#134 Book Review: The Hunt

The Hunt
Release Date: May 8th 2012
Author: Andrew Fukuda
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Australia
Source: Publisher for Review
Format: Paperback
Where to Buy: Fishpond | Booktopia | Dymocks
More Info: Goodreads

Summary from Goodreads:
Against all odds, 17-year-old Gene has survived in a world where humans have been eaten to near extinction by the general population. The only remaining humans, or hepers as they are known, are housed in domes on the savannah and studied at the nearby Heper Institute. Every decade there is a government sponsored hunt. When Gene is selected to be one of the combatants he must learn the art of the hunt but also elude his fellow competitors whose suspicions about his true nature are growing.

Cover:
The guy in the cover is similar to how I imagine Gene looks like. The background is really creepy and reflects the concept of 'The Hunt' in the book! I also like the eye-catching red colour of the title's font.

Story:

When the sun goes down. Start running.

I am definitely surprised at how much I actually enjoyed reading this book. The summary of the book did not quite interest me but I know some people enjoyed it and thought I should give this book a go. And wow, The Hunt was quite an experience.

Even after finishing this book, I still have chills. The Hunt is set in a world where humans or better known as hepers, are extinct. There are still 'people' living in this world but they are predators. They do not drink water. They drink blood. Now our main character is a human, but he lives among these predators by pretending to be a predator himself. But Gene needs to be extra careful, because one slip can cost his life.

Andrew Fukuda's world-building is fantastic and he explores the concept of The Hunt itself very well. His writing is gripping, edgy and makes me scared of the world of The Hunt. The book is filled with heart-pounding actions and surprising scenes. The ending makes me desperate for the next book in the series!


Characters:
One thing I enjoyed the most is Andrew Fukuda's characterization of Gene. He portrays him really well. The way Gene had to survive among these predators by trying to be one himself must have been difficult. He must not sweat, he wears fake fangs, he always cleans himself every day to get rid of the body odour of a heper. His character is voiced really well and I am able to understand the events happening throughout the book with his narration. I also really like Ashley June. She is a surprising character and I love the way Gene always call her with her full name. The other characters such as the hepers in the book are interesting to read about as well. The predators in this book are very scary. When they are hungry, their saliva will drip, just like an animal and they completely scare me!

Overall:
The Hunt is a gripping book, filled with heart-pounding actions and set in a terrifying world where humans are extinct. To survive, you must know that when the sun goes down, the predators will find you. Andrew Fukuda delivers a great narration through the character Gene and I think fans of dystopian will also enjoy reading this book!

4 Forget-Me-Not flowers for The Hunt!

Thank you Simon & Schuster Australia for the review copy!

Check out the book trailer!