Extreme Prey

By: John Sandford

Narrated by: Richard Ferrone

Length: 11 hrs and 19 mins

Publisher's Summary

The extraordinary new Lucas Davenport thriller from number-one New York Times best-selling author and Pulitzer Prize winner John Sandford.

After the events in Gathering Prey, Lucas Davenport finds himself in a very unusual situation - no longer employed by the Minnesota BCA. His friend, the governor, is just cranking up a presidential campaign, though, and he invites Lucas to come along as part of his campaign staff. "Should be fun!" he says, and it kind of is - until they find they have a shadow: an armed man intent on killing the governor...and anyone who gets in the way.

©2016 John Sandford (P)2016 Penguin Audio

Boring

What disappointed you about Extreme Prey?

I've listened to many of this series but this story was just plain boring. Should have returned it.

What was most disappointing about John Sandford’s story?

What's important about most novels is that you find the characters interesting--this didn't happen for me in this story. There also wasn't any tension or excitement--just tedious.

What does Richard Ferrone bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

He always does a great performance job with this series.

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

No.

Any additional comments?

Listening to Mind Prey and it's so much better.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Not Up To Sandford Style

I was disappointed in this book. I have read or listened to every other Prey book but found this one tedious and very, very slow going. I stayed with it because I just knew it would get better. But, alas, it didn't get much better. The whole premise that he was there to help out the governor who wanted to show support by walking the Iowa Fair. There was a group of activists who it was rumored were going to shoot her. Lucas was hired to find the people and stop the effort. The entire book was spent pretty much in his Mercedes SUV driving the roads between Iowa City and small towns in the area where he looked for these people, interviewed many, then was too dumb to figure out who they were until the last chapter. It was just not what I expect of John Sandford. Perhaps Lucas should go back to work for the BCA where he had some excitement with his helpers, Flowers and Del. Too bad that this would happen but after 26 episodes I guess we had to know we were living on borrowed time.

I didn't think the narrator was as good as in the past.

6 of 7 people found this review helpful

I'll ask for credit back on this audio

Weak story line, no thrills, extremely disappointed. Read all his books, I'm a fan that was expecting better.

5 of 6 people found this review helpful

Not up to Sandford's standard

What did you like best about Extreme Prey? What did you like least?

I have read and listened to Sandford's books over and over. Usually cannot wait for a new one to come out. What a disappointment this book was. The villains were boring as was the entire story. I finally just gave up on it and moved on to something else.... C'mon John - you can do better than this.

What do you think your next listen will be?

Alread started Orphan X

What did you like about the performance? What did you dislike?

Frerone was Frerone -- but he just dindn't have much to work with here.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

Nope

Any additional comments?

Enough said -- As a long time John Sandford fan (all his books) -- I am disappointed that he put his name on this book.

4 of 5 people found this review helpful

One of the worst books I've read

I listened to this book because it seemed to be a popular new release. I have listened to many audiobooks and I have to honestly say that this was the worst one I have ever heard. I have never written a negative review about a book… But this book had little to no suspense at all. You find out all the details and facts about what is going to happen and the main character involved trying to find out those facts has very little vested interest in the outcome himself while investigating the case. You learn very little about the main character and what you do learn is generic and uninteresting. The person he's trying to save from a potential assassination attempt is a generic political figure who you learn zero about. I mean zero. It's unclear why the characters do what they do despite vague references to losing farmland due to a poor economy. Honestly, I'm shocked that this book garnered any attention at all. I've read better books off the bargain bin at the Dollar Tree. I would like to warn people that this book was uninspired, poorly written, full of random loose ends and it all lead to the most disappointing endings I've ever come across. Does it sound harsh? Yes. Is it warranted, yes. This is my very first negative review, but it was completely earned by the writer, not narrator.

4 of 5 people found this review helpful

One of his weak one

What did you like best about Extreme Prey? What did you like least?

The narration was great but the bad guys seems too soft for Lucas, kept thinking he would have solved this a lot sooner.

Would you be willing to try another book from John Sandford? Why or why not?

Of course, I have listened to all this books, just thought this one was not one of his best but still a huge fan

What does Richard Ferrone bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

He is a great and enchances the story.

Was Extreme Prey worth the listening time?

Yes, just not a 4 or 5 star experience.

Any additional comments?

Waiting for the next one.

4 of 5 people found this review helpful

Lucas Davenport in Iowa during political campaign

John Sandford has been writing novels for almost 30 years and he has a huge following of readers who will rate anything he writes 5 stars. From my perspective his novels are highly variable between 3 and 5 stars. Although there are 20 John Sandford novels, 14 from the Lucas Davenport series and 6 from the Virgil Flowers series, in my Audible library, I have only written reviews of only two.

In Extreme Prey, Book 26 in the thriller series, Davenport has left the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, his long time employer over a disagreement with his boss (Davenport is very wealthy from software sales and does not need to work). He is enticed to help protect a presidential candidate during the campaign for the Iowa caucuses. There is an Iowa group of farmers who believe the Democrat candidates are are not liberal/progressive enough, so they plan to kill the top candidate during a parade at the Iowa state fair.

The first Lucas Davenport novel was published 27 years ago. In the first 4 novels in the series he is a bachelor who lives a rather wild private life. The series improves in Book 5 when he meets his future wife and surgeon Weather and begins to change his roguish ways. The series improves further when they adopt Letty and their first child is born. The very best novels in the series are those where Weather and/or Letty play a major part. Books 7, 9 10, 17, 20, 23, and 25 are solid 5 star thrillers. Extreme Prey, Book 26, is a solid three star thriller although it may deserve 3.5 stars.

Richard Ferrone has narrated all 26 audiobooks in the Lucas Davenport series. He is an excellent narrator, but is not among the top tier.

31 of 44 people found this review helpful

Top Notch Sandford - I don't understand the negative reviews!

Sandford has long been one of my favorite authors, and this latest installment is just as good if not better than any other Davenport story. Having been left sorely disappointed in the past by certain other authors around books 15 - 20, I hesitated in purchasing Extreme Prey based on some of the reviews. Almost from the start of listening to this book, I could not figure out what people were complaining about. This is classic Davenport, in yet another evolution. The book is smart, perfectly paced, and interestingly set in the context of a presidential campaign. Sandford doesn't pull any punches. Terrific book from start to finish, and as always great narration. Sandford continues to deliver; no let down here.

3 of 4 people found this review helpful

Ho hum yet another homegrown wacko

Richard Ferrone could read Mary Had A Little Lamb and make it interesting, but even Mr. Ferrone couldn't save this stale plot. I was surprised to see a 2016 publishing date just now when I checked back.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Sandford does it again!

Everything you expect from John Sandford and Alex Delaware. Narration was perfect (as always) and story was good. when I started it I thought it was too simple and was going to be a very disappointing read. I was wrong. I liked this one as much as any of his others.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful