Rating: 
Summary: Not a Believable Story
Review: I have enjoyed quite a number of Michael Crichton's books (such as Jurassic Park, The Lost World, and Timeline) and I have to say that Prey is one of the worst that he has written. Jurassic Park/The Lost World is based on the history of dinosaur and in a way, it is a believable science fiction. Timeline is based on Quantum Machanic and he has done quite a good job in making it as believable as possible. Being an avid science reader myself, I find that his interpretation of Nanotechnology lacking in many ways. The story is full of flaws and at times, I really wonder why hasn't the author done more research on the subject matter before taking on the challenge (He has spent many years in preparation of the Timeline story according to him).Nevertheless, if you look not too deep into the details of Nanotechnology, it is quite an engaging storyline. Hence, the 2 stars.
Rating: 
Summary: Great read!
Review: I've only read one of Crichton's other books (The Andromeda Strain) so I'm not sure how this compares to his overall work, but I really enjoyed this book. I found it to be a good thriller that had enough "creepiness" to have me thinking about it when I went to bed that night. I read this book in 2 days - it is a page turner and keeps you interested. Some have said that Crichton does more character development in this one, and I have to agree. The main character is really developed and you get a great picture of his mindset and overall point of view. Great twists and turns, great story and great action. I gave it 4 out of 5 stars (I reserve 5 stars for definite, cannot miss, must-read books that are perfect in almost every way), and wholeheartedly recommend it. I've been on a reading kick lately, and have read TAS by Crichton, Deception Point and Angels and Demons by Dan Brown, and would recommend this one as being as good as, if not slightly better, than these other titles (although all are worth picking up).
Rating:
Summary: A Good Book to Take on an Airplane or Train
Review: Whenever I fly, I try to get just 30-40 pages into a book beforehand. That's generally enough to know if the book will hold my interest while still leaving most of the book unread. If it's a flight of more than 10 hours, I'll usually even take 3-4 books along. Because there's nothing more disappointing that discovering that the book(s) you brought along aren't interesting enough to grab you and relieve you from the tedium of such a long and uncomfortable flight. Prey is definitely the kind of book I could lose myself in on a long flight. And it has the additional advantage of being a book you can learn something from. I recommend it very highly.
Rating:
Summary: Couldn't stop reading
Review: I think even a person with no knowledge in computer science and biology would enjoy this book as Crichton's explanations are simple and user-friendly, and I believe have the potential to get many readers interested in the subjects of nanotech, population biology, and distributed agent systems.
After my disappointment in 'Airframe' and 'Timeline', I was more than happy to discover Crichton can still get my heart racing. I was disappointe that it ended, wanting to find out more about what happened to the main character 'Jack' and his family, or the world for that matter. Maybe there is room for 'Prey 2'. However, there were some things missing in the book. I loved the first chapters describing Jack's life and the strangeness of his wife and baby's disease, but Jack seems to skip a few really big questions, such as why the baby's room changes, the mysterious device in her room, the strange people at the accident site, why his wife didn't tell him all of his former co-workers were working with her, why she couldn't hire him herself if he was so competent and she was so upset he didn't have a job... etc. Also, without wanting to ruin it for anybody, the ending was a bit hard to imagine, science fiction and all... But the book was exremely interesting - I couldn't put the it down!
Rating:
Summary: suspenseful yet silly futuristic science fiction..
Review: 'Prey' has all the hallmarks of a Michael Crichton science fiction novel: thrilling suspense wrapped in a story that stretches the imagination to the breaking point. It has the feeling of a good film screenplay rather than a novel, but to be fair Crichton is a good writer. Both his prose and characterizations are fine. 'Prey' takes us into the near future when nanotechnolgy (building microscopic computers) and biotechnology converge to a nasty effect. Silicon Valley scientists fail to understand the true menace they've unleashed and it is up to the spouse of one of the dirty players to save the world. Crichton spends a fair amount of time trying to explain how all this horror is plausible. I didn't buy it but at least it's not preposterous. And the suspensful storytelling had me going. Great fun! Bottom line: shamelessly enjoyable piece of science fiction fluff. Recommended.
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent Read
Review: I put off reading Prey because I was afraid it would be overly technical, dealing with nanotechnology as it does. But Crichton has made this more of a people story with characters who are very appealing. Jack is a former software engineer. He is now a stay-at-home dad with three children. His wife, Julia, is a vice president for a company developing nanotechnology. The reader is quickly caught up in their everyday lives, then strange things begin to happen. This is a fast paced, action-packed story. Towards the end, it turns sort of Stephen King-ish, which I thoroughly enjoyed. The conclusion is non-stop suspense. An exciting and scary read.
Rating:
Summary: Crichton's science deathmatch
Review: I have read a few of Crichtons novels,and this is among his best. In this novel Crichton pitts self concious nanobots agianst the scientists that created them. It's a case of "I created you, but can I destroy you?". Unfortunetley for the scientists they never gave the microscopic devils an OFF switch. Though this book has mild cursing in it I still find it's a good read for any half way decent reader. Though the ending hinted at a sequal, and I HATE sequals I still found it to be a solid book.
Rating: 
Summary: Pray that Prey Never Happens
Review: The paperback cover quotes the New York Times Book review in part "Terrifying . . .irresistibly suspenseful." Indeed, the story Michael Crichton spins has elements of terror and at times the suspense grabs hold of the reader and does not let go. A tale of science run amuck on the tracks of greed and stupidity. Crichton mixes an old formula with new science. The finish is written as if the Crichton has a deadline to meet. Definitely, unsatisfying for a Michael Crichton read. Fortunately, for the reader, a bad Crichton book is better than most other authors seem able to generate on a good day. Reduce your expectations and the book will be satisfying.
Rating:
Summary: A good fast-paced read.
Review: As is par for the course in Crichton novels, human beings have created a new advance in science/technology without seriously pondering the consequences. This time the culprit is nanotechnology; microcomputers with a malevolent will of their own. Crichton does a good job of throwing together a mix of different characters and the relationships/tensions between them. It was this very tension that compelled me to keep turning the pages. The science is fascinating too. Most of us are familar with the menacing image of the "Terminator" cyborgs which are machines that are bigger and stronger than humans. In this case though, humans are pitted against machines that are microscopic, yet still pose an existential threat to humanity. Crichton's description of the behavior of the machines relative to humans as predator/prey always made me feel like the humans were being stalked and hunted and kept the pace of the book moving briskly. A few years back I read an article in the Los Angeles Times by Bill Joy, Chief Science Officer at Sun Microsystems, about the advances and dangers in nanotechnology. Prey is a book that illustrates those dangers in vivid fashion and should gives us pause to question the wisdom of rushing forward with computer technology at breakneck speed without adequate deliberation.
Rating:
Summary: Crighton at his best
Review: Crichton does it again! This is a fast-paced race against time with a twisting plot and some really great characters. I thought the book was well researched and Michael manages to take what could be considered to be a pretty techincal subject and turn it into a great thriller that never leaves you looking for more. This book is a greade A story that I would love to see become a box office smash!
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