The Prey (The Hunt, #2)

Jan 31, 2013 Katy rated it 4 of 5 stars

I admit part of the reason why I liked The Hunt so much was because it was ~~bizarre~~ different (I know, I'm weird like that). The hepers were the minority living among the duskers, and the bizarreness - like the sticking their elbows into each others' armpits or the wrist scratching - made it unique, and I'm a bit disappointed there wasn't any weirdness in this book.

Taking those things out of the book made The Prey much a like any other dystopian - one that follows the general storyline of a wor...more I admit part of the reason why I liked The Hunt so much was because it was ~~bizarre~~ different (I know, I'm weird like that). The hepers were the minority living among the duskers, and the bizarreness - like the sticking their elbows into each others' armpits or the wrist scratching - made it unique, and I'm a bit disappointed there wasn't any weirdness in this book.

Taking those things out of the book made The Prey much a like any other dystopian - one that follows the general storyline of a world that exists a certain way, and the inhabitants learned that they have been lied to al their lives. However, much of the world-building took place in the first book, so this one was able to take off from the start. It was full of action and excitement, and even though it was predictable, it was more than enough to suck me in - particularly with the puzzles that the Scientist left behind.

I was left with questions however, mostly from something that was explained in the first book. (view spoiler) I guess either way, it may be explained in the next book as they reach their destination.

Overall, I enjoyed this book very much, though for different reasons than the rest. I'm looking forward to see how Fukuda plans to explain what's really going on with the heper population.(less)

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Feb 05, 2013 Mitch rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-by-guys-for-guys

The Prey is everything I expected from the sequel to The Hunt. I know that sounds like a positive reaction and I could talk about how all my expectations were met, but that's just my problem - I anticipated everything. Thinking back, I really liked The Hunt because it's a survival story centered around a guy in a tough situation where one wrong move meant instant death at the fangs of the vampires around him, I wasn't so concerned with the dystopian backstory, and that's why I'm mildly disappoin...more The Prey is everything I expected from the sequel to The Hunt. I know that sounds like a positive reaction and I could talk about how all my expectations were met, but that's just my problem - I anticipated everything. Thinking back, I really liked The Hunt because it's a survival story centered around a guy in a tough situation where one wrong move meant instant death at the fangs of the vampires around him, I wasn't so concerned with the dystopian backstory, and that's why I'm mildly disappointed by this sequel - The Prey isn't so much about Gene's struggle to survive as much as it's an exploration of how the vampire society came about.

One of my favorite parts of the first book is the vampires being so different from humans and the lengths Gene goes to survive. I know it's not realistic, but sleeping on ceilings, eating raw meats, shoving elbows into armpits, craving for Hepers, the stuff Gene has to do to escape detection and the constant threat of being discovered and devoured added a layer of suspense to The Hunt that The Prey really couldn't replicate. There are a few flashback scenes, including one of Gene losing his tooth and living in fear of the tooth being discovered by the vampires, but it's just not the same when I know Gene's alive, so I never got the same feeling of imminent doom that really carried the first half of The Hunt. Instead, Gene, Sissy, and the boys' escape from the Heper Institute and their search for the promised land of milk and honey is really like another other journey slash escape where the heroes are chased by monsters, it's not boring, there are certainly plenty of action scenes and moments when all of them could die in an instant, but it just lacks that extra psychological element that made The Hunt so truly compelling.

Once Gene arrives at the Mission, the refuge for humans, the story degenerated into a typical dystopian plot for me. There are hints of some bigger conspiracy at work with the treatment of the girls, the excessive resource use of the village, and the stuff with Gene's father, all written with Fukuda's at this point trademark weirdness (foot binding like it's written by a foot fetishist!!), but the story isn't any different than any other dystopian where the protagonist knows something is wrong with the society he encounters, loudly barges around trying to get to the bottom of things, and ultimately gets nowhere. Gene can openly air his suspicions with Sissy, yell at the people in charge, and rant all he wants about not getting anywhere, but it doesn't change the fact that all Fukuda is doing is concealing a backstory and reveals that are entirely predictable based on the information from The Hunt. Everything Gene learns, I could've told him based on his cursory observations of how things worked and what I learned from the previous book, so the intentional concealing of the obvious just left me extremely frustrated as Gene hits brick wall after brick wall after brick wall even though the answers are right there as even Gene knows in his gut.

Only a few things keep The Prey from falling into the completely predictable category for me. I took what happened to Gene's father in The Hunt at face value, which in retrospect was a mistake on my part, because I did not expect Gene's father to play as large of a role here as he did. Didn’t expect to see Ashley June again either, although her appearance makes me wonder why she wasn’t just eaten outright. Although most of my predictions about how the vampire society came about are pretty much confirmed by this book, I have to say Gene's role in humanity's future, while I easily saw it coming from what I figured out about how vampires took over the world, is actually pretty good for setting up the third book. I'm not sure if I like how Fukuda pretty much reveals exactly what I expected the Mission's true purpose to be and then at the very end says something to the effect of 'it might not be as you think!' because adding another layer of doubt much earlier would've really helped to tap down the predictability, but now I really don't know what to think about what will happen next.

So I made a few predictions after reading The Hunt, and I'm disappointed that The Prey pretty much confirms all of them without being as character driven as the first book was - Gene as the tough survivor in particular is sorely missed. Sure, I enjoyed the ravenous vampire attacks as usual, but I wanted to see more, although the hints towards the end make me think the third book will surprise me.(less)

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Feb 02, 2013 JennyJen rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: wtf-is-that-cover, apparently-everybody-loves-a-jerk, blah, booooring, disappointing, douchebag-alert, expected-so-much-more, facepalm, gritty, hero-doesnt-do-it-for-me, lackluster, male-pov, meh, mc-sucks-ass, no-soup-for-you, read-2013, reviewed, sequel, somebody-slap-that-protagonist-pls, trope-city, vamps, wanna-kick-hero-in-the-balls, young-adult, darkside-challenge-accepted

*Spoilers for this book clearly marked. Slightly spoilery for book 1.

First thing's first - WTF is that stoopit cover? -_-

Brace yourselves, because you still get this:

The Hunt by Andrew Fukuda photo zomb_zps94186f36.gif

in Fukuda’s The Prey, but not nearly as much as I would have liked. In The Hunt, we were mercilessly tormented by vicious hungry vamps. In this book, I was left hungry for more vicious vamps.

This book started off strong. Fukuda dived right into the action with a heart-pounding scene right off the bat. It went along that way for a b...more

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Jan 31, 2013 Lex rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: dystopian-books, vampires, for-reviews, pnr

I know! I am so weird. Cause I like the book. It really is a bit fascinating reading a different kind of vampires. Where they are not sparkly and totally ran out of humanity. Incapable of love and reason.

What I don't like was that it was not based on the first book The Hunt. Where they are in a Dome and all that crap. Well of course, from the last page of first book we know that Gene managed to escape the Heper Institute. But one might think it'll be lead back in that Institute. That's what I k...more

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Feb 03, 2013 Christina (A Reader of Fictions) rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: finishedreviewcopy, yabc-reviews, dropped-series-graveyard

I always hope that, where I've enjoyed the first book in a series, the rest will prove to be at least as good. Andrew Fukuda's debut novel, The Hunt, while not a favorite was an enjoyable action read, a nice change of pace from my more contemplative reads. In reading The Prey, I really hoped to find more of the same, but instead it alternated between wtfery and completely predictable plot twists.

Since I like to give credit where credit is due, there are two things that I did like about The Prey....more I always hope that, where I've enjoyed the first book in a series, the rest will prove to be at least as good. Andrew Fukuda's debut novel, The Hunt, while not a favorite was an enjoyable action read, a nice change of pace from my more contemplative reads. In reading The Prey, I really hoped to find more of the same, but instead it alternated between wtfery and completely predictable plot twists.

Since I like to give credit where credit is due, there are two things that I did like about The Prey. First, Fukuda writes well, doing a much better job with his syntax and diction than is typical in more action-based stories. Second, he does give the world an origin story in this installment. Where The Hunt suffered from a lack of world building, Fukuda attempts to explain how the creatures came to rule the earth. While I'm not exactly sold on the reasoning and it could have been better done than in a villain's infodumping speech, I appreciate that Fukuda did put thought into this, and I'd like to see more dystopian/post-apocalytpic novels that tackle this aspect.

As I mentioned previously, the most solid aspect of The Hunt, what kept me flipping pages despite the nonsensical world building, was the non-stop action. The Prey starts off slowly and continues to chug along at that slow pace most of the novel. The hepers (aka humans) have escaped down the river on a boat, searching for the promised land, The Land of Milk and Honey. (Insert eyeroll here.) There's a brief interlude of excitement with an attack by the creatures, duskers as they're called in this book, but otherwise the first half is to set up some new romantic tension, which I will get back to later.

Mostly, this slow portion gave me time to really focus on the little details, like the character names. These poor characters have some of the very worst names I have ever encountered. To be fair, there is a reason behind the names, though some of it is unfortunate and Epap (the most nonsensical name) never is explained. What really bothers me is that both female love interests, easily the strongest characters in the series, have been saddled with the most absurdly weak sounding names: Ashley June and Sissy. Why couldn't she just be Ashley or June? Why Ashley June, a name which makes her sound like a country western singer or a girl getting ready for her Super Sweet Sixteen? Of course, if she does start some sort of country western show, Sissy and the Hepers can open for her.

After sailing down the river, crashing down a waterfall, and climbing up a cave, they find a village of humans. Le shock! They're not the only ones still alive! (Insert my incredibly-surprised face right here.) They're immediately served up a feast of delicious food by beautiful girls, albeit ones with funny walks. Clearly this is is The Land of Milk and Honey! But, oh no! It turns out that all is not well in Creepytown! (Insert gasp here.)

Let's just talk about this town, shall we? This town consists of nubile young women, many of them pregnant, and middle-aged, obese men who call themselves elders. That's about it. The fact that it takes the characters any amount of time to determine that something's amiss boggles my mind. Anyway, not only is this town evil, because, hey, that's how things roll in dystopian novels, but it's freaking crazypants. For example, these young women all have such tiny, fucked up feet that they walk in a really weird gait. Yup, this town practices footbinding. Why, you might ask? Well, here are some quotes from the townspeople on women's feet:
"'See, that's the thing with girls with big man-sized feet,' Krugman says from behind us, his voice a slithering coo. 'When their feet haven't been beautified, when the foot glands haven't been broken. Left undestroyed, these glands secrete male hormones into a girl. Turn her from a princess into an opinionated ox. One who fails to understand her place in society, who mistakenly things she can walk like a male, talk like a male, have opinions like a male. Say no to a male. "Like a gold ring in a pig's snout is a girl with big feet."'" (165)
"'They made me a gopher. I'd go down two times a week with medicine, supplies. That's why they didn't bind my feet but let them grow into man feet—so I'd be able to walk the many miles, climb the cabled ladder. I hated it, in the beginning, mostly because of how my feet got so big and ugly. The other girls were merciless with their taunts. Man feet, man feet, man feet,' she grimaces from the memory." (224)
In case you're wondering, yes, that did just really happen. What really bothers me about this is that it seems to solely be a device to make the book more dramatic and terrifying. Having the women around as breeders for disgusting old fat men isn't enough? They have to have their feet bound too? REALLY?

It gets better, though. Not only do they get their feet bound and be impregnated by these men, but they also are issued either merits or rewards based on how obedient they are. A merit can be earned by doing good things, like birthing a baby. A demerit is earned any time a woman steps out of line, like by doing something alone. Each time a woman earns one or the other, the skin of her arm is marked: a branded X for a demerit and a smiley face tattoo for good behavior. I really, really wish I were joking. Apparently this society was created by a demented child.

Running through this absurd landscape of offensive horrors is a cast of flat characters. Gene has all the girls wanting him, and all of the guys jealous of him. The good guys are all obviously good, and the bad guys obviously bad. Women, with the exception of Sissy and Ashley June, are weak. Gene is the most important person, intended to be saved from harm, even at the loss of everyone else's life, which turns out to be incredibly laughable and illogical after you learn the final plot twist.

The romance, though thankfully kept to the backburner, is saccharine and unconvincing, perhaps because of the entire lack of development in the characters. Days after leaving Ashley June to a certain horrible fate with the duskers, Gene and Sissy are having special moments of staring, complete with added tension due to Epap's jealousy. Gene and Sissy have not a bit of sexual tension, nor do they have any sort of real bond. They're good at helping each other survive, so hanging together and hooking up is cool (not that they do), but that does not excuse all the syrupy language used for their every interaction.

The two of them pretty much made me want to throw up whenever they looked at one another, especially when he nearly drowns, she gives him mouth to mouth, and he thinks this: "Then velvet lips on mine, dewy and sweet. Soft on soft, the lips alive and encompassing. Then becoming fiercer, the grip ironclad" (249). Ugh, dude, this is not the freaking Sandlot. You have no oxygen in your lungs; you are dying. Now is not the time to rhapsodize about the softness of her lips. Now, I haven't ever experienced mouth to mouth resuscitation, but I'm pretty sure that the only thing I would be thinking about would be BREATHING. If you're feeling horny while your lungs are full of water, you really should sort out your damn priorities.

This book is nothing like The Hunger Games, though the first one had some elements thereof, so please do not get sucked into that marketing. What it comes down to is, if you're curious or think those things won't bother you, then read it. Other people have read The Prey and enjoyed it. All I can say is that I really, really did not, and that I will not be reading any more of this series.(less)

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Mar 21, 2013 Mandee rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013-release, dystopian, paranormal, s-s, ya-lit, february-2013-release, vampires, usa, for-review, i-have-a-copy, review-on-the-blog

3.5

The Prey by Andrew Fukuda is the sequel to The Hunt, a book I hadn't planned on reading but once I did I was happy because it was thrilling and involved a unique and creepy world. I have been waiting on this sequel since then and it was just as good.

The Prey starts up where The Hunt left off. Gene, Sissy, Ben, David, Jacob, and Epap have escaped from the Dome and are now in the wild, trying to follow vague instructions left for them by The Scientist, Gene’s father. Each night Hunters arrive...more 3.5

The Prey by Andrew Fukuda is the sequel to The Hunt, a book I hadn't planned on reading but once I did I was happy because it was thrilling and involved a unique and creepy world. I have been waiting on this sequel since then and it was just as good.

The Prey starts up where The Hunt left off. Gene, Sissy, Ben, David, Jacob, and Epap have escaped from the Dome and are now in the wild, trying to follow vague instructions left for them by The Scientist, Gene’s father. Each night Hunters arrive on the river banks, trailing their boat, eager to catch and kill them. Eventually they arrive at The Mission, a small village nestled in some mountains and they discover humans living there, seemingly peaceful, well fed and cared for. But life there is not as it seems and Gene must figure out how to find The Origin.

I like Gene, he’s quite a serious guy and I find that his narration has a no-nonsense approach. He does feel emotions but I never feel like he’s being dramatic, so when he does panic, I feel it too. I felt his guilt at leaving behind Ashley June, it sounds like my worst nightmare, but I also enjoyed the relationship between him and Sissy. I like that it wasn't too forced, it never felt like a romance, instead they share an intense bond and a need to look out for each other, and the boys.

The pacing was well done, from the beginning I was hooked and my heart was racing as their boat was attacked early on. As I've mentioned before, the vampires in this world are the scary kind (at least they are to me, I scare easy!) In addition to the pacing, the story is moved along by the discoveries made at The Mission and the explanation given to them by one of the Elders. I didn't know whether to believe his story about what had happened to the world, and how vampires came to be, as he didn't seem trustworthy. The explanation seemed a little vague, but more is revealed towards the end. Gene also has a few flashbacks giving us more insight into his previous life when his father was still with him.

My issues with this book are slight and they didn't spoil the read for me. Firstly, The Mission felt creepy and weird from the moment that Gene and his gang arrived and it was clear something was not right. It takes them a while to figure it out, especially the younger boys who are besotted with the place. Sissy is the smartest of the bunch, but even then I wanted them to leave immediately yet they stayed, even when things got worse. It was so obvious what the purpose of The Mission was, but I suppose I can cut the characters some slack as they have never lived in a human world.

My only other issue was that a lot of the story is left up to chance. It’s clear that the Scientist had a plan involving the kids and Gene, but if one little thing had gone wrong, then they probably wouldn't have escaped or survived the trip to The Mission and his plan would have been ruined.

The Prey is a solid follow up to The Hunt – I enjoyed the focus on the human interactions in this book and am keen for book three, The Trap, which is due out at the end of the year.

Thank you to the lovely people at Simon and Schuster Aus for my review copy.(less)

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Apr 27, 2013 Nirene rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Apr 16, 2013 Annette rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Prey equaled The Hunt in it's desperation and intensity, but in a lot of ways, its a different book.

At the end of The Hunt, our main characters are on a raft on the river. The Prey starts out immediately where The Hunt ended. They have many trials on the river, but eventually get to a place on land. I don't want to say much about what happens, but what seems to be a safe haven, isn't always what it seems.

I don't really think that's a spoiler, because when they arrive at this place, we're aro...more The Prey equaled The Hunt in it's desperation and intensity, but in a lot of ways, its a different book.

At the end of The Hunt, our main characters are on a raft on the river. The Prey starts out immediately where The Hunt ended. They have many trials on the river, but eventually get to a place on land. I don't want to say much about what happens, but what seems to be a safe haven, isn't always what it seems.

I don't really think that's a spoiler, because when they arrive at this place, we're around page 80, and it's a 320 page book. So you know something is going to happen. They do encounter "people" (the vampire monsters in The Hunt), but now they are called duskers. But we don't really get up close to the duskers much. I enjoyed all of their quirks that were described in The Hunt - scratching their wrists, the drooling, the noises -- you know, all that gross stuff. And I missed that. I wanted more close up contact with the duskers. Not much of that is in The Prey. But, what is in The Prey is some character growth (including a budding romance), some really creepy new characters, and a lot of detective work on the part of Sissy and Gene to figure out what the heck is going on.

For the most part, I was rapt. You never get a sense of comfort and are never allowed to catch your breath. It's just one thing after the other, and the pages fly by. I'm intrigued by what we've found out in The Prey about how the world got so screwed up -- but I'm still not sure if everything we've learned is entirely accurate -- because these books have a way of turning things on their heads.

Fukuda isn't afraid to kill people. Just warning you. There's a bit of heartbreak, and a huge cliffhanger at the end of The Prey. Our characters are by no means safe but moving on. The final book, The Trap, is due out in September, so I'll definitely be looking forward to that one.

If you enjoyed The Hunt you should definitely pick up The Prey ASAP. It's another great second book. If you like your vampire books relentless and scarily dangerous, this series is for you.(less)

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Apr 08, 2013 Vanessa Wester rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I read "the Hunt" very quickly but could only give it a 3 star rating since too many of the ideas were not (in my opinion) new...

However, I have to give "the Prey" four stars because I could not put this book down at all... the writing completely hooked me in!

I have to admit that sometimes I wish I was not a writer since there are things that I did not think were perfect (the use of "like..." and "as in..." was overused in places), but I did not care... I needed to read on to find out what was...more

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Mar 13, 2013 Miss Literati rated it 5 of 5 stars

THE PREY is the much-anticipated sequel to Andrew Fukuda’s THE HUNT, and let me tell you, it does not disappoint! Picking up right where the first book left off, THE PREY immediately pulls you into the action. This thrilling novel will keep you hooked until the very end.

The story begins with Gene, Sissy, and the remaining humans on the run from the predators. After a near run in with death, Gene and his friends discover a hidden clue left behind by the scientist, who seems to have planned out a...more

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Feb 21, 2013 Paula Phillips rated it 4 of 5 stars

A series that has a boastful sticker on the front cover saying to customers if you love the Hunger Games you will enjoy this , well for me personally I loved it more than the Hunger Games. After reading the first book and the Cliffhanger it presented, I couldn't wait to read Book #2 The Prey. In The Prey, Gene has escaped the Heper Colony and is now on the run with his new friends Ben, Epap, Jacob and Sis. After the discovery at the end of The Hunt that his father was the Scientist, Gene now mus...more

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Feb 16, 2013 Jessica Lamb rated it 5 of 5 stars

My review can also be read at my blog (PLEASE FOLLOW!): http://www.mysecretbookobsession.blog...

This book is the second book in The Hunt series, and after the amazing-ness of the first book, I had NO IDEA how Fukuda would manage to top one of the BEST books I have ever read in my entire life. Normally, I tend not to like books unless they have romance, or a paranormal aspect, or normally both, however this book did lack romance. There were hints of romance, similarly to the first book, The Hunt,...more My review can also be read at my blog (PLEASE FOLLOW!): http://www.mysecretbookobsession.blog...

This book is the second book in The Hunt series, and after the amazing-ness of the first book, I had NO IDEA how Fukuda would manage to top one of the BEST books I have ever read in my entire life. Normally, I tend not to like books unless they have romance, or a paranormal aspect, or normally both, however this book did lack romance. There were hints of romance, similarly to the first book, The Hunt, however the central story line didn't revolve around Gene finding love or falling in love. Whilst at first I was hesitant to read the book if love wasn't a central part of the story, I decided to give it a go. The synopsis was enticing enough, and once I started reading, I couldn't stop!
Which lead me to the second book, which I eagerly bought on the morning it came out. It was the very first thing I did when I woke up.
This book was AMAZING. The characters that were created in the first book were developed further and given depths to them throughout the second book. I personally fancy the pants of Gene. He seems like a manly, smart, clever, fit, gorgeous man (and he's human which helps a bunch!). He has nothing on Aiden from the Covenant series, or Daemon from the Lux series (which I will finish posting reviews of in the next month or so!), but he's a close third!
The way Gene takes charge in the book and successfully leads the group of Hepers to safety (or what you THINK is safety) is admirable. I also have to admit I love the lead girl in this book as well, Sissy! She's independent and feisty, and I picture as a tall, tanned, long-flowing hair warrior style kick-ass gal, which I imagine I am on several occassions when I feel pathetic and lonely! I used to DREAM about being Buffy The Vampire Slayer, she was my child-hood hero, and I think Sissy is from a similar line of tough women.
I have to say that the twist in this book is sort of expected, and seems a bit obvious to me, however this did not mean that I was bored or lost interest in the book, completely the opposite! I was desperate to know whether or not my suspicions were correct, and therefore I read this book in ONE SITTING.
The ending is such a cliffhanger it breaks my heart. I don't want to WAIT for the next book. I want it nowwww! So please Andrew Fukuda, WRITE THE BOOK AND GIVE IT TO ME!
So my final words to you are:
Read the Hunt. Then read the Prey. Then fangirl with me until the next book comes out!
Love, me.
Happy Reading!(less)

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Jan 13, 2013 Dark Faerie Tales rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed-by-michelle

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: A different take on a paranormal story, that will promise to fill your dreams with horror and fear.

Opening Sentence: We thought we were finally free of them but we were wrong.

The Review:

Andrew Fukuda’s The Prey is the follow up to the amazing story, The Hunt. The best part about this series is that it is not your average vampire/paranormal story. Where normally, the vampires are the minority, hiding within the human population, this series i...more

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May 09, 2013 Monica&spikey rated it 5 of 5 stars

OH. M. JESUS.
I didn’t review the first book in this series because I… it’s just… it’s… I’ll try.

Plot: 5 out of FREAKING 5
(view spoiler)...more

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Feb 20, 2013 Elphame rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book was amazing! Andrew bought the REAL vampires back, these were viscous vampires with claws and running on all fours like wild animals, and they melted in the sun and all. But at the end of the book it had one of the most heartbreaking scenes i have read in a while :'(. So be warned to have tissues!

This book is the second book in the series starting right after the last chapter from his first book "the hunt". It was written well and the words he used to describe things in the book were...more

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Jan 21, 2013 Skyla rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: vampires, ya, escape, cannibals, bad-government, mystery, creepy

Find this review and more over at my blog: http://happygolucky-skyla.blogspot.ca/

The Prey starts off about half a day after The Hunt ends. Gene and the other Hepers are on the boat making their way down the river to what The Scientist called "The Land of Milk and Honey". After a few close calls in which they are attacked by another group of Duskers (a name given to them by the society they discover in the mountains in this book) our heroes end up in a village called The Mission that is incredib...more Find this review and more over at my blog: http://happygolucky-skyla.blogspot.ca/

The Prey starts off about half a day after The Hunt ends. Gene and the other Hepers are on the boat making their way down the river to what The Scientist called "The Land of Milk and Honey". After a few close calls in which they are attacked by another group of Duskers (a name given to them by the society they discover in the mountains in this book) our heroes end up in a village called The Mission that is incredibly creepy and incredibly misogynistic...also I pretty sure the girls get raped repeatedly here...and that made me feel a bit sick.

The writing is once again wholly addictive and drags you in until the bitter end but once again I felt that the book got off to an incredible start, was well paced, well plotted and then suddenly it was like everything went into overdrive and all revelations come out in the last 30 pages or so. The ending felt a bit rushed and I was left a little confused as to what exactly happened...regardless this is one actin packed and suspenseful read and one I very much enjoyed.

We know how confirmation that The People are in fact vampires who were turned by humans using genetic technology and that is was all Sri Lanka's fault...I for one am not surprised as they have some pretty damn good genetic research going on there right now and I can tell that Fukuda did some research in that before writing this book...I do hope that this doesn't actually happen in the future but with the research they are doing anything is possible...also I think Switzerland may create a black hole soon enough and destroy us all anyways so maybe we don't have to worry about that too much =)

Also I liked the fact that Dusker saliva could turn a person because I have never heard that done before in a vampire book, also evil vampires for the win people. Evil vampires for the win. I tire of all these sparkly friendly vampires, except Spike because I love him.

But then again Spike was evil but chose to be good and get his soul back and he did have that chip in his brain that stopped him hurting humans but the important thing is that he was bad to the bone before that happened...well sort of he was kind of a Mummy's boy...but I digress...evil vampires are a refreshing change =)

I am glad the third one of this comes out in October because I don't think I can wait too much longer for the finale seeing as our heroes are going somewhere that no Heper should ever set foot =)(less)

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Feb 17, 2013 Isamlq rated it 3 of 5 stars

The Prey… I was not the biggest fan of book number one, but this… this one felt different to me. I enjoyed the scarier feel of things in this just as much as I was all ick over the same. There’s the quaint picturesque village that’s at first glance the haven they’d been after, when in truth hiding some pretty nasty things (obviously the mere mention of villages and what not had warning signs going off for me) but that wasn’t my biggest issue in this one time around. Mine was having already drawn...more The Prey… I was not the biggest fan of book number one, but this… this one felt different to me. I enjoyed the scarier feel of things in this just as much as I was all ick over the same. There’s the quaint picturesque village that’s at first glance the haven they’d been after, when in truth hiding some pretty nasty things (obviously the mere mention of villages and what not had warning signs going off for me) but that wasn’t my biggest issue in this one time around. Mine was having already drawn the obvious conclusions… I really didn’t see the need for the same be spelled out. I knew it already after all, and well, must everything be spelt out?

Now that aside, we go to a shift in the trouble they’re facing, or at least an addition to the same. Were they safe? Not quite, not at all, as they’ve questions unanswered and mysteries to solve whilst being on the run. And when they do get to where they’re going, well you see there’s more to consider. As mentioned when one factors in far flung communities previously unknown warning signs should be going off already … and for some of them (those that counted at least) indeed there were those warnings, but the odd thing is how they react. As in, not at all. They were all wait and see… and I just didn’t get it. One horrific discovery after another, then one particularly horrific thing done to one of their own, and they’re all still practically sitting on their asses. Waiting… a waiting that made no sense given what they knew and the scarier things they suspected.

And what of the things they knew? Well, the monsters in this one aren’t just the fanged kind. We see things we want to un-see or at least imagine things we’d rather not want to imagine at all. The set up here had me thinking of both Wither and Once and all those other YA dystopians but here it’s less about some vague scary future they want to avoid, because that the thing being avoided in those other books is the reality in this one. The way things are set simply had my skin crawling.

Interesting and skin crawling turn of events

3/5
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Apr 01, 2013 Aaron Wu rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Prey-by Andrew Fukuda
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I can't say how much I loved this book. You would expect the middle book to be not as thrilling as the previous and the next, but The Prey proved that wrong. It is full with literal heartstoppers, unpredictable twists and haunting truths that Gene discovers.
The story continues off of The Hunt. Gene, now with the other fellow humans, venture down a river to a promised sanctuary by Gene's father, that the other human's call, the Scientist. They soon discover a haven c...more

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Apr 02, 2013 Evie rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Prey is one of those extremely rare cases when the sequel is superior to the first book in the series. The Hunt was amazing. A breathtaking, heart-pounding, action-packed, blood-chilling page-turner of a book. It quickly became one of my favorites! And The Prey was even better! Thanks to many entertaining (and gasp-worthy) plot twists, it successfully avoided the "middle book" syndrome of so many series out there. It was more thoughtful and emotional, but no less thrilling and disturbing tha...more The Prey is one of those extremely rare cases when the sequel is superior to the first book in the series. The Hunt was amazing. A breathtaking, heart-pounding, action-packed, blood-chilling page-turner of a book. It quickly became one of my favorites! And The Prey was even better! Thanks to many entertaining (and gasp-worthy) plot twists, it successfully avoided the "middle book" syndrome of so many series out there. It was more thoughtful and emotional, but no less thrilling and disturbing than the previous instalment.

We thought we were finally free of them but we were wrong. That very night, they come at us.

The story picks up exactly where it left off in The Hunt. Gene has managed to escape and he is not alone any more - he's joined forces with a group of human survivors (hepers), and together they're running for their lives. Chased by a horde ravenous for their blood and flesh, they are following the clues left behind by the Scientist in his journal, drifting down the river in a boat, towards what they hope will be The Promised Land (The Land of Milk and Honey). A few days into their journey, they reach a human village hidden between the mountains, protected from the vicious predators by the vast desert surrounding it. The place is abundant in food and seemingly safe, filled with happy, singing people (mostly young girls). But is it really the Promised Land they dreamed about? Gene and Sissy will soon notice something very off about the village and its residents. And they will uncover some dark and terrible secrets that will send them running for their lives again.

The hunt has only begun. The hunt will never end.

I enjoyed The Prey a whole lot more than the first book in the series. It was yet another roller-coaster ride of a book and I gobbled it down in one sitting. Andrew Fukuda pulls you right back into his terrifying dystopian world, giving you some answers to satisfy your curiosity, but leaving enough of the questions unanswered to keep you interested and engaged. He skilfully expands the already complex world, adding new characters, places and interesting new plot threads. We learn more about Gene, his father, their past and the reasons behind them living among the vamps. We also learn a lot about the world and how it came to be the way it is, the history of the duskers and the mysterious Scientist. We're presented with a new, bloodcurdling threat and live through some truly dramatic (and traumatic) experiences together with the characters.

"I've lived my whole life caught in a crack between two worlds. And I don't belong to or know either one."

As the story unfolds, we see glimpses of Gene's memories and we get to re-live some of the events from his past that shaped his present self. I appreciated those memories, they were insightful and moving (sometimes truly heartbreaking), and they definitely made me feel for Gene and understand him better. He survived for years living in the midst of monsters. He witnessed many horrors, experienced unfathomable fear and loneliness. Somewhere along the way, he learned to despise his own kind, believing them to be stupid and primitive. Nothing more than savages and barn animals, domesticated and trained only to be slaughtered and devoured later. He eventually lost his humanity and had to re-discover it all over again. Over the course of the book he grew a lot as a character and I'm happy to say that he morphed into a more compassionate, brave young man. Someone who was willing to fight for others, as opposed to caring only about his own survival. That was an amazing transformation to witness!

All in all, this was an exceptionally well-executed sequel - well structured, concise, captivating. I can't wait to read the third and final book in this awesome series and find out how Gene's story ends!

Posted at Bookish as part of MEN in YA2

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Feb 19, 2013 Neena rated it 4 of 5 stars

I just finished reading this book. It was full of adventure and fast paced. If you enjoyed the first one you own't be dissapointed. I found in the first book we learn about the vampires whereas the second book we learn more about the humans or hepers as they are called in the novel. We see Gene, Sissy and the boys and what happens to them once they leave the security/crazy world of the Dome. It is refreshing to see a male protaganist in a series as well because there are so many stories in the g...more

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Jan 24, 2013 Robert Slaven rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, first-reads

As is the usual opening statement, I received this book in a GoodReads giveaway some time ago along with the first book in the series. Despite that effervescently kind consideration I give my candid opinions below.
It's hard to know where to start with this one. Like "The Hunt" Fukuda gives us an interesting twist on the vampire genre. I won't be giving anything away if I say that in this world the vampires run the planet (don’t they? Or do they? Or don’t they? Depends on where you are in book tw...more As is the usual opening statement, I received this book in a GoodReads giveaway some time ago along with the first book in the series. Despite that effervescently kind consideration I give my candid opinions below.
It's hard to know where to start with this one. Like "The Hunt" Fukuda gives us an interesting twist on the vampire genre. I won't be giving anything away if I say that in this world the vampires run the planet (don’t they? Or do they? Or don’t they? Depends on where you are in book two I guess) while the helpless and pitiful humans who remain sit cowering and waiting to be eaten. Luckily for us though, there’s a final hope for humanity (heperanity?) making its way down the river on a little rickety boat.

So on the positive side, this book is long on dramatics. Our trusty author takes us on quite a wonderful and exhilarating ride as we trace back the history of what happened to this rather topsy-turvy world. We find out how it got to this devilish place and meet some its more colorful characters. Along the way Fukuda teaches us a few object lessons about humanity as well. On balance a very interesting and entertaining journey.

To the negative side of the journal, I don’t tend to recommend a lot of close reading. While the plot is thrilling it’s not as polished and contiguous as one would like. Logic fails at various points and furrowed brows accompanied by the statement, “why on Earth would he…?” are prominent. It is best to just look past these and enjoy the ride in my opinion. Those extremely troubled by uneven storyline will be rather disturbed. It’s also worth noting that readers should definitely read the first book first. For one thing I’m sure it’s much cheaper. For another, the second book doesn’t mess about particularly with any introductory material about what’s going on. The reader is plopped quite quickly into the water with no acclimatizing introduction.

In summary, “The Prey” is an example of a good story with some rocky bits. Those willing to ignore the rumbling inconsistencies will do best. Reading level is young-adult with only mild adult themes so perhaps this is the optimal target audience.
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Mar 07, 2013 Kristina rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-read-2013, boy-pov-ya

3.5 Stars out of 5

Note: Some minor spoilers.

Hmmm... I don't know, I am kind of on the fence about this book. I LOVED The Hunt! Part of the reason why I liked the first book so much was that it was different, gritty, and creepy. This book possessed at least one of those aspects, but the suspense and excitement that plagued you in the first novel was not there for me in the second.

The book picks up right where the first left off, with Gene and the gang of dome "hepers" on the run from the vampires...more 3.5 Stars out of 5

Note: Some minor spoilers.

Hmmm... I don't know, I am kind of on the fence about this book. I LOVED The Hunt! Part of the reason why I liked the first book so much was that it was different, gritty, and creepy. This book possessed at least one of those aspects, but the suspense and excitement that plagued you in the first novel was not there for me in the second.

The book picks up right where the first left off, with Gene and the gang of dome "hepers" on the run from the vampires, or "duskers" as they are later referred to in the novel. They follow a set of clues land down by the Scientist, which eventually leads them to a human village called the Mission.

Now this is where the problems with the book arise. The village does have the creepiness that permeated the first book, which I liked, but it didn't scare me. The Hunt scared me, this village was just plain weird. Now I understand the point of having the village show how f'ed up humanity now is, but it just didn't work for me. I felt myself pining for the adventure found in Ann Aguirre's second book "Outpost." Both series have parallels, such as humans living among monsters, said humans running from monsters, and then finding a creepy village. However, in Aguirre's village they were at least were not plugging their ears chanting: "LA LA LA! I CAN SEE THE FREAKING MONSTERS BUT THEY CAN'T TOUCH ME IN MY CREEPY VILLAGE!!! LALALALA!!!"

[Side note: Why do all YA dystpoia novels revert back to a dark-ages type village after the fall of civilization? Is it just me or are they pretty much all like that?]

That's probably what frustrated me the most was the complete lack of motivation by the people of Mission to DO SOMETHING about their situation.

Although I do have to give Fukuda kudos for a great ending. FINALLY the action missing in the entire novel came out and sucker punched you in the face at the end. The second book made me worried for the rest of the series, but the ending made me hungry for more. Can't wait for the third book! Please, please, please, bring back the suspense and terror that The Hunt had!! (less)

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Feb 19, 2013 Megan (Book Brats) rated it 3 of 5 stars

THE HUNT, book one in Andrew Fukuda’s vampire dystopian trilogy, was kind of a mixed bag for me. I think I enjoyed it. It required throwing a lot of disbelief out the window and enjoying the ridiculous of it all.

This GIF represents my feelings on the sequel to THE HUNT. THE PREY is a book that I think I enjoyed. But only THINK because as I sit here a few days after finishing it, I am at a loss about my feelings. I give it three stars because I am caught between two and four – two because it had...more

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Feb 09, 2013 Kai (Amaterasu Reads) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013-tbr-pile, for-review, teens

Review posted at Amaterasu Reads

Gene is now on the run from the monsters he had lived with for years, and when once he was supposed to be the hunter, now he is being hunted. Ashley June, sacrificing herself to get Gene out of the Institute, has Gene venturing into the river along with Epap, Ben, Jacob, David and Sissy in search for the place described by his father in his journal. His father, the scientist. The startling discovery will lead Gene to a place different from the city, but strange t...more Review posted at Amaterasu Reads

Gene is now on the run from the monsters he had lived with for years, and when once he was supposed to be the hunter, now he is being hunted. Ashley June, sacrificing herself to get Gene out of the Institute, has Gene venturing into the river along with Epap, Ben, Jacob, David and Sissy in search for the place described by his father in his journal. His father, the scientist. The startling discovery will lead Gene to a place different from the city, but strange things are happening there and Gene wants to find out what they were before it's too late.

Stop, take a deep breath and prepare yourself for a barrage of conflicting emotions before you start reading this book because readers will be plunged head on in the action from page one. The book immediately opens in an action filled, dreadful scene and readers must prepare themselves for the adrenaline rush combined with a very dark fear that they will constantly feel all throughout the book. I had to pause a few times to take a deep breath and try and digest all of the action, the gruesome scenes and the suspense in Gene's quest to find what's beyond the city, a place full of promises and a bright future away from the monsters, from violent deaths, a place his father called The Land of Milk and Honey, Fruit and Sunshine.

The Prey opens up a whole new world for Gene, Sissy, Jacob, David and Epap. But this world, this new world seemingly removed from the horrors of the City, away from the violence, the blood lust, the horrendous creatures out on the hunt for their flesh, is a new nightmare for all of them. The journey that Gene and his friends made were harrowing and very exhausting, and the experiences the trials and dangers they faced created stronger characters, especially for both Sissy and Gene. Sissy, the only female among them and yet she was the one who never gave up even when Epap and the little children were acting like spoiled brats. But there were times when I felt that her spunkiness and fierceness bordered on being so crass and irritating, but Sissy is just really a tough girl. It was thanks to her that they were kept alive long enough to reach a destination that was new for all of them. She helped Gene discover things about his father that was kept secret for years, who made Gene appreciate his father more and to make him let go of the hatred he had felt for abandoning Gene amidst the world of monsters.

The readers will be so busy anticipating what's in store for Gene and his companions that they will barely pay attention to the romance in this book. Gene and Sissy's relationship felt like it needed more to even compare to what Gene felt for Ashley June. They needed each other to survive, when one wants to give up, the other pushes the other one on and that's how it is throughout the entire nove. If there was ever any romance hinted in all of this, I barely felt it, most likely because the action and the suspense is enough to take the focus away from anything romantic in this book.

Just when you thought it couldn't get any worse, the readers will be introduced to a world filled with horrors that doesn't seem any different from what was happening in the city, or the institute. I cannot even begin to describe what I felt when the truth about The Mission was revealed. From outright disgust, it changes to a hopeless feeling, where when the truth was laid out for everyone to see, a sense of hopelessness that this nightmare Gene and the others were living will never end. That it's a make believe freedom, where one had to do unimaginable things in order to survive and to be what? The people in The Mission was living a lie, a life of imagined peace and order, of a twisted sense of what was right and wrong.

Andrew Fukuda did a great job of breaking my heart a couple of times and stomping onto the broken pieces with the events that transpired in The Prey. The theories that swirled inside my mind were grimmer than the last as I got closer and closer to the climax of the book. The characters felt closer, gaining a space in my heart only to be taken away suddenly. Heartbreaking in ways that may stun readers into silence, The Prey destroyed all of my expectations for a follow up novel. If anything, Andrew upped the ante for this sequel to a breaking point. The Prey is a never ending sequence of action and suspense, reading it will give the reader a thrill unlike any other they've experienced before.

Dearest readers, brace yourselves for a very explosive read filled with surprises one after another. What happens next? Can they ever outrun the monsters thirsty for their flesh and blood? Will it ever end? Reading The Prey is a whole lot of fun, it can be emotionally tiring, but it is worth every heartache, every sigh, every gasp you will make. I have nothing but praises for you, Andrew Fukuda. This book is awesome!(less)

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Apr 16, 2013 Lucy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-reads, 2013-releases, adventure, horror, fantasy, post-apocalyptic, young-adult, favourites

Fukuda's The Hunt was one of the best surprises of 2012 - a deliciously creepy, brilliantly-written debut which brought vampires back from sexy to scary and introduced a completely original zombiefied take on vampire lore. Fukuda managed to surpass my expectations with The Prey, delivering a story which was just as creepy, fast-paced and mind-reeling, while also neatly justifying a few of the gaping plot holes which let the first book down.

Warning: Spoilers for book one from here onwards!

The Pre...more Fukuda's The Hunt was one of the best surprises of 2012 - a deliciously creepy, brilliantly-written debut which brought vampires back from sexy to scary and introduced a completely original zombiefied take on vampire lore. Fukuda managed to surpass my expectations with The Prey, delivering a story which was just as creepy, fast-paced and mind-reeling, while also neatly justifying a few of the gaping plot holes which let the first book down.

Warning: Spoilers for book one from here onwards!

The Prey picks up the story just a few hours after the shocking conclusion of The Hunt; Gene, our narrator, has made his escape with the rest of the Hepers and is struggling to come to terms with the revelation that his father may still be alive. As much as I loved Fukuda's decision to tell the story from the perspective of an unlikable protagonist in The Hunt, I also really enjoyed Gene's character development in this sequel. As their journey continues, Gene bonds with Sissy, Epap and the other boys, becoming remarkably sympathetic and human in their company.

Much of their journey involves Gene and Sissy learning the truth about the world beyond the Dome while searching for a mysterious object called 'the Origin' which is rumoured to be their salvation. The Hepers find themselves in a strange village run by humans who claim to be the final "outpost" of humanity. It's impossible to say much more without revealing some major plot twists, but I will say that Fuduka proves himself once again to be a master of horror, suspense and action. The scenes in the village are slower and less suspenseful than the first book, but the action of the last third of the book more than makes up for the slower sections. There's another big revelation at the end of The Prey and it's even more shocking than the ending of the first book.

Definitely a must-read for fans of The Hunt! This series is no longer just "The Hunger Games with vampires" - it deserves to be placed in a category of its own. Fukuda is a new favourite author; I can't wait for the conclusion of this series and I'm looking forward to reading whatever he writes next.

Triggering content includes implied sexual assault, rape, emotional abuse and physical abuse.

Rating: 5 stars
Review cross-posted to Paperback'd (less)

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Mar 29, 2013 Sabrina rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: new-worlds, vampires, survival

Gene, Sissy, and the boys have escaped from the Metropolis only to find themselves in another community that could kill them in another way. Gene hopes that following the river will lead them to his father, but all that they learn of him was that he had apparently killed himself ((view spoiler)). Sissy's connection with Gene only strengthens...more Gene, Sissy, and the boys have escaped from the Metropolis only to find themselves in another community that could kill them in another way. Gene hopes that following the river will lead them to his father, but all that they learn of him was that he had apparently killed himself ((view spoiler)). Sissy's connection with Gene only strengthens as they have to rely on each other more and more for their survival. After it seems that they are safe from the Duskers (personally, I prefer calling them Hunters) they find out that one is in their village but kept under lock and key, which begs the question: why?
The answer: control. The Elders needed something to threaten the girls with so they'd stay passive and submissive (even as they branded, raped, deformed, and enslaved them). I think the unmentioned part of their marking system was connected with the Dusker; disobey 5 times, and you'll be fed to, or changed into a Dusker.
Then there is the whole Origin fiasco. First they don't have it, then they think it's on Sissy, then they think it's in Gene, then it is Gene, but ultimately it's Gene and Sissy, which makes me think that they being the salvation (the cure) are like Micheal and Gabrielle. Two angels that have been dropped into this world with only one purpose, to save it, but they have to discover themselves first and work together to do it.
I'm not sure if that's where Mr. Fukuda is going to take it with the last book (I hope not, then there would be no surprise left), but I think it could be one of many possibilities.
Currently they (Gene, Sissy, Epap, and David) and the rest of the surviving girls are on the train heading towards the Ruler's Palace (which will be filled with Duskers), so the only questions left can be: Will they survive the Palace? How are Sissy and Gene going to save everyone? How exactly are they the cure? Will they find The Scientist before it's too late? Will Gene and Sissy kiss again? Are they really the last humans left?
4.5/5 Stars (the .5 was left out for the fact that- yet again- I was terrified after reading it)
I'm on the edge of my seat waiting for the next and last installment!(less)

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Feb 21, 2013 Lauren Murphy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: dystopian, ya

The Prey is the second dystopian novel in The Hunt trilogy by Andrew Fukuda. I really enjoyed the first novel, The Hunt because it was written from a male perspective and I really liked the world the author created and the challenges the characters faced. Unfortunately, The Prey didn’t have the same impact on me.

After escaping the ‘duskers’ or vamps or zombies or whatever they are called, Gene is on the run… well on the water… with fellow ‘hepers’ (a.k.a humans) Sissy, Epap, Jacob and Ben and ar...more The Prey is the second dystopian novel in The Hunt trilogy by Andrew Fukuda. I really enjoyed the first novel, The Hunt because it was written from a male perspective and I really liked the world the author created and the challenges the characters faced. Unfortunately, The Prey didn’t have the same impact on me.

After escaping the ‘duskers’ or vamps or zombies or whatever they are called, Gene is on the run… well on the water… with fellow ‘hepers’ (a.k.a humans) Sissy, Epap, Jacob and Ben and are fighting to stay alive. They have to be smarter and faster than the duskers who are evolving and becoming more audacious in their hunt for human blood.

Following the vague messages left by the Scientist, Gene and the gang stumble into a village they hope to be the Land of Milk and Honey- the paradise the Scientist talked about. But the village is actually a mission and has very unusual regulations that begin to unnerve the newcomers. Firstly, the mission is predominantly female, many of the young women are pregnant, they have small feet and the men running the place give out ‘merit points’ for good citizens. Once five merit points are received the lucky person gets put on the next train to “Civilisation.”

Gene and Sissy are suspicious of the mission and seek to uncover what’s really going on and what their purpose is. When they discover their group will be setting off on the next day’s train to this so-called civilisation they plan their escape. But their plan is interrupted by a kidnapping, the revelation of the Origin and the impending herd of duskers closing in on the mission. Gene must decide whether to leave his friends behind and follow the path that leads to his father or help Sissy save the innocents of the mission.

Fukuda certainly creates an interesting world and a notable writing style… but The Prey almost felt like it was a completely separate book to The Hunt with a different setting, less appearances by duskers and the absence of Ashley June.

I’m not always a fan of first viewpoint, but I think it works in this series because it amps up the immediacy of the situation by placing the reader in the present moment as the challenges unfold for Gene. However, it means that it’s difficult to connect with the secondary characters as we only know as much as Gene does. I wanted to connect with Sissy and I liked that she was determined and passionate, but I couldn’t really picture her and I didn’t think the relationship development between her and Gene was very believable. I just didn’t get the chemistry like I did with him and Ashley Gene. She seemed a bit too much like a sister- pun intended.

I liked the world Fukuda created and after the first book I wasn’t too fussed about the lack of explanation for how it came about, I’m not really a details-oriented person but I’m sure for other readers this is of great importance. Fukuda takes to explaining the origin of the world and the dusker species through a lot of dialogue and information dumping and I felt it slowed down the pace of the story at times. In fact there was too much dialogue and strategising and not enough action- something the first book had in abundance.

The Prey was a letdown for me in some of the aspects mentioned above but I am still curious enough about what will happen next to read the final book in the trilogy- especially since there’s a bit of a cliff-hanger. I’d like the Scientist to finally reveal himself, I’d like Ashley June to re-enter the story, I want the group to get the hell away from that creepy mission and not return and I’d like more action! The Prey isn’t a brilliant sequel but it’s enough to whet the appetite for an anticipated finale.
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Apr 01, 2013 Danielle rated it 4 of 5 stars

I really liked the first book in this series. I liked how the monsters (vampires to us) were considered the people and humans were called Hepers and were basically food. In the second book...

*spoiler alert*
The humans are the majority for most of the second book but they are really monsters too. The main characters seem to be the only characters in the book with any kind of moral compass, especially the ones that lived inside a dome separate from the rest of the world since birth. I like the stor...more

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Jan 27, 2013 Beth (Curling Up With A Good Book) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: my-favorites-2013

Where do I even begin? If you loved the Hunger Games, Twilight, or just love to read a dystopian book with heart-pounding, non-stop action and suspense then this series IS FOR YOU!!

If I could give this book more than 5 stars I would and I would put it in BOLD numbers!!! WOW! This sequel is just intense. There are no other words except INTENSE!!!!!!!!! I started this book and finished it in 3 days.

Andrew Fukuda weaves an breath-taking, suspense filled story that keeps you turning long into the ni...more Where do I even begin? If you loved the Hunger Games, Twilight, or just love to read a dystopian book with heart-pounding, non-stop action and suspense then this series IS FOR YOU!!

If I could give this book more than 5 stars I would and I would put it in BOLD numbers!!! WOW! This sequel is just intense. There are no other words except INTENSE!!!!!!!!! I started this book and finished it in 3 days.

Andrew Fukuda weaves an breath-taking, suspense filled story that keeps you turning long into the night. I loved everything about this book. It has everything from horror to mystery to a tale of survival and family. The characters are written perfectly in every aspect. Gene and Sissy are both strong, intense, driven characters and I felt as though I was living every moment with them. They have a sense of family and care for their other friends as though their lives depend on it.

Gene is by far one of my most favorite characters in this novel. He has survived and overcome so much. In The Hunt he lives within a horde of vampires and somehow manages to blend in and survive. He finds Sissy and the others and together they overcome the odds and become free.

Out of all the scenes in The Prey, my most favorite is when they are on the river. Their vulnerability and survival techniques are fascinating. They manage to live and survive on the boat with each other and each night when the vampires arrive and try their might to reach them, it just makes you cringe. Andrew Fukuda's writing style is incredible. I cringed and felt emotions as I was reading just as though I were there with them. The horrific way they vampires are described is wild. Their lust and greed for the "hepers" is intense.

I love how "The Scientist" is still so involved in this story even though he is not living each account with them. He is so involved in this story even though he is not there in person. He gives the group a sense of hope and security and this is what they hang on to that keeps them going and fighting.

In The Prey the group are introduced to a new "experience," I call it an experience because that is exactly what it is...A life experience that the group will have to live through to survive and thrive. The "cult" they come into is filled with so many mysteries and puzzles. As they delve into this new "town" the discover so many more horrors and answers start to come to light.

I think one of the reasons why I am so drawn to this series is because everything in the story means something. Its a mystery waiting to be solved with little clues introduced along the way. I could not draw myself away from this book...I could not wait to get all the clues and put them together and discover the mystery. Along the way you find out several key pieces that makes everything start to make sense yet keeps you hanging on to learn more.

Needless to say, this fast paced story is fantastic, incredible, heart-stopping, creepy, and so much more. I cant wait to read the conclusion and to see where and how this story ends. I have a feeling that Gene, Sissy, Epap, Jacob, David, and Ben have a lot more turns and surprises that they have yet to face and I cant wait to live every moment with them......(less)

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Feb 14, 2013 Matty rated it 4 of 5 stars

Okay, I'm not going to lie... I only read this book out of pure curiosity. I wanted to know how Mr. Fukuda could POSSIBLY salvage the trainwreck that was The Hunt... The world building make absolutely no sense to me until now. Now, realizing how everything came to be, makes so much sense. Bravo, Fukuda, you have sold me.

This book frustrating to say the least. At times the plot is so blatantly obvious, and other times, completely baffling. The ending is both heartbreaking and annoying. I hate cl...more

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title link	preview: The Prey
avg rating	preview: The Prey Goodreads rating: 4.18 (633 ratings)
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BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/14740456-the-prey?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1345047431l/14740456.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/14740456-the-prey?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]The Prey by Andrew Fukuda[/url]

The Prey (The Hunt #2)

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