penwing reviewed This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar
Wonderful, my Blue and Red
5 stars
I love this book so much. Just gorgeous in execution, and a story delightful in its telling.
German language
Published 2022 by Piper Verlag.
Verlorene der Zeiten
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.
In the ashes of a dying world, Red finds a letter marked “Burn before reading. Signed, Blue.”
So begins an unlikely correspondence between two rival agents in a war that stretches through the vast reaches of time and space.
Red belongs to the Agency, a post-singularity technotopia. Blue belongs to Garden, a single vast consciousness embedded in all organic matter. Their pasts are bloody and their futures mutually exclusive. They have nothing in common—save that they’re the best, and they’re alone.
Now what began as a battlefield boast grows into a dangerous game, one both Red and Blue are determined to win. Because winning’s what you do in war. Isn’t it?
A …
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.
In the ashes of a dying world, Red finds a letter marked “Burn before reading. Signed, Blue.”
So begins an unlikely correspondence between two rival agents in a war that stretches through the vast reaches of time and space.
Red belongs to the Agency, a post-singularity technotopia. Blue belongs to Garden, a single vast consciousness embedded in all organic matter. Their pasts are bloody and their futures mutually exclusive. They have nothing in common—save that they’re the best, and they’re alone.
Now what began as a battlefield boast grows into a dangerous game, one both Red and Blue are determined to win. Because winning’s what you do in war. Isn’t it?
A tour de force collaboration from two powerhouse writers that spans the whole of time and space.
Matilyn reviewed This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar
Review of 'This Is How You Lose the Time War' on 'Storygraph'
4 stars
I'm so gay.
I'm so gay.
Review of 'This Is How You Lose the Time War' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
I've had this sitting on my Kindle for a while, but I'm glad I waited in a way as it was the perfect choice for my last book of the year. Somewhere between a simple love story (but see Blue's thoughts on Romeo and Juliet) and the saving of the entire universe, it fits so much in such a small space and creates so many thoughts and images. A wonderful book, heartily recommended.
I've had this sitting on my Kindle for a while, but I'm glad I waited in a way as it was the perfect choice for my last book of the year. Somewhere between a simple love story (but see Blue's thoughts on Romeo and Juliet) and the saving of the entire universe, it fits so much in such a small space and creates so many thoughts and images. A wonderful book, heartily recommended.
Tak! reviewed This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar
This Is How You Lose The Time War
5 stars
The first quarter reminded me of Doomsday Book and One Day All This Will Be Yours, and the last quarter reminded me of that Iain M. Banks book (I won't say which one because it would spoil either this or that if you haven't read both, but go read Culture (except for Consider Phlebas)).
The prose was everything I've come to expect from Max Gladstone, and now I'll have to try something else by El-Mohtar.
The first quarter reminded me of Doomsday Book and One Day All This Will Be Yours, and the last quarter reminded me of that Iain M. Banks book (I won't say which one because it would spoil either this or that if you haven't read both, but go read Culture (except for Consider Phlebas)).
The prose was everything I've come to expect from Max Gladstone, and now I'll have to try something else by El-Mohtar.
Merovius reviewed This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar
Review of 'This Is How You Lose the Time War' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
Hauntingly beautiful. A love-letter to the written word.
Review of 'This Is How You Lose the Time War' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
This was a fresh take on time travel for me and I enjoyed it. Also, the word play and epistolary format were fun.
Rainer reviewed This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar
Beautiful. Moving.
5 stars
Really loved this book. Its beautifully written. At times it felt like the writing was a bit heady and I struggled to actually understand what was happening, but thats my only complaint.
ju reviewed This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar
A mesmerizing gem of a book
5 stars
Short and beautifully written, this is a mesmerizing gem of a book.
tlppi reviewed This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar
Not for everyone...
5 stars
... or to be honest most people, but I really liked it. I took it SLOW though, finishing it in about twice my average pace, i believe... which allowed me to really enjoy the beautiful poetic nature of the book and really rather incredible writing. And then i read it again... and possibly enjoyed it more? that's not happened before ._.
... or to be honest most people, but I really liked it. I took it SLOW though, finishing it in about twice my average pace, i believe... which allowed me to really enjoy the beautiful poetic nature of the book and really rather incredible writing. And then i read it again... and possibly enjoyed it more? that's not happened before ._.
Marya reviewed This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar
Review of 'This Is How You Lose the Time War' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
I rarely love a book with prose that's more acrobatic than lucid, but I loved this one. The time travel mechanics are peripheral: it's at least as much romance as SF. Funny and brainy and overstuffed with allusions and wordplay and yes, thrillingly romantic.
I rarely love a book with prose that's more acrobatic than lucid, but I loved this one. The time travel mechanics are peripheral: it's at least as much romance as SF. Funny and brainy and overstuffed with allusions and wordplay and yes, thrillingly romantic.
Review of 'This Is How You Lose the Time War' on 'Goodreads'
DNF as I wasn't finding the format enjoyable.
DNF as I wasn't finding the format enjoyable.
Lyrical and engrossing
5 stars
On one level, a lyrical and ethereal time travel romance that feels fresh. On another, a metaphysical work about the power of words to transform our selves and our world. Absolute stunner.
Kadomi reviewed This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar
Review of 'This Is How You Lose the Time War' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
I know this novella has been optioned for a TV show, and I really don't know how that could possibly work. This Is How You Lose The Time War is the most poetic thing I have read in years, and I just can't see it.
As it's a novella, there's not a lot of context we get here. We start with Red, of the somewhat dystopian Agency. Red is traveling from time strand to time strand in order to win the time war between the Agency and the Garden. She runs into an agent of the Garden, Blue, and Blue leaves a letter for Red. From this, the two agents start to strike up being creative 'penpals' because their superiors may not know of the fraternizing. First taunting, their letters start to be more romantic, as they fall in love...
Each chapter basically describes a bit of the time war, …
I know this novella has been optioned for a TV show, and I really don't know how that could possibly work. This Is How You Lose The Time War is the most poetic thing I have read in years, and I just can't see it.
As it's a novella, there's not a lot of context we get here. We start with Red, of the somewhat dystopian Agency. Red is traveling from time strand to time strand in order to win the time war between the Agency and the Garden. She runs into an agent of the Garden, Blue, and Blue leaves a letter for Red. From this, the two agents start to strike up being creative 'penpals' because their superiors may not know of the fraternizing. First taunting, their letters start to be more romantic, as they fall in love...
Each chapter basically describes a bit of the time war, and how the respective parties find the letter, and then includes the letter. It's lyrical, beautifully written, thought-provoking.
Definitely not for everyone though, and again, I cannot imagine it on TV unless they really blow up the time war plot itself to make any sense at all. It didn't really make sense in the book, we don't get to know enough about it.
James reviewed This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar
Review of 'This Is How You Lose the Time War' on 'GoodReads'
3 stars
The writing was beautiful, unfortunately it didn’t quite make up for the story being a little lacklustre in the second half. Short read though so can’t complain much!
bungakumi reviewed This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar
Review of 'This Is How You Lose the Time War' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
I read it with the only person I could read it with, my gay, gay girlfriend, my blue, my mood indigo.
