JUNE 2019 - AudioFile
With precision and clarity, Bayo Gbadamosi narrates Book 2 of the Wormwood Trilogy, making this Afrofuturistic novel set in Nigeria come alive. At first, he employs a Nigerian accent that draws the listener in. Then his accent and tone change as the story presents multiple points of view. Throughout, Gbadamosi delivers each word with a sort of permanence that speaks to the steadiness and believability he brings to the novel’s many characters. The various first- and third-person narrations are a blend of voices describing a force that poses a threat to human existence. This exciting, fast-paced story leaves the listener eager to know what’s coming in Book 3, to be released this fall. T.E.C. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine
Publishers Weekly
02/18/2019
In the second installment of this mind-bending futuristic trilogy (following 2017’s Rosewater), the subtle alien invasion of Earth continues as the entity known as Wormwood expands its influence over the Nigerian city of Rosewater. The city’s mayor, Jack Jacques, wrestles with affairs of state as his declaration of independence meets with external resistance. Housewife Alyssa Sutcliffe awakens to memory gaps and doubts about her own identity. Government assassins and psychics engage in a secret conflict while representatives of the xenoform Homians proceed with their long-term plan to replace humanity through microorganic assimilation. Ultimately, open warfare breaks out, forcing those involved to seek a radical solution that will affect everyone living in Rosewater—humans and aliens alike. As with the first entry in this series, Thompson lays out the narrative in a non-linear fashion through multiple perspectives, resulting in a story that feels alternately epic and almost claustrophobically intimate. The slow pacing and numerous moving parts make this ambitious tale somewhat dense and difficult at first, but the exciting second half and intriguing ending set the stage for what promises to be a fascinating conclusion. (Mar.)
From the Publisher
"Mesmerising. There are echoes of Neuromancer and Arrival in here, but this astonishing debut is beholden to no one."—M. R. Carey on Rosewater
"Smart. Gripping. Fabulous!"—Ann Leckie on Rosewater
"Nothing short of brilliant.... A captivating, cerebral work of science fiction that may very well signal a new definitive voice in the genre."—Kirkus on Rosewater
"A magnificent tour de force, skillfully written and full of original and disturbing ideas."—Adrian Tchaikovsky on Rosewater
"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 on Rosewater
"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 on Rosewater
"One of the most thoughtful and inventive alien contact tales of recent decades."—Locus on Rosewater
"Compellingly strange yet accessible... a character-driven, morally grey tale of hope and potential redemption."—Publishers Weekly (starred review) on Rosewater
"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
"Deeply imagined characters and vibrant, startling imagery... An author to watch."—B&N Sci-Fi & Fantasy Blog on Rosewater
"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 on Rosewater
"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 on Rosewater
"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 on Rosewater
"This thrilling, ambitious novel offers a deftly woven and incisive blend of science fiction, psychology, action, and mystery. Highly recommended."—Kate Elliott on Rosewater
"One of the most imaginative alien invasion scenarios I have come across."—Aliette de Bodard, Nebula and BSFA award-winning author, on Rosewater
"A fiercely weird, breathtaking biopunk tale of alien invasion, Rosewater is ambitious and smart and very, very cool."—Tasha Suri on Rosewater
"Quite simply one of best books I have read for quite some time."—SFCrowsnest on Rosewater
"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 on Rosewater
"Inventive and creepy... revolutionary."—Ozy on Rosewater
"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 on Rosewater
"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 on Rosewater
JUNE 2019 - AudioFile
With precision and clarity, Bayo Gbadamosi narrates Book 2 of the Wormwood Trilogy, making this Afrofuturistic novel set in Nigeria come alive. At first, he employs a Nigerian accent that draws the listener in. Then his accent and tone change as the story presents multiple points of view. Throughout, Gbadamosi delivers each word with a sort of permanence that speaks to the steadiness and believability he brings to the novel’s many characters. The various first- and third-person narrations are a blend of voices describing a force that poses a threat to human existence. This exciting, fast-paced story leaves the listener eager to know what’s coming in Book 3, to be released this fall. T.E.C. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine
