Both authors play to their strengths, which gives us this miracle of a book. It’s a study of contrasts: the horrors of an unending war, the beauty of a blossoming and fragile love. The closing lines paired with the title create a fantastic turn: It was first published by Simon and Schuster. It reads: Burn before reading. This Is How You Lose the Time War is a character-driven story; it is all about Red and Blue and their unlikely correspondences through time and space. The fear, the wonder, the hope. You should maybe take it more as a work of art than a novel. It was love poetry. 1 Jan. 2019. Two time-traveling agents from warring futures, working their way through the past, begin to exchange letters—and fall in love in this thrilling and romantic book from award-winning authors Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone.Among the ashes of a dying world, an agent of the Commandant finds a letter. I devoured the whole thing yesterday, and lost count of the times I had to pause because a sentence, phrase or paragraph just bowled me over with its poignant perfection. I hope so, its not for me, but if you're looking for romantic poetry fantasy, I don't think it gets better than this. As you can probably tell from this description, This is How You Lose the Time War reads less like a story and more like a conversation. And someone has to win that war. Among the ashes of a dying world, an agent of the Commandant finds a letter. It reads: Burn before reading. Now, what began as a taunt, a battlefield boast, grows into something more. Right? This Is How You Lose the Time War (Book) : El-Mohtar, Amal : Among the ashes of a dying world, an agent of the Commandant finds a letter. To those who read this review: I hope it’s for you, too. Previous page. I keep coming back to my favorite passages today. But at the same time, we’re grounded with familiar elements to pop culture and classical references. This is How You Lose the Time War is a love story – the star-crossed kind. Among the ashes of a dying world, an agent of the Commandant finds a letter. Now, what began as a taunt, a battlefield boast, grows into something more. Nice writing though. The Daleks began fighting the Time War before it was formally declare… Similarly, before This Is How You Lose the Time War, Max Gladstone and Amal El-Mohtar’s new epistolary science fiction novella, the time travel love … Among the ashes of a dying world, an agent of the Commandant finds a letter. “Seditious and seductive, lush and lustrous, allusive and elusive, THIS IS HOW YOU LOSE THE TIME WAR is one of those rare stories where one struggles to decide whether to heap more praise upon its clever structure and prose or its brilliant ideas and characters.” —Ken Liu, author of The Grace of Kings and The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories Except discovery of their bond would be death for each of them. Granted, saying “the setting is strange” when Gladstone and El-Mohtar are involved is very much like saying “water is wet”. Surprising at every turn. Poetic love letters, not the poetry of simple words carefully chosen but a stream of flowery prose. The tone is taunting, boasting at first, then it becomes flirty, then achingly beautiful. It reads: Burn before reading. This Is How You Lose the Time War (Book) : El-Mohtar, Amal : Among the ashes of a dying world, an agent of the Commandant finds a letter. We welcome respectful dialogue related to speculative fiction in literature, games, film, and the wider world. Damn it sounds great. Poetically nerdy, poignantly romantic. ISBN-10. Its a great title, I mean its a really good title. So we would have action provided by the war and then maybe a light discourse on the nature of paradox, followed up by some time travel related plot twists. This Is How You Lose the Time War (Book) : El-Mohtar, Amal : Among the ashes of a dying world, an agent of the Commandant finds a letter. Cowritten by two beloved and award-winning sci-fi writers, This Is How You Lose the Time War is an epic love story spanning time and space. Two enemy agents start an unlikely correspondance in the midst of a war through time. This Is How You Lose The Time War by Amal El-Mohtar & Max Gladstone. And thus begins an unlikely correspondence between two rival agents hellbent on securing the best possible future for their warring factions. I got Blue by Eiffel 65 stuck in my head for days (thanks Amal, thanks Max…). It reads: Burn before reading. If I ever see the kindle edition on sale I'll pick it up. Anything that’s done can be undone; one agent can carefully move an entire army into position, only to have the entire plan fall apart because the other agent went upthread (ie: into the past) and used the Butterfly Effect with a surgeon’s touch to change the whole outcome. If you take away the amazing descriptions and the poetic prose there is not much left, its not about character or world building or plot, but the words really are incredibly beautiful. That’s how war works. What starts out as funny soon … 1534431004. It didn't go beyond generic 2 super advanced sides fighting each other. This is one of the ones I read, and I couldn’t talk about it until it was officially a … Publication date. This book was so heartbreakingly beautiful, and gorgeously written. Thus begins an unlikely correspondence between two rival agents hellbent on securing the best possible future for their warring factions. You’re a swift opponent, Blue. Bahaha that song is godawful. It was for me. Head over to Bookish for the behind the scenes details! Thus begins an unlikely correspondence between two rival agents hellbent on securing the best possible future for their warring factions. Thus begins an unlikely correspondence between two rival agents hellbent on securing the best possible future for their warring factions. “Seditious and seductive, lush and lustrous, allusive and elusive, THIS IS HOW YOU LOSE THE TIME WAR is one of those rare stories where one struggles to decide whether to heap more praise upon its clever structure and prose or its brilliant ideas and characters.” —Ken Liu, author of The Grace of Kings and The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories Now, what began as a taunt, a battlefield boast, grows into something more. This Is How You Lose the Time War is a 2019 science fiction epistolary novel by Amal el-Mohtar and Max Gladstone. It's such a unique little book. So we would have action provided by the war and then maybe a light discourse on the nature of paradox, followed up by some time travel related plot twists. But I didn’t love it in a way I find interesting and want to think more about. (This review was first published on The Fantasy Inn). The world building was weak. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. You play long odds. I was dying to get this book, blurb unseen – because with these two authors, there was no doubt it would be amazing. – before everyone else. This is How You Lose the Time War is a love story – the star-crossed kind. Personally, I was really disappointed by this book, BUT I know that's not the general consensus. I’ve never read anything like it, and I strongly suspect I never will again. This is how you lose the time war. Press J to jump to the feed. I went in assuming it would be about war and time travel, maybe a bit of losing, but probably not much. If we’re to be at war, we might as well entertain one another.” This Is How You Lose the Time War is the kind of novel that dips in and out of minds, catches the sharp sun of memory and gleams, leaves its scent on its readers, like perfume transferred between lovers. We welcome respectful dialogue related to speculative fiction in literature, games, film, and the wider world. About The Author. The fact that this is a time war means it literally never ends. Cowritten by two beloved and award-winning sci-fi writers, This Is How You Lose the Time War is an epic love story spanning time and space. The writing is excellent and it's also short. This is How You Lose the Time War is exquisitely written, a poetic masterpiece created by two highly talented and seasoned writers. Plus! Among the ashes of a dying world, an agent of the Commandant finds a letter. I cannot recommend this highly enough! I would argue that there is a plot and world building. It's not the point, the point is the romance between Red and Blue. I didn't get it in this novel. This Is How You Lose The Time War will be released on July 18th. It would never use one word if it could use three alliterative ones. 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