Krista Reviews: Andrew Fukuda's - "The Prey"

For Gene and the remaining humans—or hepers—death is just a heartbeat away. On the run and hunted by society, they must find a way to survive in The Vast… and avoid the hungry predators tracking them in the dark. But they’re not the only things following Gene. He’s haunted by the girl he left behind and his burgeoning feelings for Sissy, the human girl at his side.

When they discover a refuge of exiled humans living high in the mountains, Gene and his friends think they’re finally safe. Led by a group of intensely secretive elders, the civilisation begins to raise more questions than answers. A strict code of behaviour is the rule, harsh punishments are meted out, young men are nowhere to be found—and Gene begins to wonder if the world they’ve entered is just as evil as the one they left behind. As life at the refuge grows more perilous, he and Sissy only grow closer. In an increasingly violent world, all they have is each other… if they can only stay alive.

Hardcover, US, 304 pages

Published January 29th 2013 by St. Martin’s Press

The Prey, the sequel to The Hunt by Andrew Fukuda was able to keep me on the edge of my seat. Throughout the story there is a constant feeling of suspense and need for the characters to keep moving.

It is possible to read the sequel without having read the first book, but as usual it’s not something that I would recommend. 1) The Hunt was awesome and 2) you get a really good layout of the world building and characters in the first book.

The Prey starts off from exactly where we left book one. Gene and the humans are running from the vampires. In this world the vampires rule and the humans have been sectioned off and it is a rarity and a treat to feed on them. The vamps are highly intelligent, have their own schools, businesses and lives in the cities. But can smell pure human blood from miles away, and the urge to hunt is unstoppable.

Gene and his companions are not only looking for safety from the vampires, but also Gene’s father who has disappeared. As they try to make their escape I was fascinated by the gadgets and cleverness of the vampires in their pursuit. The vampires always seemed to be one step ahead as the humans make their way down river, hoping for safety.

There were several aspects to this book that both had me shocked, awed and sometimes grossed out as I read. Firstly the vampires were intelligent, gruesome and very animalistic. Next you have this strange cult-like civilization that is bordering on insane and creepy at the same time.

I really loved the new characters that were brought into the story. The non-stop fight for survival and the friendships forged through their struggles, a As well as this constant feeling of not knowing who to trust really, kept the story engaging. I wasn’t sure how the story was going to end, but it was amazing and very fast paced.