SFBRP #587 – Barbara Truelove – Of Monsters and Mainframes

How to Win the Time War is a celebrated speculative novella written by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone that blends time-travel, romance, and espionage in a lyrical epistolary format. The story follows two agents from rival temporal factions who correspond across time while competing to shape history, and develops into an intimate relationship as their missions entwine. Praised for its beautiful prose and emotional depth, the novella is stylistically bold and can be challenging for readers who prefer straightforward narrative clarity. It won multiple awards and is often recommended for readers who appreciate experimental structure and poetic language in speculative fiction. In the episode, Juliane cites it as an example of a book she did not finish because its style didn't suit her.

Published in 2006, *Blindsight* follows a crew of astronauts on the ship Theseus as they investigate a trans-Neptunian comet transmitting an unidentified radio signal. The novel delves into themes of consciousness, free will, artificial intelligence, neurology, and game theory. Narrated by Siri Keeton, a synthesist with a unique neurological condition, the story raises questions about the essential character of consciousness and its necessity for human experience. The novel also features vampires resurrected through genetic engineering and aliens that challenge traditional notions of consciousness and communication.