Review: A Classic Page-Turner; Top-Notch Fiction
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 02 5, 2014
I read "Refuge" at an insane gallop, propping my eyelids up with toothpicks at night to stay awake so I could read just one more page. Okay. Maybe that's a slight exaggeration. But I did find this book nearly impossible to put down. Richard Herley's action-packed, futuristic tale got my attention right from the first page and held it to the last. A masterful job by one of the best writers in captivity.By now you've read what the book is about, so I won't dwell on what is a very adult storyline. I will say, however, that Herley has a true gift for dialogue and description, and is able to paint clear, compelling word pictures that stick in the reader's mind. I particularly like the way he handles action scenes (heart-pounding but not overdone in a slo-mo, Sam Peckinpah way) and sex scenes (erotic without committing every single breath expelled and every drop of saliva distributed to the page). He knows how to keep the action flowing and – unlike many writers of fiction – doesn't wander off the story just to luxuriate in the sound of his own words. This is one good writer and "Refuge" is my favorite of the books he's written to date. Highly recommend, even to people who think they don't like futuristic tales. You will be pleasantly surprised.