Prey

By: Michael Crichton

Narrated by: George Wilson

Length: 12 hrs and 50 mins

Publisher's summary

In the Nevada desert, an experiment has gone horribly wrong. A cloud of nanoparticles (micro-robots) has escaped from the laboratory. This cloud is self-sustaining and self-reproducing. It is intelligent and learns from experience. For all practical purposes, it is alive.

It has been programmed as a predator. It is evolving swiftly, becoming more deadly with each passing hour.

Every attempt to destroy it has failed.

And we are the prey.

As fresh as today's headlines, Michael Crichton's most compelling novel yet tells the story of a mechanical plague and the desperate efforts of a handful of scientists to stop it. Drawing on up-to-the-minute scientific fact, Prey takes us into the emerging realms of nanotechnology and artificial distributed intelligence in a story of breathtaking suspense.

Prey is a novel you can't pause.

Because time is running out.

©2002 Michael Crichton (P)2002 HarperCollinsPublishers, Inc.; 16 9; 2002 Recorded Books, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Crichton is the master of the sci-tech thriller, and nowhere is that more evident than in his latest page-turner, a scary, wild ride that is, without a doubt, his best in years." (Booklist)

"From the opening pages of Crichton's electrifying new thriller...readers will know they are in the hands of a master storyteller." (Publishers Weekly)

Pretty good book for Michael

The big thing that Michael is great with is plot lines but he's weakest at character development. This book, however, was alot better! He's actually starting to create some depth with his characters. It had me on edge in a couple of scenes and made me contemplate of the dangerous possibilities that are in store for nano-technology.

While alot of the book seemed outlandish and the characters a bit flat (but alot better!), it kept me very entertained. If you liked the saterday afternoon sci-fi thrillers, you'll like this:)

Unique, Creepy, and Entertaining

Spoiler Free - Crichton's imagination and scientific research blend perfectly again! This is one of those books I love, because like Jurassic Park, it asks the question, "what if this technology fell into, not the wrong hands, but no hands in general?" Great narration, terrific atmosphere, and length.

Crichton fans will like this one

Good story and performance...maybe not so unbelievable. In some chapters it's pretty suspenseful, definitely not dull listening.

Nano's

Good reads as very technical first few chapters so bad trouble getting into. Not enough action till 4-5 chapters in but still with a listen.

Nice listen

I like the book and I like the narrator. What was a little annoying was the editing. There were very long pauses and I could hear background noise at times.

The book kept my attention and the little annoyances did not affect much more than this review.

killer nanobots

this book shows what can happen when you give computer's to much self awareness !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ITS A MUST READ!!!!!!!!!

Smallest technology unite and destroy a population

Great narration. Interesting perspective about the smallest particulate technology "swarming" and evolving like an animal species. What a great concept for a book. Crichton delivers with again with science advancing and threatening to irradiate us all.
Notes for my future reference: Julia, the wife who controls the swarm. Husband, and IT Engineer becomes the protagonist. Navada, where there is lots of sand and secrets is the perfect location for a scientific development that all you can picture is a swirl of pepper that will kill you

I wanted to like it...

I wanted to like it but it was just so formulaic. I get that's fairly inevitable but it just felt like the author was going through the motions. I literally could see the movie scenes that ideas were plucked from. I only stuck with it because I was traveling and it was good background noise insomuch as, it didn't matter if I missed whole swaths of it!

Very scary future

I thought that this is a great book to learn people to slow down and think before they leap into new tech until they are sure of the long term effects.

Enjoyable

I have not listened to Michael Crichton before and I enjoyed the book. The story is believable and more horrific as a result.
At times, the descriptions were too long and somewhat boring, but overall, it was well worth the time.
I'd recommend this to anyone.