A massive solar flare destroys power grids and communication networks all over the globe, triggering a world-wide power outage. The flare also upsets the balance of the earth's magnetic field, causing a shift in the location of magnetic north and magnetic south. This magnetic pole migration has been slowly occurring for eons, but the force of the flare accelerates it. Researchers have documented that this phenomenon has happened hundreds of times during the Earth's history, and they know that the last "flip" occurred 780,000 years ago (prior to the rise of the Neanderthal Man). Once the movement begins, scientists realize that if it continues, Earth's magnetic field may weaken dramatically and during this transition time large areas of the planet may become uninhabitable. When the solar flare occurs and power goes out, life in the U.S. descends rapidly into chaos.

People panic as their lights go off, banks are shut down, retail stores are closed, and gas stations run out of fuel. Basic healthcare also becomes a rare commodity. However, in a rural village in Africa that has never had running water and electricity, this event is barely felt. The book documents the story of a family that is trying to re-unite after this event and follows the travails of the characters as they navigate through a changed world in which communication with one another is impossible and all the normal modes of transportation are completely disrupted. Life becomes a matter of day-to-day survival. They do not know if others in the family are dead or alive. They only know of their own circumstances. It is about resilience and adaptability, and while fictional, it is based on scientific facts and intended to entice readers to think about what their values are and what is truly important in life.