The Wormwood Trilogy books in order

Q: "How many books are in the The Wormwood Trilogy series?"

"There are four books in the The Wormwood Trilogy series, published between 2017 and 2019."

Q: "What is the first book in the The Wormwood Trilogy series?"

"The first book in the The Wormwood Trilogy series is Rosalera, published in 2017."

Q: "What is the Wormwood Trilogy about?"

"The Wormwood Trilogy is set in a near-future Nigeria where an alien biodome called Wormwood has appeared outside Lagos, creating the boomtown of Rosewater. The series follows Kaaro, a government-trained sensitive who can read minds through an alien-created psychic network called the xenosphere. Across three books, Kaaro uncovers the true purpose of Wormwood while Rosewater fights for independence from the Nigerian government."

Reading order

#	Title	Published	Author	Buy on Amazon
1	Rosalera	2017	Tade Thompson	N/A
2	Rosewater	2017	Tade Thompson	Buy
3	The Rosewater Insurrection	2019	Tade Thompson	Buy
4	The Rosewater Redemption	2019	Tade Thompson	Buy

The Wormwood Trilogy is Tade Thompson’s signature work. It begins with Rosewater (originally published in Nigeria as Rosalera in 2016, then internationally in 2017), set in a future Nigeria where an alien organism has formed a massive biodome. The city of Rosewater has grown up around it, and once a year the dome opens and heals the sick, though not always in the way people expect. The protagonist, Kaaro, is a former thief turned government agent with the ability to tap into the alien xenosphere.

The Rosewater Insurrection (2019) won the Arthur C. Clarke Award and shifts focus to the political tensions between Rosewater and the Nigerian government. The Rosewater Redemption (2019) concludes the trilogy with the full scope of the alien agenda revealed. Thompson draws on Nigerian culture, Yoruba mythology, and hard science fiction concepts, and the result is a trilogy that feels genuinely different from most science fiction on the market. The four entries in this listing include the original Nigerian edition, Rosalera, alongside the three internationally published novels.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many books are in the The Wormwood Trilogy series?

There are four books in the The Wormwood Trilogy series, published between 2017 and 2019.

What is the first book in the The Wormwood Trilogy series?

The first book in the The Wormwood Trilogy series is Rosalera, published in 2017.

What is the Wormwood Trilogy about?

The Wormwood Trilogy is set in a near-future Nigeria where an alien biodome called Wormwood has appeared outside Lagos, creating the boomtown of Rosewater. The series follows Kaaro, a government-trained sensitive who can read minds through an alien-created psychic network called the xenosphere. Across three books, Kaaro uncovers the true purpose of Wormwood while Rosewater fights for independence from the Nigerian government.

Reading order#

Frequently Asked Questions

Reading order