Prey

By: Michael Crichton

Narrated by: Robert Sean Leonard

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 put down.

Because time is running out.

©2002 Michael Crichton (P)2002 HarperCollins Publishers, 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)

I love Michael Crichton's palpable suspense!

This story and how it is read creates such tension and anxiety which is perfect for the story line. Loved it!

Standard well written Crichton

I'm a fan of Michael Crichton and this was the last book I had left to read, so I listened instead. Typical well written novel packed with real details. Can sense some editorial coming through. Enough just to make one think that things could go very wrong with technology in the "wrong" hands.

I see another reviewer complained about cursing, but I didn't even notice it. there's some, but it's not plastered. Seems like fairly typical American talk to me.

I enjoyed the narrator (Leonard - from House MD television). I believe this may have been re-recorded as the cover image says it's read by George Wilson. I've seen other complaints about Wilson, so again I think it may have been rerecorded.

Interestingly Insiteful

This book was recommended to me by a very close friend. This book is very interesting and perhaps educational. I listened to this book 4 times to fully grasp every detail of the story. If you like science and fiction, you will love this book. This was my first Crichton book and I was sad when I had that he rest in peace just a week after I bought this book but his legend leaves on. My condolences to his friends and family. What a brilliant writer.

Great book... Realistic

It seems like humans, we did it to ourselves! Read it with short term and long term expectations.

favorite book ever

read this first when I was thirteen in less than a day haha best ever

it's ok

somewhat anti woman but ok if you identify with a struggling information technology worker

understated brilliance.

this is a great book. a little on the short side, but exactly what you'd want from Crichton if you're not looking for textbooks worth of technical jargon. an easy story, a likable main character and thought-provoking ideas ( especially in today's world) make this an easy listen.
The story deals with effectively nano machines quickly building an Hive intelligence and breaking Free to consume life like a living species. main character Jack has to deal with the loss of his job, three children, keeping up the house and a distant wife who is always late from work on top of stopping a possible apocalypse.

the BEST reader EVER, excellent book

The guy reading this book is just AMAZING he plays every voice every situation with an intensity that is overwelming! and this book is just the first of audible that I could simply NOT drop until I was finnished. It gets a little too hollywood stile in the end but itdoesn't fail to grab you.

Compelling

Like most of his books, this one unfolds well and is hard to take breaks from. I'm no literary snob, I just like a good story. I have always appreciated the technical details in Michael's books. Even though there are obviously liberties taken with technology that might exsist, I enjoy learning about things in detail. It's edutainment. Okay, maybe not, but I liked it.

The only drawback to the story is that towards the end you can hear the narrarator swallowing and having a hard time quite often. I don't know why they don't bother to edit these things out. Good recording software will strip silence based on a set threshold and take out small sounds automatically. Also, how hard would it be to give the narrarator a mute button?

Aside from this annoyance, I would have given it five stars. If you like his other books, you should like this one.

Really, very solid.

It was a lot of fun to listen too! a fun mix of real science and B-Movie drama.