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The Makana's Legacy
Awarded 5-stars by Readers' Favorite and Literary Titan.
"Readers who enjoy folkloric fiction will find this Micronesian-based story highly entertaining." - Kirkus Reviews
A compelling tale of family, faith, and ancient spirits, where a young boy gifted with the sacred light of the CHamoru makåna must fight to protect his soul from the darkness that hungers for it.
The CHamoru makåna were powerful healers from a time long forgotten. For centuries, their spirits waited for one destined to carry their sacred light.
When Mateo is born, he inherits the gifts of the makåna. But the light of his ancestors does not go unnoticed by dark, ancient forces.
As Mateo’s extraordinary abilities grow, so does the threat from sinister spirits intent on exploiting his gifts. Shadows stalk his every step, haunting him and tormenting those he holds dear.
In time, it becomes painfully clear that the path to Mateo's destiny will take him into a darkness beyond the veil of death. Can faith and the light of his ancestors sustain him, or will the forces that seek to consume his soul ultimately prevail?
"Readers who enjoy folkloric fiction will find this Micronesian-based story highly entertaining." - Kirkus Reviews
A compelling tale of family, faith, and ancient spirits, where a young boy gifted with the sacred light of the CHamoru makåna must fight to protect his soul from the darkness that hungers for it.
The CHamoru makåna were powerful healers from a time long forgotten. For centuries, their spirits waited for one destined to carry their sacred light.
When Mateo is born, he inherits the gifts of the makåna. But the light of his ancestors does not go unnoticed by dark, ancient forces.
As Mateo’s extraordinary abilities grow, so does the threat from sinister spirits intent on exploiting his gifts. Shadows stalk his every step, haunting him and tormenting those he holds dear.
In time, it becomes painfully clear that the path to Mateo's destiny will take him into a darkness beyond the veil of death. Can faith and the light of his ancestors sustain him, or will the forces that seek to consume his soul ultimately prevail?
384 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 3, 2025
5 people are currently reading
1145 people want to read
About the author
M.K. Aleja
3 books7 followersMK Aleja is of mixed ethnicity but it is his CHamoru heritage that he feels is underrepresented in mainstream media. Growing up on Guam, he knows all the legends and folklore and has even had his own experiences with the supernatural. He hopes that putting all of this into his stories will not only entertain readers, but might also pique readers' interest in the CHamoru culture. MK currently resides in Alaska with his wife and youngest son.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
June 15, 2025
This was a well done book. The story was engaging, the character development solid, the ending leaving just enough open ended to let your mind wonder “what’s next?”
The CHamoru used throughout was interesting. The Author kindly put a glossary at the end of the book but did not tell us this in the beginning. My humble recommendation would be to include dialogue translations in-line and vocabulary in the glossary.
My thanks to the author and publisher for the giveaway!
The CHamoru used throughout was interesting. The Author kindly put a glossary at the end of the book but did not tell us this in the beginning. My humble recommendation would be to include dialogue translations in-line and vocabulary in the glossary.
My thanks to the author and publisher for the giveaway!
May 25, 2025
Everything begins on the energetic plane. Our ancestors understood this, but much is lost in the modern age of reason. The Makana's Legacy is a cautionary tale of what happens when we lose our connection to ancestral wisdom....of how we lose our birthright when we can't even recognize our gifts. And of how we lose our ability to protect ourselves in the spiritual realm. The Spanish conquest of Guam brought religion, but severed the people's ties to the healing arts and reduced their spirit knowledge to superstitions, while subsequent wars further diminished the talent pool. What ensues is a wonderful story of a young boy/man's journey to reconnect to his gifts of the Makana. I love how M.K. Aleja illustrates how grief can further estrange us from our legacy, both personal and ancestral grief, but also how ancestral strength is passed down. A Native American healer once told me that you are either born with the gift or not, and then you have to choose to accept it or not. The Makana’s Legacy beautifully embodies that philosophy, showing the reader that the very acceptance of one’s gifts can be, in itself, a profound act of courage.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews