Robb Erwin's A REFUGE OF LAST RESORT begins with Lorelei Rücker trying to rebuild her life, but it doesn’t take long before she is pulled into a much larger story involving corporate corruption, political unrest, and violence. As the novel unfolds, each new revelation expands the scope of the narrative, asking readers to piece together how the many events and characters connect. Early scenes, such as the launch of the Duren Federated Food Group marketing project, hint at a larger conspiracy and create an intriguing sense of mystery that encourages readers to keep going.
Lorelei is the novel’s strongest character, as well as the reason why the story remains engaging. No matter how many new twists are introduced, she remains the person readers are most likely to stay invested in. As the larger plot becomes difficult to follow, her journey is still the emotional center. The book also shows how easily vulnerable people can be manipulated through corporate influence, debt bondage, and trafficking—although these ideas sometimes get lost among the many other storylines.
Erwin tries to juggle so many major plotlines at once that it often feels as though every time one storyline begins to develop, another major event immediately takes its place. Shootings, attacks, kidnappings, trafficking, riots, political turmoil, conspiracies, and personal tragedies all become part of the story within a relatively short amount of time. After a while, you find yourself trying to remember how everything connects instead of getting lost in the narrative. There are several points where flipping back to earlier chapters is almost necessary to reconnect the many plot threads.
The novel also includes attempted sexual violence, recurring sexual comments, and strong political themes. Those elements fit the bleak world the author creates, but they also add potentially triggering material to an already-crowded narrative. By the time the book reaches its conclusion, the many storylines never quite come together in a way that feels satisfying.
A REFUGE OF LAST RESORT's scope is both its greatest strength and its greatest weakness. Readers who enjoy fiction with layered plots and numerous moving parts may appreciate its ambition, but the sheer number of competing storylines keeps the work from coming together as a satisfying whole.
Although Robb Erwin's A REFUGE OF LAST RESORT presents ambitious ideas and a compelling central character, its overcrowded plot and unsatisfying conclusion keep it from reaching its full potential.
~ Katherine Crucilla for IndieReader