This Is How You Lose the Time War Review

This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone is an exquisite work of science fiction literature. It’s an epistolary novella consisting primarily of correspondence exchanged between two agents entrenched on opposing fronts of a war that stretches across time itself. This method of storytelling through letters adds an intimate and deeply personal layer to the unfolding drama, allowing readers to peer into the innermost thoughts and feelings of the dual protagonists. The novella’s acclaim is well-earned, having been honored with prestigious awards such as the Nebula and the Hugo, and this underscores its significant contribution to science fiction.

The story is set against the backdrop of a war that spans the all-encompassing entirety of time and space. It’s a war that pits two rival factions against each other: the technological, futuristic Agency and the natural, organic Garden. The narrative centers around two agents, known only as Red and Blue, who are unparalleled in their respective factions at altering the stream of time to their side’s advantage. Red belongs to the Agency, which uses highly advanced technology to manipulate timelines; and Blue belongs to the Garden, which uses nature and growth to achieve its ends. Initially, the interactions between these two characters begin as taunts, left in the aftermath of their time-altering missions, where each tries to outdo the other, sometimes in complexity, sometimes in subtlety.

But even in the beginning, there’s always an unmistakable undercurrent of earnestness. Within  Blue’s very first letter to Red, she writes:

“I shall confess to you here that I’d been growing complacent. Bored, even, with the war; your Agency’s flash and dash upthread and down, Garden’s patient planting and pruning of strands, burrowing into time’s braid. Your unstoppable force to our immovable object; less a game of Go than a game of tic-tac-toe, outcomes determined from the first move, endlessly iterated until the split where we fork off into unstable, chaotic possibility—the future we seek to secure at each other’s expense.”

Red responds with some sincerity of her own, writing:

“I appreciate your subtlety. Not every battle’s grand, not every weapon fierce. Even we who fight wars through time forget the value of a word in the right moment, a rattle in the right car engine, a nail in the right horseshoe . . . It’s so easy to crush a planet that you may overlook the value of a whisper to a snowbank.”

As the story progresses, the correspondence between Red and Blue evolves from competitive banter into a deep, forbidden bond. Despite being on opposite sides of this seemingly endless conflict, they find themselves inexorably drawn to each other, sharing thoughts, feelings, dreams, desires, and eventually, their misgivings about the war and their roles within it. The evolving relationship between Red and Blue is the beating heart of the story, as their letters become increasingly affectionate and intimate—a complete contrast to the cold and detached nature of the conflict in which their respective factions are engaged. As their bond deepens, they begin to question their loyalties and the very nature of the war they are fighting. They are forced to navigate the dangers of their forbidden connection, fully aware that discovery would mean certain death at the hands of their superiors. It all culminates in a positively arresting climax that challenges the very constraints of time and space, forcing both characters to make impossible choices for the sake of the other; and its resolution left me pondering the nature of love, the value of individuality, and the importance of attempting to find common ground with one’s adversaries.

This book’s narrative is deceptively layered, and in less than 200 pages it manages to effectively explore several profound themes, perhaps the most compelling being love’s nature—particularly its ability to transcend boundaries, whether they be temporal, spatial, or ideological. The relationship that develops between Red and Blue serves as the primary lens through which the story examines love, which is not instantaneous but evolves from curiosity to admiration to something wholly transformative. The novella’s epistolary format allows for an in-depth investigation of Red and Blue’s emotional landscapes, illustrating love’s power to grow in even the most unlikely conditions. It’s a transformational force capable of reshaping individuals and even the course of history.

The story also places a significant emphasis on the value of individuality. Red and Blue, despite being elite agents trained to serve their respective factions’ goals without question, begin to exhibit their own individual thoughts, concerns, and sentiments. Their secret correspondence becomes a space—albeit a dangerous one—for expressing their unique identities, free from the constraints of their roles. In a story where these characters are initially defined by their allegiance to their side of the conflict, this theme suggests that there is not only strength but potential for revolutionary change in embracing one’s individuality rather than conforming to one’s prescribed role.

The evolving relationship between Red and Blue also serves to explore the theme of finding common ground with one’s adversaries.  Despite being on opposite sides of a seemingly insurmountable and never-ending conflict, they discover shared interests, perspectives, and vulnerabilities through their letters. This theme seems to be a powerful commentary on the nature of conflict itself, suggesting that even the most diametrically opposed forces can find areas of mutual understanding and respect, and that such common ground can challenge and have an effect on larger societal issues.

Without a doubt, I was floored by this book’s prose. It’s lyrical and poetic, rich with metaphor and utterly beguiling in its vivid imagery. It invites you to linger over the text and unravel the layers of meaning in its precise, intentional language. The emotional depth found in these characters’ sincerity is affecting and at times gut-wrenching. The narrative of the story stands out for its innovation and cleverness, combining original takes on well-established ideas with a few very well-earned twists. Although it leans toward the softer side of science fiction—a bit of a departure from my usual preference—the other elements of the story were so captivating that the less stringent approach to scientific detail became inconsequential to me after the first few chapters.

As I was becoming more familiar with the novella’s unconventional narrative structure, I couldn’t help but be reminded of another masterpiece that focuses on the exchange of ideas and stories as a means of understanding and connection: Italo Calvino’s Invisible Cities. In this work, Marco Polo’s poetic vignettes addressed to Kublai Khan weave through themes of memory, longing, and the transitory essence of time, cities, and civilizations. These poetic explorations are interspersed with dialogues between the two historical figures, where they contemplate and dissect these very themes. Both of these literary works utilize these dialogic exchanges as a means to explore profound philosophical questions—though their execution couldn’t be more different.

Overall, This is How You Lose the Time War is a mesmerizing fusion of science fiction and poeticism that challenges conventional storytelling and explores the depths of human connection. It’s a profound commentary on the inherent value of understanding oneself and one’s adversaries, and a significant contribution to the genre. This novella is a testament to the power of language and love to transcend the boundaries of time and space, and I highly recommend this book to anyone who relishes purple prose, appreciates an intricate narrative that blends emotion with intellect, and enjoys stories that offer a deep, reflective experience.