This Is How You Lose the Time War cover art

This Is How You Lose the Time War

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This Is How You Lose the Time War

By: Amal El-Mohtar, Max Gladstone
Narrated by: Cynthia Farrell, Emily Woo Zeller
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About this listen

Winner of the 2020 Hugo Award for Best Novella, the Reddit Stabby Award for Best Novella AND The British Science Fiction Association Award for Best Novella

Two time-travelling 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. It reads: Burn before reading.
Thus begins an unlikely correspondence between two rival agents hellbent on securing the best possible future for their warring factions. Now, what began as a taunt, a battlefield boast, grows into something more. Something epic. Something romantic. Something that could change the past and the future.

Except the discovery of their bond would mean death for each of them. There's still a war going on, after all. And someone has to win that war. That's how war works. Right?

©2019 Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone (P)2019 Simon & Schuster Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Science Fiction Time Travel Heartfelt War

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All stars
Most relevant  
Interesting rivalry throughout time. I enjoyed this story and the relationship developing between the two main characters. It was written and read very well. The correspondence style made it seem like an older story whereas the technology/biology was like it was from the future.

Time Travelling Romance

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full of references and passion, an exciting exploration of the themes of logic Vs aesthetic, Romeo & Juliet etc. Really enjoyed the conceptualisation but if you prefer a strong narrative you might not like it...

sci fi romance novel

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I don't know, this sort of thing just smacks of smartarsery to me. It's a hollow skeleton of a story clothed in overwrought language. Rarely moving, too clever for its own good.

Too clever for its own good

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5/5

One of my favourite books of last year, when the audiobook came up as a daily deal, I snapped up the chance to relive the story. This Is How You Lose the Time War is a quirky, sci-fi romance which is purple to the point of beauty and deliciously tangled.

- I loved the dynamic of the two characters and the way they communicated and over time changed each other.

- The language at first seems a little over the top but as you delve further into the book, it makes perfect sense to have such rich and complex prose.

- The feelings this book generates as it goes through the story... I loved it as much as I did the first time, if not more.

- The only downside of the audio version: the narrator mispronounces some names and words and each time it broke my immersion.

One of my favourite books and I would recommend it to everyone and anyone but especially those that enjoy meaningful LGBT+ relationships, time travel and gorgeous prose.

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I went into this book with just a faint idea that it involved time travel. I'm so glad I didn't know any more as this book blew me away. I can't believe so much story was packed into its short runtime. Many authors can learn something here! As I don't wish to spoil anything I will just say this is worth your time, and I will be listening again very soon
Regarding the narration, both narrators are excellent actors and narrators. They do sound somewhat similar to be so I was initially confused as to who was speaking, but that's a very minor issue.
The authors should be proud of themselves.

Breathtakingly poetic and enthralling

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… amazing.
From the story depth to narration. Don’t miss this one, eventhough it is short for the price of one credit. You won’t be dissapointed.

Simply…

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At first, I didn't know what was going on, but as the book progressed, I got so invested. In the story, in characters, even there are only two. It's too short to spoil the plot, just read it!

Starting weird, but is amazing!

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The prose was slightly thick at times but overall a beautiful story across time and space with some incredible high concept set pieces and excellent character development. I sometimes struggled to tell the narrators apart but only a minor niggle. Recommend

Hardcore sci-fi poetry

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I listen to it every time I feel overwhelmed and need to listen to something beautifully written, sad and happy and strong and hopeful. Love this story so much.

A perfect story perfectly narrated

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Stunning, lyric writing that works so beautifully with the spoken form of an audio book. Smart, interesting, engaging story that is so well told. Can’t wait to see what this duo writes next

Utterly superb

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