Jeremiah must navigate his way through a world populated by the survivors of a deadly epidemic that spared only those who had not yet reached puberty. Now those same survivors must find their way in a decadent civilization and attempt to create a new world order of hope.
Orphaned at 12 years old when the Big Death killed every adult over the age of puberty, Jeremiah has survived by his wits. Jeremiah has managed to keep his compassion and sense of humanity, in a world wrought with brutality. He is haunted by memories of his parents, who died in the Big Death, and of his younger brother, whose life he failed to protect.
Jeremiah, in his quest to find the Valhalla Sector, which he heard about from his father before the Big Death, is joined by the naive-but-colorful Kurdy.