The Prey

December 15, 2012
Out of the vampire-hunting-ground frying pan into the freakish-religious-cult fire. Gene, Sissy and the boys aren't free of the bloodsuckers yet. Their thrilling escape from the hunting compound at the conclusion of The Hunt (2012) brought them to a serendipitous boat; now they rocket down the river as the monstrously strong vampires pursue them by night. Will their quest lead them to the promised Land of Milk and Honey, Fruit and Sunshine? A hidden village of generous, well-fed, happily singing villagers seems to glow with all the hope of their promised paradise. But all is not well in this compound: Gene worries that Sissy is forced to stay apart from both the boys and the village's eerily cheerful and heavily pregnant girls. As further evidence of wrongness, the village's charismatic leader has "smooth, effeminate" skin, and he and his henchmen are "all blubber and liquid fat"--clear indicators of his untrustworthiness and the general air of sexual violence. The standard creepy-cult-compound chapter of many a dystopian series is enhanced by a fast-paced escape sequence, peppered with the grotesqueries that mark Fukuda's vampire mythos. A few mysteries are solved, only to reveal further puzzles, and it all wraps up with a cinematic cliffhanger. A lengthy interlude in creepsterville, with the promise of a return to gory thrills. (Science fiction. 14-16)

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April 1, 2013

Gr 8 Up-A sequel to The Hunt (St. Martin's Griffin, 2012). After narrowly escaping from the Dome/Heper Institute, Gene, Sissy, and the gang are fighting to survive on the river while being pursued by vampire hunters. Guided by directions from the Scientist, they are hoping to reach "The Land of Milk and Honey, Fruit and Sunshine." Making their way into the mountains, the group discovers a solitary settlement, a sort of utopia called "The Mission." Governed by the elders, life at the Mission is regimented and controlled, especially for girls, but everyone appears happy and content. This regulated society and a nonexistent threat from duskers cause Gene and Sissy to realize that things are not what they seem. Looking for the truth puts them at risk and their lives are again in danger. The action-packed plot is full of suspense and intrigue. The combination of postapocalyptic/dystopian setting and vampires is fresh and gripping. The characters are well developed, and Fukuda captures well Gene's struggle to determine his sense of worth and identity after leaving his vampire life behind.-Donna Rosenblum, Floral Park Memorial High School, NY

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 15, 2013
Grades 9-12 Fukuda delivers a sequel that is just as taut, menacing, and devastating in its consequences as The Hunt (2012). Gene, Sissy, and the other hepers are still trying to outrun the duskers, who will hunt the humans to the point of their own destruction just for the chance of devouring them. Gene and Sissy decode the clues the Scientistnow revealed to be Gene's fatherhas left for them, and after a hair-raising escape, they find a hidden community of humans. The Mission is welcoming and idyllic, and the fleeing children think they have finally found a refuge. But Gene and Sissy learn some truths about the relationship between humans and duskers, and life in the Mission creates more questions than answers. The sinister atmosphere of the Mission is just as consuming as the terror of Gene's embedded existence among the duskers, proving that ultimately humanity's greatest threat is usually itself. There is almost no time to catch a breath, and with another bombshell ending setting up the next book, readers should expect to stay up late finishing this one.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)