Revised Second Edition 2015 1917 - In a remote corner of northwest Iowa, young Harold is desperate to escape an abusive father and the dreary life already laid out for him. He yearns to escape, to travel and see places he can only read about, to be someone new and most especially a man who has earned the respect of his family and neighbors. The United States' entry into World War I gives Harold the chance to finally escape his father and live the adventure he's dreamt about for a lifetime. But all too soon, he finds himself powerless to control his destiny as he is swept away by the grinding, unforgiving machine of war. Day after painful day he struggles to survive the destruction, horror and death in the killing fields and trenches of shattered France. His only hopes of survival depend upon the love of the woman and the little brother he left behind and the promise that tomorrow will finally reward him with the life he has always longed for.