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Predators
SHE IS ONE OF THE ONLY ANIMALS
WHO CAN CHASE A LION FROM HIS KILL...
Evie Childs hoped the all-expense-paid trip to Africa would give her a chance at adventure. Maybe it would even let her forget a past that haunts her, and find safety from a husband who abuses her.
HER JAWS CAN CRUSH BONE TO POWDER...
But when a group of “freedom fighters” kidnaps her safari tour group, intent on holding them for ransom, the adventure turns to nightmare.
SHE KNOWS NO MERCY, ONLY HUNGER...
Now, Evie and the rest of the survivors must travel across miles of the harshest, most dangerous environment on Earth. No food. No water. No communications.
And they’re being hunted.
SHE IS THE ONLY ANIMAL ALIVE
WHO LAUGHS AS SHE HUNTS...
A pack of Africa’s top predators have smelled the blood of the survivors, and will not stop until they have fed. Because in this place, you can be either one of the prey, or one of the...
PREDATORS
WHO CAN CHASE A LION FROM HIS KILL...
Evie Childs hoped the all-expense-paid trip to Africa would give her a chance at adventure. Maybe it would even let her forget a past that haunts her, and find safety from a husband who abuses her.
HER JAWS CAN CRUSH BONE TO POWDER...
But when a group of “freedom fighters” kidnaps her safari tour group, intent on holding them for ransom, the adventure turns to nightmare.
SHE KNOWS NO MERCY, ONLY HUNGER...
Now, Evie and the rest of the survivors must travel across miles of the harshest, most dangerous environment on Earth. No food. No water. No communications.
And they’re being hunted.
SHE IS THE ONLY ANIMAL ALIVE
WHO LAUGHS AS SHE HUNTS...
A pack of Africa’s top predators have smelled the blood of the survivors, and will not stop until they have fed. Because in this place, you can be either one of the prey, or one of the...
PREDATORS
380 pages, Paperback
Published September 4, 2018
431 people are currently reading
205 people want to read
About the author
Michaelbrent Collings
92 books660 followersOne of the most versatile writers around, Michaelbrent Collings is an internationally bestselling novelist, produced screenwriter, and multiple Bram Stoker Award finalist. While he is best known for horror (and is one of the most successful indie horror authors in the United States), he has also written bestselling thriller, fantasy, science fiction, mystery, humor, young adult, and middle grade works, and Western Romance.
In addition to being a bestselling novelist, Michaelbrent has also received critical acclaim: he is the only person who has ever been a finalist for a Bram Stoker Award, a Dragon Award, a RONE Award, and a Whitney award: and he and his work have been reviewed and/or featured on everything from Publishers Weekly to Scream Magazine to NPR. He is also a frequent guest at comic cons and on writing podcasts like Six Figure Authors, The Creative Penn, and Writing Excuses.
Find more about him at his website, WrittenInsomnia.com, or sign up for his mailing list (and get a free book!) at http://writteninsomnia.com/michaelbre....
In addition to being a bestselling novelist, Michaelbrent has also received critical acclaim: he is the only person who has ever been a finalist for a Bram Stoker Award, a Dragon Award, a RONE Award, and a Whitney award: and he and his work have been reviewed and/or featured on everything from Publishers Weekly to Scream Magazine to NPR. He is also a frequent guest at comic cons and on writing podcasts like Six Figure Authors, The Creative Penn, and Writing Excuses.
Find more about him at his website, WrittenInsomnia.com, or sign up for his mailing list (and get a free book!) at http://writteninsomnia.com/michaelbre....
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
October 9, 2018
4 1/2 Stars
This is a dark, grueling, unflinching character study and tale of survival in a desolate landscape that will put you through the emotional meat grinder. It was fantastic in all the ways that count.
A group of tourists travel to Africa to experience the wild locale and the exotic animals and instead find themselves caught up in a living nightmare. This book takes its time setting up the story and the unrelenting horror that follows and instead dives deep into the characterization. So when the plot turn happens and the struggle to survive begins you are pretty well invested in some of the characters and have a better understand of the one’s you might not like all that much. These aren’t just bodies doing stuff, these are well rounded people with pasts. I’m nosy and love taking a deep dive into what makes people tick and it’s done very well in PREDATORS.
If you’ve tuned out because you’re an action fan, stick with me because there’s plenty of it in the last half when the plot takes a bloody turn, desperate animals turn on man and it gets gory. Author Collings doesn’t shy away from the gruesome and isn’t afraid to push your face in it. But through it all the terrific characterization remains.
There are some amazingly strong female characters in this book and that includes the main beast herself. Her POV fascinated me. The humans are quite a mix. There’s a blind little girl and her dad, a grandma, a starlet, an abused woman and her rotten husband, a Harvey Weinstein type, a not-too-bright YouTuber who is good for some laughs and the tour guides who love what they do even though they have to cart around idiots, for the most part. Some start out weak and find strength and others appear frail but prove that looks are deceptive. A few are just arrogant, nasty or dumb and are there to get eaten but there’s nothing wrong with that. It was a nice mix of people you love to hate and those you grow to love and one or two somewhere in the middle. It’s also heartbreaking as hell so be warned. Fortunately, there are some much needed humorous bits of dialogue thrown in to stop you just when you’re getting ready to jump into a pit of hopeless despair.
The monsters are not supernatural but the terror is real. If a slower-paced, well-crafted book about doing what it takes to survive is your kind of thing, I think you’re really going to enjoy PREDATORS.
This is a dark, grueling, unflinching character study and tale of survival in a desolate landscape that will put you through the emotional meat grinder. It was fantastic in all the ways that count.
A group of tourists travel to Africa to experience the wild locale and the exotic animals and instead find themselves caught up in a living nightmare. This book takes its time setting up the story and the unrelenting horror that follows and instead dives deep into the characterization. So when the plot turn happens and the struggle to survive begins you are pretty well invested in some of the characters and have a better understand of the one’s you might not like all that much. These aren’t just bodies doing stuff, these are well rounded people with pasts. I’m nosy and love taking a deep dive into what makes people tick and it’s done very well in PREDATORS.
If you’ve tuned out because you’re an action fan, stick with me because there’s plenty of it in the last half when the plot takes a bloody turn, desperate animals turn on man and it gets gory. Author Collings doesn’t shy away from the gruesome and isn’t afraid to push your face in it. But through it all the terrific characterization remains.
There are some amazingly strong female characters in this book and that includes the main beast herself. Her POV fascinated me. The humans are quite a mix. There’s a blind little girl and her dad, a grandma, a starlet, an abused woman and her rotten husband, a Harvey Weinstein type, a not-too-bright YouTuber who is good for some laughs and the tour guides who love what they do even though they have to cart around idiots, for the most part. Some start out weak and find strength and others appear frail but prove that looks are deceptive. A few are just arrogant, nasty or dumb and are there to get eaten but there’s nothing wrong with that. It was a nice mix of people you love to hate and those you grow to love and one or two somewhere in the middle. It’s also heartbreaking as hell so be warned. Fortunately, there are some much needed humorous bits of dialogue thrown in to stop you just when you’re getting ready to jump into a pit of hopeless despair.
The monsters are not supernatural but the terror is real. If a slower-paced, well-crafted book about doing what it takes to survive is your kind of thing, I think you’re really going to enjoy PREDATORS.
July 7, 2019
Audio – 5+++ stars
Story – 3 stars
I’m more than okay with the author giving the reader a background on the characters in the story. It gives them more depth. But in the case of this book, too much time was spent in each of the characters’ heads. It’s kind of pointless given that most of them are going to die anyway. I don’t want to get attached to a dead person walking. If you’re a reader like me, the more you know about character, the more attached you get.
When I read horror, I want a heavy dose of suspense, action, violence, blood and gore. There just wasn’t enough of that in this story which resulted in the delivery feeling long winded.
Story – 3 stars
I’m more than okay with the author giving the reader a background on the characters in the story. It gives them more depth. But in the case of this book, too much time was spent in each of the characters’ heads. It’s kind of pointless given that most of them are going to die anyway. I don’t want to get attached to a dead person walking. If you’re a reader like me, the more you know about character, the more attached you get.
When I read horror, I want a heavy dose of suspense, action, violence, blood and gore. There just wasn’t enough of that in this story which resulted in the delivery feeling long winded.
December 3, 2018
4.5 stars!
PREDATORS, by Michaelbrent Collings, is a novel that ran me through the gauntlet of emotions. Every intense feeling that you could possibly contemplate was present in this storyline. While the predators are not supernatural in nature, with Collings' incredible descriptions and different point-of-views, you will be no less terrified than if they were some completely unknown, sinister entity.
". . . in the end, when the prey had become predator, the hunters the hunted, they ran."
It seemed to me that the first half of this novel mainly set the stage for the action to come. The characterization was phenomenal. We have a fairly large group of characters: families, couples, individuals, and the guides responsible for taking the guests out into "the wild" of Africa--to view the exotic animals (from the relative safety of the company vehicles, of course).
". . . there are certain places it is better not to disturb."
Aside from the resort, Collings inserts interludes where the point of view comes from the main . . . predator. This technique worked extremely well in this story.
". . . She's one of the few animals that can chase a lion away from his kill . . . "
I never once felt a "jarring" change, or that it intruded upon the rest of the novel. Rather, these were so fluidly placed that they seemed a natural continuation of the tale, no matter what point I was at.
"Nature was the queen of all, and it was useless to pit your will against her . . . "
I will admit that "usually" if a novel spends the entire first half building on the individual characters' personalities, current situations, and the past that brought them up to this moment, I would probably stop at some point when I realized that there was still no "physical" action taking place. Yet in PREDATORS, this information was dished out in such a compelling fashion that I actually wanted to know more.
". . . pain had become the sum of her existence, the thing she feared . . . and at once the only thing that reminded her she still lived at all."
Of course you had characters you loved, despised, and "throwaway" characters that you knew would be used later for carnage. All of them completely necessary in their own way.
"Invisibility was a refuge, and if you couldn't manage invisibility, then absolute subservience was a close second."
". . . there's only predator, and prey."
By the time you realize where the second half of the novel was taking you to, you're already fully invested in the welfare of the characters. All I will say regarding this is that you won't want to skip a single sentence in this dramatically intense book.
"Fairy tales are so often dark . . . as bad as they are, they are less terrifying than the world itself often manages to be . . . "
Overall, this was a book that captivated me throughout its entire duration. Whether it was character building, discussing individuals' pasts, or coming from the predators' point-of-view, each and every moment gave something vital to the reader.
"Sometimes, even the crudest of beasts would thirst for revenge . . . "
With this novel, Collings has come back to the horror genre in a big way. This is, quite probably, one of the most memorable stories I've read this entire year.
". . . You were more alive out here . . . Until you're not."
Highly recommended.
*I received a copy of this book from the author. All opinions expressed in this review are uniquely my own.*
PREDATORS, by Michaelbrent Collings, is a novel that ran me through the gauntlet of emotions. Every intense feeling that you could possibly contemplate was present in this storyline. While the predators are not supernatural in nature, with Collings' incredible descriptions and different point-of-views, you will be no less terrified than if they were some completely unknown, sinister entity.
". . . in the end, when the prey had become predator, the hunters the hunted, they ran."
It seemed to me that the first half of this novel mainly set the stage for the action to come. The characterization was phenomenal. We have a fairly large group of characters: families, couples, individuals, and the guides responsible for taking the guests out into "the wild" of Africa--to view the exotic animals (from the relative safety of the company vehicles, of course).
". . . there are certain places it is better not to disturb."
Aside from the resort, Collings inserts interludes where the point of view comes from the main . . . predator. This technique worked extremely well in this story.
". . . She's one of the few animals that can chase a lion away from his kill . . . "
I never once felt a "jarring" change, or that it intruded upon the rest of the novel. Rather, these were so fluidly placed that they seemed a natural continuation of the tale, no matter what point I was at.
"Nature was the queen of all, and it was useless to pit your will against her . . . "
I will admit that "usually" if a novel spends the entire first half building on the individual characters' personalities, current situations, and the past that brought them up to this moment, I would probably stop at some point when I realized that there was still no "physical" action taking place. Yet in PREDATORS, this information was dished out in such a compelling fashion that I actually wanted to know more.
". . . pain had become the sum of her existence, the thing she feared . . . and at once the only thing that reminded her she still lived at all."
Of course you had characters you loved, despised, and "throwaway" characters that you knew would be used later for carnage. All of them completely necessary in their own way.
"Invisibility was a refuge, and if you couldn't manage invisibility, then absolute subservience was a close second."
". . . there's only predator, and prey."
By the time you realize where the second half of the novel was taking you to, you're already fully invested in the welfare of the characters. All I will say regarding this is that you won't want to skip a single sentence in this dramatically intense book.
"Fairy tales are so often dark . . . as bad as they are, they are less terrifying than the world itself often manages to be . . . "
Overall, this was a book that captivated me throughout its entire duration. Whether it was character building, discussing individuals' pasts, or coming from the predators' point-of-view, each and every moment gave something vital to the reader.
"Sometimes, even the crudest of beasts would thirst for revenge . . . "
With this novel, Collings has come back to the horror genre in a big way. This is, quite probably, one of the most memorable stories I've read this entire year.
". . . You were more alive out here . . . Until you're not."
Highly recommended.
*I received a copy of this book from the author. All opinions expressed in this review are uniquely my own.*
October 18, 2025
When I was a young girl, I dreamed of going on safari in Africa. Then, I got older, read some books and saw some movies, and changed my mind. They say the odds are low you’ll get attacked by a shark while swimming in the ocean. I live on the Gulf Coast and have seen what lurks under the water and I don’t swim in open water anymore. I figure the same goes for trekking around Africa, especially after dark, when things come out to hunt. A diverse group of people do just that and get more than they bargained for.
I’m big on character driven stories and that’s what this was all about for me. Sure, something hunts them. But it’s how they react, who steps up and who turns tail that feeds this horror fan.
So, the characters. A father, along with his blind little girl and her grandmother. A washed up movie mogul and his aging trophy wife actress. A bully and his timid wife. The Maasai brother and sister tour guides. There’s more to them than meets the eye.
The author puts his characters into the worst possible situation and strips them down to the bare bones. As they try to get back to safety, they’re tracked, hunted by something that taunts them. Just out of sight, but always there. Then the attacks begin. It’s raw, brutal, and almost beautiful to see these character’s true colors come out.
Who survives? It’s anyone’s guess.
Did I enjoy this book? Most definitely. From the opening page to the final face off. Would I recommend it? Sure enough. And I’m already reading The Haunted, another thrilling book by the author.
I received a complimentary copy. My review is voluntarily given.
I’m big on character driven stories and that’s what this was all about for me. Sure, something hunts them. But it’s how they react, who steps up and who turns tail that feeds this horror fan.
So, the characters. A father, along with his blind little girl and her grandmother. A washed up movie mogul and his aging trophy wife actress. A bully and his timid wife. The Maasai brother and sister tour guides. There’s more to them than meets the eye.
The author puts his characters into the worst possible situation and strips them down to the bare bones. As they try to get back to safety, they’re tracked, hunted by something that taunts them. Just out of sight, but always there. Then the attacks begin. It’s raw, brutal, and almost beautiful to see these character’s true colors come out.
Who survives? It’s anyone’s guess.
Did I enjoy this book? Most definitely. From the opening page to the final face off. Would I recommend it? Sure enough. And I’m already reading The Haunted, another thrilling book by the author.
I received a complimentary copy. My review is voluntarily given.
March 23, 2019
Review copy
If you're anything like me, when you hear the title, Predators, your mind goes immediately to the science fiction action horror film franchise. Just so you know, Michaelbrent Collings' new book has nothing to do with aliens, but everything to do with terror.
Merriam-Webster dictionary defines a predator as an organism that primarily obtains food by the killing and consuming of other organisms.
"Running was what the food did."
The story takes place at and about the Happy Africa Safari Tours, a struggling enterprise on what could well be their final expedition.
Predators is very much a character-driven story. Just a handful of guests take off on an evening excursion in an attempt to see some wildlife on what was so far has been a less than successful safari.
There are the little blind girl, Gale, her father, Craig, and Grams. Much of the story revolves around these three, however, they are not alone. There are Evie Childs and her domineering husband, Bill. Bernard Eberhardt, one of the most powerful producers in Hollywood, and his ingenue, Selena. And Gunner Helix, a self-proclaimed survival specialist with in excess of six-million YouTube subscribers.
All of the players in this tale are carefully drawn, some pure, some dark, and others in shades to grey.
"If we have found a spotted hyena, then we have found the most successful predator in Africa."
Amidst all of the violence in Collings' story, there is an incredibly touching moment. It comes at just the right time to alleviate some of the tension, as hope seems all but lost.
In the end, Predators is a demanding read that is worth the effort and when the book was over, I didn't want to leave. Definitely recommended
Predators is available now in both paperback and e-book formats.
From the author's bio - Michaelbrent Collings is an internationally bestselling author, multiple Bram Stoker Award Finalist, and one of the top indie horror writers in the US. He hopes someday to develop superpowers and maybe get a cool robot arm.
If you're anything like me, when you hear the title, Predators, your mind goes immediately to the science fiction action horror film franchise. Just so you know, Michaelbrent Collings' new book has nothing to do with aliens, but everything to do with terror.
Merriam-Webster dictionary defines a predator as an organism that primarily obtains food by the killing and consuming of other organisms.
"Running was what the food did."
The story takes place at and about the Happy Africa Safari Tours, a struggling enterprise on what could well be their final expedition.
Predators is very much a character-driven story. Just a handful of guests take off on an evening excursion in an attempt to see some wildlife on what was so far has been a less than successful safari.
There are the little blind girl, Gale, her father, Craig, and Grams. Much of the story revolves around these three, however, they are not alone. There are Evie Childs and her domineering husband, Bill. Bernard Eberhardt, one of the most powerful producers in Hollywood, and his ingenue, Selena. And Gunner Helix, a self-proclaimed survival specialist with in excess of six-million YouTube subscribers.
All of the players in this tale are carefully drawn, some pure, some dark, and others in shades to grey.
"If we have found a spotted hyena, then we have found the most successful predator in Africa."
Amidst all of the violence in Collings' story, there is an incredibly touching moment. It comes at just the right time to alleviate some of the tension, as hope seems all but lost.
In the end, Predators is a demanding read that is worth the effort and when the book was over, I didn't want to leave. Definitely recommended
Predators is available now in both paperback and e-book formats.
From the author's bio - Michaelbrent Collings is an internationally bestselling author, multiple Bram Stoker Award Finalist, and one of the top indie horror writers in the US. He hopes someday to develop superpowers and maybe get a cool robot arm.
July 15, 2024
Never thought hyenas were scary until this book.
First off, I just need to say: I picked this book up when I was searching for Aliens vs. Predator, and I am actually glad I did.
Although there were some general errors throughout, I found Predators by Michaelbrent Collings easy to read and hard to put it down. It felt to me more like a thriller than a horror and a survival book more than an action story.
Most of the guys in this book we not very nice characters and/or spoken badly of throughout the novel. It felt a bit sexist. However, it didn't pull from the story too much.
All of my favourite characters died.
Just my luck.
Predators by Michaelbrent Collings is a thrilling story about a groups survival of the Nigerian desert and the wildness it contains.
Allow yourself to be dragged along for one heck of a ride as the main characters are hunted by an enemy, so cunning that they may not come out of this safari alive.
First off, I just need to say: I picked this book up when I was searching for Aliens vs. Predator, and I am actually glad I did.
Although there were some general errors throughout, I found Predators by Michaelbrent Collings easy to read and hard to put it down. It felt to me more like a thriller than a horror and a survival book more than an action story.
Most of the guys in this book we not very nice characters and/or spoken badly of throughout the novel. It felt a bit sexist. However, it didn't pull from the story too much.
All of my favourite characters died.
Just my luck.
Predators by Michaelbrent Collings is a thrilling story about a groups survival of the Nigerian desert and the wildness it contains.
Allow yourself to be dragged along for one heck of a ride as the main characters are hunted by an enemy, so cunning that they may not come out of this safari alive.
July 4, 2019
Struggling to deal with an abusive relationship, Evie Childs hopes an African safari will make her life more bearable, but when the tour group she’s travelling with are kidnapped by freedom fighters, the experience she’d longed for turns into a terrifying ordeal. Threatened by guns and with no way of communication their distress back to the camp, Evie and the others are forced into a life or death fight to survive. But even if they can overcome the bad guys, there’s still the others – the wild animals whose only interest is the constant search for food – any food, living or dead.
This is the first book I’ve read by Michaelbrent Collings, and as he has a pretty impressive bibliography, there’s plenty more to choose from. A heady mix of horror, thriller and suspense, this is rollercoaster ride that takes us into one of those disaster situations where the chances of survival are almost nil. Collings paints vivid and enticing portraits of his disparate group of characters, who all have their own issues to deal with as well as the one that throws them all together in this nightmare scenario. With the threat of death hovering over them, his heroes strive to win, even when survival seems impossible.
The writing is tight and clever and builds tension and anticipation in equal turns, making this a thrilling and gripping read that’ll please anyone who loves adventure.
This is the first book I’ve read by Michaelbrent Collings, and as he has a pretty impressive bibliography, there’s plenty more to choose from. A heady mix of horror, thriller and suspense, this is rollercoaster ride that takes us into one of those disaster situations where the chances of survival are almost nil. Collings paints vivid and enticing portraits of his disparate group of characters, who all have their own issues to deal with as well as the one that throws them all together in this nightmare scenario. With the threat of death hovering over them, his heroes strive to win, even when survival seems impossible.
The writing is tight and clever and builds tension and anticipation in equal turns, making this a thrilling and gripping read that’ll please anyone who loves adventure.
May 28, 2020
Poorly written. Numerous grammatical errors and cliches used throughout the novel. Book started out ok, but at about the halfway point the author got very sloppy with grammatical mistakes. Also about halfway through he repeatedly mixed up the characters he was referring to.
Also, the characters in the novel were overly colorful and simply not realistic.
My biggest complaint is the author’s portrayal of men in the novel. Literally all but one male character in the book were portrayed as rapists, wife-beaters, or simply obtuse. I wasn’t offended, but it was a serious distraction. It added to the frustration I had with all the writing mistakes.
The book had potential, but all the potential got buried under the author’s obvious sexist writing approach, lack of editing, and cheesy characters.
Also, the characters in the novel were overly colorful and simply not realistic.
My biggest complaint is the author’s portrayal of men in the novel. Literally all but one male character in the book were portrayed as rapists, wife-beaters, or simply obtuse. I wasn’t offended, but it was a serious distraction. It added to the frustration I had with all the writing mistakes.
The book had potential, but all the potential got buried under the author’s obvious sexist writing approach, lack of editing, and cheesy characters.
October 4, 2018
First of all, I loved Evie, female, not weak, but thinks she is, and not just on the basic - wah wah, i'm a lady, and I'm weak for no reason. She's got demons in her past, and a demon at her side. And she gets a fantastic arc. I love her. She was one of the reasons the story sucked me in, but also the terror, the haunting landscape- talk about feeling like I was there. I don't usually read books about animals or elements being a main threat and I don't know why, but I am so glad I read this one. author quickly becoming a new favorite of mine.
This was a book that was unputdownable for me, and I finished it over a rainy and kids sick kind of weekend. If not, it would have been one of those all nighter type books.
This was a book that was unputdownable for me, and I finished it over a rainy and kids sick kind of weekend. If not, it would have been one of those all nighter type books.
September 7, 2018
A tale of a group trip to Africa for a safari, when things go terribly wrong. The author Michaelbrent Collings, weaves a story exploring the human psyche. Survival of the strongest. Great character development. Non stop suspense. Fear from the darkest corners of the mind. High on the fear factor scale. When predators become prey, and prey becomes predator, the depths a person will go to survive a terror beyond imagination. Mr. Collings takes the reader into these depths with a deft hand. A thrill ride from beginning to end. Edge of your seat prose. Highly recommended.
I will definitely be reading more of Michaelbrent Collings books.
I will definitely be reading more of Michaelbrent Collings books.
September 17, 2018
I knew nothing about this book before I started reading! I got an early copy of this and couldn't find it listed on Goodreads so went into this blind, and boy was I surprised! I devoured this and didn't want it to end!! At first I thought that it was werewolves or something.... don't ask me why, but it's not, it's something even scarier, something real and something I wouldn't put at the top of the food chain!!
Evie won an all expense paid safari trip to Africa and hoped it would help her forget. Gram, her son Craig and his daughter Gale are on the safari trip of a lifetime because one of them is terminally ill. Selena and her husband are trying to rekindle things. All 7 of these are hoping to see what Africa has to offer, but Africa has changed and there's a new alpha predator, one that the lions even fear, and this rag tag group are about to get up close and personal with them.
Africa is in the middle of a drought and the safari place is struggling, Naeku, is one of the safari guides and she hopes that this time they will find the animals and the customers will be happy. But she doesn't count on the two mysterious men that join their safari and kidnaps them. Naeku, Evie and the rest will have to traverse a hostile landscape and try to find safety before it's too late.
The thing I loved about this book the most was the setting and the way the author brings the bleak African landscape to life. He made me want to visit the place but also stay away from it because of the animals!! The predators in this were brilliantly written and I had to go look them up on the computer to see if what the author wrote about them was some what true! They are as scary as they are described here ;) Everyone has heard about these animals, but I wouldn't have thought they could be Alpha predators. The way the author gives us a look at Queen and her thoughts and feelings was awesome.
There are also quite a few characters that we get to know. Each has a story to tell and they were heartbreaking for different reasons. I immediately felt for each of them and connected to them all. I don't want to say too much about them because I feel like you need to read their stories to understand them!! Some characters you will hate, some you will love, but each of them will touch you in some way!! It's not just animals that can be the monsters and the author does't shy away from showing us this! The animals we can understand, it's the human monsters we can't!
Anyway, this book was definitely different than what I thought it was going to be. It's slow to get going, but once it does, it's full on, brutal action. It's not just about the animal attacks, it's so much more and I really hope we might get to see some of the characters again, I doubt it, but one can hope!!
Evie won an all expense paid safari trip to Africa and hoped it would help her forget. Gram, her son Craig and his daughter Gale are on the safari trip of a lifetime because one of them is terminally ill. Selena and her husband are trying to rekindle things. All 7 of these are hoping to see what Africa has to offer, but Africa has changed and there's a new alpha predator, one that the lions even fear, and this rag tag group are about to get up close and personal with them.
Africa is in the middle of a drought and the safari place is struggling, Naeku, is one of the safari guides and she hopes that this time they will find the animals and the customers will be happy. But she doesn't count on the two mysterious men that join their safari and kidnaps them. Naeku, Evie and the rest will have to traverse a hostile landscape and try to find safety before it's too late.
The thing I loved about this book the most was the setting and the way the author brings the bleak African landscape to life. He made me want to visit the place but also stay away from it because of the animals!! The predators in this were brilliantly written and I had to go look them up on the computer to see if what the author wrote about them was some what true! They are as scary as they are described here ;) Everyone has heard about these animals, but I wouldn't have thought they could be Alpha predators. The way the author gives us a look at Queen and her thoughts and feelings was awesome.
There are also quite a few characters that we get to know. Each has a story to tell and they were heartbreaking for different reasons. I immediately felt for each of them and connected to them all. I don't want to say too much about them because I feel like you need to read their stories to understand them!! Some characters you will hate, some you will love, but each of them will touch you in some way!! It's not just animals that can be the monsters and the author does't shy away from showing us this! The animals we can understand, it's the human monsters we can't!
Anyway, this book was definitely different than what I thought it was going to be. It's slow to get going, but once it does, it's full on, brutal action. It's not just about the animal attacks, it's so much more and I really hope we might get to see some of the characters again, I doubt it, but one can hope!!
June 4, 2019
Michaelbrent Collings: Predators
Reviewed by D.K. Hundt posted on Kendall Reviews: 2 October 2018
Michaelbrent Collings is an international bestselling Indie author and multiple Bram Stoker Award Finalist who’s written several books that include The Colony, The Loon, The Deep, Strangers, Apparition, The Haunted, The Twisted, and the book featured in this review, Predators.
Predators is a contemporary horror novel that is written using the third person point of view which centers around protagonist Evie Childs, who wins an all-expense-paid trip to Africa. But when a group of “freedom fighters” kidnaps her safari tour group, intent on holding them for ransom, the adventure turns into a nightmare. Without food, water, or communication, the survivors must travel across one of the most dangerous environments on Earth – where they’re being hunted.
As I started reading this book, I immediately noted that it had a Michael Crichton Jurassic Park feel to it, which I like, except Predators takes place in Africa. The former of the two is a plot-driven narrative, and the latter feels more character-driven with the plot in the background. A couple of the characters go through an internal change due to their external conditions; a shift from domestic life to a more primitive setting wherein all bets are off as to who will survive. Collings does an excellent job creating three-dimensional characters we love and love to hate. The reader is given a backstory of each, though at times it felt overdone, I was able to get a sense of who they are, and for the most part, why they behaved the way they did. I empathized with Evie the most – a shy and quiet woman who’s been abused by her husband for years. Predators is a book not only about survival but it’s also about tangible and intangible sacrifices wherein love is stronger than fear – or the other way around.
There were a couple of issues I had when reading this novel, and only because it pulled me out of the story or refused to let me slip into the text like a warm comforter by way of lengthy prose. In the first chapter, Collings uses clipped sentences for effect, but it made it difficult for me to get hooked and pulled into the narrative. The sections titled “Interlude,” though sweet and childlike in its intent, felt more like intermittent interruptions in the text that created a drop-in tension that had to be built back up only to drop again.
I love it when an author uses humor in a horror novel, which can create a happy balance within the gore. However, there were a few places throughout the book where the humor felt misplaced or inappropriate, but, that’s my personal preference, and another reader may disagree.
Predators is the first Michaelbrent Collings novel that I’ve read, and I can assure you it won’t be my last. I try to make a point of never judging a writer’s work based on one example, because many books, even those written by my favorite authors, didn’t quite connect with me for one reason or another.
If my review or the synopsis of Predators sparked your interest, then, by all means, take a bite, and delve into the creative mind of the author – you may be surprised by what you find lurking within.
I will conclude my review with one of my favorite passages from Predators:
“[She] forced her pain down. Pushed it to where it did not matter. It was still there but locked in a place where she would keep it in solitude until she was ready to take it out and deal with it. That was what a warrior did.”
You can buy Predators from Amazon UK & Amazon US
D. K. Hundt is an American writer with a BA degree in Creative Writing from Southern New Hampshire University. When she’s not writing contemporary fiction and horror/supernatural stories, she likes to spend her free time working as a volunteer in her community, being a minion for her cat Simon, warding off carnivorous spiders, and throwing herself into and around the dark alleyways of Stephen King novels in search of inspiration. D. K. resides in California with her husband, and she is currently working on a horror novel titled, Cheveyo–a story about a young boy who goes to live with his grandpa on a reservation, and soon discovers that the malevolent creatures that lurk in the Okanogan Forest aren’t the only deadly secret the locals are hiding.
You can follow D.K. on Twitter @DKHundt1
Please visit D.K.’s official website www.dkhundt.com
December 28, 2018
The writing was really good and the characters were interesting, but the plot felt flat or forced at times (with some major plot points never explained), as did some of the "I am woman, hear me roar" moments. Warning for sensitive readers: very graphic violence, references to sex including sexual violence, and some swearing.
December 30, 2018
Source/Version: Kindle copy for honest review
Predators focuses on a group of Westerners who are on a safari camp in Africa. The country has been drought-stricken for years, and with less animals available for tourists to photograph and selfie with #happyafricatours isn’t doing well. The group – a jerk movie producer, his A-list star/partner, a violent husband and his wife, as well as a family of father, grandmother and daughter – head off into the night with staff guides for a driving tour. Nobody laughs for long, especially when something laughs from the dark…
If Michaelbrent Collings ever had to read me a bedtime story, I would ask him to read me a grocery receipt (if only implausible-scenario-me had a phone book!) because every other story of his I’ve read has freaked me out in some way. (His Colony series has my heartrate spiking every time someone coughs on public transport – do you realise how much coughing happens on public transport and planes?)
There are always layers to his work and Predators is no exception. As a straight suspense/thriller and/or horror read, Predators is visceral. You feel for the characters – some to survive, some you want to push into the dark as soon as possible. Collings has your muscles twitching, your mouth drying out, ears frantically listening… The tension builds, and there are twists and oh-crap moments that had me biting my lip, holding my breath and swearing when people laughed outside.
Favourite quote: “Yes, plenty of time,” said Craig, lying with the smoothness and sincerity that only sociopaths and good parents can muster.
If you want a book that will have you on the edge of the page, your brain and flight-response sprinting through the African savannah and lives of the tourists, Predators is an outstanding, high-adrenalin, I-want-to-push-that-jerk-so-hard, pulse-thumping read.
Predators is “four out of five bloody handprints dragged screaming through the dirt” stars from me.
And that’s before the delight I had from Collings’ layering and thematic dexterity.
Literary/wordcraft thoughts:
Predators revolves around stories. Specifically, the stories we tell others and, ultimately, the stories we tell ourselves. Or maybe the ultimately is for stories we tell children, and how that impacts the stories they tell themselves thereafter. The importance of stories is in the weft of the chapters, highlighted through fable, creation tales, fairy tales, formatting, intertexuality and phrasing.
That “the story beat in her veins” (location 4102/7292) is true for every character, revealed in ways that speak most directly to who they most deeply, most ideally are. Evie and Selena particularly have moments where the format of their story speaks directly to who they are, where they have come from, and how they see the world, themselves and their successes. Formatting, phrasing and anchoring ensured that each character’s private story was individual, easily identifiable, and clearly relevant to how they had lived up to that point, wrapped within and motivated by the stories they were told – or told themselves. Collings deft combination of philosophy, storytelling and entertainment is a multi-layered delight.
Definitely a “four out of five bloody handprints dragged screaming through the dirt” rating.
Recommended to:
Storytellers
Those who enjoy multi-faceted characters with well-crafted backstories
Anyone after some above-ground/out-of-water suspense/thriller/light gore horror.
Not recommended for:
Anyone about to go on an African safari.
Anything thinking about going on an African safari.
Anyone several hours from their next mouthful of water.
Misogynists.
Predators focuses on a group of Westerners who are on a safari camp in Africa. The country has been drought-stricken for years, and with less animals available for tourists to photograph and selfie with #happyafricatours isn’t doing well. The group – a jerk movie producer, his A-list star/partner, a violent husband and his wife, as well as a family of father, grandmother and daughter – head off into the night with staff guides for a driving tour. Nobody laughs for long, especially when something laughs from the dark…
If Michaelbrent Collings ever had to read me a bedtime story, I would ask him to read me a grocery receipt (if only implausible-scenario-me had a phone book!) because every other story of his I’ve read has freaked me out in some way. (His Colony series has my heartrate spiking every time someone coughs on public transport – do you realise how much coughing happens on public transport and planes?)
There are always layers to his work and Predators is no exception. As a straight suspense/thriller and/or horror read, Predators is visceral. You feel for the characters – some to survive, some you want to push into the dark as soon as possible. Collings has your muscles twitching, your mouth drying out, ears frantically listening… The tension builds, and there are twists and oh-crap moments that had me biting my lip, holding my breath and swearing when people laughed outside.
Favourite quote: “Yes, plenty of time,” said Craig, lying with the smoothness and sincerity that only sociopaths and good parents can muster.
If you want a book that will have you on the edge of the page, your brain and flight-response sprinting through the African savannah and lives of the tourists, Predators is an outstanding, high-adrenalin, I-want-to-push-that-jerk-so-hard, pulse-thumping read.
Predators is “four out of five bloody handprints dragged screaming through the dirt” stars from me.
And that’s before the delight I had from Collings’ layering and thematic dexterity.
Literary/wordcraft thoughts:
Predators revolves around stories. Specifically, the stories we tell others and, ultimately, the stories we tell ourselves. Or maybe the ultimately is for stories we tell children, and how that impacts the stories they tell themselves thereafter. The importance of stories is in the weft of the chapters, highlighted through fable, creation tales, fairy tales, formatting, intertexuality and phrasing.
That “the story beat in her veins” (location 4102/7292) is true for every character, revealed in ways that speak most directly to who they most deeply, most ideally are. Evie and Selena particularly have moments where the format of their story speaks directly to who they are, where they have come from, and how they see the world, themselves and their successes. Formatting, phrasing and anchoring ensured that each character’s private story was individual, easily identifiable, and clearly relevant to how they had lived up to that point, wrapped within and motivated by the stories they were told – or told themselves. Collings deft combination of philosophy, storytelling and entertainment is a multi-layered delight.
Definitely a “four out of five bloody handprints dragged screaming through the dirt” rating.
Recommended to:
Storytellers
Those who enjoy multi-faceted characters with well-crafted backstories
Anyone after some above-ground/out-of-water suspense/thriller/light gore horror.
Not recommended for:
Anyone about to go on an African safari.
Anything thinking about going on an African safari.
Anyone several hours from their next mouthful of water.
Misogynists.
May 25, 2020
Predators by Michaelbrent Collings is one of those books I suspect would have done better as a live-action thriller on screen or a graphic novel rather than novel. I admit my interest was piqued when the author approached me to do the review, since I am an African and have done the whole 'African safari' thing. So I guess I'd be kinda in the know. And I get it – I don't often have this sort of novel set in Africa land on my desk.
This is survival horror, brutal and bloody. So if that's not your cuppa joe, step away from this book. This is not for you.
We kick the story off with a cast of characters, many of them women who have been damaged by the men in their lives, and they're all off on safari with all manner of dysfunction playing in the background. Except the safari doesn't quite go as planned, and the survivors end up being hunted down by a ravening pack of preternaturally vicious hyenas that made me wonder if these hyenas weren't perhaps demon possessed or something, because amateur conservationist that I am, I'm not hundreds sold on the idea of hyenas behaving quite the way they do in this book. But anyhow, this is a work of fiction, so I'm going to suspend disbelief. People die and the survivors are pushed to their physical and psychological limits. Gruesomely. Rescue isn't likely. The end.
I *get* that the author intended to show a bunch of women being strong in the face of adversity. I *get* that he did a lot of research to make this feel like an 'authentic' African experience. But as an African reader, the whole time I felt like this was a non-African author trying too hard to create an authentic experience for me as a reader, and it didn't quite hit the mark. Don't get me wrong, Collings is a strong writer, but it didn't quite hang together for me in Predators. Whether it was the lack of motivations for certain events that happened (like the catalyst for when things really go wrong at the start that's never truly explained) or for me what felt a bit like contrived back-stories for each woman whose life is defined by the fact that she is hard done by the men in her life, I remain lukewarm at best. If this had been a film, that focused on the act of survival and perhaps a sisterhood that grows out of adversity without dwelling on the demons of the past, this might've worked better for me. And also, just a note, from a technical aspect, this book had a bucketload of little typos – so a more thorough proofread could have helped.
This is not a bad book, just not quite my cuppa, and if survival horror is your thing, you're probably going to ignore the other aspects that didn't work for me.
This is survival horror, brutal and bloody. So if that's not your cuppa joe, step away from this book. This is not for you.
We kick the story off with a cast of characters, many of them women who have been damaged by the men in their lives, and they're all off on safari with all manner of dysfunction playing in the background. Except the safari doesn't quite go as planned, and the survivors end up being hunted down by a ravening pack of preternaturally vicious hyenas that made me wonder if these hyenas weren't perhaps demon possessed or something, because amateur conservationist that I am, I'm not hundreds sold on the idea of hyenas behaving quite the way they do in this book. But anyhow, this is a work of fiction, so I'm going to suspend disbelief. People die and the survivors are pushed to their physical and psychological limits. Gruesomely. Rescue isn't likely. The end.
I *get* that the author intended to show a bunch of women being strong in the face of adversity. I *get* that he did a lot of research to make this feel like an 'authentic' African experience. But as an African reader, the whole time I felt like this was a non-African author trying too hard to create an authentic experience for me as a reader, and it didn't quite hit the mark. Don't get me wrong, Collings is a strong writer, but it didn't quite hang together for me in Predators. Whether it was the lack of motivations for certain events that happened (like the catalyst for when things really go wrong at the start that's never truly explained) or for me what felt a bit like contrived back-stories for each woman whose life is defined by the fact that she is hard done by the men in her life, I remain lukewarm at best. If this had been a film, that focused on the act of survival and perhaps a sisterhood that grows out of adversity without dwelling on the demons of the past, this might've worked better for me. And also, just a note, from a technical aspect, this book had a bucketload of little typos – so a more thorough proofread could have helped.
This is not a bad book, just not quite my cuppa, and if survival horror is your thing, you're probably going to ignore the other aspects that didn't work for me.
March 18, 2019
Listen, I love Horror and I love Michaelbrent Collings books and I thought I knew what to expect when I first started reading this book, but OH BOY WAS I WRONG!
PREDATORS by Michaelbrent Collings is an amazing horror thriller unlike any other horror thriller I have come across in the genre. It takes place during a safari in Africa that goes horribly wrong and the main characters are faced with surviving while being hunted by PREDATORS!
I'm not going into spoiler-vill but I am going to write about why I gave it 5 stars and why everyone deserves to read this wonderful book.
This style of writing is not like the other books I have read from Collings and I really enjoyed that change up. I really loved the switch between everyone's perspective, even between the Predators and prey. That way a cool way to set up the story and to understand the deepest desire of the hunt and the chilling realization you're no longer on the top of the food chain. That distinct contrast between a human being hunted and the predator thinking through a kill is mesmerizing and keeps you hooked into the story dying to know what happens.
To know and experience these human characters in the most raw aspects of survival instincts is really amazing. You can actually see the melding of the humans way of thinking into the Predators way of thinking until its one against one. The thing about Collings that I really love (That I've always loved) is that he doesn't hold back for readers sake. I loved that in this book. I loved how he accesses the deepest and darkest parts of the human mind to become like the predators themselves. It's just wonderful and makes you think about what you would do in the same situation.
Something else I have always loved too is that Collings doesn't take the easy way out when it comes to building suspense. He never has Characters act out of stupidity or ignorance to create a scare or threatening situation. All of the characters are well thought through and make normal choices that have consequences that drive the suspense and horror.
I also really loved the woman power within this whole novel. I love woman banding together and keeping each other alive and going into this woman primitive nature that's not shown a lot in entertainment. It made me feel powerful and able to take anything on that day. To me it just meant a lot because instead of sitting back they stood up for themselves, even the characters that have never done that before.
the best thriller horror novel that I've had the pleasure of reading.
PREDATORS by Michaelbrent Collings is an amazing horror thriller unlike any other horror thriller I have come across in the genre. It takes place during a safari in Africa that goes horribly wrong and the main characters are faced with surviving while being hunted by PREDATORS!
I'm not going into spoiler-vill but I am going to write about why I gave it 5 stars and why everyone deserves to read this wonderful book.
This style of writing is not like the other books I have read from Collings and I really enjoyed that change up. I really loved the switch between everyone's perspective, even between the Predators and prey. That way a cool way to set up the story and to understand the deepest desire of the hunt and the chilling realization you're no longer on the top of the food chain. That distinct contrast between a human being hunted and the predator thinking through a kill is mesmerizing and keeps you hooked into the story dying to know what happens.
To know and experience these human characters in the most raw aspects of survival instincts is really amazing. You can actually see the melding of the humans way of thinking into the Predators way of thinking until its one against one. The thing about Collings that I really love (That I've always loved) is that he doesn't hold back for readers sake. I loved that in this book. I loved how he accesses the deepest and darkest parts of the human mind to become like the predators themselves. It's just wonderful and makes you think about what you would do in the same situation.
Something else I have always loved too is that Collings doesn't take the easy way out when it comes to building suspense. He never has Characters act out of stupidity or ignorance to create a scare or threatening situation. All of the characters are well thought through and make normal choices that have consequences that drive the suspense and horror.
I also really loved the woman power within this whole novel. I love woman banding together and keeping each other alive and going into this woman primitive nature that's not shown a lot in entertainment. It made me feel powerful and able to take anything on that day. To me it just meant a lot because instead of sitting back they stood up for themselves, even the characters that have never done that before.
the best thriller horror novel that I've had the pleasure of reading.
December 3, 2018
The story grabs you from the get-go because it is The Promise of a Big Bad Scary. It grabbed me for that reason, but also once I realized that there was some Really Cool Old Legends involved in the background story and even more stoked when it was obviously Maasai. Being an anthropology nerd back in my college days and having read more than I can count stories of various cultures that have been handed down through the years, Irish, African, Native American and then some, I was already a happy camper.
At first, the story got a little confusing, but not to the point that I lost interest in the book. You see, within the story is yet another story and the finale for that story merges in the end And It Is Awesome. In the meanwhile, the characters in the story grab your attention. The bad versus the good, you soon hate the bad and root for the good, though sometimes the good were bad to start with.
I have never wanted to go on an African safari (personal reasons having to do with disregard of nature itself), and now I don't need to. Collings takes a brush and and brings out -- everything. From the beauty to the misery of such trips, the chance of danger, the boredom of animals not cooperating with the Tours (how dare they!) and the clash of personalities when forced to not just live together but work together as well.
The Queen is frightening in her power. Evie is frightening in her own power she is coming to terms with. It's an ancient struggle brought to live in a contemporary setting. It's legends coming to haunt. It's humans learning how tainted and how strong they really are. It's love lost, love found and love never meant to be. Comedy at its best and most morbid. A child's innocence who becomes an important link in it all.
Oh. And blood. Lots of blood. Body parts, too.
The Queen sees to that.
At first, the story got a little confusing, but not to the point that I lost interest in the book. You see, within the story is yet another story and the finale for that story merges in the end And It Is Awesome. In the meanwhile, the characters in the story grab your attention. The bad versus the good, you soon hate the bad and root for the good, though sometimes the good were bad to start with.
I have never wanted to go on an African safari (personal reasons having to do with disregard of nature itself), and now I don't need to. Collings takes a brush and and brings out -- everything. From the beauty to the misery of such trips, the chance of danger, the boredom of animals not cooperating with the Tours (how dare they!) and the clash of personalities when forced to not just live together but work together as well.
The Queen is frightening in her power. Evie is frightening in her own power she is coming to terms with. It's an ancient struggle brought to live in a contemporary setting. It's legends coming to haunt. It's humans learning how tainted and how strong they really are. It's love lost, love found and love never meant to be. Comedy at its best and most morbid. A child's innocence who becomes an important link in it all.
Oh. And blood. Lots of blood. Body parts, too.
The Queen sees to that.
October 12, 2018
Predators come in all shapes and sizes. Some are obvious, some are subtle and hidden. This book by Michaelbrent Collings contains them all.
This book has pretty incredible depth and deals with issues far more varied than survival in the face of wild animals. A key issue within is domestic abuse. It's pretty uncomfortable at times, but it needs to be. Mr. Collings does an amazing job at breaking up tension and unpleasant topics with moments of humor.
What starts as an exciting African safari quickly turns to terror as a group of people (predators and prey both) become stranded in the savanna and hunted by a pack of starving hyenas, a truly scary predator.
The characters in the book are fantastic. Some are a bit characature-ish but it doesn't break the illusion of the book, just strengthens the real message of the book, the one about every-day human predators. You quickly come to love and care about some characters, and loath and despise others. That's pretty typical of Michaelbrents' books. His ability to instill sympathy or animosity towards a character is spot on.
Definitely give this one a try. It's intense, uncomfortable, funny, horrifying, and even a little gross, all in one.
Content advisory: There's some swearing, including a few "F-words." It also deals with some unpleasant topics including domestic abuse. It also is fairly gory.
This book has pretty incredible depth and deals with issues far more varied than survival in the face of wild animals. A key issue within is domestic abuse. It's pretty uncomfortable at times, but it needs to be. Mr. Collings does an amazing job at breaking up tension and unpleasant topics with moments of humor.
What starts as an exciting African safari quickly turns to terror as a group of people (predators and prey both) become stranded in the savanna and hunted by a pack of starving hyenas, a truly scary predator.
The characters in the book are fantastic. Some are a bit characature-ish but it doesn't break the illusion of the book, just strengthens the real message of the book, the one about every-day human predators. You quickly come to love and care about some characters, and loath and despise others. That's pretty typical of Michaelbrents' books. His ability to instill sympathy or animosity towards a character is spot on.
Definitely give this one a try. It's intense, uncomfortable, funny, horrifying, and even a little gross, all in one.
Content advisory: There's some swearing, including a few "F-words." It also deals with some unpleasant topics including domestic abuse. It also is fairly gory.
October 11, 2018
First, I wish to thank the author, really, really thank him for giving me a copy of this book. This book was one of the best that I have read in a long time. When you read a lot of books, as I do, most of them you soon forget. But once in a while you read one that stands out and will be with you forever. That is how I feel about this book. I have read books by Mr. Collings in the past, so I know he is a terrific story teller. But in my mind this book is a classic. I will not recap the story, because I do not want to ruin it for anybody. But I will say it involves a safari (not the hunting kind) in Africa. Now I have always wanted to do that since I was a little kid, to see the lions and tigers and elephants in their natural habitat. But, after reading this, I am not so sure anymore. This is a heart pounding and scary suspense filled story that kept me up at night. The characters were all so well done, including the ones that were not likeable. You cheered for the "good guys" and booed for the "bad guys". It even had a feel of a fairy tale, and many tender tear making parts. When I closed the cover for the last time, I was left with tears and the feeling that I had lived through an adventure of a lifetime.
Thank you Michaelbrent Collings!
Thank you Michaelbrent Collings!
September 13, 2018
In the heart of the African savannah, an adventure of a lifetime awaits. One where the animals roam free, and those can come to bask in its amazing wonders. Evie hopes that the trip will let her go of the past and give hope for the future. What she doesn't factor in are the others joining her on the trip, and what they may also harbor. Nor does she expect the glorious sights to become ones that would cause disastrous revelations in her life.
Evie and others must now fight for their lives amidst the bloodthirsty creatures of all kinds that attempt to end them. In the vastness of the savannah, the only trouble is finding others to save you.
In the latest novel from Michaelbrent Collings, human survival is tested to its furthest limits, and only those strongest can even imagine what can be on the other side. While I found this novel to be slower in nature than the previous works I have read from Michaelbrent, it packs just as much punch throughout. A well written, dark and emotional read, and I'd like to thank him for letting me read an early copy.
Evie and others must now fight for their lives amidst the bloodthirsty creatures of all kinds that attempt to end them. In the vastness of the savannah, the only trouble is finding others to save you.
In the latest novel from Michaelbrent Collings, human survival is tested to its furthest limits, and only those strongest can even imagine what can be on the other side. While I found this novel to be slower in nature than the previous works I have read from Michaelbrent, it packs just as much punch throughout. A well written, dark and emotional read, and I'd like to thank him for letting me read an early copy.
December 4, 2018
The story held me from the beginning, but by the end I didn't want to put my Kindle down. "Just one more chapter" happened more than once for me. When the African tour group gets stranded and must survive in the wild, shit gets real - really fast. In times of stress, true character is revealed, and I love how Mr. Collings fleshes out each person's strengths and flaws. Some characters I thought were despicable, some were "good guys" and some were quite a complex mix of the two. I don't know if I've ever rooted so hard for a heroine as I did for Evie. I loved her fiercely and celebrated her finding her own strength and worth.
The writing really brought this African adventure to vivid life for me. The descriptions painted a Technicolor picture, and I dove into it whole-heartedly. I cried at times, my pulse raced from the excitement, and I was totally invested in the story line. If you're looking for a thriller with a great story and believable characters, hop on board this crazy ride and you won't regret it.
The writing really brought this African adventure to vivid life for me. The descriptions painted a Technicolor picture, and I dove into it whole-heartedly. I cried at times, my pulse raced from the excitement, and I was totally invested in the story line. If you're looking for a thriller with a great story and believable characters, hop on board this crazy ride and you won't regret it.
July 27, 2019
Absolutely Not Fair
This book is supposed to be a thriller. That means it is supposed to have fairly wooden characters and a dumb backstory so that the author can get straight to the action. Instead, we have a little blind girl named Gale who makes me cry every time she's mentioned, her tough grandma, noble and loving dad, and a rich cast of other characters. Each has a complex backstory including the animals they are on safari to see! That is so not fair. I cannot get this emotionally invested in a thriller! It's too stressful! I ended up really, really liking these people. (Spoiler Alert--I needed Bill to go through that windshield and then some) Thrillers aren't supposed to be well written. They usually aren't such quality fiction and this one completely knocked my socks off. Bravo.
This book is supposed to be a thriller. That means it is supposed to have fairly wooden characters and a dumb backstory so that the author can get straight to the action. Instead, we have a little blind girl named Gale who makes me cry every time she's mentioned, her tough grandma, noble and loving dad, and a rich cast of other characters. Each has a complex backstory including the animals they are on safari to see! That is so not fair. I cannot get this emotionally invested in a thriller! It's too stressful! I ended up really, really liking these people. (Spoiler Alert--I needed Bill to go through that windshield and then some) Thrillers aren't supposed to be well written. They usually aren't such quality fiction and this one completely knocked my socks off. Bravo.
September 4, 2018
A Thriller No Less Exciting Than Jurassic Park
Sometimes I jot a note as I’m reading, reminding myself of something particularly clever the author did or how a scene made me feel. Here’s one from the first chapter of Section 2: “It’s 11:14 PM. I’m falling asleep, but I want to find out what’s wrong with Gale.”
Other times I wrote what I thought might happen next. Maybe I’m just a bad guesser, but I could see him take these scenes to the next level beyond what I would expect.
At 60% through, I wrote: “I haven’t done anything I needed to do today. I even have other books I want to read, but I don’t want to stop this one.”
Did I mention I learned a lot of stuff about hyenas? Really WEIRD stuff about them.
Sometimes I jot a note as I’m reading, reminding myself of something particularly clever the author did or how a scene made me feel. Here’s one from the first chapter of Section 2: “It’s 11:14 PM. I’m falling asleep, but I want to find out what’s wrong with Gale.”
Other times I wrote what I thought might happen next. Maybe I’m just a bad guesser, but I could see him take these scenes to the next level beyond what I would expect.
At 60% through, I wrote: “I haven’t done anything I needed to do today. I even have other books I want to read, but I don’t want to stop this one.”
Did I mention I learned a lot of stuff about hyenas? Really WEIRD stuff about them.
September 14, 2018
I loved this book. While it is a story with harrowing details, the depth and strength of the characters is simply beautiful and touching. Told by a masterful storyteller, the characters are alive and complete. A story of harsh realities, and deep, hidden internal strengths discovered. This is not normally a genre I read, but I was so much more than pleasantly surprised. I got a free copy of this book, but I will definitely be buying the rest. Discovering a new author worth reading is like discovering a huge gem. Thank you Michael!
August 13, 2020
I almost gave up on this book because , while there was just enough action to keep me interested, it felt like there was too much background/story telling and not enough action/thriller. Very glad I stuck with it - last third of the book made it all worthwhile. Still feel there was a lot of unneeded background story and sometimes certain themes were repeated a bit too much but there is no doubt this author has mad skills and is an excellent storyteller and I will continue to read his works. Highly recommended.
September 13, 2020
Predators is a combination of stories brought together under one umbrella. It is not a collection of stories, but a combining of the tales of the women (for the most part) and the men who happen to come together for different reasons in the wilds of Africa.
Predators is a good read for adults and older young adult readers. There is a lot of information about man’s inhumanity to man and what some people are willing to do to survive, and for power.
You can read teh complete review at https://guildmastergaming.blogspot.co...
Predators is a good read for adults and older young adult readers. There is a lot of information about man’s inhumanity to man and what some people are willing to do to survive, and for power.
You can read teh complete review at https://guildmastergaming.blogspot.co...
June 30, 2021
If you enjoy unrelenting action and strong female characters you'll love this book. On a trip to Africa which Evie won with her story entry a night animal sighting trip goes horribly wrong. Pursued by hungry spotted jackels Evie finds within herself the ability to become more than she ever dreamed she could be especially after her marriage to a domestic abuser. Her desire to help keep alive, Gale, a young blind girl leads her to strengths she never knew she possessed. I couldn't put this book down as I was riveted by their struggle and by the bond that developed between Evie, Gale and Grams, the grandmother of Gale. Michaelbrent Collins has outdone himself with this one!
September 4, 2018
Original review on Nightmarish Conjurings:
http://www.nightmarishconjurings.com/...
True rating: 3.75
The “don’t make me click on your link” review:
A fast-paced, readable thriller that goes somewhat deeper originally anticipated. Pulpy horror in the vein of Cujo with group dynamics. Ultimately a work of horror that explores humanity’s animal nature, and the lengths we’ll go to survive.
http://www.nightmarishconjurings.com/...
True rating: 3.75
The “don’t make me click on your link” review:
A fast-paced, readable thriller that goes somewhat deeper originally anticipated. Pulpy horror in the vein of Cujo with group dynamics. Ultimately a work of horror that explores humanity’s animal nature, and the lengths we’ll go to survive.
November 27, 2018
It has been quite a while since a book made me cry like this one did (which I absolutely mean as a compliment). The characters are amazing--Grams is by far my favorite, I wanna be just like her when I grow up! And the setting was really interesting! You can tell there was a lot of research and thought put into the book, which I always appreciate. As always, Collings delivers a knock out. Even my I'd-rather-play-video-games-than-read boyfriend wants to read Predators. I highly recommend it.
January 12, 2019
Wonderful Read!
Don't start this one at night, unless you can sleep all day! I came across this book by accident and I'm so glad I did. A horror story, suspense,a love story to Africa, a story of gruesome death and amazing acts of survival. Purchase this book. Hands down, one of the best I've read in many years. I truly hope someone snaps up this book and makes a great film of it!
Don't start this one at night, unless you can sleep all day! I came across this book by accident and I'm so glad I did. A horror story, suspense,a love story to Africa, a story of gruesome death and amazing acts of survival. Purchase this book. Hands down, one of the best I've read in many years. I truly hope someone snaps up this book and makes a great film of it!
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