Foundra

The Rift War

Fiction - Science Fiction
560 Pages
Reviewed on 10/06/2015
Buy on Amazon

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Author Biography

Emmanuel M Arriaga grew up in the inner city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. From a young age, he was obsessed with fantasy and science fiction. Breaking the shackles of a low-income life, Emmanuel developed an interest in science, technology and engineering. He went on to graduate from Pennsylvania State University with a Master’s in Information Science. Spending his early years in the financial industry, he eventually landed a job with Google in Silicon Valley and moved to the West Coast with his wife Cynthia and Assassin bunny Ezio.

Throughout that time, Emmanuel has sought to share his vivid imagination with the world, learning the art of story crafting which led to his first published novel, Foundra: The Rift War in 2015. From there, Emmanuel has gone on to complete new novels, with many more in the works. His next release, Elevator Quest, is due out in February 2018. With a love for travel, gadgets and volunteering, Emmanuel is enjoying life and helping others.

Googler by day, writer by night in the heart of Silicon Valley!

    Book Review

Reviewed by Tracy Slowiak for Readers' Favorite

Have you ever finished a book and immediately thought that you'd love to meet the author, if only to find out exactly how their mind works? That's how I felt after I finished reading Foundra: The Rift War, the first book in the Foundra series by author Emmanuel M. Arriaga. Follow the story of the inhabitants of the Huizen Empire as they fight an incredible intergalactic war to save their very existence. An evil enemy has arisen, the ancient being Sagren, who seems devoted to wreaking havoc on the Empire after getting out of a prison he's been held in for more than five hundred thousand years. There are likely to be deaths on the sides of Immortals, and certainly adventures abound. Will the right side win? You'll have to read the book to find out!

I so enjoyed Foundra: The Rift War. Author Emmanuel M. Arriaga is a creative new voice in the genre of science fiction, and one that any fan of science fiction should certainly pick up as soon as possible. Foundra: The Rift War was a book that grabbed me from page one, and I simply could not put it down! Full of adventure and a real page turner, readers will find themselves obsessed with finding out what will happen next. I am so happy that this book is the first in a series, and I certainly hope that author Emmanuel M. Arriaga is hard at work on the second installment as we speak. With his unique and inventive voice, it's unlikely he will stay undiscovered for long!

Lit Amri

The Twin Galaxies, otherwise known as the Havin Plane, is home to the powerful Huzien Alliance, comprising the Das’Vin, Human, Huzien, Ken’Tar, Tuzen, Uri and the Vempiir. This alliance is headed by three immortal Founders: Lanrete, Ecnics and Cislot, flanked by their elite combat-ready warriors. However, an old foe, an ancient Eshgren being called Sagren, is accidentally released from its prison and unleashes an army of horrid creatures on alliance citizens as war plunges the Twin Galaxies into chaos. Immortal Lanrete, and Soahc, a Cihphist magic wielder, find themselves struggling to protect their people in the midst of an apocalyptic war.

Foundra: The Rift War (Book 1) is a sci-fi opera by Emmanuel M. Arriaga. The world building is vast and remarkable. Adventure and romance intertwine in the plot, making the characters come alive with emotions. The relationship drama reminds me of Battlestar Galactica. When Ecnics offers an awkward 29-year-old engineer Neven Kenk an opportunity to enhance his skills under Lanrete’s command, not only must he face dangerous missions but he also has to find a way to fit in with Lanrete’s elite soldiers.

The futuristic tech in the story is fascinating, both far-fetched and feasible ones (I wish I have my own Vencom rinse chamber or VRC). The impressively detailed glossary of characters and the world building is useful. Several illustrations are also included as a visual aid for readers. Book 1 ends with an intriguing cliffhanger, which will make readers look forward to Book 2. Overall, Foundra is a solid debut from Arriaga.

Chris Fischer

Wow! Just wow! That's the first thing I thought when I finished the new book by debut author Emmanuel M. Arriaga, Foundra: The Rift War. In an absolutely epic read reminiscent of some of the greats, the story brings the reader to the center of an apocalyptic war. Immortals Lancrete, one of the originals who built the Huizen Empire, and a Cihphist magic wielder, Soahc, realize the need to defend the Empire for their very survival. Sagren, a worthy opponent, has been freed from prison after 500,000 years, and has released a veritable army of creatures on the opposing citizens. Heroes will be identified, villains will be born, and not all will survive in this fantastic new read!

Excellent. That's one word to describe this first book in the Foundra series. Author Emmanuel M. Arriaga has done an absolutely fabulous job in world building as well as creating characters that are interesting, exciting and that his readers will absolutely love. Foundra: The Rift War is full of action, thrills and adventure, and is an absolute thrill ride of a book. In fact, the best piece of advice I have for any reader, besides being sure to pick up this book, is to make time to read this book for a good long while. You simply will not want to put it down! Any reader who enjoys science fiction will love this book. I recommend Foundra: The Rift War, and am very much looking forward to reading the second installment of the Foundra series as soon as it is available!