The battle represents a desperate throw of the dice by Admiral Halsey that results in a confrontation where the US Navy is David to the Imperial Japanese Navy's Goliath. The American cruisers and destroyers are no match for the behemoth Japanese battlecruisers. But the Marine airfield on the island must be defended and this marginal fleet is all that's available to stem the tide.

From the deck of the light cruiser USS Atlanta, Kyle's great-grandfather tells what it was like to stand against the overwhelming storm of Japanese naval might, where the Americans are tossing 53-pound shells that bounce off ships that blast salvos of shells where each shell weighs close to 1,500 pounds. In the process, Kyle leans how to deal with a bully at school and overcome the struggles of adjusting to high school as a freshman.

Based on a true story, this is historical fiction that the writer strived to ensure was also historically accurate while also entertaining.