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An imminent threat. A city in the dark.

When a fellow hacker clues Midge Sinclair into an impending terror attack, every second matters. She must alert her sister, find her mother, and make it out of Chicago before a nuclear bomb tears the city apart. The only problem? She’s 30,000 feet in the air careening toward O’Hare in a powerless plane.

Could you drop everything to save yourself?

Danny Olsen spends his days learning to be a doctor and ignoring his father’s disapproval. When he flies back to college via a layover in Chicago, he never expects to meet a girl like Midge. She’s smart, quick on her feet, and the only person who can get him out of the airport alive.

Strangers on the run against impossible odds.

With an EMP destroying the grid in Chicago, Midge and Danny race the clock to escape the city before a nuclear bomb turns downtown to ash. They’ll have to learn to trust each other if they want to make it out alive.

The attack is only the beginning.

Take the Hit is book one in Nuclear Survival: Northern Exposure, a post-apocalyptic thriller series following ordinary people struggling to survive after a nuclear attack on the Unites States plunges the nation into chaos.

226 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 6, 2019

1080 people are currently reading
113 people want to read

About the author

Harley Tate

47 books159 followers
When the world as we know it falls apart, how far will you go to survive?

Harley Tate writes edge-of-your-seat post-apocalyptic fiction exploring what happens when ordinary people are faced with impossible choices.

Subscribe to Harley's newsletter for two exclusive prequels you can't get anywhere else: www.harleytate.com/subscribe

The end of life as we know it brings out the best and worst in all of us. The apocalypse is only the beginning.

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5 stars
493 (52%)
4 stars
285 (30%)
3 stars
142 (14%)
2 stars
24 (2%)
1 star
4 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
Profile Image for Michele Rene.
141 reviews66 followers
March 10, 2019
This book was really good. It scares me to think this could really happen. I can’t wait to read the second one. Thank you for another great book!
39 reviews2 followers
May 19, 2019
Another dystopian novel?

I read the first book in two and a half hours, roughly.....then it ended with a reference to the next book.....but these aren't novels....They're simply a few chapters written to get you to buy the next one and the next one and the next one.....and they're all very short and written as if the author were pitching the story to a bunch of grade school age kids....I refuse to read anymore of these 'books' that say on the cover "Book one " of the series.....it's a cheesy marketing ploy....I will go back and read Heinlein, Sturgon, Andre Norton, E. E. Doc Smith, Asimov....and I suggest the author read them and learn something about the correct way to write a novel.
Profile Image for Stevens  Rebekah .
67 reviews
March 7, 2019
Love it and cant wait for the second part

This is scary, it could happen , the book was brilliant and I,m looking forward to the second part .
543 reviews2 followers
January 31, 2020
Ok

Ok start. Not great ,but I'll go ahead and read book two. This would be a good book to read on a plane flight or waiting for as friend etc.
Profile Image for Pam Shelton-Anderson.
1,960 reviews65 followers
April 1, 2019
While this is the 1st book of the Northern Exposure series it is kind of the 4th book of the Southern Grit series in a way, since it is following the other hacker with whom Grant shared his information. It has a similar story line of need to get somewhere but also away from the possible nuclear bomb with not much difference. Midge is inherently a bit less likable than either Grant or Leah, as she is very mistrustful of others and takes a long time to share information such as Chicago might be hit by a nuclear detonation. I did understand her frustration at companions that wanted to help every single stranger they came across that was hurt. The actions of Owen to decide in the midst of post-EMP chaos and the need to get out of the city ASAP, to resume being a police officer and challenge a large crowd of looters was beyond crazy. I like Danny, though he needs to continue to focus on the goal at hand which is not to get incinerated or radiated.
427 reviews5 followers
February 25, 2024
Wasn’t bad, I will read the 2nd one. Two “regular” people survive a crash brought on by an EMP strike. They are surprisingly not military or preppers so that’s a big change. They actually have to survive by their wits and courage. Of course like all post apocalyptic stories they meet up with the 20 different gangs that have formed in the last 3 or 4 days and of course they are all killers out to rob and rape (yeesh) but if you can get past the many deadly encounters it keeps you reading to see if they make it to their destination. I like to see real people in real situations figure out how to navigate the new problems they are faced with. This is at least getting closer to that if you take out some of the evil gangs around every corner.
Profile Image for Matt Egan.
630 reviews5 followers
May 20, 2025
A good introduction to the series!

Take The Hit, book 1 in the Northern Exposure series, tells the story of Midge, A hacker, and Danny, A pre-med student, who end up surviving an EMP and a plane crash, only to find themselves trapped in Chicago with no means to escape possible nuclear annihilation. With a memorable cast of primary and secondary characters, tight dialogue, unexpected action and vivid description of the destruction and civil unrest, Take The Hit is a fun read and worth the ride. 4/5 stars! Recommended for Fans of Tate, fans of apocalyptic survival thrillers and anyone who enjoys fast paced and enjoyable thrillers!
3 reviews
April 12, 2021
More characters

I love apocalypse/post apocalypse books and movies and this for 5 stars bc I love when a writer takes characters from previous books and brings them to life, telling us their story bc I always wonder, "I wonder what happened to "so n so"... This author really knows how give those characters their own life n keep you interested not relating all the same things from the previous book set involving the same apocalypse bc the apocalypse is definitely different for everyone or rather, everyone has their own apocalypse.
This book is definitely worth your time!
Profile Image for Kate Rhoads.
Author 1 book3 followers
March 9, 2019
Read the whole thing, though it was a near miss a time or two. The characters kept doing things that were out of character (and some of them pretty stupid). Still, I kept reading. Not sure why. Maybe just to see if the bomb really was going to go off. I know the author has written many books, and a I have read a couple others but I was not impressed enough to finish any of his series. Sorry, Mr. Tate. You seem to have a lot of followers, so maybe it's just me.
630 reviews2 followers
April 11, 2019
Unusual

EMP strikes and nuclear bombs are the antagonist in this story and of course some nasty characters. I think Owen was a great character I’d like to see more of him hope he pulls through from his injuries. I just can’t wait to read the next story as these characters seem so real like people you might know.
1 review
April 12, 2019
Wee need a gun but not if it will help.

The author of the book goes on about needing a wepon and then leaves them all behind except for the one that was practly ussless and could have been upgraded at least 3 times just to advance the plot. This shows how bad the planning and story advancement
2 reviews
August 27, 2019
Living in Chicago makes this even more scarier but to go through something like that and I am so not the slightest bit PREPARED for this and when you are trying to get to your family it frightens you even more. Trying to get through a city of desperate and dangerous people with no real self defense I only hope that I am as brave as Midge.
295 reviews
December 24, 2019
Unique series

By having the characters in a book of their own but staying true to the storyline this author has created a signature work to be proud of! Respectfully suggest that you read the stories by starting with the southern group and then read the western group followed by the north group.
September 15, 2021
A brilliant book for a new series. As soon as I started reading this I knew it was going to be a full-on page-turner and that is what I got. There is so much happening and so many characters jumping in and then out some who die and others that I hope we'll see in the following books to come. I read this in record time for me so I'm hoping that the other two books are as good.
Profile Image for Velinda haywood.
78 reviews3 followers
March 11, 2019
Captivated reader

Howie and Midge first meet on a flight that was affected by a EMP blast and a panic passages that IS marshal curtail. So begins a fine read filled with violence and action.

65 reviews2 followers
March 12, 2019
Very good story

This is I think the 7th book by Harley Tate that I have read and well over 200 books in this genre. Harley is among my favorites. Very good reading, great characters and storyline
121 reviews1 follower
March 21, 2019
Take A Hit

Harley Tate has done it again with this book Take A Hit (Nuclear Survival:Northern Exposure Book 1). Such A good good book. The author captured your interest and keeps it.
Profile Image for Donna.
1,550 reviews37 followers
April 8, 2019
This is a good book.
I love the strong female and one who seemed not so strong but got that way soon enough.
What happens when a nuclear bomb is exploded in the air? What happens when one hits 25 different cities at once?
Love this book and now going to the next one.
Profile Image for Jamie McFarlane.
Author 64 books451 followers
April 21, 2019
Enjoyable quick read

Unlikely pair team up to escape Chicago in the middle of the beginning of an apocalypse. Nothing is easy and I enjoyed how characters were forced to grow in order to survive.
179 reviews3 followers
April 23, 2019
Hi neighbor!

The world as we know it, is scary enough. Most people don't know their neighbors. Most people keep to themselves. Either their lives are so busy, they have no time to socialize. It maybe they are afraid to take a chance of getting hurt.
Profile Image for Alisa.
475 reviews6 followers
April 23, 2019
Pretty good

While a slow starter the pace increases gradually as you go. I feel like there were several missed opportunities for more development of the story and the characters. Not at all typical for a Harley Tate book. Hopefully book 2 will capitalize on those opportunities.
19 reviews
June 5, 2019
A good read

Characters are believable. This was in interesting beginning to the way things could happen. Makes you want to think about what we have and what we should consider being ready for
336 reviews1 follower
October 24, 2019
Enjoyed the story

I liked her EMP series better than this one so far. There’s a lot more violence and a few attempted rapes which might not be suitable for the YA reader. I do like the characters and the storyline is intriguing. Looking forward to the next book.
Profile Image for Aaron Anderson.
1,299 reviews17 followers
January 9, 2020
Boy, Danny is a freakin' moron. Oodles of the way into the disaster he keeps trying to stop and help every person he meets. He tries to stop Midge from doing what had to be done every turn of the way. What a doofus he was.

It's like a male Polyanna trying to save everybody when the bombs fall.
109 reviews
March 18, 2020
Good story

The plot is ok and it helped to have read the Southern Grit series. I look forward to seeing how the sets of characters are united. It's a bit tedious to read the same situations again and again. Still, the author succeeds in making the reader think about "what if?"
Profile Image for John.
541 reviews18 followers
September 29, 2020
Well written...

But a little light on the plot. I enjoyed the characters, but didn’t understand why they made a few of the decisions that they made. I liked the book enough that I will definitely read the next one. Pretty good job on a plot that has been written to death.
201 reviews3 followers
May 24, 2021
Take The Hit - Well Worth Reading!

This is The First of Harley Tate's works I've read, but it won't be the last. Lots of action, interesting characters, and realistic situations makes a great read!
10 reviews
June 30, 2021
Good read captivating story, makes you want to what happens next and finish the series.

Post review on Amazon and goods reads, follow the series to find out if Midgge and Danny survive the nuclear attack and make it to Sutton Bay
21 reviews
Read
January 20, 2022
Well thought out

Has a great story line and a major tear jerker with Maxs death . You need only scratch the civilized man to find the animal. The more civilized they appear the closer the animal to the surface.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews

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