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Perhaps the first book I have genuinely and spontaneously referred to as 'gripping'. Also, I like to think that if Michael Crichton were alive today, there's no way he'd still be a climate change denier.
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Jack, 40 años, protagonista y narrador, fue despedido de su empresa de Silicone Valley por descubrir las estafas de los jefes. Le está costando mucho encontrar otro trabajo. Ahora es amo de casa y cuida de sus dos niños pequeños. Su mujer Julia trabaja en una empresa dedicada a nanotecnología y hay cada vez más problemas entre ellos. Julia pasa cada vez más tiempo en el laboratorio de su empresa en el desierto de Nevada. En casa está siempre de mal humor, diferente y Jack sospecha que tendrá un lío o/y toma alguna droga, incluso tiene reacciones violentas con los niños. En este laboratorio de Nevada se están desarrollando unas partículas dotadas de inteligencia artificial. Estos organismos podrían tener muchas aplicaciones para la medicina y muchas cosas más.
400 pages, Paperback
First published November 25,2002
This edition
- Format
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400 pages, Paperback
- Published
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January 1, 2005 by Debolsillo
- ISBN
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9780307209429
- ASIN
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0307209423
- Language
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Spanish; Castilian
Characters More characters
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Jack Forman
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Julia Forman
Jack Formans wife-more...
About the author
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Michael Crichton (1942-2008) was one of the most successful novelists of his generation, admired for his meticulous scientific research and fast-paced narrative. He graduated summa cum laude and earned his MD from Harvard Medical School in 1969. His first novel, Odds On (1966), was written under the pseudonym John Lange and was followed by seven more Lange novels. He also wrote as Michael Douglas and Jeffery Hudson. His novel A Case of Need won the Edgar Award in 1969. Popular throughout the world, he has sold more than 200 million books. His novels have been translated into thirty-eight languages, and thirteen have been made into films.
Michael Crichton died of lymphoma in 2008. He was 66 years old.
Michael Crichton died of lymphoma in 2008. He was 66 years old.
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Rating(4.1 / 5.0, 98 votes)
5 stars
42(43%)
4 stars
27(28%)
3 stars
29(30%)
2 stars
0(0%)
1 stars
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98 reviews All reviews
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Prey is a little underwhelming. The grey goo scenario is very interesting, but badly explored in this book. It starts with 140 pages of marital issues, followed by a pretty good midsection, only to jump the shark completely at the end. It only touches the surface of some very interesting concepts, which is such a shame. Lots of potential, but seriously lacking in the execution department.
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I had heard about Prey since a few years, but got round to reading it only a few days back.
The story is very interesting. A technology experiment - combining bio and nano tech brings out unexpected results (quite expectedly!) and a crisis of sorts.
Jack is a person who has lost his job. His wife Julia works in a senior position at a company called Xymos. The company is reportedly on the verge of making a major breakthrough - nano miniature cameras which can be used for a wide range of purposes. Jack takes care of the kids and despite his best efforts finds it difficult to get a job, especially as his exit from the previous company had issues - though for no fault of his.
Jack finds himself drawn to issues at Xymos - to rein in organisms which have gone out of control. There is tragedy, quite a bit of it and the book has good pace throughout.
The books also brings out the dangers of technology - if we are not careful with it. Overall a good science fiction read.
The story is very interesting. A technology experiment - combining bio and nano tech brings out unexpected results (quite expectedly!) and a crisis of sorts.
Jack is a person who has lost his job. His wife Julia works in a senior position at a company called Xymos. The company is reportedly on the verge of making a major breakthrough - nano miniature cameras which can be used for a wide range of purposes. Jack takes care of the kids and despite his best efforts finds it difficult to get a job, especially as his exit from the previous company had issues - though for no fault of his.
Jack finds himself drawn to issues at Xymos - to rein in organisms which have gone out of control. There is tragedy, quite a bit of it and the book has good pace throughout.
The books also brings out the dangers of technology - if we are not careful with it. Overall a good science fiction read.
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Tecno thriller que se sigue con interés de principio a fin. Crichton hace especial hincapié en la parte tecnológica por lo que dependerá de tu grado de interés en la materia, el que ciertas explicaciones te resulten muy interesantes o te puedan llegar a resultar pesadas. Como se puede ver en la calificación, yo me alineo dentro del primer grupo.
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Re-read after thirteen years. Still, it was an entertaining read. A techno-thriller, but I enjoyed reading the SF part of it: a bit of Biotechnology, added with Nanotechnology & Self-evolving Artificial Distributed Intelligence. Good suspense and pace. The theme of the book is not yet dated. The book's message, to us humankind, is about the dangers of inventions when Biotech and Nanotech converges with Computer Programming and AI.
Suggested reading, at least once. :)
Suggested reading, at least once. :)
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Buddy read with Asha (who I’ll tag lataaaaa)
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Michael Crichton’s “Prey” is a skilful blend of science fiction and thriller, showcasing his incredible research and attention to detail. Crichton has a unique ability to take complex scientific concepts and present them in a way that appears comprehensible and logical, making his narratives exceptionally gripping and satisfying.
I believe Crichton’s writing style sets him apart from many other science fiction authors. While some may require readers to blindly accept the fictional elements of their stories, Crichton ensures that his scientific premises are thoroughly grounded, making the experience more immersive and the story all the more terrifying and plausible. This approach prevents the alienation that can occur when the gap between our world and the fictional one becomes too vast.
In "Prey," Crichton immerses the reader in a world where a team of scientists has created a deadly predator: self-replicating nanoparticles. By merging genetic engineering, computer programming, and nanotechnology, he introduces these micro-robots and explores their evolution and behaviour, drawing comparisons with our natural world and the Predator-Prey relationship.
Although nanotechnology doesn’t particularly excite me, the story also focuses on family and workplace relationships and dynamics, which gives the story extra body and makes the characters, Julia and Jack Forman, more three-dimensional. This focus on interpersonal relationships adds a layer of realism and emotional depth, making the novel resonate on multiple levels beyond its scientific premise.
As with many of Crichton’s novels, it is easy to imagine “Prey” playing out on the big screen. It is action-packed and thrilling, with a cinematic quality, keeping you on the edge of your seat with its enemy chases, explosions, fire bombs and helicopter rescues.
Although I don’t always rate Crichton’s books five stars, I keep returning to his books because they are consistently good. Sometimes, when I’m stuck in a ‘bad-book’ rut and need to break the cycle, I reach for Crichton. In the case of “Prey,” I was not let down. I found this to be a great read and highly recommend it to those interested in both the science fiction and thriller genres.
On the final page, the book concludes with the unsettling words:
“It kept going, kept evolving.
And they let it.
They didn’t understand what they were doing.
I’m afraid that will be on the tombstone of the human race.
I hope it’s not.
We might get lucky.”
This ending sits uneasy with me. It feels less like part of the story and more like a direct commentary from Crichton about our own reality and scientific advances. This final note left me pondering its implications, adding an eerie aftertaste to an already intense narrative.
I believe Crichton’s writing style sets him apart from many other science fiction authors. While some may require readers to blindly accept the fictional elements of their stories, Crichton ensures that his scientific premises are thoroughly grounded, making the experience more immersive and the story all the more terrifying and plausible. This approach prevents the alienation that can occur when the gap between our world and the fictional one becomes too vast.
In "Prey," Crichton immerses the reader in a world where a team of scientists has created a deadly predator: self-replicating nanoparticles. By merging genetic engineering, computer programming, and nanotechnology, he introduces these micro-robots and explores their evolution and behaviour, drawing comparisons with our natural world and the Predator-Prey relationship.
Although nanotechnology doesn’t particularly excite me, the story also focuses on family and workplace relationships and dynamics, which gives the story extra body and makes the characters, Julia and Jack Forman, more three-dimensional. This focus on interpersonal relationships adds a layer of realism and emotional depth, making the novel resonate on multiple levels beyond its scientific premise.
As with many of Crichton’s novels, it is easy to imagine “Prey” playing out on the big screen. It is action-packed and thrilling, with a cinematic quality, keeping you on the edge of your seat with its enemy chases, explosions, fire bombs and helicopter rescues.
Although I don’t always rate Crichton’s books five stars, I keep returning to his books because they are consistently good. Sometimes, when I’m stuck in a ‘bad-book’ rut and need to break the cycle, I reach for Crichton. In the case of “Prey,” I was not let down. I found this to be a great read and highly recommend it to those interested in both the science fiction and thriller genres.
On the final page, the book concludes with the unsettling words:
“It kept going, kept evolving.
And they let it.
They didn’t understand what they were doing.
I’m afraid that will be on the tombstone of the human race.
I hope it’s not.
We might get lucky.”
This ending sits uneasy with me. It feels less like part of the story and more like a direct commentary from Crichton about our own reality and scientific advances. This final note left me pondering its implications, adding an eerie aftertaste to an already intense narrative.
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U uvodu autor opisuje kako će se nano tehnologija, molekularna biologija i umjetna inteligencija (kompjuterski programi koji sami uče) spojiti i tako će doći do stvaranja novog oblika života čije ponašanje i daljni razvoj ne možemo unaprijed predvidjeti. Upozorava da moramo biti vrlo pažljivi i unaprijed odrediti pravila za kontolu. Što bi se dogodilo da se takav život razvije prije nego li definiramo pravila i ograničenja? Tu kreće zaplet ovog romana.
Početak je obećavao. Događaje pratimo očima glavnog lika koji je nepravedno otpušteni kompjuterski programer sada u ulozi stay at home dad (nisam siguran koji je domaći sinonim). Ubrzo primjeti da mu se žena drugačije ponaša. Ostaje duže na poslu i tušira se čim dođe. Da li ga vara? Dobro, ovo sad zvuči kao sapunica, no uklopljeno je u radnju i dobiva se uvid u psihu glavnog lika. Crichton je htio spojiti obiteljsku dramu sa glavnim zapletom, ali nažalost drugi dio romana mijenja tempo i rekao bih žanr pa postupno iz ozbiljnog znanstveno utemeljenog trilera prelazi u akcijski SF B kategorije s elementima trasha. I tu je problem. Trebalo je biti ili jedno ili drugo. A više bih volio da je prvo.
“We think we know what we are doing.
We have always thought so.”
“They didn't understand what they were doing.
I'm afraid that will be on the tombstone of the human race.”
Ova dva citata sumiraju ono što je Michael Crichton htio reći ovim romanom. Dobra je to poruka ali smeta me što je ju je išao tako pojednostaviti i što je podredio radnju i likove tome. Svakako je mogao barem izostaviti pojašnjenje na kraju - kao da je bio problem povezati radnju. Da je samo upakirao svoja promišljanja u scenarij koji je uvjerljiviji te pustio da sami složimo kockice i izvučemo svoje zaključake roman bi bio puno bolji i imao jači efekt.
Šteta, bilo je tu potencijala, ovako jedva trojka.
Početak je obećavao. Događaje pratimo očima glavnog lika koji je nepravedno otpušteni kompjuterski programer sada u ulozi stay at home dad (nisam siguran koji je domaći sinonim). Ubrzo primjeti da mu se žena drugačije ponaša. Ostaje duže na poslu i tušira se čim dođe. Da li ga vara? Dobro, ovo sad zvuči kao sapunica, no uklopljeno je u radnju i dobiva se uvid u psihu glavnog lika. Crichton je htio spojiti obiteljsku dramu sa glavnim zapletom, ali nažalost drugi dio romana mijenja tempo i rekao bih žanr pa postupno iz ozbiljnog znanstveno utemeljenog trilera prelazi u akcijski SF B kategorije s elementima trasha. I tu je problem. Trebalo je biti ili jedno ili drugo. A više bih volio da je prvo.
“We think we know what we are doing.
We have always thought so.”
“They didn't understand what they were doing.
I'm afraid that will be on the tombstone of the human race.”
Ova dva citata sumiraju ono što je Michael Crichton htio reći ovim romanom. Dobra je to poruka ali smeta me što je ju je išao tako pojednostaviti i što je podredio radnju i likove tome. Svakako je mogao barem izostaviti pojašnjenje na kraju - kao da je bio problem povezati radnju. Da je samo upakirao svoja promišljanja u scenarij koji je uvjerljiviji te pustio da sami složimo kockice i izvučemo svoje zaključake roman bi bio puno bolji i imao jači efekt.
Šteta, bilo je tu potencijala, ovako jedva trojka.
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