Book Shelf: The Prey (The Hunt #2) b y Andrew Fuduka

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.

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Review:

The Prey is the gripping follow up to Andrew Fukuda's sensational debut novel, The Hunt and continues on in it's tradition with plenty of riveting danger, unexpected twists and just a hint of romance mixed together in this high-stakes and suspenseful read!

Having been blown away by The Hunt last year, I was very excited to dive into The Prey. Andrew Fukuda's debut novel was an unexpected delight for me and left me hungering for the second book. And yet, for some unknown reason it's taken me a while to actually get around to reading The Prey. Don't ask me why, but with the recent release of the third and final book, The Trap, I finally decided to take the plunge back into Gene's world.

And boy am I glad I did! Honestly, I'm actually sorry I waited so long to read The Prey; it was that good. Admittedly, not quite as good as the first book in the trilogy but still close. In The Prey, Fukuda continues to masterfully build upon his world and society. Picking up almost instantly where The Hunt left off, this book manages to remain fast paced and addictive from beginning to end as Fukuda tells this part of Gene's story now that he and the rest of the hepers have escaped from the Dome.

Searching for the Scientist that promised them paradise, Gene, Sissy, Epap, David, Jacob and Ben find unexpected friends and foes in their journey that explores more and more of this harsh, chilling world Fukuda has created. There's one immense danger after the next and with the grotesque, inhuman "duskers", as they're now known, continuing to hunt them, you, as the reader never know what's going to happen next.

Gene was as brilliant as he was the first book and I enjoyed seeing Andrew Fukuda explore his relationship with the hepers who had previously only known life in the Dome. My only real disappointment with this book was that I felt Fukuda replaced one character with another in The Prey. Something made all the more difficult because I had become invested in the plight and part of that character within the storyline. I understood the reason behind this and I can't fault the evolution it meant for Gene and the storyline, but I was disappointed regardless.

While the theme of friendship is stronger than ever, the romance in The Prey is minimal...and you know what? I don't mind at all. Andrew Fukuda's riveting storyline is so incredibly fast paced with such high stakes that the chilling action and raw danger of the story kept me entertained from start to finish. I didn't even miss the romance element I normally would in books.

The Prey races through one danger straight into another and heads straight into a climactic ending I'm coming to see is Andrew Fukuda's specialty. Featuring plenty of plot developments and even more possibilities, The Prey has me all set for the third and final book in the trilogy, The Trap, and knowing Fukuda anything will go with what I'm sure will be an insanely intense ending!


Rating:
Source: Sent for review by Simon & Schuster Australia (Thank you guys!)
Format: Paperback.
Buy it: Bookworld | The Nile | The Book Depository | Amazon
My Recommendation: If you're a fan of a good, past paced dystopian read then this series is for you!
Cover: Love it! Not only does it go with the first cover perfectly, but this actually depicts a specific part in the story!
Will I read sequel/continue with series: Without a doubt--looking forward to seeing how it all ends!