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Flat Out  By  cover art

Flat Out

By: Tao Wong,K. T. Hanna
Narrated by: Andrea Parsneau,Les Horovitz
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Publisher's Summary

Parenting in the apocalypse is the worst.

Two weeks into the System Apocalypse, and the transformations are just beginning. Mutated insects, carnivorous toads, and angry drop bears were not on the school curriculum, but when the apocalypse hits, you roll with it. Parenting a teenager has prepared Kira for the worst; she just didn’t expect that to include the end of the world.

A menacing conglomerate of alien hunters is breathing down their necks, and new threats lurk just over the hills. Kira and the rest of the Australian survivors of Brisbane must level up, bolster defenses, and prepare for an incoming invasion none of them foresaw.

In-between all that, she'll need to keep her family intact and functioning. All in a day's work for a single mom, really.

Flat Out is the second book in The System Apocalypse: Australia series. Set in the same universe as Tao Wong's the System Apocalypse, it's focusing on the changes in the deadliest of continents: Australia. Fans of the original series, LitRPG, fantasy, science-fiction, and post-apocalyptic novels will want to take a look.

©2022 Starlit Publishing (P)2023 Starlit Publishing

What listeners say about Flat Out

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Outstanding, as always!

I can’t even begin to explain how excited I was for this book! And KT never lets me down!! The characters are so well thought out, melding together like people actually would when in these situations. Without spoiling too much, I will say - the writing is top tier, as it always is! I find myself panicking, laughing, crying and cheering right along the characters!! 10/10 I will def be listening/reading again. Many times!!

4 people found this helpful

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Main character is SO whiney

Love Andrea as a narrator. Unfortunately she can't save this book. Also, the addition of the male narrator at random times really breaks the flow of listening. Would have been better to just have Andrea doing all the voices.

This is yet another "mysterious system make world into RPG". The first one was kind of interesting but this one is fairly flat.

The worst part is every other minute the main character is just whining about her kids. My kids this, my kids that. She's a 1 dimensional cutout. I'd really rather have seen different character perspectives through out the story.

3 people found this helpful

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such a whiner

listened to the first book. It was okay. But this one I can't finish. The MC's development seems to be going in reverse. The reactions to everything is just off. Not an enjoyable listen.

3 people found this helpful

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disappointing

I really enjoyed the life in the north books but this spinoff is decidedly weaker. I can not stretch my belief to accept that these weak pacifists tree hugging hippies would survive a day. Why don't they buy guns? They should be buying every gun in the shop. Why are they agonizing over killing these mutated monsters? They should be taking a flame thrower to these wild life preserves.

2 people found this helpful

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Not enough story too much other stuff

I like the "System Apocalypse" series. And I really like seeing related side series as well.

The first book in the "Australia" spinoff was pretty good. The problem with this second installment is that most of the story is in the MCs head. She's either stuck in introspection, whining about an issue or feeling bad about the situation; all the while, there is little actual story development.

The book is not really that fun. Doesn't provide a payoff for the listener/reader. And, kind of ends in a weird cliff hanger.

Frustrating.


2 people found this helpful

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Eh…

I love Andrea, she should be doing all the voices, the guy sounds insane. The story isn’t bad but the main character needs a kick in the head, she’s beyond unlikeable. You want a fantastic LITrpg listen, get The Wandering Inn by Pirateaba.

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No need for otherworldly dangers.

I I just love how all the awful creatures in this book don’t come from some far out made up of the worldly place but are mutations of creatures from Australia and earth.

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All Apocalypse No Awsome

Without problems, the plot would be bland, but this is just a listing of apocalypse problems. MC got some simi cool gadgets, but nothing mind-blowing.

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  • Kindle Customer
  • 11-09-22

Always bloody tired

Really enjoyed the first book, this was a bit of a let down. Very little progression, in either overall story arc or character. I rarely won't finish a book, but came close with this one just down to repetitiveness, fight, complain of being tired, fight then complain some more, but never actually do anything about it. You literally have a system shop to buy information but the author is looking for reasons not to use it. Just not believable.

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  • Mr. T. Ankin
  • 10-20-22

Bring back Heath Miller

Andrea was fab but the male narrator wasn’t of the same quality and so it felt disjointed. Bring back Heath Miller or Nick Podehl.

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  • Mansoor
  • 08-26-22

Okishhh story

Story is okish nothing major happening with the main classes seemed like just grinding levels and not many at that… hopefully the series does not turn into a dud

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  • KJ
  • 01-25-23

Great story, narrator choice a bit jarring.

Loving where the story is going, if anything i feel the story in book 2 is better now that the world and systems are all explained and set out. As a Aussie i've been enjoying having the novels set here. Andreas narrating is as fantastic as it was in book 1, i have really enjoyed the range of emotion she brings to her characters, and her vast range of voice styles. But the change in the male cast narration was extremely jarring for me, and its not something i've gotten used to as i continued on with the book. With Heath narrating i could tell the majority of the cast apart, but with Les i frankly have no idea who is talking without it being stated, and the voices often just don't match the characters age and personality which has ruined immersion for me.

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  • Greymatter314
  • 11-09-22

Fantastic sequel

Loving being set in Australia, also the male voice has massively improved (doesn’t sound like a bloke gargling marbles). Ms Parsneanu is far above my favourite narrator, she makes book's characters sing with emotion and charisma.
Just about to kick off book 3, highly recommended this series and world building of Mr Wong and Ms Hanna.

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  • Clinton Owen
  • 10-20-22

Very enjoyable!

This was a great addition to the series, the story was brilliant and Andrea was amazing as per usual. My only issue (and it was only an issue in so far as it kept taking me out of the story) was the narrator they replaced Heath with. Please don't get me wrong, I understand that often narrators are sometimes just not available due to being booked out and so you have to find someone else, have no issue with that.

My issue is that at least to me, all but one of the characters he voices sound exactly the same, to the point where if the writing itself didn't say who was talking I honestly wouldn't have known.

By and large though this book was a pleasure to listen too, especially as an Australian, I can't wait for book 3!

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  • Shannon
  • 08-25-22

No Heath Miller

so book 1 when it was first released didn't have Heath Miller co-narrating. I believe it was Les, and was frought with problems in his audio. he sounded like he was narrating with a mouth full of cotton in front of a fan. his recordings were redone by Heath.

This time around, the audio is clear, as it's his voice, but his ability to differentiate voices and sound like he's invested in his characters it's very subpar.

I recommend the novel, not the audiobook. Bring back Heath Miller - the voice behind He Who Fights With Monsters