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.