Science Fiction: Rosewater by Tade Thompson

I am so incredibly pleased to have found a science fiction series to follow, even if it is only going to be a trilogy. With pretty much any other genre of books, I tend to avoid series, mostly due to my fear of getting stuck in the middle of something I may realize in the middle of book one that I actually want no part of. But I treat science fiction differently since I have such a hard time finding books to pick up in the first place, so finding a series means there will be more books to come without me having to search for them. Such is the case with Tade Thompson's The Wormwood Trilogy, the first book of which is today's Rosewater.

The Situation: In the year 2066, Kaaro is a government agent who resides in Rosewater, a makeshift Nigerian community that has risen up and grown due to the appearance of the biodome. Not much is known about the biodome, except that it is certainly alien in nature, and when it opens, those close to the opening are healed of all ailments, no matter how severe. But the appearance of the biodome has not only brought healing powers and the building of a whole new city, but also the occurrence of people like Kaaro, people with the ability read minds, though that is an incredibly simplistic explanation of what they do. Kaaro once used his abilities for criminal purposes, but now, as a government agent, Kaaro has become useful for interrogations, as well as bank security, and finding missing items and people. It is not a life he is overly satisfied with, but he is paid well, and it keeps him out of trouble. Until it doesn't.

The Problem: People like Kaaro, or "sensitives" as they are called, should not exist, and they appeared after the emergence of the biodome. Now, it seems like someone, or something, is slowly killing them off, one by one, and this means Kaaro is in danger. While he may not love the direction his life has taken, he does not have much interest in dying. Unfortunately, looking for answers means defying his superiors and searching in places he probably should not go. Using clues from his shaky past, and the information he is able to gain now, Kaaro must charge into danger more often than he would like, to face people and beings he would rather leave alone or leave behind. And if government authorities are not standing in his way, then other dangerous criminals, as well as various alien life forms, attempt to stop him for their own reasons. Saving his own life would be great, but it is worth the trouble if all of humanity may be headed towards an inevitable end?

Genre, Themes, History: This is a science fiction novel that is mostly set in the year 2066 in the fictional town of Rosewater in Nigeria - a town that built itself around an alien biodome and grew steadily outward. Some chapters travel back in time to Kaaro's past, showing exactly how he became the person he is now. Other chapters include various missions Kaaro performed for the Nigerian government, all of which provide clues to the future Kaaro now finds himself inhabiting. Before the government found him, Kaaro was somewhat of an aimless criminal, with theft being his primary vice. Selfish, uncaring, a little cocky, and not interested in real relationships, Kaaro led a destructive path that left many people hurt, and some dead, in his wake. After his forced recruitment as a government agent, Kaaro would continue to find himself in harm's way, though this time it would not be his decision. As a sensitive, he is one of the strongest of his kind, and is the only person to have ever seen inside the biodome. The book gives great detail of how Rosewater came to be, how different groups feel about the aliens that have decided to make their home on Earth, and how people all around the world, not just in Nigeria, are dealing with this strange turn that life has taken. 

My Verdict: Like most science fiction novels that I am drawn to, Rosewater takes place in a not-so-distant future, and is set in a place that is easy for me to imagine. Of course, the ease with which I am able to picture this place can probably be attributed to Thompson's masterful descriptions. There were points throughout the novel where I felt lost or was not sure what was going on, but that could be because of the chapters that jump back in time, back to when Rosewater was first building itself. Plus, Kaaro does a fair amount of travel around Nigeria, while also working with various entities, not really giving his allegiance to any one group or person. Even so, the direction of the story becomes clearer the closer the reader gets to the end, but so does the feeling of danger and dread. And once the book does end, something else that is clear is that Kaaro's story is not over, and that the aliens are not done with whatever they are attempting to accomplish.

Favorite Moment: As tragic as it was, when Kaaro is faced with just how destructive his past has been, and how many people have suffered because of it.

Favorite Character: This is tough, because everyone in this book has major issues, and they are all up to something. Kaaro is okay I suppose, though incredibly selfish and destructive. I do not trust Aminat, his new girlfriend. And Femi, his boss, is certainly hiding much more than even Kaaro suspects.

Recommended Reading: For more science fiction set in Africa, I recommend the Binti series by Nnedi Okorafor. All three books are short and to the point, but with plenty of action, as well as fascinating beings and characters.