PREY Trivia Quiz

Answer: Nanotechnology

'Prey' is about nanotechnology, one of the most popular and hot topics of discussion. The novel explores the potential benefits of nanotechnology and also explores the dangers which could arise from this new field of science.

Answer: It is a software program

The central character of the novel 'Prey' is Jack Forman who is a software programmer specialized in artificial intelligence. He had developed a program called 'PREDPREY'. Jack's team had studied the relationships between predators and preys by studying the behaviour of hyenas, lionesses and army ants. Based on this relationship, he had developed a goal seeking program, which tried to control any system of agents and their behaviour.

This program and its use by Xymos is the main theme of the novel.

Answer: Mediatronics

Jack Forman, the central character of 'Prey' worked for a company called Mediatronics. Jack finds out that the company head Don Gross was siphoning off company money into a personal account. Instead of being complimented, Jack is fired for gross negligence and misconduct.

He remains at home as a 'house husband' taking care of his children, while in the process of searching for a new job.

Answer: The rash disappears automatically

Jack's nine month old daughter Amanda is suddenly afflicted with a rash and is taken to the hospital, where a MRI scan is recommended. The moment the MRI scan is done, the baby stops crying. The rash disappears right in front of everyone's eyes automatically.

It is later revealed in the novel that the rash was caused by gamma assemblers which were destroyed when exposed to the MRI's magnetic field. The MRI scanner device breaks down and the baby is completely cured.

Answer: He is hired again by his previous company and sent to fix a problem

Jack Forman is contacted by his old company Xymos to take up an assignment. His previous company had sold the PREDPREY program to Xymos and there were some glitches in the software. Jack is asked to go the Nevada facility of Xymos as a consultant and help the programmers to fix the glitches.

Answer: A swarm of nano robots

Jack Forman's 'PREDPREY' program had been purchased by Xymos and their main executives Ricky and Jack's wife Julia had used this program to create robots using nanotechnology. The original purpose of the robots was to serve as a spy camera, but during the process of manufacture, the team had used the E.coli bacteria to create the robots.

The combination of genetics, nanotechnology and artificial intelligence had created a monster swarm of nano robots. This swarm started to behave in a predatory manner and could even reproduce.

Answer: David

David is the first to be killed by the nano swarm. David, Rosie, Charley, Jack and Mae go outside the facility realizing that the wind is strong and the swarm cannot harm them. But during their work, the wind dies down and the swarm attacks. Jack organizes the group into a flock to confuse the swarm, but David gets into a panic and tries to run and in the process is attacked and killed by the swarm. Rosie tries to save him and is the next to die.

Answer: False

Jack and Mae take thermite caps and go to search the swarm's nest along with Bobby. They find the nest and enter it, but Bobby refuses to accompany them. Jack and Mae use the explosives to destroy the nest. Both of them manage to destroy the nest and escape alive along with Bobby.

Answer: She was infected by the swarm

Jack's wife Julia was working on the nano robot project. During the project, she is infected by a malignant version of the swarm. The nano robots that infected her take over her body and she loses control of her own body. It is the nano robots that make Julia try to kill Jack.

Answer: Mae

Only Mae and Jack survive at the end of the story. The swarm kills David, Rosie, Bobby and Charley. Julia and Ricky are killed when Jack releases a 'phage' that kills the E.coli strain that caused the swarm. Only Jack and Mae survive the swarm attack.

At the end of the novel, the methane gas leak at the Xymos Nevada facility blows up and destroys everything. Mae goes to the lab at Palo Alto to try and warn every one of the dangers of the experiment. Jack realizes that his whole family has been infected and gives everyone the phage to kill the swarm.