Time travel books

[MargotMoon]

Are there any time travel novels that are well-written with a tight plot, or am I just picking bad ones?

I love the concept of time travel novels but in my experience the writing is really crap and never really fulfils its potential. I’m currently halfway through the Ministry of Time and it feels like the author has lost faith in her conceit and the idea is going nowhere so it’s going to turn into a romance thing, which just feels really boring.

See also: Connie Willis, Jodi Taylor, the Time Travellers Wife…

Replay by Ken Grimwood is a time loop novel published in 1987. It's very good - more emotionally moving than most.

Ferney by James Long. And it's sequel - The Lives She Left Behind. Excellently written, rich, historical novels which are more than just love stories.

Lost in time by Lois Duncan

Time Tangle by Frances Eager - it’s a kids book but I love it

Yes, my aunt gave me this to read as a teenager in the 90s, it’s very good.

I thought I had read all john Wyndham books!!! <rushes to Amazon>

It's in the Seeds Of Time collection, a novelette.

On the calculation of volume by Slovej Balle. Premise is Groundhog Day but that’s the only thing it has in common, it’s gentle and moving and emotional. Half way through (short book) and v much liking it

Diana.Wynne Jones' The time of the ghost is worth a read. In some ways it's aimed at a YA audience but more poignant to read as an adult.

I love Time travel books too! Santa Montefiore has a trilogy starting with Shadows in the moonlight, followed by secrets of the starlit sea. The third part is due out this summer. I cant wait for the third installment!

Also the frequency of us by Keith Stuart is fabulous.

Second that @Albertroad Santa Montefiore is a brilliant novelist.

Tom's midnight garden - yes it is a children's book.

The time traveller's wife.

The witches of East Chiswick

Oh yes I love this book! I read half of it in the school library when I was 8 and then wasn't allowed to read the rest because it wasn't "suitable" and couldn't remember what it was called for over 30 years.

Found it last year and it's very good even as an adult.

Ooh other great ones

Wrong Place Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister
Sea of Tranquility by Emily St John Mandel

also it’s not out until September but Understory by Chloe Benjamin is wonderful

Timeline by Michael Crichton is fantastic

I found the ministry of time really disappointing, after such good reviews.
The Elly Griffiths series is not bad (but quite light, don't know if that is ok for you or not)
I loved Barbara Erskine years ago - don't know whether I still would but definitely worth a go.
Outlander was not for me.
Some great recommendations on this thread

My top 4 ‘timey’ books

Orlando
sexing the cherry
human croquet
mythago wood

Terry Pratchett’s Night Watch is brilliant and also currently on BBC Sounds:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/b010ns71?partner=uk.co.bbc&origin=share-mobile

I've just enjoyed Every Time We Burn (aka The Time of the Fire) by Emma Kavanagh.
It's not time travel exactly but more of a Sliding Doors style plot where the main character flips between two parallel story lines which hinge on a pivotal incident.

another vote for
The House on the Strand
Life after Life

The Edge of Dark by Pamela Hartshorne

Another huge time travel fan here!
I loved The Ministry of Time and disliked the Jodi Taylor books.
If anyone is interested, there’s an episode of Screenshot dedicated to the portrayal of time travel in film on bbc Sounds which is great.
I’ve had the Michael Crichton book in my Amazon basket for ages!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Accidental-Time-Traveller-Sharon-Griffiths/dp/1847560903

Loved this.