One of the major themes of RIFTs, according to its author, Siembieda, is human augmentation.  Humanity's quest for self-perfection, or at least something very near to it, remains a chief ambition centuries after the cataclysm.  However, as one might expect, once a man is so altered he can no longer be called human.  The Borg is a powerhouse hybrid of man and machine, but along with the weakness of the flesh, he also loses the intimacy of contact, emotional as well as physical.  In becoming superhuman, the Juicer burns his life out within a few short years of attaining the heights of physical glory.  The Psychic legacy, born of mutated ancestors during coming of the rifts, is a new breed of men and women, most of whom would readily discard humankind as their lessers, while at the same time they themselves are subjected to distrust and prejudice, labeled freaks of nature.

     Another vital theme is man's attempts at mastery over the unknown, or at least his fear of it.  His relationship with magic is both exciting and treacherous, the rewards from playing with supernatural forces seemingly outweighing the dangers.  There are those Magi who cut straight to the chase and form unnatural bonds with the alien powers, in exchange for a lifetime of ill-begotten power, however short that lifetime might turn out to be.  Still others face more immediate consequences by exploring the dimensional portals that spring up as a result of the wild streams of paranormal energy criss-crossing the Earth, and from which something must always emerge, for good or evil.  Mostly evil.

     Your character will be living in a shattered world, one that is wondrous and terrible at the same time.  There is much in it that remains to be explored, and humans and dimensional beings alike have not made a solid place within it.  It is the most tenuous of frontiers, a frontier more dangerous than any history had imagined before.  Things unimagined enter your magic-rich world through the rifts, and the inhabitants of this changed earth create technological marvels beyond the scope of our real lives.  Embrace it or fight it, either way you will live in interesting times.

     Tolkeen, a bastion of sanctuary for those outlawed by the Coalition States, stands near the brink of extinction.  The Coalition forces, repelled once, would still seem easily able to destroy the smaller, more tolerant city-state.  If not them, then one of the hordes of supernatural evil, bent on Earth's conquest.  If not those, then surely the corruption and dissension of multi-cultured society will do the job from within.  The citizens of that land need your help, for perhaps you can sway the balance in favor of Tolkeen;  or perhaps you will use the dire circumstances for purposes less noble, and reap personal reward.  Because, most of all, Rise From Chaos is about the choices you'll make in the struggle for survival.

     This survival often comes of hard decisions, a choice between two evils.  It encompasses the defense of Tolkeen from malignant D-Bees, Coalition spies and warriors, and yes, from each other.  The conflict might require the cost of your life, for the sacrifice could mean the survival of all Tolkeen, and should you prevail, you may earn yourself a place in the great histories of our world.

     Rise From Chaos is about the rise from the chaos of a broken world, the chaos of our souls, and the journey to redemption.  It is a chance to wonder, a chance to pass on what is learned, to find hope, and most of all, it is a chance to dream. . .