A population explosion is taking place. While scientists argue the effects, Joe Jensen a Dakota farmer; Margo Johnson, a lumber baron's daughter; Po Ting, a Chinese student; Dobie Baxter, an adopted African orphan; Van Tran, a Eurasian; Felix Maximo, a Mexican immigrant and Ying Wu, a Chinese pirate experience the effects.The beginning of a world wide famine; the destruction of the worlds remaining rain forests; disease, malnutrition and ethnic warfare decimate millions.Driven by corporate greed a huge agricultural conglomerate tries to corner the worlds supply of food. A logging conglomerate without conscience decimates old growth forest across the world. The agriculture company and the logging company conspire to supply adulterate food to innocent peoples.The famine begins in North Korea and encompasses China. The totalitarian governments of those two countries unable to cope with the resulting anarchy, begin to disintegrate. Ancient colonization policies cause tribal wars which dislocate millions of Africans causing disease and starvation and continuing warfare.Can the novel's heros reverse the chaotic trend until permanent solutions are developed?