Time travel is nothing really new for modern readers. H.G. Wells’ 1895 novel, The Time Machine, is one of the most famous (and recognizable) examples; but there was Charles Dickens’ 1843 A Christmas Tale and even Washington Irving’s 1819 story, “Rip Van Winkle.”
In more modern times, you’ve seen a proliferation of time-travel tales, with rich new dimensions in science fiction, fantasy, and even historical fiction. Time presents itself as such an inextricably powerful force, and the idea that you could shape it to your whim is (well) tantalizing.
Fictional Time Possibilities…
There are so many fictional possibilities: time loops, alternative realities, parallel times (and universes), and time slip. But, you’re still left with so many questions… What would happen if you changed history? You could cease to exist, right? What is your personal (and moral) responsibility? If you could save lives, would you?
Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series further romanticized the time-travel theme, but also set the stage for books like Audrey Niffenegger’s The Time Traveler’s Wife and, now, Emily Colin’s The Dream Keeper’s Daughter.