Refuge (Exile #2)

Stewart picks up shortly after the events of Exile in a high-octane epic that forgoes meaningful character relationships for a deluge of space battles. When Octavio Catalan, commander of the cruiser Scorpion, sees a fleet of AI ships launch a planet-destroying attack on the alien Vistans, the recently outcast humans of Exilium decide to rescue the survivors. As they undertake this massive task, the AI ships return in droves, making it necessary and easy for the Vistans and the people of Exilium to forge an alliance. Stewart keeps the focus on warfare rather than on the political relationship between the two civilizations; returning readers hoping for more of familiar characters such as Isaac and Amelie Lestroud may feel they get short shrift. The optimistic tone and big explosions are still present, but a straightforward conflict between living entities and machines just isn’t enough to carry an entire book. (Aug.)