Catherine Lough Haggquist

The Montgomerys - parents Charles and Judith, and their three children, fifteen year old Alexander, fourteen year old Jennifer and adolescent Emily - are spending Christmas at a new, isolated, state-of-the-art mountain cabin built by Charles' development company in upstate New York. Outwardly Charles built it so that they can spend time there to reconnect as a family, but they all know that he really built it to support the business. They as a family have long not been happy, as workaholic Charles is always concerned the company is close to folding, especially if he doesn't keep an eye on matters, while Judith feels like he treats their entire family as second priority to the work and the associated money and material wealth. They make it to the cabin just before a major snowstorm hits the area. They receive a surprise knock on their door from the Tuckers - parents Joe and Amy, and their two children, fifteen year old Robbie and fourteen year old Lucie - who ran off the road in their van on their way to a day ski trip, they who need shelter until the storm blows over. Unlike the Montgomerys, the Tuckers are a loving, happy family, who support each other as a family unit. The Montgomerys and the Tuckers do bond during their confined time together, but the sheer presence of the Tuckers may not be enough in and of itself to demonstrate to the Montgomerys what they need to do to avert the break-up of their family.

When the sun converts to a magnetar for a short time, the planet Mercury is thrown out of orbit (along with a spaceship exploring it) and set on a collision course for Earth. Can a disgraced scientist manage to use his failed weapon system, Project 7, to save our planet?