not want blanket abortion bans."

More recently, he told Meet the Press that he supports access to the abortion drug mifepristone.

Haley BeMiller is a reporter for the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau, which serves the Columbus Dispatch, Cincinnati Enquirer, Akron Beacon Journal and 18 other affiliated news organizations across Ohio.

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An Attempt to Kill an Ex-President, Caught in Real Time, Stuns the Country

The shooting targeting Donald J. Trump was the first of its kind in the era of social media, and was followed by a flood of striking images, rich eyewitness accounts and furious, fearful reaction.

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By Jonathan Weisman

Follow the latest news on the Trump assassination attempt .

It was the first attempted assassination of a current or former American president in the era of social media, and the conspiracy theories, finger-pointing and campaign gamesmanship moved at the speed of the internet, far faster than the actual facts of what transpired at former President Donald J. Trump’s campaign rally in Butler, Pa.

The assassination of John F. Kennedy in 1963 left the nation in bewildered grief. Conspiracy theories would proliferate, of course, and Abraham Zapruder’s film of Kennedy’s last moments would be studied for decades. But first, there was mourning. The assassinations of Robert F. Kennedy and the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968 would rock the public consciousness again, leaving Americans wondering what would become of their country.

But in the era of memes, X posts, Truths, Threads and TikTok, introspection was never going to be the dominant mood. Rage, blame, even comedy were the watchwords of 2024. A picture of Mr. Trump, fist aloft, American flag fluttering overhead, became iconic in an instant.

Within minutes of the first televised images of Mr. Trump grabbing his wounded ear on Saturday, voices on the left were calling it staged, though they were hardly household names.

Not long after, far bigger names on the right, including Senator J.D. Vance of Ohio, a finalist to be Mr. Trump’s running mate, had settled on the argument that Democrats had set the stage for an attempted assassination by framing the 2024 election as a battle between the forces of democracy and the soldiers of fascism. Of course someone was going to take a shot, these conservatives said.

Before anyone knew a thing about the man who had pulled the trigger, Mr. Trump’s most senior surrogates, including Mr. Vance and Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, were blaming President Biden and Democrats.

“Today is not just some isolated incident,” Mr. Vance wrote on the social media site X, owned by the right’s favorite billionaire, Elon Musk . “The central premise of the Biden campaign is that President Donald Trump is an authoritarian fascist who must be stopped at all costs. That rhetoric led directly to President Trump’s attempted assassination.”

Mr. Scott picked up the cue: “For years, Democrats and their allies in the media have recklessly stoked fears, calling President Trump and other conservatives threats to democracy,” he wrote. “Their inflammatory rhetoric puts lives at risk.”

The information that ricocheted around the internet in those first hours after the shooting was at once richly detailed and strangely lacking in substance. The BBC’s interview of a man who was on hand for the rally was stunning: He recounted how he had seen a man with a rifle crawling on a nearby rooftop and, for several minutes, tried to warn the police. Still photographs appeared to show the body of the gunman on the roof after he was killed.

Another rallygoer recounted taking lifesaving efforts on the person who died at the scene.

Yet the motives of the gunman, much less his identity, remained unconfirmed by the authorities for hours. In addition to the rally attendee who was killed, two others were critically injured. But the world did not know who they were.

(Early Sunday, the F.B.I. said the gunman was a 20-year-old man from Bethel Park, Pa.)

Democratic leaders, including Mr. Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Barack Obama, broadly condemned political violence. An AR-15-type rifle was found near the man believed to be the shooter, which could have fueled more Democratic calls for an assault weapons ban, but the party’s leaders held their tongues.

But in the internet era there is always someone who doesn’t.

Republicans dug deep to find more obscure voices on the left, such as London Lamar, a Democratic state senator in Tennessee, who framed a different message. Ms. Lamar wrote, then deleted, “the extremism from the MAGA regime has brought us to this moment,” but not before conservatives had grabbed screen shots and sent them flying around the internet.

An obscure aide to Representative Bennie Thompson, Democrat of Mississippi, became a casus belli for some on the right for suggesting, “please get you some shooting lessons,” even as actual members of Congress were lobbing their own fire bombs from the right.

“The Republican District Attorney in Butler County, PA, should immediately file charges against Joseph R. Biden for inciting an assassination,” wrote Representative Mike Collins, Republican of Georgia.

A fellow Georgian, Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, suggested, “Democrats wanted this to happen.”

Arch conspiracy theories came from heroes of the far right, like the activist James O’Keefe, who suggested that the Secret Service was somehow in on it through the “Deep State Intel Community.” X posters and internet sleuths even named the shooter — incorrectly. The man was in fact a soccer journalist in Italy.

Among younger social media users, an image of Mr. Trump’s face photoshopped into a famous portrait of Vincent van Gogh with a bandaged, partly amputated ear was widely shared, often with an ironic “too soon?” attached.

In some quadrants of the political right, the mood was almost celebratory, as supporters shared images of a bleeding Mr. Trump, fist aloft.

Within minutes after the news of the shooting broke, Mr. Musk took the moment to officially endorse Mr. Trump to his 189 million followers on X, something he had only flirted with previously. He then spent the evening amplifying pro-Trump sentiments and castigating a liberal tech billionaire, Reid Hoffman, for once saying he wished he had made Mr. Trump “an actual martyr.”

Another billionaire, the hedge fund manager Bill Ackman, followed suit in endorsing Mr. Trump. Even Jeff Bezos, who has shied from politics, weighed in, declaring on social media that “our former President showed tremendous grace and courage under literal fire.”

In the Trump camp, the triumphalism was palpable less than four months from Election Day.

Above the instantly famous photo of Mr. Trump raising his fist with an American flag flying overhead, his campaign chief, Chris LaCivita, likened the moment to Old Glory raised over Iwo Jima, summing up his apparent glee with an obscenity .

The same photo was the backdrop for Donald Trump Jr.’s conclusion about his father: “He’ll never stop fighting to Save America.”

Jonathan Weisman is a politics writer, covering campaigns with an emphasis on economic and labor policy. He is based in Chicago. More about Jonathan Weisman

Our Coverage of the Trump Rally Shooting

The Investigation : F.B.I. officials told Congress that the 20-year-old gunman who tried to kill Donald Trump used his cellphone and other devices to search for images of Trump and President Biden .

Security Blind Spots : Even as investigators continue to examine what happened at the Trump rally, it is already clear that there were multiple missed opportunities to stop the gunman  before the situation turned deadly.

The Gunman : In interviews, former classmates of the suspect described him as intelligent but solitary , someone who tried to avoid teasing by fellow students.

Secret Service Director : Kimberly Cheatle returned in 2022 to lead the agency she had served for nearly 30 years. Now, the assassination attempt on Trump has thrown her tenure into uncertainty .

Fears of What’s Next : Among voters, there is growing anxiety that America’s political divide is nearly beyond repair, and the shooting only made things worse .