British-born, Yoruba-heritage writer, Tade Thompson, however, is making a big splash in a group that seems to be growing by the day. Not too long ago, African science fiction novels were unheard of. But overlooking these minor flaws, the entire series is a cerebral powerhouse with intricate plots and just the right amount of weirdness. With many mundane scenes in which Karro contemplates which food truck to get lunch at or the human but not necessarily essential descriptions of bodily functions, the story can feel slightly long. Thompson expertly weaves timelines together to unveil the growth of a complicated character who routinely falls into the “gray” area between good and evil.Īlternating timelines and some long chapters can make this book a tough read on occasion. As he digs deeper into the source of the illness, his troubled past collides with the volatile present. An unusually gifted sensitive with questionable morals and a penchant for sexism, Karro must discover what is killing off his kind before he too becomes a fatality. The dome, which acts as an ever-present character in Thompson’s books, opens once a year, briefly, to heal all those in the vicinity – though not always in ways you’d expect.ĭespite this healing, sensitives like Karro are mysteriously falling sick and dying. Through the release of microscopic fungal spores, humans like Karro, a government soldier and “sensitive” endowed with psychic powers can access the xenoshere. Rendering America “dark” and swallowing the whole of London, the aliens don’t actually interact with humanity except for the introduction of the “xenosphere,” a shared telepathic space connecting all of humanity. Set in 2066 in Nigeria, the town of Rosewater has developed around an alien dome with mysterious healing powers. Originally published in 2016, the Wormwood trilogy’s first installment is a deep dive into a world of aliens, with a beautiful mix of psychic powers, detective work, and sci-fi at its best.

Clarke Award, one of the most prestigious awards in the U.K. His debut novel, Rosewater, won both the Nommo Award and the Arthur C. British author and psychiatrist Tade Thompson’s stories and shorts have been critically acclaimed worldwide.

Rosewater tade thompson