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) 

Starts slow but picks up lots of momentum

A great "read" overall. It starts slow thanks to TONS of background on the characters -- far too much, I thought -- but once Jack gets into the meat of the plot it is thrilling. I'd also reiterate what's been said earlier: The sample clip is largely of Michael Crichton himself narrating the foreward to the book - very dry. The actual narrator, George Wilson, picks it up at Chapter 1 and is SUPERB in his reading. He expertly acts all the parts in the book, convincingly giving you men, women, and children characters. His performance really elevated this audiobook a notch.

intriguing premise, but difficult to tolerate

If you could overlook just how ignorant the main character was of anyone else's intentions, it was an intriguing book. The guy was a real dope. And it was a shame that most of the questions that came up during the story were only answered in the summary at the end, rather than truly being part of the story - like Crichton got tired of writing and just wanted to quickly tie up the loose ends in one paragraph. Where "Timeline" was one of the most thoroughly memorable books I've ever been through, this one will be notable only with respect to it's unfulfilled potential.

Bring a hair dryer

George Wilson (the reader) must drool more than my 4 month old daughter. Geesus! He made me sick after the first three sentences. Be forewarned that at the end of about every three sentences, the reader slurps, swallows, and slurps again. You'd think a best selling author could keep his reader from what sounds like eating corn on the cob while doing the performance. I can just see the guy, jowls flopping, waddle quivering, foaming lips - and a pool of saliva gathering on the desktop and dripping off the microphone. He all but destroyed any value. Be sure to towel off after listening to this book.

Decent story with irritating reading

The story was the sort of story I was expecting. If you've read other Michael Crichton books think Andromeda Strain not Jurassic Park. Lots of technical stuff but doesn't get to gripping suspense until the end. Unfortunately the narrator did an adequate job of reading but was licking his lips or swallowing constantly. I'm usually pretty tolerant about such things but this was so bad that I found it very distracting from the story.

Important about sample.

This is verry important for those of you who want to check out the sample. I almost just closed it when i herd the droling monolog voice of what sounded like a text book but skip ahed about 6 minuts there you will find the real reader. the first 5 minuts is a fowerd.

This book is a verry involving i like thw writer's use of tech talk not to teche not to lamen :) plenty of descriptions and lots of excitment. i hevily recomend this book. :)

Good Thriller

If you are a fan of Creighton's other works, especially his earlier titles, this is a very enjoyable listen. I did find that I was able to deduce the plot after about 2 chapters maximum, but the elegant way the story unfolds makes up for a degree of this transparency. The last few chapters were very exciting and I found myself truly doubting whether the hero would be able to come out on top, which in my mind is the sign of a good thriller.

The only other problem I had was the heavy use of technical asides that really didn't add very much to the story. In most cases, the information presented is mildly interesting at best and could be left out with no real difference. It seems almost as though Creighton can't decide if he should explain everything or nothing, and the technical details fall into the middle range, where the scientific minded will find them superficial and cumbersome, and the average reader will find an excessive amount of jargon and trivia.

Still, it was a good story and worth your time.

I wanted to smack the main character

The overall premise of the book was excellent. The main character's actions and thoughts were very infuriating. At several times while reading this book I wanted to reach out and smack the main character in the back of the head. What action there was to the book seemed to be very typical. If I could make the decision again I most likely wouldn't read this book.

Great Book!

This was a great sci-fi, suspence, action novel! It kept me on my toes guessing what was next. I am in the computer/technology industry and this has some very interesting concepts. The narrator did a very good job which helped make the book even better. This was one of the best ones I have listened to since joining Audible. Definitely recommend!!!

Simply awful

First of all, characterizing Prey as a novel is deceptive. It is clearly nothing more than the early storyboard work for a truly awful summer blockbuster. The plot is slow, predictable, and overburdened with alarmist tangents. The characters and dialog are inane and infuriatingly stupid. I found myself rooting for the evil faceless cloud, at least until the evil cloud got a face of its own and became just as insipid as the rest of the characters. The science, of which there is a heavy dose delivered without apparent critical thinking, is implausible on every level. I remember enjoying Sphere and Jurassic Park several years ago, and I don't really know how Prey turned out this way. All I can think is that Prey must have been ghostwritten, churned out not by Crichton but by a fog of swarming nanomachines, able to type but having no knowledge of how actual people think, communicate, or behave.

Pretty good buuut....

Having read books or seen movies based on his books, and having read the summary of this book, I began to listen with great anticipation. However, one of the biggest dispponitments was the amount of time that was devoted to the characters in the opening portions of the book. That honestly could have been cut down to 1 1/2 to 2 hours and--I think--still would have given us enough info about the characters. I personally thought that 4 hours was *way* too much time. Yet once he got into the meat of the story, it was a fast and exciting ride. Some good edge of your seat moments.

I also agree with 2 points brought out in earlier reviews:

1) There was too much foul language in the story. I sometimes will listen to a book at work and I had to be very careful because I work in a place where the public can hear what I'm listening to.

I would like to see Audible institue a rating system or at least a warning as to content for those who may have a need to be concerned over such things.

2) And on a more positive note, I too thought that the narrator did and excellent job with voice characterization. Young Eric's, "It"s not fair!" is just how you would expect an 8 year old boy to sound.

I would have liked to have given the book 4 or 5 stars, but the language and the slow start have moved me to give it three.

If you don't have a problem with thw slow begining or the language, it's a pretty good book to listen to.

Just not 'there'

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

Better narration, faster plot

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

Reduced the initial build up by about a third

How did the narrator detract from the book?

The narration was monotonous and flat.

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

the mix of real science and pure fiction, a hallmark of Chrichton's books is still there.

Beware The Swarm ...

Prey is another solid story from Michael Crichton. Probably most famous for his Jurassic Park series, Crichton is a capable author who has penned several other novels all of which that I have read, have been good. This book, although written almost two decades ago at time of this review, remains perhaps more relevant today than when it was written. We are forging ahead with both genetic engineering as well as artificial intelligence and the latter, in particular, is something to keep a very close reign on as we progress in this field.

Prey is of a similar ilk to the classic Andromeda Strain also made into a cult movie of the same name back in the 70's. After reading the synopsis to this book and now having read it, it did seem to me that the spread of the threat was going to be very much farther reaching than dealt with in Prey. For the most part, the action takes place in and around the fabrication facility the nasty bugs were created in out in the remote Nevada desert. The end of the story does leave the reader with the possibility of a sequel. Alas, if there isn't one, there will likely never be one unless someone else takes up the reigns of this such as Crichton's unfinished "Micro" which was completed after the authors death by another writer.

I liked Prey. Perhaps a bit slow to really get into the thick of things but once the real story starts the pace and action will keep you interested. My only real question about the story was why the scientists trying to kill the escaped bugs that kept close to the facility didn't have access to a hazmat suit. Given what I understood about these nasties, a simple hazmat suit would have protected the wearer against the swarms of deadly critters. Throw in a flame thrower and you have the means to eradicate them fairly quickly I would think without loss of human life. This is really the only area the story falls down a bit in my view. Crichton usually writes tighter stories than that so not sure what was going on there.

The story has a satisfying final battle and we get to see how the infestation developed in their lair.

An all around decent read.

Good book, enjoyable story! Did not enjoy the audio.

I’ve read this book before and was excited about having the audiobook, especially after just having finished some fantastic books recently...

However, the gentleman who read the book was not a pleasure to listen to, very little inflection in the voice, I felt like I was being read a textbook rather than a fast paced danger novel! Made a good book less enjoyable, sadly!

well written if predictable

I read this book years ago so decided to listen to it. I enjoyed the narrator and the story is compelling. However there's something frustrating about how the main guy, who is the hero and the intelligence, doesnt see the obvious and let's massive issues go; he acknowledges its there but doesnt click to what they could mean at all. that being said it's a great story.

Another classic book

I think I read the book when it first came out, and will be happy to listen again in the future

High-tech Crichton - the micro stuff this time.

Nerve wracking,edge of your seat stuff. Difficult to turn off for the last 5 chapters.

Less fun than I remembered, but still pretty good.

read this back when it came out and remember loving it. listening to it now I could hardly recall anything about it. in the sense that i seem to remember a fairly different story. one that didn't have the weird hybrids at the end. anyway, still good. the explanations for some of the tech are enjoyable. narrator did a good job.

Classic Crichton

Prey is Michael Crichton on top form, a great adventure, well researched technology and believable characters. The narrator does a great job too, a thoroughly enjoyable audiobook - I might go right back to the start and listen to it again!

B movie book

Great book, plot felt kind of like a trashy B movie sci fi film, which is intended as a compliment, they're my favourite films! i also really liked the liked the main character. Its not a world shattering book but an entertaining easy listen in the 'hard sci fi' genre

A good listen

Keeps you hooked pretty much from the start. Good performance and moved along nicely. Recommended