Book One
The Refuge
In a world that has ever only known war, generations still swing their swords on whispers of conflict from centuries past.
In Physis, the law of the land is ‘every territory for itself.’ Lineage is everything; racial identification is paramount; and territory loyalty is the code by which one lives or dies. But when a few individuals decide the given system isn’t working, everything begins to change.
What will happen to the world when inherited authority is questioned; when standards of judgement are re-evaluated; and when independent thinkers redefine purpose for a new generation of leaders?
In The Refuge, by N. Ford, readers travel from the snowy mountain estates of The Diamond Isles to the clay arenas of warrior life in Agon. They sail the Physis Sea, chasing mystery and meaning, and swim in the clear pool at the bottom of the Western Bay. Readers will meet love, loss, and sacrifice anew, while rediscovering what purpose can do when it’s authentic and hard-won.
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Reviews
The Refuge is a work of fiction in the fantasy, action, and drama subgenres, and it serves as the first installment in The Refuge Trilogy. Written for the general reading audience, the work was penned by author N Ford. This conceptually-rich tale holds up a mirror to our society’s divisive social issues by taking us away to a fantasy world – Physis – where centuries-old borders have been drawn between different territories and the races who live within them. The plot follows a group of new thinkers who would like to shake off the old ways in favor of something more harmonious, and we see how they are met with difficulty along their path of discovery.
Sometimes, we need to step into a space of fantasy and make-believe in order to process and learn something about our own reality, and that’s the beauty of this clever and concise novel by author N Ford. The glorious descriptive quality of the different lands and cultures of Physis shows us a great juxtaposition between the attitudes of the people and the potential they possess to become one beautiful, unified land. I really enjoyed how this was woven naturally into the dialogue and the scenes that further the plot rather than being a big prosaic discussion. The character development was well achieved to make everything so relevant and emotive. Overall, I would highly recommend The Refuge to any fantasy reader seeking an adventure that is also serious, poignant, and meaningful. It’s a book I’ll remember for a long time after closing the cover.
The Refuge is the first of a trilogy created by N. Ford. It brings a variety of people living in different territories to light, whose realities differ as drastically as their causes. If this first book is any indication of the stories to come, this world is not going to disappoint.
Here, you can witness the transformation of a royal-born young man, the expedition of two lifelong friends and a common love interest, and a war hero intent on keeping his land safe from enemies. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Get ready to be immersed in an escapist story you won’t want to leave.
Physis is a complicated world, in the best sense of the word. Each territory is filled with their own unique groups of people who feel immense loyalty to their land and each other. While some places, like the Diamond Isles, are filled with an elitist group of fair-skinned people, other places, like Zoar, are accommodating and open to people of different races, opting to take in the wounded found of the seas during the war. The people of Physis all
feel they have a noble cause to fight for, though it differs from place to place.
Race plays a big part in The Refuge as it determines nearly everything about how you work in this world. Fair-skinned people are considered “pure” and benefit from all of the privilege that is available to them, especially in places like the Diamond Isles. That territory in particular is where the royalty of this world lives, specifically one of our main character’s Matthew. At his mother’s deathbed, after being given the task to find a wife of
nobility in the coming weeks, he is given a note that changes his life forever.
It beckons him to explore the world outside of that which he has always known. And once the secrets he uncovers truly reveal themselves, there is no turning back.
On a different side of the world, lifelong friends Jonathan and Jude are taking an unusual approach to the war, and not everyone is on board with it. They decide to start an expedition on the seas known as the Refuge, where they help to heal wounded soldiers of the war. This is done alongside Jude’s wife and Jonathan’s best friend Collette. Together, the three of them navigate uncharted terrain on the sea and their own complicated relationship dynamics.
The Refuge’s structure reminds me of the Game of Thrones series. While there is one big world everyone is a part of, many stories are being told simultaneously in different places. And because it’s so well written, it’s not hard to keep track of everyone.
The world of Physis is intricately detailed, well thought-out, and intense. Each character shines in their point of view chapters, and the story doesn’t miss a beat. That, mixed with Ford’s effortless writing style, create a story that I couldn’t come up with a single critique for.
Ford invents lovable characters who experience a wide spectrum of events and emotions. They keep you guessing and drop major plot-bombs on you when you’d least expect it. If you pick up this book, just know that you’re going to need the next installment
The Refuge is Book 1 of a trilogy by the same name, and is a political fantasy that will especially appeal to readers looking for something different and more detailed via its examinations of war, peace, and authority.
The prologue introduces Jude, who is aboard an old ship sailing the Physis Sea. It’s been a long voyage on the Refuge: “It felt as if he’d lived lifetimes in the two years they’d been away. Proof of it etched permanently into the creases around his eyes. It was nothing like he’d thought it would be. Thoughts badgered him about what it would have been like if they’d never left, mocking his reach for a life that might somehow matter…”
The next chapter comes from the unusual perspective of two mothers—friends who have long awaited the return of their children from seafaring adventures. As it moves back and forth in time and experience, the contrast between war, civilian life, and managing the boatloads of orphans who are a casualty of conflict represents an intriguing glimpse into Jude’s origins and the foundations of a war that changes everything it touches.
Ford does not let the issues rest with either leaders or fighters alone. The contrast between perspectives of both brings the roots of conflict and the choices involved to life: “Many alarms sounded over the skies of Agon, and Issachar watched its citizens, his people, and more disturbingly, his own family, ignore it. Why hadn’t he noticed? Over the strenuous efforts of generations past, Agon had grown acclimatized to its own sure defense. Forget the warrior shortage, this faux comfort made Agon more vulnerable than anything else ever could. They felt safe. And they were not. The territory needed retraining, but how could he do that without creating fear in the people? How much should be shared about their vulnerability? Would the people side with Jonas and call for the women to fight?”
What happens when conflict becomes an intrinsic part of daily life, but its roots have been forgotten over a vast expanse of battles and time? One forgets the ‘why’ of the battle, and so it becomes habit without justification: “One hundred and fifty years into the war and new generations still fought over dead men’s disagreements. Occasionally Issachar had wondered why and how the fighting started, but he grew to believe it wasn’t his job to know. It was his job to uphold the legacy of Agon, and he was committed to it—no matter the cost.”
The Refuge raises many questions about conflict, heritage, life goals, and the meaning of life. It contrasts fantasies, realities, and the process of rebuilding and tearing apart nations and hearts. Ford’s astute hand to detail injects a disparate group of characters with realistic historical and emotion-driven purposes as women strive to be queens and men become “tired of the way it tempted [him] to feel.”
Where is home?
“He felt paralyzed. No king. No isles. No home. The devastation he sat in was the very picture of his life.”
The social and political dilemma each character faces requires them to change from over a century of status quo, creating a vivid read that returns personal impact into political decision-making processes.
Yes, The Refuge is a vivid survey set in a fantasy realm that will, of course, attract fantasy readers. But the heart of many of its social and political inspections should not escape notice by discussion groups surveying long-term conflict and its habits, rituals, and psychological impact, either.
Libraries strong in fantasy and political inspection will find The Refuge an inviting standout from the usual fantasy kingdom story.
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