Top 10 time travel stories When a brilliant physicist creates a time machine, he goes back to a party to change his behavior but altering the past has consequences that he doesn’t anticipate.
Agent J repeatedly travels back in time to prevent a crime and meets different versions of himself. This comedy combines science fiction with absurdist humour.
1. The Time Machine
If you are a fan of time travel, check out these great books for kids. He tries to convince them of the benefits of modern technology but is ultimately unsuccessful.
H.G. Wells’s classic science fiction satire tackles political issues like class struggle and socialism in a cautionary tale that explores the limits of human power and the potential for disaster. The new movie adaptation focuses less on Wells’s philosophical intentions and more on delivering an entertaining popcorn flick. A high-school girl experiences time-travelling adventures filled with murder, geek references, and a clash between sexism and liberalism. Plus, there’s a lot of time for fun in this fast-paced story. A classic that deserves its PG-13 rating.
2. The Time Traveler’s Wife
The Time Traveler’s Wife is a modern classic that spawned a 2009 film adaptation starring Rachel McAdams and Eric Bana. The book follows librarian Henry, who has a genetic disorder that causes him to randomly and inexplicably transport himself to different times and places. Despite having nonchronological events separating them, he eventually meets his soulmate, Clare, and they spend their lives together.
While this is a romantic story, it’s also a thoughtful, well-thought-out work that avoids some of the common problems with time travel novels. Niffenegger makes sure to include a variety of perspectives, and she keeps the story grounded in logical and historical possibilities.
Not all the top 10 time travel stories need to have a complicated mechanism. Many are purely fictitious. Charles Yu’s hilarious How to Live Safely in a Science-Fictional Universe is an example of this, as is Octavia Butler’s heartbreaking Kindred.
3. Timeline
In this futuristic sci-fi thriller, DNA data is broken down and transmitted from one time period to another. It’s almost like a human fax machine. It’s a complicated system and even the scientists working on it are wary of messing with the timeline by, say, giving Ernest Hemingway story ideas or sleeping with Gertrude Stein.
The story of a young girl trying to save her father from an evil dictatorship in the future gets even more intriguing in the present, as it unfolds in a parallel universe based on reality. It’s also a coming-of-age tale with a powerful message.
Released just a year before the COVID-19 pandemic, this dystopian future thriller makes the most of its topical setting. It’s an interesting take on time travel that has readers questioning their actions and beliefs. This book is a must-read for any time travel fan.
4. The Time Traveler’s Wife (2001)
A classic time travel novel that should be required reading for anyone who loves science fiction. It’s not just about time travel, but also love and relationships. It’s a tear-jerker that should be read with a box of tissues nearby.
A guardian angel finds himself reliving his ’80s childhood as his 16-year-old self in this hilarious and smart novel. It’s the perfect book to prove that time travel can be funny as well as poignant and meaningful.
Follow Harry August as he lives countless lives, always starting his childhood again. As he’s on the verge of his 11th death, though, a girl appears and changes everything. This thrilling story will leave you thinking long after you’ve finished reading. It’s one of the best books about time travel ever written.
5. The Time Traveler’s Wife (1998)
Modern relationships are hard enough, but throw time travel into the mix and you’ll have even more issues to work out. Based on the Audrey Niffenegger novel, this sci-fi romance follows Chicago librarian Henry DeTamble, whose rare genetic disorder causes him to skip through the timeline unpredictably. His frequent disappearances test his marriage with artist Clare Abshire.
Whether you’re looking for a fun, funny read or something more serious, we have the perfect time travel book for you! Browse our selection of award-winning books and new releases to find the perfect read. Whether it’s a journey back to Austen’s England or into the exciting future millennium, these stories are sure to take your imagination on an unforgettable trip.
6. The Time Traveler’s Wife (2007)
A contemporary FBI agent is sent to the past after a botched raid kills half her squad. Kendra Donovan must quickly adjust to her new surroundings in 1815 England and hunt for a mole in her agency.
YA readers can explore the world of time travel in this 2009 book that opens up a trilogy. Gwyneth Shepherd can time jump, though it was always supposed to be her cousin’s responsibility.
This Mark Twain classic is about a modern-day man who is sent back to King Arthur’s court and uses his knowledge of history to outwit the king. Time travel can be heavy and tearjerking, but it can also elicit laughter and be a good romp. This book is full of satire, puns, and pop culture references. It’s a wildly entertaining read. This one even inspired a movie.
7. The Time Traveler’s Wife (1998)
One of the most famous time travel books, this novel by Audrey Niffenegger was a mega-hit when it hit shelves in 2003. It went on to become a movie (which was also quite good, but couldn’t capture all of the book’s finer points) and now a new HBO limited series.
Henry DeTamble has a strange affliction that causes him to jump through time. He doesn’t control when or where he goes, but he does seem to be drawn to significant people, places and events in history.
Two agents from opposing sides of a war against time-travelling creatures fall in love through their letters. The only problem is, their agencies might be onto them. One of the more intriguing and complex time travel books.
8. The Time Traveler’s Wife (2007)
The Time Traveler’s Wife shows how even a romantic comedy can handle the complex issues and themes of a time travel story. Wells satirizes capitalism and speculates on evolution and the fourth dimension.
Due to a genetic disorder, handsome librarian Henry DeTamble zips through time, showing up at different points in his lover Clare Abshire’s life. A compelling narration, a surprisingly thought-out concept and the love between Henry and Clare make this one of the best top 10 time travel stories. It’s also uncannily timely, released a year before the COVID-19 pandemic.
9. The Time Traveler’s Wife (1998)
A physicist develops a device that allows him to travel back in time and change the course of history. However, the changes he makes have unintended consequences.
A man who jumps through time and lives many different versions of his life discovers love amid chaos. Based on the Audrey Niffenegger novel, The Time Traveler’s Wife stars Rachel McAdams and Eric Bana in the leading roles.
A martial artist cop travels to the 1940s to fight Adolf Hitler, taking a detour through Viking times in the process. Animated film.
10. The Time Traveler’s Wife (2007)
While arguably not a pure science fiction work, the novel is one of the more popular top 10 time travel stories in modern history. This tale explores the impact of time travel on a family. It features a man who can travel through a portal in the basement of his house and encounter his younger self. Bruce Joel Rubin’s script ducks and dives through the complexities of this concept with relative dexterity.
This thriller takes a dark turn as it investigates what happens when evil abuses the power of time travel. A perverted serial killer murders the ill wife, and a man from the future visits her to save her.
