This is an interesting book told in epistolary (letter) form. It won the Hugo and Nebula awards for best novella (!). Two agents, Red and Blue, working for different time-traveling agencies, start off as adversaries as they travel up and down multiple timelines to defeat each other’s organizations to prevent them from coming into existence. They are immortal and capable of being any creature they wish to be, mostly killers. Sparring with one another across strands of time, they develop a respect and familiarity with one another. Cleverly, they dispatch letters to one another without their bosses knowing. They use DNA, ink smudges, seeds, feathers, and many other obscure means to contact one another, first to taunt, then to question their place in the universe. They become friends.
The story is told from both Blue’s and Red’s viewpoints, alternating between portions of descriptive narrative. I wish there had been more of that. I wanted to know what having tea with Genghis Khan looked like. We never know who they’ve been sent to kill or inspire. We only assume they are trying to ensure their agency comes out on top. As the novel is co-written, I assume each took a character. Red and Blue are two completely different people.
It doesn’t take long for them to fall in love, but the powers that be are onto them and demand that Red kill Blue to prove her loyalty. Although she doesn’t want to, it’s either Red or Blue who has to die. She creates her last letter in the form of a poison.
Throughout the book, something called a Seeker has been following the agents and gathering remnants of their letters. I had several theories about who the Seeker really was and wasn’t surprised at the big reveal. At one point, I wondered if Red could be Blue, only from a different timeline.
For a time traveler, death isn’t death, and Red cycles through time to make occurrences in Blue’s past happen so she’ll be the person Red has come to love. She thinks that together they can bring down both time-manipulating factions.
It was a pleasant read but seemed to take too long to tell the story. They meet, spar, get to know one another, fall in love, and get ordered to kill each other. The best parts are discovering what clever way they’ve used to deliver their correspondence to one another (Lava? Meteorites?). As I said, I’d also have liked more of their actual jobs.
I can’t believe there are book club discussion questions at the end. Do they still do that?
