Diving into the middle—or the end—of an ongoing series can be daunting. However, a well-paced and thoughtful narrative can make even the newest reader feel welcome, no matter where in the story they jump in. Emmanuel M. Arriaga’s FIRST ELITE is the final installment in his Foundra series: a trilogy that tells the story of immortal beings overseeing a variety of races in a universe teeming with near-magic psychic powers. At the forefront of this particular volume is Neven Kenk, who is grieving the loss of his wife, killed at the hands of the warrior Entradis. What starts as a mission to avenge his wife’s death soon becomes far more than that.
With his wife passed on, Neven finds himself in an awkward love triangle. On the one hand, there’s Tashanira: an Uri (cat-person) who is in a committed relationship, but who sleeps with Neven when the two believe themselves to be near death. On the other is Ellipse, Neven’s AI assistant who has developed an increasingly realistic body in hopes of pursuing a romantic relationship with him. This unfolding story alternates with another taking place tens of thousands of years ago: that of Uriel, the adopted son of the immortal Lanrete. While Lanrete and a few other immortal characters appear to be the only link between the two stories at first, the final few chapters bring the two narratives crashing dangerously together.
The Foundra series has been praised for its worldbuilding in the past, and rightly so. Arriaga’s universe is teeming with history, worlds, and unique lifeforms. While there is a glossary at the back for everything from character names and important locations to common phrases and slang, the actual reading process can become daunting. The meanings of many terms and phrases are self-evident through usage or similar sound; the reader will not need the word “vusg” explained to them in context, for example. But the sheer influx of information, while impressive from a creative standpoint, can be overwhelming and occasionally take the reader out of the flow of the story.
Content-wise, there is a fair amount of open-door romance. The sex scenes are not long, but they are regular and graphic, with characters becoming intimate within view of each other. While the conflict of Neven choosing between Tashanira and Ellipse after the loss of his wife and unborn child makes for great drama, there is something a bit odd about the constant turned-on-ness of characters—usually, but not solely, around Neven. Whether this is a point for or against the book, however, is up to the taste and discretion of the individual reader.
FIRST ELITE is huge and sprawling, and the sheer amount of worldbuilding is equal parts impressive and daunting. However, it’s the human (and humanoid) relationships and drama within this universe that make the story shine.
The capstone of Emmaunel M. Arriaga’s Foundra trilogy is vast, detailed, and ambitious. While it does occasionally sprawl a bit too wide to maintain perfect focus, the core of FIRST ELITE is a solid, compelling, and human story.
~Kara Dennison for IndieReader