The Prey of Gods audiobook

Click here to watch a video review of this book on my channel, From Beginning to Bookend. Set in South Africa in the year 2064, The Prey of Gods unveils the otherworldly circumstances that draw five unusual characters together. Muzi is a teenager who just got his hands on a hallucinogenic drug that causes unorthodox side effects. Nomvula is a little girl with golden eyes and an epic secret. Stoker is a councilman by day and something entirely different by night. Riya is a world-famous pop singer with tremendous daddy issues. And Sydney delights in consuming the fear that emanates from dying humans. Those old movies have become her escape from this dull excuse for an existence. She watches her television now, rapt in her hovel of an apartment as the corny, old-time music crackles through her stereo speakers. She laughs at the slapstick comedy and tries to put her crappy day at the nail salon behind her, while avoiding thoughts of the custodial overseer job she’ll go to this evening. “Please,” comes a weak voice from the man currently stretched across her coffee table, “I beg of you. Let me go.”And then there’s that distraction. Sydney’s surprised he still has the strength to speak, much less the will to live with all the hell she’s put him through – skin flayed like a tuna, legs bent at half a dozen impossible angles. She tunes his moaning out and savors the fear lapping at his skin like viscous waves breaking on the beach after an oil spill. She absorbs it – foul, thick, and dark. With wry humor and captivating plot pacing, Drayden blends science fiction, fantasy, mythology, an urban setting and paranormal entities to create an exceptional debut novel. The Prey of Gods is the perfect read for anyone in the mood for something weird, something fantastic, or something that weaves the best elements of multiple genres into one spellbinding book. -Special thanks to Harper Voyager for providing a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I knew the moment I saw this beautiful book that I would be buying a physical copy just so that I could occasionally look at it. It has to be one of my favorite cover arts ever. But this gem of a book is not just a pretty face, The Prey of Gods exceeded every expectation that I had going in. It is a wonderfully unique, strange, and yet familiar story. Drayden managed to take a well used plot and created a story that is so different and impressive that I am still thinking about these characters days after having finished the book. I went in thinking that I would get an interesting fantasy romp featuring a little girl in South Africa with the potential for some cool powers and maybe a little AI or other advanced technology thrown in for added entertainment. What Drayden delivers is a story that is nuanced and has so much depth that I was left amazed at what she was able to do in such a short and tightly woven story. Every major character in Prey of Gods represents the struggle for love, acceptance, and a sense of belonging that everyone faces at some point in their lives. Each character is vying for those human necessities in different ways and for different reasons. Each character is searching for that sense of home that is found not in a place, but in other people who will love them despite their individual flaws and shortcomings. Drayden has created a world in which love, adoration, worship, and even fear can, for some, literally fill a hunger that can not be sated in any other way. A world where when some receive those tributes whether voluntarily given or not, the receiver becomes more powerful; and without it they can't survive. In Prey of Gods the reader not only gets to see the awakening of self awareness in people of varying ages, from a ten year old little girl to a middle aged man struggling with his own identity; but we also get to see what happens when sequences of zeros and ones turn into sentience along with the fallout of new conscious choices. I could easily do a long review describing the significance of each of these characters that begin as strangers, but whose lives eventually converge so dramatically. However, it would be hard for me not to ruin the experience for other people. Each character is so unique with so much to explore, and this is just the first book! What I will say is that The Prey of Gods is hands down my favorite book that I have read so far this year. Just writing this review makes me want to re-read it already. I will be anxiously waiting for the next book by Nicky Drayden. Where you can find me:•(♥).•*Monlatable Book Reviews*•.(♥)•Twitter: @MonlatReaderInstagram: @readermonicaFacebook: Monica Reeds Goodreads Group: The Black Bookcase

Nicky Drayden answered a few questions about her debut novel in this awesome Q and AThere are time when all the pieces come together. Sometimes that is because the pieces are made to be together; a dark lord chasing the orphaned farm boy and the like. But to make all the pieces come together when said pieces are a virtual grab bag of randomness takes a bit more skill. Robot uprising, pissed off demi-god, young girl with the power to naturally nuke a town, hallucinations that are real and not real and real again. All tied together in a neat little...oh who I am kidding, it was a glorious mess. But a glorious mess that all works out if one is really paying attention.The Prey of Gods starts with a young man worrying about the state of of his private parts and mentally cussing out the man who decided circumcision should come by ritual in the teens rather than infancy. We can go ahead and call his story the sanest plot line of the book followed by a politician with a secret wannabe pop star identity. From there all the crazy elements are introduced one by one, then moved around in a wonderful whirlwind until everything important comes together in flash bang of a conclusion. Yes I just mixed metaphors like a boss, but that is only because I wanted to get in on this crazy game.Make no mistake one would have to enjoy a health dose of weird to enjoy this book. I wish I could recommend this book with no reservations but there are still a good number of people who don't enjoy Bas Lag so obviously some will be put off by people discovering their inner sexual crab. Assuming that is you then you have permission to skip reading this review but please know you are missing out.Are all the boring people gone?Cool. Beyond the weird The Prey of Gods is a book that has a whole lot to say but makes the reader work to decide what exactly that is. In a near future where things generally seem to be getting better there is a bit of optimism. Yet a pissed off ancient demi-goddess threatens to tear it all down; a decidedly fatalistic look at was an optimistic future. Another character goes from young innocent to monster before possibly making the turn back. Hell the entire pop star's story-line had enough going for it to be its own contemporary novel (minus the mystic drug dealer, perhaps). I suppose the real question is how many times in a year I can call different books 'debut of the year' and get away with it (by my count this might be the third). The Prey of Gods has the depth, excitement and action, and just enough humor to make up for its apocalyptic body count. Each character's point of view feels unique and not one character of the diverse cast feels unneeded. It may requiring altering ones mind to accommodate the insane set up but the payoff is worth it in the end.Another highly anticipated debut that didn't disappoint. 4 Stars Copy for review provided by publisher.

Captivatingly advancing multi-POV story with imaginative concepts of tech and magic, which ties together the paths of a lively cast of characters through clever interactions. Entertaining and energetic read with great build-up._____Reading updates.

"Darkness whispers, beckons her forth. She is nothing but shattered bone and spilled blood. Nothing remains of her except the dullest of sparks, swirling in the nothingness, fading. She clings onto it, coddles it, knowing that it could not possibly be enough to save her, but believing it so anyway."The Prey of Gods is the debut novel by Nicky Drayden and it is a goddamn EXPERIENCE.Set in South Africa, The Prey of Gods takes place in 2064, swirling science fiction, urban fantasy and folklore with a heavy helping of humor. It's a genre mashup for the ages!Featuring a large group of characters to get to know with varying POV's, including marginalized genders, sexualities, disabilities, race and class. The narratives weave in and out, threading together a story that is addictively readable.Muzi, a queer teenager of Xhosa and Irish descent, is in love with his best friend Elkin. He also has the ability to control minds; Nomvula, a 10-year-old half Zulu, half god with a vengeful mind and a merciful heart. Her mother is said to of been touched by evil spirits; Wallace Stoker, a prominent Councilman for the Department for Economic Affairs, Environment, and Tourism. At night he becomes his true self, a transgender stage performer who dreams of making it big; Sydney, a Black nail tech, who also happens to be an ancient demigoddess that plans on world domination; Riya Natrajan, a famous popstar that acts like a jaded diva but is actually hiding the fact that she suffers from Multiple Sclerosis and is constantly in pain. Her drug dealer is the only one that knows The Secret™; The Instance/Clever4-1.1, Nomvula's personal alphie. An alphie is a bot with a smooth round silver body and spider-like legs. It is just becoming self-aware and is unsure of their place in the world.If you think that sounds delightfully bonkers, you're right! And those are just the main POV's. There is quite an ensemble cast, as well. Including Papa Fuzz, Muzi's grandfather who doesn't approve of Muzi's friendship with Elkin, because he thinks Elkin is a bad influence. The relationship between Muzi and Papa Fuzz is raw and lovely and authentic. It's the way with which Drayden is able to create such incredible characterizations, down to the smallest role, that completely blows this out of the water. Each and every one of these characters play a pivotal part in this elaborate tale."It's like the fiery depths of hell have been compacted into a neat, golf-ball-sized tumor, then shoved into the back of Muzi's brain. It's so heavy, so all-encompassing that Muzi barely remembers where he is, who he is. Terror is so crisp, so precise that he forgets to breathe until his lungs yell bloody murder. He can't close his eyes or he'll see their faces, the thousands of lives extinguished by that woman's hand. No, not a woman. A monster. He stares ahead at nothing, unseeing, until his eyes burn with the dryness of an endless desert.Then he blinks."Robots on the verge of rebellion and ancient gods and music and designer pets and politics and abuse and hallucinatory dolphin/crab sex and viruses and talking trees and explosive orgasms and WORLD DOMINATION!!I've barely even scratched the surface of what Drayden has managed to convey in just under 400 pages. She has written a gorgeously inclusive, layered world. As someone who has Fibromyalgia, it is rare that I see disability or illness written about in SFF. Representation is a beautiful thing, my friends!A richly-imagined plot, fully-fleshed characters and brilliant execution at the hands of a wonderfully unique storyteller. The Prey of Gods captivated me from cover to cover!::proceeds to add the rest of Nicky Drayden's books to online cart::

Wooo boy, that was a trip.Humans are the descendants of gods, making each human a demigod/goddess. However they've spent eternity ignorant of this small fact. It takes a new illegal drug on the market to begin waking people's powers. Muzi is a gay teen struggling with his identity. His grandfather is pushing him to the old ways of their African tribe while living in a world where everyone has their own personal assistant robot to help them through life. Drugs are a release from his daily worries but this new drug, the name of which is fucking alluding me right now, unleashes his ability to control people, bending them to his will.Riya is a pop star. Selfish, uncaring of the people around her. She hides an illness that causes her great pain. She reveals in drugs and comes across this new substance, she gains power off her pain, off the pain of others, but she can use this power to heal.Wallace Stoker is a politician. A politician who actually has interest in bettering his country, in improving people's lives. His mother is pushing for him to become the premier of the country, but he's not sure he's ready for that. He's leading a secret double life and he's not sure which life is the one he wants.Sydney is a centuries old demigoddess trying to reclaim her powers. She feeds off of fear. She's planning mass destruction to help her kill off her newest competition, a tiny girl named Nomvula.Clever 4-1 is a robot. A robot struggling with the first case of sentience. He finds a way to spread that sentience to other bots.Nomvula is a small girl in the slums of Port Elizabeth, South Africa. Her mother claims a man in the village raped her in her dreams and lives in a perpetual state of crying in bed. This same man teaches Nomvula that she in fact, is a demigoddess, a strong one. Nomvula's life has been one of hunger pains and saddness, but this new sense of self comes with a high price.Here we have a magnificent blend of humans awakening their god powers and a budding AI sentience that could turn the world on it's head. This story was fast paced and fun, each character relatable. The entire read was intoxicating, unfortunately the ending falls a little flat. I think I came to expect much more from the climax.Either way, I look forward to reading more by Nicky Drayden.