18-year-old Scott Breckinridge just wants to be left alone to play combat games on his computer and rack up kills. His plans are drastically altered, however, when his great-grandfather Walter has to move in due to failing health. Appalled by Scott's gruesome video games, Walter voices his extreme displeasure:
"WAR ISN'T A GAME..."
He should know... he witnessed the horrors of battle firsthand as a young paratrooper during World War II. Scott only dismisses the bothersome old man, until he finds a long-forgotten Nazi relic hidden away in a box of his war memorabilia. Tinkering with it, Scott is horrified to find himself suddenly transported to 1944 France... right at the beginning of D-Day! There he learns the true nature of war by not only having to fight to survive, but by having to try and help win the war after accidentally giving the Germans the keys to victory–and the world.
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"From its cinematic opening in World War II to the intimate scenes between our characters in the present day, this manuscript has a clear idea of its themes and goals, and tells a complicated and thrilling story anchored by a fantastic sci-fi premise. The writer's gift for creating vivid action scenes and complex characters helps elevate this alternate history story above others of the same ilk. The best thing this manuscript does however, even beyond its well-executed twists and turns, is providing intelligent meditations on generational differences and the way that we communicate with those we love."
--The Tracking Board.