Don’t Sweat. Don’t Laugh. Don’t draw attention to yourself. And most of all, whatever you do, do not fall in love with one of them. Gene is different from everyone else around him. He can’t run with lightning speed, sunlight doesn’t hurt him and he doesn’t have an unquenchable lust for blood.

Gene is a human, and he knows the rules. Keep the truth a secret. It’s the only way to stay alive in a world of night – a world where humans are considered a delicacy and hunted for their blood. When he’s chosen for a once in a lifetime opportunity to hunt the last remaining humans, Gene’s carefully constructed life begins to crumble around him. He’s thrust into the path of a girl who makes him feel things he never thought possible – and into a ruthless pack of hunters whose suspicions about his true nature are growing. Now that Gene has finally found something worth fighting for, his need to survive is stronger than ever – but is it worth the cost of his humanity?

©2012 Andrew Fukuda (P)2012 Macmillan Audio

The Hunt is about to begin. There is a lottery that will take place to choose the lucky winners – Vampires who have not tasted real human blood, since humans are almost extinct and a rare delicacy only tasted by the very few. Gene is one of the lottery winners and is whisked away to the hunting grounds, with no time to prepare. The Vampires are housed in close quarters preparing for their hunt only days before the humans will be released from the dome they now live under.

Gene is hiding his true identity. Living in close quarters with vampires is very dangerous. He may be considered one of the lucky ones by winning a place in the lottery but that is not how he sees it. Each day spent at the headquarters preparing for the hunt is another day Gene has to be on constant guard. Every glance, smell, look is noticed by the ever vigilant vampires. They are all on edge, ready to taste human blood, ready to hunt.

The Hunt is an intense read, the growing stress that every day brings upon Gene, who’s secret must not be revealed.  The story has its bursts of action, which is overlaid with fear, paranoia and curiosity. I enjoyed reading a book that takes on the view of a socialized vampire,  living in cities and attending school. Though very few of them have experienced human blood, it is still a constant desire. Gene’s character brings emotion into an otherwise cold, dispassionate world. The one thing that makes Gene different, his secret makes for an entertaining twist to the vampire stories today.

Sean Runnette is an award-winning audiobook producer, director and narrator. As a narrator he has a gripping tone that brings out the danger and the careful and unambiguous way the vampires speak and represent themselves. He makes it a very memorable story. The anxiety that Gene feels and the intimidation of the vampire elders are what stood out to me while listening. It must be hard to imagine a world in which vampires rule, human’s are farmed. You would do just about anything to live…wouldn’t you?

“The Hunt” audio clip