Rowan is a broke loser who can't pay rent—until a massive sand table arrives at his door. Inside it: a living, breathing ancient kingdom where he was once a beloved general, poisoned and betrayed. Now Queen Elara is fighting for survival against rebels and foreign invaders. Rowan discovers he can interact with the sand table—instant noodles fall from the sky to end famine, a leaf blower becomes divine wind, a toy tank crushes enemy armies. But when his landlord Vanessa and her brother Evan stumble onto the secret, Evan falls into the sand table and arms the rebels with Italian cannons and rifles. Ancient kingdom meets modern chaos. Rowan finally wins the war—and the queen's heart—only to be hooked out of the table by a giant fishing line. Who's really pulling the strings in this sand table game?