Reviews
"A fiercely weird, breathtaking biopunk tale of alien invasion, Rosewater is ambitious and smart and very, very cool. "-- Tasha Suri, " Part thriller, part mystery and part phantasmagoric journey across a strange yet not-too-distant future, and reminiscent at times of both Roger Zelazny and Nnedi Okorafor , Rosewater is the hardboiled, Nigerian alien invasion story you always wanted."-- Lavie Tidhar, " A magnificent tour de force, skillfully written and full of original and disturbing ideas."-- Adrian Tchaikovsky, " Crammed with ideas and told in precise, controlled prose, Thompson's debut soars. Set in Nigeria, it tells of a slow, insidious alien invasion from the viewpoint of a flawed protagonist with psychic powers. The plot is a mosaic of mysteries , shot through with neat Afrofuturist flourishes."-- Financial Times, "Perfect for fans of William Gibson's Neuromancer , this twisty, captivating page-turner explores the fragility of the mind and how memory constructs identity."-- BookPage, "As strange, vivid and intricate as the alien biosphere at its heart, Rosewater is a fabulous book and Tade Thompson is a writer of enormous heart and talent. Just brilliant. "-- Dave Hutchinson, " Original, entertaining, and food for thought. Tade Thompson is an exciting new voice in our field and I can't wait to read more of his work."-- Pat Cadigan, "This thrilling, ambitious novel offers a deftly woven and incisive blend of science fiction, psychology, action, and mystery. Highly recommended. "-- Kate Elliott, " Deeply imagined characters and vibrant, startling imagery... An author to watch. "-- B&N Sci-Fi & Fantasy Blog, " One of the most imaginative alien invasion scenarios I have come across. "-- Aliette de Bodard, Nebula and BSFA award-winning author, " Nothing short of brilliant .... A captivating, cerebral work of science fiction that may very well signal a new definitive voice in the genre. "-- Kirkus, " A masterclass in worldbuilding .... Rosewater is a brilliant read.... I've never read a sci-fi book like this, and I doubt I will again."-- The Fantasy Inn, " A sharply satirical, ingenious thriller about an alien invasion that's disturbing familiar. Tade Thompson has built a fascinating world that will suck you in and keep you guessing. This book will eat you alive, and you'll like it. "-- Annalee Newitz, "Intriguing Afrofuturistic tale [that] features an incredible mashup of alien contact and human-centered power , delivering a stark and gritty story that will keep readers engaged."-- Library Journal, "Thompson's genius in displacing his tale of successive xenobiological attacks from the West onto the developing world is matched by his breathtakingly smart prose.... Deeply engrossing. "-- The Seattle Review of Books, "Inventive aliens and realistic-feeling invasion... keen observations of how easily people ignore and accept what should be terrifying... intriguing characters (many of them women) who have lives of their own beyond the pages... fascinating. "-- Strange Horizons, "A strange and unsettling story of psychics, conspiracy, and alien invasion unlike anything I've read before. Masterfully constructed, brimming with ideas and slowly unfolding mystery, Rosewater hurt my brain in the best of ways. "-- Fonda Lee, " Mesmerising. There are echoes of Neuromancer and Arrival in here, but this astonishing debut is beholden to no one."-- M. R. Carey, " Compellingly strange yet accessible ... a character-driven, morally grey tale of hope and potential redemption."-- Publishers Weekly (starred review)
