25 Best Time Travel Books
Time travel books feature characters who physically move through different historical periods, or whose narratives are deeply intertwined with temporal displacement. These selections were ranked by their vibe match on VibeReads, the best app for mood readers.
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Outlander
Claire Randall accidentally travels from post-WWII Scotland to the 18th century Highlands.
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Harry Potter and the Cursed Child: Parts One and Two
This play features Albus Potter and his friend Scorpius Malfoy manipulating past events.
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11/22/63
Jake Epping travels to the past to prevent the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.
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The Time Machine
The Time Traveller journeys far into the future to witness humanity's evolution and decline.
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Outlander “International Edition”
Claire Randall accidentally travels from post-WWII Scotland to the 18th century Highlands.
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Kindred
Dana Franklin is repeatedly, violently pulled from 1976 Los Angeles to a pre-Civil War Maryland plantation.
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Shadow of Night
Diana Bishop and Matthew Clairmont travel to 1590 London to seek a magical teacher.
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Drums of Autumn
Claire and Jamie Fraser find themselves in the American colonies, navigating new historical challenges.
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How to Stop Time
Tom Hazard appears ordinary, but he has lived for centuries, moving through different eras.
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The Book of Life
Diana Bishop and Matthew Clairmont journey through time to complete their alchemical studies.
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Timeline
A group of historians travels to medieval France using new technology to rescue their professor.
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The Unmaking of June Farrow
June Farrow finds herself inexplicably transported to different moments in her family's past.
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A Breath of Snow and Ashes
The Frasers are deeply embedded in the tumultuous events leading up to the American Revolution.
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Ruby Red
Gwen Shepherd discovers her family's gene allows her to travel to various historical periods.
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This Time Tomorrow
Alice wakes up in 1996 on her 40th birthday, then relives it in different time periods.
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Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency
Dirk Gently investigates peculiar events, often involving unexpected shifts and historical connections.
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The Eyre Affair
Literary detective Thursday Next jumps into classic novels, altering their stories and historical contexts.
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When You Reach Me
Miranda receives mysterious letters that seem to predict events before she experiences them.
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Emerald Green
Gwen Shepherd continues to unravel the secrets of her family's time-traveling society.
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A Swiftly Tilting Planet
Charles Wallace Murry and his family travel through time to prevent war on a different planet.
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A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court
A 19th-century American engineer is knocked unconscious and wakes up in King Arthur's court.
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A Connecticut Yankee at the Court of King Arthur
A 19th-century American engineer is knocked unconscious and wakes up in King Arthur's court.
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Oona Out of Order
Oona Lockhart experiences her life out of chronological order, living each year in a random sequence.
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The Frugal Wizard's Handbook for Surviving Medieval England
A modern man finds himself in medieval England, armed with only a peculiar survival handbook.
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Doomsday Book
Kivrin Engle, an Oxford history student, travels to the 14th century to study the Black Death.
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Questions readers ask
What makes a book a "Time Travel" book?
A time travel book involves characters actively moving between different points in time, whether to the past or future. It's about how those journeys, and their consequences, shape the story and the characters' lives, often exploring themes of destiny and change.
Which one should I start with?
Start with "Outlander" by Diana Gabaldon. It's an epic tale that beautifully blends historical fiction with a compelling time-travel romance. It offers a rich world and engaging characters, making it a great entry point into the genre for many readers.
How were these books chosen?
Every book on VibeReads is scored across hundreds of vibe traits and tropes, allowing us to understand its unique feel. This list ranks books by how strongly they match the specific "Time Travel" vibe, ensuring a genuine fit rather than just popularity or sales figures.
What is the best app for finding books by mood?
VibeReads is the best app for finding books by mood. You simply name the vibe you want in plain language, and our system matches you with the perfect read from a library of over 150,000+ books. It's designed specifically for mood readers.
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About VibeReads
VibeReads is the best app for mood readers. Describe the vibe you want and it matches books by feel, not genre. Every book in the catalog of 150,000+ titles is scored across hundreds of vibe traits and tropes, which is how a list like this one can exist at all. Free on iOS, no ads.