Prophet's Prey

My Seven-Year Investigation into Warren Jeffs and the Fundamentalist Church of Latter-Day Saints

By: Sam Brower, Jon Krakauer

Narrated by: Jonah Cummings

Length: 12 hrs and 55 mins

Publisher's summary

Despite considerable press coverage and a lengthy trial, the full story of the Fundamentalist Church of Latter Day Saints has remained largely untold. Only one man can reveal the whole, astounding truth: Sam Brower, the private investigator who devoted years of his life to breaking open the secret practices of the FLDS and bringing Warren Jeffs and his inner circle to justice.

In Prophet's Prey, Brower implicates Jeff in his own words, bringing to light the contents of Jeffs's personal priesthood journal, discovered in a hidden underground vault, and revealing to readers the shocking inside world of FLDS members, whose trust he earned and who showed him the staggering truth of their lives.

Prophet's Prey offers the gripping, behind-the-scenes account of a bizarre world from the only man who knows the full story.

©2011 Original material by Sam Brower. Preface © 2011 Jon Krakauer. Recorded by arrangement with Bloomsbury USA. (P)2011 HighBridge Company

Unbelievable

A story so crazy and gut wrenching it’s tough to get through, but is a must read.

Real life evil

Sam Brower knows more about the inner workings of the FLDS than many members of the cult do. He demonstrates a cycle of horrific abuse that is not likely to end without significant government intervention in an accessible, interesting manner. He approaches the community with an open mind, and though he reveals a thoroughly corrupt social system that can't be allowed to stand, he still treats each individual with the respect they deserve. In other words, he doesn't paint everyone with the same broad brush. It's a rich portrait of members of an isolated community that is intended to be "good" but turns out to be very bad.

Jonah Cummings did a great narration. I felt like I was listening to the author himself recount his experiences.

Babylon AD

Would you consider the audio edition of Prophet's Prey to be better than the print version?

I certainly prefer to have a book read to me rather than reading it myself.

What other book might you compare Prophet's Prey to and why?

I would compare it with "Under the Banner of Heaven" by Jon Krakauer.Another expose into the FLDS. Both books deal with the excess of this cult and its complete power over its congregation.

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

I thought his narration of the book was thoughtful, and hit the right tone for this subject matter.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Where do you start, these FLDS people have violated every convention of civilised society.Animal cruelty, incest, slavery, child abuse, rape, etc.

Any additional comments?

The FLDS is an insidious organisation that uses religion as a tool of manipulation for self profit. I saw nothing in this group that in anyway inspires hope in their congregation.Legislators have to have resolve to put an end to this disgusting group.In the 21st century while we are busy liberating foreign nations, our very own citizens live under a pseudo religious tyranny.

Extremely Informative and Thought Provoking

I decided to listen to this book after listening to "A Thousand Lives: The Untold Story of Hope, Deception, and Survival at Jonestown" by Julia Scheeres. Both books intrigued me in relation to how some religious "leaders" can manipulate their followers all in the name of God. This book reveals so much about FLDS and its leader Warren Jeffs, and the most astounding thing about the whole story is that no elected officials would try and save those unfortunate children even after his diaries revealed his and other male follower's sexual abuse and depravity. The story is a sad but cautionary tale of what can happen, when one person has too much power over people and their psyches -- all the while pursuing their illicit pursuits under the guise of being religious and one with the Lord.

Gripping story

What three words best describe Jonah Cummings’s performance?

learn to pronounce

Any additional comments?

Narrator was very listenable except he butchered every uncommon proper noun. How hard is it to learn how to say the names you're going to be reading beforehand?

Great to listen to

this is a well-written well research book. The Reader of the book was pretty good but the material was Superior.

Extremely engaging and horrifying

What was the most compelling aspect of this narrative?

The reality of the story is frightening. The author (a cop) tells a complex story about a group of people that the general public may not be aware of. It is an important story that should get more attention.

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

Definitely. The reader forms relationships with the victims and the cops and wants the whole operation to be taken down right away.

1/3 of the Fundamentalist Story

I recently read three books regarding fundamentalist Mormon experiences. They were all highly informative and covered (mostly) different material. "Prophets Prey" by Sam Brower deals with the more recent story of the FLDS sect now run by Warrant Jeffs from prison. "Escape" by Carolyn Jessup is an account of her experience as a plural wife who escapes the faith with her eight children. "Under the Banner of Heaven" by Jon Krakauer recounts the history of the Mormon church and the splinters into fundamentalist factions. All excellent reading choices.

A solid look at Warren Jeffs post-trial

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

Yes. This book is more comprehensive than many other FLDS biographies, and gives a look at the transpiring events since Warren Jeffs went on trial. There is not a lot of new information in this book, but coming from the perspective of an outsider, it is a solid addition to toher books about this group.

Did the narration match the pace of the story?

Yes. I could picture the author speaking in this matter, but as a listening experience it is clunky at best. There are many spots where he would say the letter A... such as: there was A tree in the middle of A yard. It got frustrating, but for the most part the narration was ok.

What’s the most interesting tidbit you’ve picked up from this book?

The special privileges that Warren Jeffs received in his new prison life. Amazing!

contains great information but not great writing

An amazing first hand account of some wild stuff unfortunately presented in bad writing by an incredibly weird guy. don't make it your first book on this topic, but fascinating if you're already familiar.