Rosewater: Book 1 From the Wormwood Science Fiction Trilogy

Based in Nigeria, Rosewater is a modern science fiction book. Part 1 in a trilogy, Tade Thompson gives you a world that is teaming with new technology, an invasive alien species, and blends humanity with advanced lifeforms.

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A glimpse into Rosewater

Our protagonist is a man who is not a hero. He is actively trying to survive in a world that is working to kill him. An alien invasion has already taken place, causing much of the world to collapse. Cities are being re-built with scraps of technology, focusing on being built in shanty towns in the area where the aliens originally landed.

After their arrival, some humans started realizing they had adopted certain ‘psychic’ powers. It was as if one day this ability was unlocked. Sticking true to science fiction tropes, Rosewater is a book that shows you the possibility that science, technology, and aliens could have on the world we currently live in.

Our main character, Kaaro, is one of these people. He was born into a family that had never seen this kind of power, and into a society that still treated them the same as they had been treated throughout history, as someone to not be trusted. Ironically, Kaaro does indeed become untrustworthy.

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Kaaro’s power is akin to a compulsion of sorts — he uses it subconsciously, and when he does he has a need to see if its true. He is what they call a tracker; his power allows him to find things that are lost or hidden. Once he picks up on what is lost, he is compelled to locate it.

Kaaro really didn’t understand his power till he was more of an adult. Rosewater takes you forward in time while also giving you glimpses of his past in order to provide backstory or this nuanced character. In the present, Kaaro is working for the Nigerian government as part of a secret faction seeking answers about the aliens and what they’re after

The aliens appear to be staying inside a dome like structure, not allowing anyone in or out. The humans know that they have landed in other places, as well as the side affects of their landing. They are a species that have altered our world, creating what they call the xenosphere-a way to connect all living things. And this connection is what has in turn allowed certain humans to become psychic. And the government is determined to use Kaaro to extract as much information as they can.

Kaaro is a morally grey narrator. He started his life as a thief and then was forced into being a government worker. His narration reflects this shift in focus. Tade Thompson writes in a perspective that is blunt, crude, and straight to the point. Throughout the course of Rosewater , as you weave in and out of the chapters of Kaaro’s life you can see how he begins to grow. He comes to understand his power and the consequences that come with his actions.

The setting that the book is in is a world after a disaster. Everything is broken, dirty, and being rebuilt. Rosewater showcases the best aspects of science fiction: the blending of humans, aliens, technology, and humanity. An invasive alien species has arrived in our world, and no one knows what they truly want. The aliens will actually heal everyone once a year, and they are so efficient in their healing that the dead can walk again, though they have no soul their bodies are only able to function at a bare minimum.

Rosewater Review

Overall I enjoyed this book! I thought that the perspective and writing style was unique and fresh. The way Tade Thompson helps to navigate the reader through Kaaro’s life was seamless. This story has already won a few awards, one being the Arthur C. Clarke award. Rosewater is truly a modern science fiction book, chock full of adventure and new discoveries.

If you are looking a science fiction novel that is immersive without being overly long, feel free to pick it up!