Paperback, 432 pages

English language

Published Feb. 16, 2018 by Orbit.

ISBN:
978-0-316-44905-2
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Goodreads:
38362809

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4 stars (34 reviews)

Rosewater is a town on the edge. A community formed around the edges of a mysterious alien biodome, its residents comprise the hopeful, the hungry, and the helpless -- people eager for a glimpse inside the dome or a taste of its rumored healing powers.

Kaaro is a government agent with a criminal past. He has seen inside the biodome, and doesn't care to again -- but when something begins killing off others like himself, Kaaro must defy his masters to search for an answer, facing his dark history and coming to a realization about a horrifying future.

1 edition

Review of 'Rosewater' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

Set in Nigeria some time after the year 2060, this slightly dystopian science fiction book describes a future in which an alien entity (code named Wormwood) has landed on Earth and established itself in Nigeria, forming an impenetrable dome. It neither communicates nor makes any aggressive moves, but once a year the dome opens, and those in the immediate area are healed of injuries and disease, so an encampment forms around the perimeter which eventually turns into the city called Rosewater (ironically named because of the stink of the makeshift sewage).

One of the side effects of the alien's arrival is the development of Ascomycetes xenosphericus, a fungal organism that infects the environment and allows certain "sensitives" to use the omnipresence of the fungus to pick up thoughts from other people (it is blocked by antifungal compounds). Effectively this has created a group of specialized empaths of various sorts, and …

Review of 'Rosewater' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

This was an incredibly engaging, interesting read from start to finish. I have been on a New Weird kick recently, and I think Rosewater has set the standard. Everything about this book's construction was spot on. The writing was accessible, but not bland. The characters all felt distinctly human. The aliens felt "appropriately" alien. The setting across real world African locations and fictional areas was interesting to follow. If I had only one critique, it was that the story was a bit touch and go, but with how engaging it was, I didn't mind at all.

Review of 'Rosewater' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

From the pitch, I was expecting an African take on Roadside picnic or maybe Annihilation. While there are shades of this, much of the book is more reminiscent of Neuromancer, but where cyberspace is more biological in nature.

This book has everything though: Allen invasions, cybernetic implants, psychic powers, anarchist communes, buildings made of flesh etc. Yet it feels rooted in Nigerian culture and the psychological impact of these things on the characters that experienced them.

My main complaint is that the lead character seems obsessed with sex, which is briefly addressed, but ultimately seems more like an excuse to introduce sudden scenes of intercourse than an actual exploration of the nature or implications of it. The side effect of this is the objectification of almost every woman we encounter, which gets tiresome.

That said, I'm not averse to picking up the rest of the series at some point as …

Review of 'Rosewater' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

How was this book so under the radar? It's a phenomenal piece of SF that fits into the ongoing sense of conversation within the genre. Weird alien incursions into the heart of Africa -- it's both Vandermeer and Gibson with a fresh feel due to the setting. Do yourself a favor and read this.

Review of 'Rosewater' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

Rosewater is a Nigerian town grown up around a mysterious alien dome. Kaaro is a sensitive who was there from the start, the dome sending out spores which give people like him a telepathic gift. No one knows what the aliens want, but once a year the dome opens briefly, healing anyone in the vicinity. As word gets out, more and more people make the pilgrimage to Rosewater.

The story is split between 2066 and Kaaro’s past. His gift meant he could always find people’s valuables and led to his life of crime as a thief. In 2066, he is a government agent, helping a mysterious organisation with interrogations, with a part time job at a bank being part of their firewall.

It took me a while to get into, it spends time world-building before the meaty plot starts, but the reward is worth it. I liked the Nigerian setting, …

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