What do you think?
Rate this book
Exile #2
Refuge
A dying world, shattered by a broken machine
A desperate flight, their only hope for refuge
A robotic race, ally and destroyer alike
The Republic of Exilium has grown in strength and confidence at the far end of the galaxy from the rest of mankind, sending out scout ships to survey the worlds around them as they try to learn more about the mysterious Construction Matrix AIs.
Finding one of the genocidal rogues of that mysterious “race” in the process of destroying an inhabited world, Captain Octavio Catalan his ship into a desperate battle. He is victorious—but he is too late. The world of the strange aliens he has encountered is doomed.
The distant Republic can barely help, but the honor of their leaders will not permit them to stand idly by. Ships and crews are set into motion to commence a desperate evacuation of their newfound friends, and debts with the strange Matrices are called in.
One branch of Matrices destroyed the planet. Another may well save it—but the AIs have their own agenda and the price they ask may be beyond the Republic and its new allies…
A desperate flight, their only hope for refuge
A robotic race, ally and destroyer alike
The Republic of Exilium has grown in strength and confidence at the far end of the galaxy from the rest of mankind, sending out scout ships to survey the worlds around them as they try to learn more about the mysterious Construction Matrix AIs.
Finding one of the genocidal rogues of that mysterious “race” in the process of destroying an inhabited world, Captain Octavio Catalan his ship into a desperate battle. He is victorious—but he is too late. The world of the strange aliens he has encountered is doomed.
The distant Republic can barely help, but the honor of their leaders will not permit them to stand idly by. Ships and crews are set into motion to commence a desperate evacuation of their newfound friends, and debts with the strange Matrices are called in.
One branch of Matrices destroyed the planet. Another may well save it—but the AIs have their own agenda and the price they ask may be beyond the Republic and its new allies…
ebook
First published January 30, 2019
608 people are currently reading
142 people want to read
About the author
Glynn Stewart
116 books1,750 followersGlynn Stewart is the author of over 60 books, including Starship’s Mage, a bestselling science fiction and fantasy series where faster-than-light travel is possible–but only because of magic.
Writing managed to liberate Glynn from a bleak future as an accountant. With his personality and hope for a high-tech future intact, he lives in Southern Ontario with his partner, their cats, and an unstoppable writing habit.
Writing managed to liberate Glynn from a bleak future as an accountant. With his personality and hope for a high-tech future intact, he lives in Southern Ontario with his partner, their cats, and an unstoppable writing habit.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
July 10, 2019
I received an advanced copy of Refuge in exchange for an honest review. That said, Refuge is a solid follow-up to Exile and I’m looking forward to the next book. Refuge focuses on new and old characters and brings not one but two new races to the series. I enjoyed reading about and seeing the interaction between the vastly different cultures portrayed in the book, as well as seeing the potential for future books. Without spoiling anything, the twist at the end leaves a lot of room for expansion in the series and I can’t wait to see what happens next.
March 1, 2020
The book starts with a Exilium ship having to fight overwhelming odds, there then follows a race to provide refuge for the inhabitants of a dying world.
My problem with these books, is it that every fight is always against ‘overwhelming odds’. I’m not against battles where the hero snatches victory from almost certain defeat, but it’s all a bit predictable. I also don’t like battles that just turn into ‘slug fests’.
However, it was still a decent a read and I look forward to the next book.
My problem with these books, is it that every fight is always against ‘overwhelming odds’. I’m not against battles where the hero snatches victory from almost certain defeat, but it’s all a bit predictable. I also don’t like battles that just turn into ‘slug fests’.
However, it was still a decent a read and I look forward to the next book.
April 28, 2024
Middling Goo
I had praised Exile for its nation-building vision, reimagining Battlestar Galactica with the unlimited budget of the written word. Its sequel takes an orthogonal turn and presents a different story. The cold open begins with a literal alien viewpoint as they fight the Matrix AIs, and even the human protagonist is brand new. Refuge is focused on the survival of the aliens to the exclusion of all else, and this clean break from the planet of Exile and the previous main characters is unwelcome. Gone are the logistical, philosophical and political complexities of rebuilding a spacefaring civilization from a few million people. In its place is foreign policy at scale. I couldn’t be more disappointed.
Refuge provides the groundwork that points the series towards a revised vision: a space opera focused on defeating a Von Neumann swarm headed by an alliance of sentients led by our human exiles. Here, the author’s weaknesses are concentrated rather than mitigated. The aliens are conceptually unique but fail to elicit empathy with their large-scale plight. The colossal robotic threat is a mathematical and game theory nightmare but is ill-characterized and remains a nebulous villain. Perhaps I’m xenophobic, but I couldn’t care for the non-humans. And unfortunately, the author’s skills are not up to the task of bridging that evolutionary gap.
That said, the author knows his niche. To save the aliens, Exilium launches an operation at a bewildering scale. Terraforming, shipbuilding, and technology exchanges are the unusual topics of focus and if one squints, there are echoes of Exile in the story. It’s clear that the series will take the fight to the Matrix AIs and Refuge paves the way for that storyline. This feels like a lost opportunity, as there are very few grand strategic tales focused on nation-building. In comparison, defeating inhuman, uncountable hoards in the darkest depths of space is just another military science-fiction series.
Recommended, with Reservations.
I had praised Exile for its nation-building vision, reimagining Battlestar Galactica with the unlimited budget of the written word. Its sequel takes an orthogonal turn and presents a different story. The cold open begins with a literal alien viewpoint as they fight the Matrix AIs, and even the human protagonist is brand new. Refuge is focused on the survival of the aliens to the exclusion of all else, and this clean break from the planet of Exile and the previous main characters is unwelcome. Gone are the logistical, philosophical and political complexities of rebuilding a spacefaring civilization from a few million people. In its place is foreign policy at scale. I couldn’t be more disappointed.
Refuge provides the groundwork that points the series towards a revised vision: a space opera focused on defeating a Von Neumann swarm headed by an alliance of sentients led by our human exiles. Here, the author’s weaknesses are concentrated rather than mitigated. The aliens are conceptually unique but fail to elicit empathy with their large-scale plight. The colossal robotic threat is a mathematical and game theory nightmare but is ill-characterized and remains a nebulous villain. Perhaps I’m xenophobic, but I couldn’t care for the non-humans. And unfortunately, the author’s skills are not up to the task of bridging that evolutionary gap.
That said, the author knows his niche. To save the aliens, Exilium launches an operation at a bewildering scale. Terraforming, shipbuilding, and technology exchanges are the unusual topics of focus and if one squints, there are echoes of Exile in the story. It’s clear that the series will take the fight to the Matrix AIs and Refuge paves the way for that storyline. This feels like a lost opportunity, as there are very few grand strategic tales focused on nation-building. In comparison, defeating inhuman, uncountable hoards in the darkest depths of space is just another military science-fiction series.
Recommended, with Reservations.
August 13, 2019
This is the second book of a series and does not stand alone - you need to read Exile FIRST.
OK, that said - I liked it. It was absorbing and interesting and dramatic and...
and how come there are four million humans involved in this society and they all apparently agree with each other about practically everything? Is there no loyal oppositions? No factions to speak of? No totally hopeless and inadequate untalented members of the armed forces at all?
That said, I did LIKE the book. It advanced the story. There is decent worldbuilding with at least two different alien races. (Why is the translator so bloody excellent and why do the aliens seem to pretty much think like, and agree with, the humans?)
So - I will read the next one, because there will surely be a next one. I enjoy the writing, the plot actually EXISTS and holds together reasonably well. But -
Well, basically, the but is that everybody - I mean EVERYBODY (with the single exception of a character that appeared and disappeared again within a couple of chapters) is ON THE SAME PAGE.
However, with a population potentially in the billions, it would have been difficult to write a book of any size, even this one, while trying to develop multiple characters with multiple POVs and multiple motives and...
Still.
There's that but.
I did enjoy it. Four stars though, because of that 'but'.
OK, that said - I liked it. It was absorbing and interesting and dramatic and...
and how come there are four million humans involved in this society and they all apparently agree with each other about practically everything? Is there no loyal oppositions? No factions to speak of? No totally hopeless and inadequate untalented members of the armed forces at all?
That said, I did LIKE the book. It advanced the story. There is decent worldbuilding with at least two different alien races. (Why is the translator so bloody excellent and why do the aliens seem to pretty much think like, and agree with, the humans?)
So - I will read the next one, because there will surely be a next one. I enjoy the writing, the plot actually EXISTS and holds together reasonably well. But -
Well, basically, the but is that everybody - I mean EVERYBODY (with the single exception of a character that appeared and disappeared again within a couple of chapters) is ON THE SAME PAGE.
However, with a population potentially in the billions, it would have been difficult to write a book of any size, even this one, while trying to develop multiple characters with multiple POVs and multiple motives and...
Still.
There's that but.
I did enjoy it. Four stars though, because of that 'but'.
December 14, 2021
I liked the premise of the book. I also liked the vision/direction the author took. The hook / cliffhanger at the end is brilliant.
That said, I think the pacing was off. The plot meandered several times and it was hard to follow. There might be been one too many subplots that muddled things. There was a change in voice as the author tried to capture the voice of aliens and that threw me off.
I will pick up the next book in this series.
That said, I think the pacing was off. The plot meandered several times and it was hard to follow. There might be been one too many subplots that muddled things. There was a change in voice as the author tried to capture the voice of aliens and that threw me off.
I will pick up the next book in this series.
September 8, 2019
I really enjoyed the 2nd novel which had more action than the first. There are great character development and the story progresses nicely. The AI’s get fleshed out a lot more. The Exilium exiles need allies and they are not alone. Be boring I suppose if they were.
The Rogue Matrices are at it again, terraforming planets whether occupied or not with abandon. Can the ESF defend a new alien race? Well there the good guys so yes of course they try. Very entertaining space opera it kept me up late at night. I am very keen for the next book.
The Rogue Matrices are at it again, terraforming planets whether occupied or not with abandon. Can the ESF defend a new alien race? Well there the good guys so yes of course they try. Very entertaining space opera it kept me up late at night. I am very keen for the next book.
August 13, 2019
Another decent space opera from Glynn Stewart
I wouldn't call his books a masterpiece in science fiction writing but they are always enjoyable with great characters and lots of action. I can see where he borrows ideas from his other series but that doesn't take away from the story, instead, it allows me to absorb his ideas and the plot a lot better.
I wouldn't call his books a masterpiece in science fiction writing but they are always enjoyable with great characters and lots of action. I can see where he borrows ideas from his other series but that doesn't take away from the story, instead, it allows me to absorb his ideas and the plot a lot better.
March 25, 2020
Fun adventure
It's a fast sequel and like the first book, checks all the boxes for inclusivity. I confess that it's a little heavy handed but liked it anyway. He actually does well in that area in all his series without much effort. I still approve.
The human characters lose depth in this book but then the aliens are front and center. They are awesomely described and he put together a really complex society and biology. He goes into just enough detail that the world makes sense and provides a great backdrop to the decision making of the aliens. He does some ridiculously wonderful world building seemingly without effort in all his series. I've challenged where some details or the overview of some his worlds in series head but the internal logic, it's description and it's use is always logical and more importantly plausible.
This was a good read and while the humans flatten out a little, the story is exciting.
It's a fast sequel and like the first book, checks all the boxes for inclusivity. I confess that it's a little heavy handed but liked it anyway. He actually does well in that area in all his series without much effort. I still approve.
The human characters lose depth in this book but then the aliens are front and center. They are awesomely described and he put together a really complex society and biology. He goes into just enough detail that the world makes sense and provides a great backdrop to the decision making of the aliens. He does some ridiculously wonderful world building seemingly without effort in all his series. I've challenged where some details or the overview of some his worlds in series head but the internal logic, it's description and it's use is always logical and more importantly plausible.
This was a good read and while the humans flatten out a little, the story is exciting.
June 21, 2021
The sequel to Exile takes place a few years later, and mostly follows Octavio Catalan, a minor character from the first book. In this novel he is now the captain of an expeditionary force scouting nearby star systems, and stumbles upon rogue matrix units in the process of exterminating an intelligent species. Octavio's single ship must battle incredible odds while simultaneously trying to establish communications with the alien species they are trying to protect.
I enjoyed the fast pace of the action in this book, even if it does mean that some key events (like the destruction of much of the alien world's population) is glossed over. My main complaint is that there is very little character development for Captain Catalan. This is quite disappointing after Glynn Stewart did his best job so far of giving his main characters depth in Exile. It is a shame he didn't provide more of a backstory for Captain Catalan, other than he is an engineer.
I enjoyed the fast pace of the action in this book, even if it does mean that some key events (like the destruction of much of the alien world's population) is glossed over. My main complaint is that there is very little character development for Captain Catalan. This is quite disappointing after Glynn Stewart did his best job so far of giving his main characters depth in Exile. It is a shame he didn't provide more of a backstory for Captain Catalan, other than he is an engineer.
October 3, 2023
Thoroughly Enjoyable
I enjoyed the focus on the wider variations of species in the universe present in this book, and how varied they are. I enjoy stories of humanity uniting others to a common, worthy cause, and this book definitely covers a lot of my favorite parts of those tropes, with a fun helping of mystery mixed in as they work to uncover the many things they don't know.
I also loved how by this story the exiles have moved on with their lives with a focus on their future, and yet the trials of their past are still very much a guiding light for those futures, in a very positive way.
And yes. There are lots of space battles and marine battles in this book, too.
I enjoyed the focus on the wider variations of species in the universe present in this book, and how varied they are. I enjoy stories of humanity uniting others to a common, worthy cause, and this book definitely covers a lot of my favorite parts of those tropes, with a fun helping of mystery mixed in as they work to uncover the many things they don't know.
I also loved how by this story the exiles have moved on with their lives with a focus on their future, and yet the trials of their past are still very much a guiding light for those futures, in a very positive way.
And yes. There are lots of space battles and marine battles in this book, too.
October 17, 2021
With “Refuge”, Glynn Stewart ramps up the scale in true sci-fi style. The themes are familiar, though that’s no bad thing - after all one can still appreciate a good burger when it isn’t the first you’ve sampled. This isn’t gourmet faire, but it is the kind of meal you recommend to your friends. There’s a few missteps (like seriously, no one thought of asking the Matrices to try the blatantly obvious blocking tactic???); but it remains enjoyable. There are a few classic, but mild, twists to entertain.
February 17, 2021
May Make You Battle Weary
The drama continues and book two is mostly one battle against extreme odds after another. Some minimal character development along the way but mostly just military actions. It is tiresome and a bit repetitive. This book pauses after one major battle ends, but there is no accompanying storyline resolution. The story continues into the next book, launched in a preview of another great battle.
The drama continues and book two is mostly one battle against extreme odds after another. Some minimal character development along the way but mostly just military actions. It is tiresome and a bit repetitive. This book pauses after one major battle ends, but there is no accompanying storyline resolution. The story continues into the next book, launched in a preview of another great battle.
September 18, 2020
Of course it is good
This is the second book in the Exile series. Just when you think you know everything there is a twist. The science is good. Space battles and an effort to save a world. Robots that have turned on their makers. The one thing that surprises me is how fast the humans turn into a working group. We do know how to adapt.
This is the second book in the Exile series. Just when you think you know everything there is a twist. The science is good. Space battles and an effort to save a world. Robots that have turned on their makers. The one thing that surprises me is how fast the humans turn into a working group. We do know how to adapt.
April 26, 2023
An improvement on book one
Book one I liked, but didn't love as much as other Glynn Stewart books, as the pacing was just too hurried, to cram what could have been three books into one. This is back to his best, and I'm glad the reader is rewarded with an entire book dealing with Vista.
Book one I liked, but didn't love as much as other Glynn Stewart books, as the pacing was just too hurried, to cram what could have been three books into one. This is back to his best, and I'm glad the reader is rewarded with an entire book dealing with Vista.
February 14, 2020
Great book
This series is turning into an epic. A great adventure across the galaxy. Far from home, but making a new civilization in a new solar system. Finding new enemies and new friends. Remaining true to their morals and helping other cultures.
This series is turning into an epic. A great adventure across the galaxy. Far from home, but making a new civilization in a new solar system. Finding new enemies and new friends. Remaining true to their morals and helping other cultures.
November 1, 2020
The prior story was very well developed, despite an awkward opening. Yet the development of the the story is typical Human vs 'alien' trope. There are some good twists, but overall the story is unexciting. I am done with this series.
June 21, 2021
Bravo
Swift paced action and nifty plot twists animate this second book of the Exile series. The last twist leads to a cliffhanger that would be truly aggravating if book three were not already written, as it is, it’s an excellent launching point.
Swift paced action and nifty plot twists animate this second book of the Exile series. The last twist leads to a cliffhanger that would be truly aggravating if book three were not already written, as it is, it’s an excellent launching point.
November 22, 2021
A Space opera of beliefs
The story fields to similar to the first novel in plot ideas and there over use of them uses the confederacy mentality to guilt trip the self’s into helping everyone was annoying.
The story fields to similar to the first novel in plot ideas and there over use of them uses the confederacy mentality to guilt trip the self’s into helping everyone was annoying.
November 14, 2024
The author has done a great job of expanding the scope of his universe introducing new elements that promise so much more. Intertwined with all that are characters who know their duties (and their word) requires them to keep operating on the edge where failure is only a heartbeat away.
February 10, 2020
Good shit.
July 3, 2020
Another great science fiction.
ANYTHING this author writes is excellent. The way she builds the story on several levels is great. Read them all.
ANYTHING this author writes is excellent. The way she builds the story on several levels is great. Read them all.
November 13, 2020
Great series so far can't wait to finish the trilogy. Well developed characters mixed with a balance of action.
November 30, 2020
Very enjoyable space opera. Looking foward to book 3
December 24, 2020
Better that the first.
July 14, 2021
Solid sci fi. I liked this one better than the first one. Nicely done aliens
August 19, 2025
Excellent!
You have done it again!!!
You have a gift for spinning a yarn AND character development.
Thank you. Keep going.
You have done it again!!!
You have a gift for spinning a yarn AND character development.
Thank you. Keep going.
January 31, 2020
A book with a very interesting plot line
This book has an interesting plot line, and continues a few year after the start to the series. The plot line shows the main characters acting as benefactors to another species. This was an interesting take on the typical plot of similar books. Looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
This book has an interesting plot line, and continues a few year after the start to the series. The plot line shows the main characters acting as benefactors to another species. This was an interesting take on the typical plot of similar books. Looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
January 3, 2020
Review on www.audible.com please listen to this book.
August 7, 2019
Before you read this one, please realize it is the second book of a series: you will need to have read book one first or the characters, situations, etc., will not make much sense to you. I have been a fan of the author’s work, and enjoyed the first installment of this series and re-read it prior to this book’s release. Without having a spoiler, it was rather disappointing from both a plot and character standpoint and hard to strike an interest, so much so it was a different writing style than the first and seemed to take a turn for the worse.
That, combined with hard-to-keep-straight names of various aliens, I quickly lost interest and quit reading at the 25% mark on my Kindle. If you are a science fiction fan and enjoyed the first book of the series, I believe you will be disappointed with this installment.
That, combined with hard-to-keep-straight names of various aliens, I quickly lost interest and quit reading at the 25% mark on my Kindle. If you are a science fiction fan and enjoyed the first book of the series, I believe you will be disappointed with this installment.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews