Best novels about time-traveling?
Wotcher
I've recently gotten hooked on Continuum and would like recommendations for awesome not-too-depressing novels that explore scenarios where humanity develops the ability to travel back and forth through time. The only time-travel themed novels I've read recently are To Say Nothing of the Dog and Timeline.
"One day, we shall die. All the other days, we shall live."
Umm ... The Time Traveller's Wife is the only one I've read that springs to mind.
Oh wait, you said not-too-depressing. Scratch that then.
Originally Posted by Steely Glint
Dr. Futurity by Philip K. Dick
And, of course, the Hitchhiker's Guide.
When the stars threw down their spears
And watered heaven with their tears:
Did he smile his work to see?
Did he who made the lamb make thee?
I don't think I've actually read too many time travel novels. Timegod's World wasn't too bad though, and I think it meets your criteria. It's an omnibus, contains two stories in the same universe.
Harry Potter and the prisoner of Azkaban
Keep on keepin' the beat alive!
Not a novel but...
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/2636963/...f-Futures-Past
Door Into Summer by Heinlein wasn't terrible. A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court is a classic (Twain). The Anubis Gates by Tim Powers is solid. Pastwatch by OSC isn't his best, but it still has its moments. HG Wells' classic, but it's honestly not so different from Olaf Stapledon's 'histories', which don't explicitly include time travel. A Light of Other Days doesn't include time travel per se, but it does have travel of information through time.
There's some great short stories - best I can think of on short notice is 'Mozart in Mirrorshades'.
The End of Eternity by Asimov is my favourite. And I recently read Wireless, a short story collection by Charles Stross, which had a story called Palimpsest that I thought was very cool.
End of Eternity always seems to come up when discussing good time travel fiction. Never read it, but have been meaning to for a while.
You all forgot to mention The Time Machine
Oh wait, nevermind.not-too-depressing novels
The light that once I thought compassion still casting shadows in your action
The words you shared were cold transactions that bring me to curse what you've done
When you're up there absorbed in greatness with such success you've grown complacent
I hope you scorch your many faces when you fly too close to the sun
Oh! The Time Ships by Stephen Baxter. An officially authorized sequel to The Time Machine by Wells. It's not too depressing, and it was awesome. It's partly a love letter to Wells, so you'll get more out of it if you've read more of Wells' stuff than just the Time Machine, but none of his works are really required reading.
I had exactly the same thought the first time I saw this thread.
"Wer Visionen hat, sollte zum Arzt gehen." - Helmut Schmidt
I loved it.
EDIT - Baxter seems to be negative about humanity's future. Generally. Have you noticed?
The Rules
Copper- behave toward others to elicit treatment you would like (the manipulative rule)
Gold- treat others how you would like them to treat you (the self regard rule)
Platinum - treat others the way they would like to be treated (the PC rule)
Yeh - I read about a quarter of Arc by Baxter before it bored me and I dropped it.
The premise of the book was indeed negative about humanity's future; rising oceans leaving less and less habitable land for mankind.
ETA: Ark not Arc
Last edited by Timbuk2; 10-21-2013 at 08:23 AM.
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