Summary
This Is How You Lose the Time War, a collaborative novella by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone, has taken the science fiction world by storm since its publication in 2019. This groundbreaking work seamlessly blends elements of science fiction, fantasy, and romance, crafting an intricate tale of two rival time-traveling agents who fall in love across time and space.
The novella has garnered critical acclaim and numerous prestigious awards, including the Hugo, Nebula, and Locus Awards for Best Novella. Its unique epistolary format, poetic prose, and complex exploration of themes such as love, war, and identity have captivated readers and critics alike, establishing it as a modern classic in the genre.
While This Is How You Lose the Time War has not yet been adapted for the screen, it has been optioned for television. El-Mohtar and Gladstone are set to write the scripts themselves, ensuring that the essence of their creation, including the characters' genders, remains true to the original work. The novella's recent surge in popularity, sparked by a viral social media post, has only heightened anticipation for this upcoming adaptation.
Plot
In a dying world, two rival agents from warring factions discover an unexpected connection through letters. What begins as taunting messages between enemies gradually evolves into a secret correspondence filled with flirtation and ultimately love. The agents, known as Red and Blue, travel through time altering history on behalf of their respective empires, whose timelines are mutually exclusive.
As their relationship deepens, the danger of discovery looms. Red's commanding officer eventually detects their interaction and forces Red to send Blue a poisoned message. Despite Red's warning, Blue reads the message, seemingly succumbing to the poison to protect Red from accusations of treason.
Devastated by Blue's apparent death, Red becomes listless and distraught. However, a cryptic message hints that Blue may have faked her demise. Driven by hope, Red collects traces of Blue's DNA from their past correspondence and travels back in time to give young Blue immunity to the poison, an event Blue had mysteriously alluded to in an earlier letter.
Red's actions are discovered, leading to her arrest by her own empire. Facing execution, Red receives one final letter from Blue. In this message, Blue reveals her plan to break Red out of prison and invites her to join forces against both their empires, setting the stage for a potential alliance that could reshape the time war itself.
Themes
Love across time and space
Conflict between duty and personal desires
Evolution of rivalry into romance
Manipulation of history and timelines
Power of written communication
Rebellion against oppressive systems
Sacrifice and redemption in relationships
Setting
The setting of This Is How You Lose the Time War spans multiple universes and timelines, creating a vast and complex backdrop for the story. The novel takes place across various eras, from the distant past to the far future, as the protagonists manipulate history to secure their respective faction's dominance.
While specific geographical locations are not emphasized, the narrative unfolds across a multitude of worlds and realities. The agents, Red and Blue, traverse through different versions of Earth and potentially other planets, altering events and leaving messages for each other in increasingly creative and obscure places.
The story's primary focus is on the correspondence between the two agents, rather than on detailed descriptions of particular settings. This epistolary approach allows the authors to paint broad strokes of diverse environments, from war-torn landscapes to tranquil moments in history, without anchoring the narrative to any single time or place. The fluid nature of the setting reflects the time-traveling aspect of the plot, emphasizing the ever-changing nature of the war being fought across the multiverse.
Characters
Red: A cunning and skilled agent of the Commandant. She travels through time altering history for her faction. Red begins a secret correspondence with rival agent Blue, initially taunting but gradually developing into a romance. She is resourceful and determined, willing to take great risks for love.
Blue: A clever and capable agent working for the opposing faction to Red. Blue engages in a dangerous letter exchange with Red across time and space. She is poetic and passionate, falling deeply in love with her rival. Blue is willing to fake her own death and rebel against her empire for their relationship.
The Commandant: Red's commanding officer. She detects the interaction between Red and Blue, forcing Red to send a poisoned message. The Commandant represents the oppressive control of Red's empire.
Garden: Blue's faction, often referred to but not directly portrayed. It seems to represent a more organic, nature-based approach to manipulating time and space.
Quick facts
The book was co-written by two authors, Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone, with each writing the letters of one character.
It won multiple major science fiction awards, including the Hugo, Nebula, and Locus Awards for Best Novella.
The story is told through letters exchanged between two time-traveling agents from rival factions.
Despite being classified as a novella, it is 208 pages long.
The audiobook version features two narrators - Cynthia Farrell and Emily Woo Zeller.
It unexpectedly went viral on social media in 2023, three years after its initial release, due to a fan's tweet.
The book has been optioned for a television adaptation, with the authors set to write the scripts.
El-Mohtar has stated that the characters' genders are “not up for negotiation” in any adaptation.
The novel spans multiple genres, including science fiction, fantasy, and epistolary romance.
The authors wrote the general outline beforehand, but allowed for genuine surprise in the characters' reactions to each letter.
About the Author
Amal El-Mohtar is an acclaimed Canadian poet and writer of speculative fiction, born in Ottawa in 1984. Her work spans multiple genres, including science fiction, fantasy, and poetry. El-Mohtar's writing has garnered numerous prestigious awards, including the Hugo, Nebula, and Locus awards for her short fiction.
Perhaps best known for her novella This Is How You Lose the Time War, co-written with Max Gladstone, El-Mohtar has established herself as a formidable voice in contemporary speculative fiction. The novella, an epistolary time-traveling spy story, won multiple awards and has been optioned for television. El-Mohtar's other notable works include The Honey Month, a collection of poetry and prose inspired by different kinds of honey.
Beyond her creative writing, El-Mohtar has made significant contributions to the literary world as a critic and editor. She pens the “Otherworldly” column for the New York Times Book Review, focusing on science fiction and fantasy books. Additionally, she has served as the editor of Goblin Fruit, a quarterly magazine dedicated to fantastic poetry, since 2006.
El-Mohtar's diverse background informs her writing. Of Lebanese descent, she spent two years in Lebanon as a child. Now based in Ottawa, she has worked as a creative writing instructor at Carleton University and the University of Ottawa. El-Mohtar's upcoming novel, The River Has Roots, is slated for release in 2025, promising to further cement her status as a leading voice in speculative fiction.
