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High-tech whistle-blower Jack Forman used to specialize in programming computers to solve problems by mimicking the behavior of efficient wild animals--swarming bees or hunting hyena packs, for example. Now he's unemployed and is finally starting to enjoy his new role as stay-at-home dad. All would be domestic bliss if it were not for Jack's suspicions that his wife, who's been behaving strangely and working long hours at the top-secret research labs of Xymos Technology, is having an affair. When he's called in to help with her hush-hush project, it seems like the perfect opportunity to see what his wife's been doing, but Jack quickly finds there's a lot more going on in the lab than an illicit affair. Within hours of his arrival at the remote testing center, Jack discovers his wife's firm has created self-replicating nanotechnology--a literal swarm of microscopic machines. Originally meant to serve as a military eye in the sky, the swarm has now escaped into the environment and is seemingly intent on killing the scientists trapped in the facility. The reader realizes early, however, that Jack, his wife, and fellow scientists have more to fear from the hidden dangers within the lab than from the predators without. The monsters may be smaller in this book, but Crichton's skill for suspense has grown, making Prey a scary read that's hard to set aside, though not without its minor flaws. The science in this novel requires more explanation than did the cloning of dinosaurs, leading to lengthy and sometimes dry academic lessons. And while the coincidence of Xymos's new technology running on the same program Jack created at his previous job keeps the plot moving, it may be more than some readers can swallow. But, thanks in part to a sobering foreword in which Crichton warns of the real dangers of technology that continues to evolve more quickly than common sense, Prey succeeds in gripping readers with a tense and frightening tale of scientific suspense. --Benjamin Reese --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
From Publishers Weekly
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
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Most helpful customer reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars
A great state of Nano Tech update, a story dissapointment.,
By Antone Ferreira (Somers, Ct USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Prey (unabridged) (Audio Cassette)
This refers to the unabridged Audio book. The premise is great. The research and tech updates are first rate, thorough and easy to follow. The story dissapoints with literally too much action packed into too few days for any believability. One hair raising escape after another. The lead character, a middle aged, Mr Mom, out of work programmer with three small children who doesn't exercise has no less than 6 death defying escapes from the nano's and their henchmen in one day - each causing wounds, bruising, etc... he just keeps on going. The reader's style is slow and tired - I guess because he's dictating all this first person the night of the final day. The tapes have way too many 10-15 second pauses that are irritating. I've read or listened to everything Crichton has published. This is not his best work... it could have been.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Long time since you read a breathtaking novel? Read this.,
By indru (madison, wi usa) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Prey (Hardcover)
Why dont most people like sci-Fi novels? especially Greg Bear and Arthur.C.Clarke, because they concentrate more on science rather than entertainment. Michael Crichton is the only author who is not handicapped by this habit. One thing that is really good about crichton's novels is that you will never keep the book down in the middle. This time too, MC has not let us down. The book guarantees 100% entertainment. For those who fel that reading novels is a waste of time. I would advice you to read any MCs books as you will learn a lot about the subject than by reading a couple of scientific journals. "Prey" concentrates on AI, genetics and Nanotechnology. After 1/3rd of the novel, the pace picks up a speed that you would never have imagined. This is definitely not one of MC's best novels, but definitely he gives you more than you would have expected from the book. My advice is, get the hard back and have a nice time.
1 of 2 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars
Enjoyable and Interesting - but a rehashed plot device,
This review is from: Prey Cd (unabridged) (Audio CD)
The story goes as follows: Jack, a computer programmer who worked on grouped processing is out of a job. His wife Julia has an executive position with a company that is using Jack's programs to develop nanotechnology spy tools for the government. The technology comes to life, goes berserk, and Jack is called in to figure it out because he understands the program. With a few interesting but highly implausible twists (as if the whole thing isn't somewhat implausible) Jack ends up saving the day, but in doing so kills his wife who has in part caused the mess.I enjoy reading Michael Crichton novels because he usually teaches you something about science. What I find more interesting about Crichton is that he seems stuck on certain notions, namely Chaos Theory. Perhaps it is true that nature is uncontrollable (to a degree at least) and that, try as we might, we cannot predict what life will do, but how many times can you use this as a plot device? This was the entire story to Jurassic Park I, and II, and III. He does make an interesting point about psychology and how individuals may be very insightful of the problems facing other people but are usually pretty bad at understanding their own psychological problems. Overall the book was interesting to read but not my favorite Crichton novel.
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