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Shadow Prey  By  cover art

Shadow Prey

By: John Sandford
Narrated by: Richard Ferrone
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Publisher's summary

In Shadow Prey, the crackling sequel to Rules of Prey, Twin Cities sleuth Lucas Davenport teams up with NYPD Lieutenant Lily Rothenberg to track down an elusive killer known only as Shadow Love. Among the victims are a Minneapolis slumlord, a judge from Oklahoma City, and a Manhattan politician. The murder weapon is a Native American ceremonial knife.

©1990 John Sandford (P)2012 Recorded Books

What listeners say about Shadow Prey

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    2,284
  • 4 Stars
    1,452
  • 3 Stars
    682
  • 2 Stars
    167
  • 1 Stars
    105
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    2,469
  • 4 Stars
    1,123
  • 3 Stars
    400
  • 2 Stars
    101
  • 1 Stars
    59
Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    1,977
  • 4 Stars
    1,222
  • 3 Stars
    636
  • 2 Stars
    185
  • 1 Stars
    110

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Distasteful language a distraction

I would have enjoyed the book without the over use of vulgar language. There’s just way too much when a little would have been more tolerable. I also cringed every time I heard Our Lord’s name used in such such deplorable ways; almost like the author was trying to upset the reader.

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Best of the Best

This is the finest book written by John Sandford. No putting this one down. His writing was supurb.
.

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Is there a point?

What disappointed you about Shadow Prey?

Lack of focused story line.

What could John Sandford have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

Better character development, improve flow of story line.

Would you listen to another book narrated by Richard Ferrone?

yes

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Is there a point here or is the author being paid by the word?

Any additional comments?

This book has an interesting story to tell, but that is the end of what's good about this book.The storyline wanders in and around without really developing characters and never seems to get to the point. Never ending meaningless dialogue and a disjointed storyline made this book tedious and no worth finishing.

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

ALWAYS GREAT

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes; the writing is wonderful, stories are intricate, plausible, and a little humor never hurts.

What other book might you compare Shadow Prey to and why?

All of the John Sanford books are great; I look forward to each new one as it comes out,. My favorite author, right along with Michael Connelly.

Which scene was your favorite?

None in particular. All are good.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, but I made myself savor it.

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Lucas Davenport Continues to Thrive

Would you consider the audio edition of Shadow Prey to be better than the print version?

One of the best in the Prey series. Subtle yet compelling and with a suspenseful plot. Richard Ferrone is a forceful and very listenable narrator.

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Fast paced, but could've used less harlequin romance.

Headline says is all. I thought it was overall decent story. Not the best Sanford.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Social Commentary or Thriller?

As I listened to this book I was struck by the moral ambiguity running through the main story line. The good guys did some pretty bad stuff and the bad guys had a theme of righteous vindication. In the meantime the thrills, and sometime chills, came frequently. This book has pace and action worked together very skillfully.

The characters are outlined clearly enough that you know what they're about and understand their actions and reactions. They are, however, without much depth. The narrator can be hard to get used to as you start the book but pretty quickly becomes the spirit and appropriate characterization for all the nuances contained in this story.

The author's final comments at the end of the story made it all clear (at least to me). This was his 2nd book and the 2nd in an intended series. As he wrote it he became torn between writing a thriller vs writing a social commentary. The commentary is based in large part on the victimization of native Americans over time in this country. A plight that is still quite relevant today. Once he finished the book he realized that he couldn't have it both ways, tore it apart, and rewrote it to be a thriller. From this listener's perspective the social commentary theme is still in the underlying tone of the story. Therefore my sense of moral ambiguity.

I'm thoroughly enjoying this series and would love to give this book 5 stars across the board. My 4 stars on the story are strictly based on the unresolved ambiguity...no neat bows were offered to wrap it all up. That's ok by me, I'm on to the next story in the series.

If you like cop/detective thrillers, then this series is for you!

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Terrible book

I don't expect a novel to be 100% authentic and/or related to reality.
But: A rich and handsome police officer that is also a computer game inverter, driving Porsche, great father, great lover, successful with women and in his job ? Common . . .

The endless talk about how he has several women at the same time and the women know and don't care is just too much. I mean there has to be something for a reader so he/she can connect to the protagonist (I'm not saying my life is different though. . . rofl . . .).

I find it also too obvious that the author used to be a reporter as he tries over and over to talk about the media (his field of expertise) and their connection to the police. This is just lame.

The same goes for the story. The Indian angle is old and just doesn't go anymore.
With some good characters and interesting conversations the book could have been saved. But not even this is the case here. No twist whatsoever, conversations that have nothing to do with the story and characters that just couldn't be.

I couldn't finish the book.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Another Winner

Good story and great narrator. I hope the author and the narrator keep this up!

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Zzzzzz

I've listened to a good number of John Sanford's books in the "Prey" series. This is apparently an early one, and had it been the first I'd listened to, it would certainly have been the last.

From the start, I kept waiting for something interesting to happen.
SPOILER ALERT: Nothing interesting does.

Right from the beginning, I found the story (and frankly, the narration) to be excessively slow. Ferrone reads the Indian voices at such a slow pace that I just wanted to shake him and get him to read like he wasn't drugged, or trying to make the characters sound stupid. HIs tempo is faster in the second part of the download, but by then, it's too late for redemption.

At the end of the audiobook is a disclaimer from the author, explaining that this book was an early work, and practically apologizing for the fact that it just doesn't work. In the printed version, this is a preface. It should have been left at the beginning, rather than shifted to the end, so that listeners would be forewarned that even the author realizes that the work bombs.

The story shifts between the action of Native Americans seeking retribution against an oppressive white majority that exploits and abuses their community, and a sexual affair between the hero (?) Lucas Davenport and a woman cop from NY, Lilly. The book would have been a lot tighter without any of the romantic detours and digressions. The long, rambling sections left me saying to myself "well, he sure could have left all of that out." It didn't add to the story, but rather detracted from the continuity of the book. The sudden and sometimes inexplicable change of mood between them at times made me wonder if I'd missed part of the book. An interchange between them on a practice firing range was bordering on torture, though I suppose it could be said to justify their shooting abilities later in the story. But it was just one example of some overly long and tedious diversions from the main plot.

And don't expect a nicely wrapped ending as your reward for sticking it out to the bitter end.

This book is best left in the shadows. If you've never read a "Prey" book, DON'T make this your first. If you have read and liked them, don't waste your time on this one.

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3 people found this helpful