"July, 1945 The end of World War II is finally in sight. The Nazis have been defeated in Europe, and Albie hopes that means he and his brother, Joe, can get back to normal life. Or as normal as life can be following the death of their parents. But the war against Imperial Japan still rages, and when Joe's given a new assignment on the USS Indianapolis, Albie refuses to be left behind. Even if that means sneaking aboard and heading out to sea with the crew. The voyage is cramped and hot, and Joe's furious when he discovers Albie. But then torpedoes slam through the hull, and suddenly the brothers have much bigger problems : The Indianapolis is sinking. As the chaos and horror unfold, Joe and Albie manage to get off the ship before it goes under. Then the real nightmare begins. There's not enough food or water or supplies, and the days are long with the sun beating down on them, and the nights are longer, with no escape from the cold. All Albie, Joe, and the others can do is float--and hope that help gets to them before the Japanese navy returns to finish them off. But another enemy is coming, drawn by the blood in the water: sharks. And with their arrival, every moment becomes a relentless battle to survive."--