In Prey, bestselling author Michael Crichton introduces bad guys that are too small to be seen with the naked eye but no less deadly or intriguing than the runaway dinosaurs that made 1990's Jurassic Park such a blockbuster success.

High-tech whistle-blower Jack Forman used to specialize in programming computers to solve problems by mimicking the behavior of efficient wild animals--swarming bees or hunting hyena packs, for example. Now he's unemployed and is finally starting to enjoy his new role as stay-at-home dad. All would be domestic bliss if it were not for Jack's suspicions that his wife, who's been behaving strangely and working long hours at the top-secret research labs of Xymos Technology, is having an affair. When he's called in to help with her hush-hush project, it seems like the perfect opportunity to see what his wife's been doing, but Jack quickly finds there's a lot more going on in the lab than an illicit affair. Within hours of his arrival at the remote testing center, Jack discovers his wife's firm has created self-replicating nanotechnology--a literal swarm of microscopic machines. Originally meant to serve as a military eye in the sky, the swarm has now escaped into the environment and is seemingly intent on killing the scientists trapped in the facility. The reader realizes early, however, that Jack, his wife, and fellow scientists have more to fear from the hidden dangers within the lab than from the predators without.

Entertaining Look Into The World Of Nanotechnology

As per usual, Michael Crichton takes a top that he is currently interested in (nanotechnology in this case) and weaves an entertaining story around this central theme. Better than Crichton's last book (Timeline), I quickly got through this story and wasn't disappointed in the slightest bit.

For all Michael Crichton fans I would recommend "Prey" and I think you would find it a good, albeit light read. If for nothing else, Crichton's meticulous research into the field of nanotechnology is worth the price of admission alone and the backstory is better than I expected it to be.

RECOMMENDED

Better action than "State of Fear"

The strongest part of this book is the fast paced action. I found the science almost boring(maybe because I have done computer programing), but the plot line and action are better than Crichton's newest book State of Fear(also a great book). I could not read this book fast enough. I was yelling(in my mind)at the characters to run faster, get out of the car, don't trust him, etc... The book is now available in paper back and well worth the $7.99 it costs.