Modern life in a developed country is pretty easy for Marcus Lyon, his wife Tara, and their three children, including a teenager. Their family has its challenges, but none of them include starving or violent death. When the long-promised apocalypse begins to manifest itself, they must scramble to get educated and prepare for the worst. Olivia Ryker's circumstance as a single mother with two children has been more difficult, and being caught in the affected zone of an EMP blast throws a wrench into her world much larger than her fix-it skills are accustomed to handling. She must now find a place where her small family can survive and thrive … if that is even possible. As societies across the globe stumble through cascading catastrophes, individuals and families must struggle mightily to maintain meaning and purpose. Many will rediscover that Christmas remains a balm of healing, even in the midst of telestial mass misery, a bright star guiding humanity toward a hopeful future.
