Chase Bartholomew Hastings—an inquisitive 10-year old with a love of physics—lives in a time after what is known as “The War.” Growing up without the modern electronic comforts his mother speaks of fondly from her own childhood, Chase and his two best friends must create their own fun—usually by exploring the limits of their town while being careful not to go beyond the safe zone. When Chase and his friends find a hungry and frightened family hiding in the woods nearby, they decide to take action even if no one else will. After a tornado cuts a swath through their community, things begin to change as people realize that they cannot survive without pulling together. Chase Bartholomew Hastings is a positive, uplifting antidote to the current trend in post-apocalyptic literature.