An exciting new sci-fi book came out this May, and the 2024 release offers one of the most unique time travel romances since Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander first debuted. There is no shortage of highly anticipated science-fiction books hitting shelves in 2024, and all of them are worth adding to the TBR pile. However, many of this year’s science-fiction releases feature recognizable premises, from the impact of climate change to the threats of technological advancements.
While these stories are more relevant than ever — and each likely puts its own spin on these topics — readers looking for a different sort of sci-fi story are in luck. May 2024’s book releases include a time travel romance that offers something more fun and upbeat. And while this book isn’t the first to mesh a love story with the concept of time travel, its narrative offers a unique blend of concepts on par with books like Outlander.
Kaliane Bradley’s The Ministry of Time is one of the most intriguing science-fiction books of 2024, and that’s largely because of its genre-bending approach to its time travel romance. While there isn’t much actual time travel in Bradley’s debut — the story sees its main character monitoring an expat who’s been brought through time by the government — its central relationship hinges on the concept. The novel follows a civil servant tasked with living with the expat in question: Commander Graham Gore. This is to see if time travel is safe and reasonable, but their relationship soon evolves into more.
The sci-fi and romance concepts will be familiar to fans of this setup, but The Ministry of Time also throws in other unique elements. Bradley’s novel is strongly reminiscent of a workplace comedy at times, and it also contains espionage, making it a strange but entertaining blend of genres. While time travel romances aren’t uncommon in the sci-fi space, The Ministry of Time‘s take on this subgenre is fresh and clever. Publisher’s Weekly even compares it to Outlander — and while it isn’t quite the same, it’s one of the time travel romances to strike the same level of uniqueness.
Time travel romances typically see two people from different periods falling in love with one another, and The Ministry of Time is no different in that regard. However, the sheer number of storylines and genres within this sci-fi book make it a fun spin on this subgenre. It does feel similar to Outlander in that way, as Gabaldon’s book and its sequels wade into several categories. Outlander has romance, as well as elements of fantasy, sci-fi, and historical fiction. The Ministry of Time will appeal to anyone who enjoys such a unique blend of storytelling, making it a must-read sci-fi release.
Source: Publisher’s Weekly