Dirt Bikes, Drones, and Other Ways to Fly

Seventeen-year-old Arlo Santiago lives for the “Drone Zone”—that free, joyful, anti-gravity feeling. He achieves the Zone with risky motorcycle stunts on New Mexico roads, or while playing his favorite video game, Drone Pilot. His gaming skills are so off-the-charts, he’s recruited by the U.S. Air Force to remotely operate real-life drones in Pakistan. How can he refuse the paycheck when his little sister’s health is at stake? This pull-no-punches novel soars, with poetic style, focus on friends and family, philosophical life-and-death musings, and vividly drawn setting of a land “at the intersection of mesa dust and tractor rust.”

But when the video game missions become real-life military operations, where does the game end and the war begin?

• Video Gamer Recruited by Military: Arlo Santiago is the number one ranked player in the combat game Drone Pilot. Now the Air Force wants him to fly the real thing, targeting enemies in Pakistan from a screen in New Mexico.
• High-Stakes Moral Dilemma: What starts as a paycheck to help his sick sister quickly becomes a series of life-and-death choices where the line between right and wrong is blurred by distance.
• Complex Family Drama: In the shadow of his mother’s recent death, Arlo must navigate his relationship with his struggling single father and his fierce loyalty to his sister, Siouxsie.
• Action-Packed Teen Adventure: Filled with daredevil motorcycle stunts, fast-paced action, and the vividly drawn landscape of the New Mexico high desert.

* "Readers will worry, laugh and ultimately soar along with Arlo as he finds his way. Nuanced supporting characters and a vivid New Mexico landscape ground Arlo’s dilemma, creating a superbly well-balanced narrative."
—Kirkus, starred review

"A moving story about loss, love, and learning to let go."
—School Library Journal

"Wesselhoeft's mesmerizing descriptions of Conrad's New Mexico home...and giddy exhiliration when he's riding his Yamaha bike...will keep readers in the thrill of the moment."
—Publishers Weekly

"Features both a supporting cast lit up with larger-than-life characters and a protagonist who loves flying recklessly close to the edge but makes right choices in the clutch."
—Booklist