So excited that my building’s book club is reading This Is How You Lose the Time War by @amalelmohtar.com and @maxgladstone.bsky.social! Anyone have thoughts/advice on discussion points to hit during our conversation? - ThreadSky

chriswordnerd.bsky.social • 1 day ago

So excited that my building’s book club is reading This Is How You Lose the Time War by @amalelmohtar.com and @maxgladstone.bsky.social!

Anyone have thoughts/advice on discussion points to hit during our conversation?

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alchemistwriter.bsky.social•1 day ago

Once you’re done, and only then, look up the viral tweet that got the book back in bestseller lists a couple years ago. Tweet was by a Trigun fan called—ah—Bigolas Dickolas Wolfwood (hope I spelled that right). Bookstores had stickers on the cover saying, “Approved by Bigolas Dickolas.” Funny stuff.

chriswordnerd.bsky.social•1 day ago

The tweet was circulated in our group chat around the time we voted on it, but I didn’t know that about the stickers. Amazing!

highcountryrose.bsky.social•1 day ago

Oh I just love that book. Part of what I love ar how solid the natural world is in this shape shifty time sliding space. Nature's gotta exist where it is.

chriswordnerd.bsky.social•1 day ago

Thanks for sharing! I completely agree. It contrasts so nicely with the technological elements. The broad time span also lets them showcase some of the deep time elements of nature that you don’t often get in fiction.

highcountryrose.bsky.social•1 day ago

Yes absolutely. Lends the complex timeline little bit of an ecosystem vibe for sure.

esmewonders.bsky.social•15 hours ago

Amal El-Mohtar mentioned at one of her recent events for The River Has Roots that TIHYLTTW had been optioned for a miniseries, but it was scrapped and now it might be a movie. She & Gladstone are working on writing the feature.

Possible question for the club: how could the book work as a film?

esmewonders.bsky.social•15 hours ago

I'm reading this right now, I could share questions as they occur to me!

chriswordnerd.bsky.social•15 hours ago

Fantastic! Thank you, any thoughts welcome.

dadair1.bsky.social•1 day ago

Loved this book. I liked that it was told by epistles. And how it was written by two people. Not sure I could suggest any discussion questions. I was rooting for the Garden but then it because obvious that both futures had little room for individuality.

chriswordnerd.bsky.social•1 day ago

The theme for the month is epistolary fiction so I hope that prepares people. You actually have made a suggestion! I think people taking about if they found themselves gravitating toward a side and why is a good area for discussion.

dadair1.bsky.social•1 day ago

You had me at epistolary fiction!

elonmuskatemycat.bsky.social•1 day ago

"An oral history of nonces bringing clocks to gunfights"

timdromedary.bsky.social•1 day ago

My book group read it a few weeks ago, and one thing we didn't get to was how deftly idioms are inverted: "A glass jar of water boils.... In defiance of proverbs, Blue watches it." And there's a pun in the first chapter that isn't apparent until you've reached the end.

timdromedary.bsky.social•1 day ago

No spoilers, of course! But if you don't spot it on your own, let me know, and I'll tell you. It'll make you look cool to your group. 😄 I only noticed it on this nth reading

chriswordnerd.bsky.social•1 day ago

Thanks, will do. I’m hoping to read it twice before the meeting next week, I’ll be on the lookout for it. My first read will be with the audiobook, I’m about halfway through now, and the narrators are fantastic. Epistolary stories really lend themselves well to audio.

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