Best of the best time travel novels

I recall rather enjoying The Proteus Operation by James Hogan, and thought Pastwatch by Orson Card was a nicely done variation on the time travel theme. Also The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August by Claire North is just excellent, though not SF, strictly speaking.
 
I want to thank everyone for your replies. You are the greatest!!!
 
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BAYLOR said:
The End of Eternity by Isaac Asimov
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When I was in college many decades ago, I had my one and only experience with LSD
During a very long night, along with a number of other experiences, , I read The End Of Eternity.
As you might imagine that was a unique read.

High recommendation for another John Brunner classic, Times Without Number. Straight forward and told from a unique perspective,

Additionally would like to reinforce hitmouse's mention of Robert Silverberg.
Among many excellent books that involve time travel, I remember Up the Line most fondly. In addition to
it's overall quality, it is light hearted and actively amusing.
 
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"Would anyone care to answer why they like older science fiction?"

Because I'm older (81), and I feel at home when submerged in it.
Sometimes when I get to missing Ginny Heinlein, I reread the Rolling Stones. Robert captured her perfectly in it.
 
One of my all-time favourite books is Mission by Patrick Tilley, Perhaps a slightly different take on time travel but great nonetheless.
 
I will echo the previous recommendation for Ken Grimwood's "Replay".

Also, Philip K. Dick's "Dr. Futurity".
 
Immortality said:
Perhaps this question is for another thread but I always wondered why people still read classic science fiction these days. Would anyone care to answer why they like older science fiction?
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Science fiction often captures the spirit and attitudes of the time in which they were written (like any other genre I suppose). As such, science fiction can tell you a lot about the time in which it is written (probably more than it can tell you about the particular vision of the future the author had in mind when writing the book).
 
Immortality said:
Perhaps this question is for another thread but I always wondered why people still read classic science fiction these days. Would anyone care to answer why they like older science fiction?

I personally only read a select few of older science fiction, like your guys and gals recommendations, and sf masterworks.
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First I think I have to define terms. For me Classic SF is stuff that was written prior to me starting to read the stuff so anything before the mid seventies.

For me I think it's because most art forms are most interesting when they are being invented - or synthesised or mutating from other art forms. People still listen to Elvis and all that other stuff that came out of Sun Studios, and read the Sherlock Holmes stories. It's not that that they are the earliest/purest examples of their type but that's where the ground rules were laid and it is fascinating seeing the foundations for what was to come later being worked out and pieced together.

And classic SF is quite often pretty short. Novels back in the day (with a few exceptions) weren't the huge, over-verbose house bricks they are today.

Okay, classic SF may be a bit short of 'characterisation' but I can get characterisation anywhere. What I can't get everywhere is, "Wow! That's an amazing concept! Ow my brain hurts trying to untangle this...".

Your average literary novel is stuffed full of characterisation but very few time-travelling parents of themselves.
 
JunkMonkey wrote, "

And classic SF is quite often pretty short. Novels back in the day (with a few exceptions) weren't the huge, over-verbose house bricks they are today."

Hear, hear!
 
Despite being obsessed with time travel I have really neglected this genre in terms of my reading. Really appreciate this thread and all of the contributions.
 
Oh and Light of Other Days by Stephen Baxter. A fellow invents glass that light takes years to pass through. Sets up the window panes in idelic locations to later market them for consumers to have a pretty view.
 
AllanR said:
Oh and Light of Other Days by Stephen Baxter. A fellow invents glass that light takes years to pass through. Sets up the window panes in idelic locations to later market them for consumers to have a pretty view.
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Psssst.... Bob Shaw....

A story I think about a lot as I can see Loch Linnhe (where the first story is set) from my upstairs windows.
 
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