My pick would have to be the A Whole Nother Story trilogy, in which (spoiler warning) you can only travel back in time. But because time is in a loop of sorts, if you go before the beginning of time, you will be at the end of time. From there you can go back to any time you want to. And time paradoxes cannot be produced. Plus, your memories from the previous timeline exist as well as the memories from the new one.
This Is How You Lose The Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone. I can’t say anything at all without spoilers, but it’s beautiful and mind-bending all at once.
Also, Ted Chiang has a short story about a magic mirror that sends you exactly 10 years back in time, and the escapades of all who have used it.
I think This Is How You Lose The Time War is a book everyone should try, without really knowing what it is. It’s like a 2-3 hour read. People should just give it a go imo. I read it 6 months ago, and I liked it a good bit. Some people will hate it. But, for some people, it will be a 10/10 and an amazing thing to experience blind.
Agreed. I went in blind and absolutely loved it. It’s not gonna be for everyone though.
True that. I went in blind and !>It was as if Shakespeare and Calvino had a stillborn baby!<.
I had no idea what to expect from Exhalation. “The Merchant and the Alchemist’s Gate” later, I knew I was in for a good time.
Such a great short story. LeVar Burton also reads it on his podcast.
Cool story.
Time War is incredible. But it’s not trying to do anything special with the time travel. Chiang uses his breezy prose to deeply analyze the philosophy and scientific implications of his time travel premise, and it’s jaw dropping.
I agree. The draw of the book isn’t doing anything new with time travel itself but rather evoking metaphors and love with varying realities.
But the writing was so, so good.
Haha I said the same thing before seeing this comment. It’s my favourite book.
Time War should come with a disclaimer IMO… the prose is lovely but if you need plot and character development, it isn’t the book for you.
As someone who usually is into plot and detailed magic systems, I still loved it.
Ted Chiang is such a beast. Underrated even though he’s well known.
I came to this thread to make sure someone mentioned Time War! It’s so good!!
“Red likes to feel. It is a fetish”
This book was my first (and so far) only experience with audiobooks. I loved it. Absolute poetry.
I was scrolling to see if Time War got any love. love the format.
I was coming to say time war, it’s one of my favorite books of all time