Foundra


Fiction - Science Fiction
498 Pages
Reviewed on 10/14/2020
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 now works for Google in the heart of Silicon Valley.

For almost a decade, Emmanuel has sought to share his vivid imagination with the world, learning the art of story crafting and eventually becoming an award-winning author. With a love for travel, gadgets and volunteering, Emmanuel is enjoying life and helping others.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Rabia Tanveer for Readers' Favorite

Foundra by Emmanuel M Arriaga is the story of a man who literally has the weight of the world on his shoulders and with no way for him to get away from his responsibilities. Neven never knew that life could be this complicated. He always had a peaceful existence, so he was baffled when his life turned upside down when he met Lenrete. Immortal and more powerful than he could ever imagine, Lenrete was the catalyst that started a chain of events making him who he is. So he became a Secnic and learned that he was actually quite skilled at killing people. The more he delves deeper into Lenrete’s life, the more he discovers that there are horrifying beings and immortals and some of them are hell-bent on destroying the galaxy. Sure, he is rather good at killing, but will it be enough to keep him alive and save the galaxy? He has to dig deep inside himself to find the courage, the potential and the determination to help everyone survive.

Science fiction is not my usual cup of tea, but when it is this good, I cannot resist it. Full of action and plenty of drama, this novel had me on the edge of my seat and holding my breath. I was invested from the get-go; I wanted to learn more about this galaxy, the people and the way of life. The author provided a healthy amount of background information on some of the most important extra-dimensional beings because, without them, things would have been a little too confusing. Neven is the perfect protagonist for this story; he is sharp, intelligent and willing to work hard, even though he wasn’t so keen on the idea of becoming a Secnic. He adapted quickly and with that, he turned out to be the best of all the characters. The pace was fast, the flow was great and the maps and diagrams of the galaxy helped me put things in perspective. This is an excellent start to a series that will be very enjoyable for avid readers of science fiction and mystery.

K.C. Finn

Foundra is a work of science fiction for mature audiences and was penned by author Emmanuel M Arriaga. With some explicit sexual and violent scenes, this sweeping space opera takes us to a whole new galaxy and a world where magic is a science that has finally been explained and properly understood. We meet Neven and Lanrete and find the peculiarities of their relationship, and how Neven is forced into the world of Secnics and goes on to defend the entire galaxy. Along the way, we see more and more of the new world and its many cultures and creations, expanding even as it faces annihilation.

Science fiction and space opera fans looking for a deep story with lots of twists, new characters and plenty of ethereal world-building will be very pleased indeed with the work of author Emmanuel M Arriaga. Combining the atmospheric world view elements of a whole new society and many different beings and cultures isn’t easy, but the narrative paces itself nicely between the exposition of the galaxy and its magical lore and then returns to the interpersonal drama of the characters to present new scenes and episodes from their relationships with one another. It is a lengthy read, but certainly full of new information and atmosphere, and one which presents many opportunities for continuation in the same vein. The narrative structure and formatting help with the clarity, and overall I’d say that Foundra is a complex but completely worthwhile read, recommended for science fiction fans seeking more depth and expansion in their dramas.

Deepak Menon

Foundra by Emmanuel M Arriaga is set in the Twin Galaxy of Oaphen Asracka (Havin Plane). This memorable epic story of fantasy science fiction, set in a faraway galaxy, spans the universe and beyond in its vast canvas. As one of the epitomes of evil in the book named Sahgren says, 'There is much about the universe we don't understand'. Later, as the story develops, the Chief Protagonist named Soahc, an immortal from the Huzien world of Ginea, later explains that an Enesmic Plane from which flows Enesmic energy, a new elemental force similar to gravity, exists parallel to the one we inhabit. A mining team in an asteroid in the furthest edge of the known universe uncovers an artifact that contains an invincible being from the Enesmic Plane. Seeking to break open the artifact, the mining team unknowingly releases Sahgren, who absorbs energy from everything that has energy, both organic and inorganic, reducing the mining camp to a desolate wasteland. Using his immense Cihphist powers, he opens a portal into the Enesmic Plane, letting Enesmic energy flow into his body, making him more powerful than any being in the universe. And then begins his horrifying campaign to conquer the universe as we know it, by decimating every living species in the myriad worlds constituting the human universe. Its armies are ruthless and thorough; no prisoners taken, no mercy shown.

The cover is attractive and indicative of its content. The development of the story is outstanding, with myriad scenarios fluidly merging into each other. The protagonists are powerful and memorable. This is a tale of continuous action and adventure, not even attempting to provide an escape from death of many amazing protagonists who appear from time to time, often appearing to be pivotal to the story, yet are decimated by an enemy that defies comprehension. There are galaxy-spanning space battles involving thousands of warring space battle craft, leaving the reader literally biting their nails as the balance of power shifts from space to land and beyond into the Enesmic Plane itself.

Aside from amazing protagonists like Brime, who flickers in many separate episodes, some who are most memorable are the main protagonists, the immortal Soahc, Neven, Cislot, Ecnics, the immortal Lanrete, Unas’Hrev, and very many more like Augrashumen the Valorous of the Enesmic plane, each original and endowed with unique traits and skills from many species existing in our limitless universe. This is a book with many stories, embued with basic human emotions like courage, sacrifice, love as well as evil and hate. This review will never be able to paint a picture of this huge tale of epic proportions, so this book is highly recommended to read and savor for as long as it takes.

Christian Sia

Foundra by Emmanuel M Arriaga is a novel that is atmospheric, a great blend of science fiction and fantasy, with characters that include humans and beings from another plane. Neven Kenk is considered a brilliant engineer, a genius. But his ordinary life is about to be disrupted in more ways than he can ever imagine when he encounters the immortal Lanrete. With a powerful threat looming over the galaxy, he has to learn to fight, a skill that comes naturally to him. But what does it take to face the beings from another dimension that threaten their world?

Emmanuel M Arriaga invents a unique world and creates a unique language to describe that world, with unusual forms of communication between beings that aren’t human. The neologisms are interesting, like the Secnic, the Eshgren of old called Sagren, and many others. Readers are transported to a different world. The beauty of the language and the author’s gift for storytelling make this world sound real. The characters are elaborately developed and I enjoyed the richness in characters like Neven Kenk, Lanrete, Zun Shan, Founder Ecnics, and the roles they play in the story. It takes a lot of skill to write a novel with the setting in an imaginary world and the author doesn’t just do it well but ensures that readers can easily visualize that world. Deftly plotted and written in great prose, Foundra is fast-paced and filled with action.

Anne-Marie Reynolds

Foundra by Emmanuel M Arriaga introduces us to Neven. His life was far from perfect and then he met Lanrete, an immortal. Now, in a leap from his uneventful life, Neven finds himself drawn into a battle. Extra-dimensional beings are trying to destroy the galaxy and Neven can’t let that happen. Joining the Secnic, he is taught how to kill and, surprising himself, he realizes just how good at it he is. But is being good at it enough? Not only does he have to stay alive, but he also has to save the galaxy from certain destruction; no mean feat for anyone, let alone a man who came from nothing.

Emmanuel M Arriaga invites you into a rich galaxy with Foundra, a world full of action and a good storyline. First, a warning; there is violence in this story and some of it is quite graphically described, along with a few graphic sexual situations. Onto the story; the characters are incredibly well-developed, with a lot of back story and plenty of depth to them. Although this is a story set in another galaxy, these are characters you can relate to and you do come to like them. There is plenty of detail, perhaps a little too much at times – it is easy to get lost in descriptions of characters and cultures and lose sight of the actual story. That said, it was a good read, with a steady plot that increased in tempo. I would highly recommend this for science fiction fans or even those who just want something a little different to get involved in.