The world has forever changed. Nuclear war has destroyed all governments, left the land barren, and pushed man near extinction. One of the only foods man can eat is the cattleworm, a new species that drags its body along the earth like a snail, but the cattleworm are slowly disappearing. Eighteen-year-old Sean Anders realizes his village is running out of food. After he and three others are chosen to embark on a mission that could save the people of Nova from starvation, they travel across a barren land made even more dangerous by unpredictable weather, bandits, and a new species that has replaced man at the top of the food chain. As Sean learns what it takes to be a man in a world that belongs to the fittest, he soon discovers how far mankind's cruelty extends when there are no rules to follow or laws to govern. Now only time will tell if he can survive long enough to save his people or whether he will be just another victim of a harsh new world.