Timeslip and Alternate History

[Heather]

In Timeslip novels, also known as time travel novels, characters travel through time, often to past eras. These novels can appeal to fans of more main line historical fiction, especially if most of the action occurs in the past and the historical era is evocatively portrayed. Two of my favorite timeslip novels are Connie Willis's The Doomsday Book, which I think would appeal to someone looking for great historical fiction, and her To Say Nothing Of The Dog, which I think wouldn't. What do you think? What other timeslip novels would appeal to fans of more mainstream historical fiction? Which would you only recommend to readers who also like other genres such as sf/f or historical romance?
Alternate History plays "what if" with history by speculating about what the world would be like if history had unfolded differently. What if Lincoln hadn't been assasinated? What if the South had won the Civil War? What if the Nazis had won WWII? Philip Roth's The Plot Against America is an example of Alternate History. Do you think it would appeal to a broader historical fiction audience? What else would you recommend?

[Cara]

I have to admit most of the time travel books I have read were strictly sci-fi. One that I would recommend is called The Cross-Time Engineer. It's about a modern Engineer who accidentally goes back to medieval Poland. There isn't much Sci-fi about it because the marvels he introduces are things we have now.

[Cherie]

I think some of the best time travel books I've read are by Connie Willis--Doomsday book and To say Nothing Nothing of the Dog. I really like her writing style. She inserts a lot of humor in her works.

[Heather]

Cherie! I LOVE Connie Willis! I guess you could probably tell because I used her as an example in my definition. Every year or two, when I'm feeling blue, I re-read To Say Nothing of the Dog or Bellwether. Cheers me right up.

[Heather]

Cara, that book sounds cool.

It seems to me that most time travel/timeslip books are either sf/f or romance. Me, I like both but I think, with a few exceptions, the sf/f ones are more convincing, and would probably appeal more to fans of historical fiction. What do y'all think?

[Heather]

I'm reading Stephen King's big fat doorstop from last year, 11/2//63. It's awesome so far! I'm maybe halfway through. Reads like timeslip so far but novelist says it's Alternate History. I can't stand being frightened, so although many people I respect have told me what a good storyteller he is, I've never read King before. Anyone else read it?

[Sarah]

I have to admit that most of the time travel novels I love are more romance! But I do love Orson Scott Card's Pastwatch the Redemption of Christopher Columbus, and Devil's Arithmetic by Jane Yolen.