Upper-middle grade adventure novel pioneers the fusion of STEM and literacy with storytelling in an exciting series debut
The Californer/10273932

LOS ANGELES - Californer -- When eighth-grader Mikaela Kadono moves to a new town into a spooky fixer-upper house, she's bummed about leaving old friends and being the new kid at school. But things take a quick turn when she joins an after school aviation club called Drone Legends. On their first mission she and her new friends are saved from a near tragic accident by a mysterious, futuristic AI drone. Then she finds an old hidden journal in her attic with a cryptic message, opening up a mystery and a mission for the girl and her new friends. Their perilous adventure takes them from the high seas to a secret labyrinth of tunnels. As they solve the clues it seems that this century old message was left specifically for them. But how could that be?  The future of humanity hangs in the balance as the Legends follow the trail and battle an unknown foe who always seems to be one step ahead. With his new middle-grade portal fiction novel, The Rise of The Legends, author Jake Zortman brings a thrilling sci-fi story that straddles the past, present, and future.

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Reviews

"…it explores themes of self-identity, teamwork, and social responsibility. An engaging, action packed adventure for technophiles and aspiring detectives." — Kirkus Reviews

"This is a horizon-expanding story that's filled with action. It winds advanced vocabulary and STEM concepts into its imagination-sparking prose…" - Paula Willey, Foreward Reviews

"Jake Zortman has proven he is a master of this genre! Get ready to embark on an epic adventure with this expertly crafted plot and well-developed characters that captivate you from beginning to end." – Midwest Book Review

Jake Zortman is an author, cinematographer, producer, and director who owns a production company in Los Angeles, California. He's also the CEO of Good Harbor Entertainment. The Rise of The Legends is his debut release, scheduled for March 19, 2024 and will be available wherever books are sold.