Rating: 
Summary: This book had more to be desired
Review: I was hoping for more intense, mapped out killings. The murderer was not very scary compared to most novels. Where was the terror and suspense? This book was very mild in the goosepimples department. There was too much information about Davenport and not enough about the killer. The things we did know made him less threatening as the story went on. If he had had more homicidal tendancies and didn't plan everything out so carefully and had been more unpredictable, he would have scared me. The ending was the worst.
Rating: 
Summary: The ultimate thrill
Review: My first book by John Sandford. There will be more. This is one of the most intriguing mysteries I have ever read. The character of Lucas Davenport - in spite of all his extravagancies - is a very credible character that combines the wish of law and order as well as the dark side in all of us. The plot is brilliant. A real page turner.
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Summary: I have read almost all of Mr.Sanders great books,except two?
Review: All of Mr.Sanders "prey" books with the main character Lucas Davenport are some of the most gripping ,intriguing and suspenseful page turning I have ever had . I and many others would highly rate and recommened his books to all who enjoy good suspense books that I could not put down till they were read. As you read them sometimes you wonder if maybe Lucas could be a little more lets say quicker to pick up the clues to stop or hinder the deaths of some of the characters becuase I for one can't help feeling sorry for some of them as the sorry has to develop pulling the reader in deeper. They will also make you wonder about what is out there in the cities,towns and maybe where we live. I can only hope John Sanford keeps writing he has a marvels story writing ability especially his prey/Lucas Davenport books.
Rating: 
Summary: Rules of Prey...Rules!!!
Review: John Sandford has created a memorable cop by the name of Lucas Davenport. He's a womanizer, a rebellion, and a loner. I just wouldn't have liked the story as much if he was this perfect, altruistic, morally grounded guy. As a homicide cop, he works in a nasty, gritty underworld that parallels his own personal life. This sense of realism greatly enhanced the story for me. The man definitely needs a padlock on his zipper. I just finished Red Dragon by Thomas Harris. I thought both were somewhat similiar. The murderer, Louis Vullion, lives behind a facade of normalcy, thus making his unthinkable crimes even more frightening. I am anxious to jump into the other Prey books. Taut...exciting...a page turner. Thanks Mr. Sandford.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting story, Uninteresting character
Review: I can't tell a lie. Rules of Prey did keep me mildly interested throughout. So why am I bashing the book? I couldn't stand Lucas Davenport. Maybe this book was written with a male audience in mind, I don't know, but the man is a pig. He jumps into bed with every female he meets and seems to enjoy juggling completely sexual, and thoroughly unemotional relationships. Okay, Louis Vullion is kind of interesting as a serial killer, but he just didn't grab me and hold on the way I hoped he would. I kept wishing Sandford would plunge a little deeper into the psyches of both Vullion and Davenport, but it never happened. The reader is kept perpetually at arm's length, which is a shame, because this could have been a damn good book.
Rating:
Summary: Will Not be a Waste of Your Time.
Review: This is the second book in the Sandford "Prey" series I have read. Both have intrigued me enough to give above average ratings, but not quite enough to give outstanding ratings.
Some people may say Sandford does not have much of a plot in his "prey" books, but I think simple is better in this case. It's a fast-paced mystery novel. It's exciting to see both protagonist and antagonist points of view, and wonder how the protagonists are ever going to get there man (Louis Vullion, a man who does not leave many good clues to go by).
I especially enjoyed the sequence of events in the last few chapters, in which Vullion almost gets away from the surveillance. Cleverly done. All things said and done, I think most people would enjoy this book. I'd recommend it to fans of detective stories! It's a great summer vacation read!
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Summary: 1st in a series - very promising
Review: RULES OF PREY introduces Minneapolis cop Lucas Davenport, on the trail of a brutal serial killer known as the "maddog". Davenport, like so many fictional detectives, is a driven lone wolf who's work puts strain on his personal relationships. He's also a creator of elaborate role-playing games and a lover of (many, in this book) women. The case proceeds through the usual twists and turns, and the maddog (who gets some POV time in the narrative), is a frighteningly capapable adversary. Sandford never resorts to shock or violence, the narrative logic is impeccable, and this is, literally, a page turner. Sandford's been writing a long time, where have I been? I look forward to reading more. Recommended.
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Summary: RULE #1 -- START A SERIES WITH A "GREAT" BOOK
Review: A few years ago, I asked the owner of a bookstore to recommend some books for me. She said that she had been home sick for the past week and spent the time reading all of the "prey" books. At the time, I had no idea what she was talking about and thought they might have something to do with religion as in "pray" books. After some further discussion, I realized I had stumbled upon a great series by John Sandford. I started to buy the books then and it's taken me this long to finally read the first one. Since I read a lot of mysteries, many of which are part of a series, I'm pretty savvy when it comes to the most popular male protagonists out there at the moment. Now that I've been introduced to Lucas Davenport, my only regret is that I waited this long to begin my relationship with a now favorite character. The story is a good one and involves a serial killer whose identity is introduced to the reader at the beginning of the book. I like when an author does this as it enables me to get inside the killer's head and follow him around from place to place -- not only to the scene of his crimes but in his everyday life at work and home as well. I also love it when the moment arrives and I realize what the title of the book means. In Rules of Prey, the killer, referred to as "maddog", has certain rules that he follows so as not to get caught. For example, he never kills anyone he knows, he never uses the same weapon twice and he never has a motive. He always leaves a note at each crime scene communicating one of his rules. Not only does this serve as a challenge to our main character, Lucas Davenport, it is also the killer's "in your face" way of letting Lucas know that he is someone to be reckoned with. As a lead character, Lieutenant Davenport is a dream. He drives around in a Porsche, which was purchased with money he earns not only from gambling but also from a side job he has creating intense, strategic video games. He's smooth, good-looking and a real lady killer (no pun intended). I enjoyed the way he tracked down the clues, which will eventually lead to the killer. He also has no problem working around the "rules" set up by his own police department and I found this flagrant use or "misuse" of his own form of justice a bit ingratiating. But this particular case will prove not to be an easy chase as his sometimes-inept Minneapolis police department is foiled by the "maddog" on more than one occasion. I understand from other readers that these books just get better and better. That's a real incentive for any mystery reader and is an added bonus just knowing that I get to spend some more quality time with Lucas. This is certainly a series for the ladies as well as the guys. "Shadow Prey" here I come.
Rating: 
Summary: Recommended for "Mr. Macho" only
Review: Disappointing book! The male characters are superficial and brimming over with mega-macho egos (ie, the main character drives a fancy sports car and has girls falling over themselves to be with him, etc.). The book also has plenty of unnecessary profanity and disturbing violence. If you appreciate quality literature, I definitely recommend that you skip this book!
Rating:
Summary: The first in a great series
Review: Rules of Prey is the first in an incredibly long and successful series by author John Sandford. I've read three books in the series, some older, some newer, and the thing that impressed me the most about Rules of Prey was its style. It doesn't read like a first novel. It reads like it could have been written last year. Sandford's talent is evident from the beginning.
Rules of Prey begins with the story being told from the killer's point of view first. Right away, we learn about the sick "maddog" intent on killing women. He has studied murders and from his studies knows how to not get caught. He even leaves clues with each of his victim, printouts saying "rules" of killing like "never have a motive" or "never kill anyone you know." One drawback to the story is that these clues are trademark of the killer, yet they really have nothing to do with the case being solved.
This book also introduces Lucas Davenport, full time cop and part time fantasy game writer. We get to meet a few of the many loves of his life including the reporter who will have his child. Lucas is a womanizer and a rough cop. Sandford gives the details of Lucas being a sometimes over the top cop and details of his childhood friend the nun (I forget her name). Yet Sandford never details why Lucas goes from woman to woman (even while one is carrying his child) or why Lucas is so willing to break the police rules to achieve justice. What happened to Lucas to give him these characteristics. Maybe its covered in other novels.
Even though I complain about the above, it doesn't take away from the greatness of the novel. As in his other novels, the police work and the slow methodical way in which the truth is discovered is realistic and interesting. Nothing comes easy as Lucas tries to stop the maddog before he kills one last time.
I've read a few of the series, not in order, but now I plan on reading from beginning to end. I recommend you do the same if you are interested in the police genre and enjoy the gritty realism of John Sandford.
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