Rosewater is a 2016 science fiction novel by Nigerian-British writer Tade Thompson. In Rosewater, Nigerian agent Kaaro uses his psychic powers to investigate a mysterious alien dome and deaths linked to it. It was followed by two sequels: The Rosewater Insurrection and The Rosewater Redemption which were published in 2019 simultaneously. The novel won the inaugural Nommo Award as well as the 2019 Arthur C. Clarke Award.
 First edition cover art as published by Apex Publications in 2016 | |
| Author | Tade Thompson |
|---|---|
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Series | The Wormwood Trilogy |
Release number | 1 |
| Genre | Science fiction |
| Set in | Nigeria, 2012-2066 |
| Publisher | Apex Publications, Orbit Books |
Publication date | 2016 (Apex); 18 September 2018 (Orbit) |
| Pages | 423 (Paperback) |
| Awards | 2019 Arthur C. Clarke Award |
| ISBN | 9780316449052 |
| Followed by | The Rosewater Insurrection |
Plot edit
In 2012, an alien named Wormwood appears in London, substantially altering the world's geopolitical landscape. In the 2050s, it creates an impenetrable dome in Rosewater, Nigeria. It exudes a fungus called xenoforms, which interact with human nervous systems. A very small number of humans are able to use the xenoforms to access an information network known as the xenosphere; these humans are called “sensitives”. The life of Kaaro, a sensitive, is presented throughout different decades.
As a teen, Kaaro uses his burgeoning psychic abilities for thievery. He is caught and almost executed. He escapes and begins using his telepathy on the black market before being recruited by the government. In the 2050s, he trains with S45, a secret branch of the Nigerian government. He is tasked with tracking down Oyin Da, an anarchist revolutionary. Kaaro and Da travel to the future site of Rosewater, where they speak with Wormwood. They are followed by S45 agents who shoot at Wormwood, but Kaaro senses the trap and saves him. Wormwood then creates the dome to separate himself from most humans; Da stays within the dome and Kaaro does not.
In 2066, Kaaro is still working for S45. Sensitives begin dying of an unknown illness. He begins seeing a mysterious woman named Molara in the xenosphere. He dates a woman named Aminat. Unbeknownst to Kaaro, she is an undercover S45 agent. Molara reveals that she is of alien origin; she is the embodiment of the xenosphere. The creation of sensitives was an unintended consequence as aliens gathered information about Earth. They no longer need more information, so they are killing the sensitives. She attempts to kill Kaaro, but he is rescued by Wormwood. Kaaro learns that the aliens are replacing human DNA with their own over the course of generations. He and Aminat continue their lives, unsure about how to combat the inevitable end of humanity.
Major themes edit
After Wormwood lands in London, the United States goes dark and becomes isolated from the world. In contrast, Nigeria becomes the center of the story. This contrasts with the history of science fiction, a genre long dominated by Americans, and mirrors the emergence of more science fiction writers of African descent.[1] The novel also critiques the isolationist policies of former American president Donald Trump.[2]
The novel features important discussions about human connection. This is shown by the presence of sensitives and their ability to access the xenosphere, which parallels the inability of many modern people to disconnect from the Internet and social media.[2] In contrast to white western cyberpunk, Rosewater's characters are connected by networks of family and friendship groups.[3] Homosexuality is still illegal in 2060s Nigeria; Kaaro's gay foster parents are forced to disable their tracking signals despite the presence of an all-connecting xenosphere.[2] Furthermore, the alien invasion trope is used to explore "global power structures and pervasive technologies".[4]
Publication history edit
The novel was first published by the small press Apex Publications before being acquired by Orbit Books.[5]
Reception edit
The novel received critical praise. It has been described as a genre mashup, including Africanfuturism, cyberpunk, biopunk, Afropunk, zombie-shocker, a love story; a reviewer for The Guardian praised Thompson's ability to "expertly [juggle] all his disparate elements".[6] Another reviewer called it "a worthy winner" of the Arthur C. Clarke Award and stated that Thompson was one of the "leading proponents of contemporary Afrofuturism" along with authors such as N.K. Jemisin and Colson Whitehead.[3] The novel was praised for including various references to Yoruba culture.[1] A reviewer for Locus wrote that it "represent[s] yet another major contribution to the small but growing number of SF works reflecting Nigerian culture."[7] Another praised the "evocative descriptions" as well as the physicality of the writing style.[2] Thompson also received praise for his strong female characters.[8]
The novel won the inaugural 2017 Nommo Award for Best Novel[9] and the 2019 Arthur C. Clarke Award,[10] and, with its two sequels, was a finalist for the 2020 Hugo Award for Best Series.[11]
References edit
- ^ a b Sabine Clerc (22 January 2021). "Nigerian author Tade Thompson takes the science fiction world by storm". The Africa Report. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
- ^ a b c d Jessica FitzPatrick (27 October 2018). "Tade Thompson's "Rosewater" — An Alien Invasion That "Grows On You"". Los Angeles Review of Books. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
- ^ a b Adam Roberts (26 July 2019). "From Black Panther to Tade Thompson: why Afrofuturism is taking over sci-fi". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
- ^ Sian Cain (17 July 2019). "Tade Thompson's 'gritty' alien invasion tale wins Arthur C Clarke award". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
- ^ Silvia Moreno-Garcia; Lavie Tidhar (14 May 2021). "African speculative fiction is finally getting its due. Let's talk about books to seek out". Washington Post. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
- ^ Adam Roberts (4 October 2018). "Rosewater by Tade Thompson review – a stellar SF debut". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
- ^ Gary K. Wolfe (26 December 2018). "Gary K. Wolfe Reviews Rosewater by Tade Thompson". Locus Magazine. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
- ^ Isabel Hofmeyr; Aretha Phiri; Grace Musila; Manosa Nthunya; Nedine Moonsamy; Sam Naidu; Sarah Nuttall; Susan Kiguli; Tom Odhiambo (7 May 2020). "Lockdown reading: Eight novels from Africa offer reflections on disease, death and isolation". Scroll.in. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
- ^ "The 2017 Nommo Award Winners". African Speculative Fiction Society. Archived from the original on 15 June 2021. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
- ^ "Tade Thompson is the Winner of the 2019 Arthur C. Clarke Award". Tor.com. 17 July 2019. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
- ^ 2020 Hugo Awards, at TheHugoAwards.org; retrieved July 20, 2021