Transcendent

Genius twins Kira and Jacob live in the sweltering heat and vibrancy of Mbale, Uganda. Their natural intelligence and strong sense of morality lead to them being recruited by a clandestine program known only as Transcendent.

This secret project aims to gather the most brilliant young minds in the world to lead an environmental mission in outer space. To prove they are up for the challenge, the twins must undertake three nail-biting trials against other genius candidates. Will they be selected for this most vital of missions? Is there more to this project than meets the eye? 

Patrick Gallagher’s debut novel crackles with energy, snappy humour and riveting action scenes. His experience as a teacher has clearly helped to make this an incredibly engaging read for upper Key Stage 2 – with motifs including advanced technology, gadgets, hacking and, of course, a strong focus on the environment.

He paints a rich image of life in Uganda, his mother’s homeland, and interweaves aspects of his own experiences of dual heritage throughout the book in a meaningful but subtle way.

Fans of the Alex Rider series will love this adventure story and the addition of a female protagonist increases the demographic scope of its appeal.