Reddit reviews Monster of God: The Man-Eating Predator in the Jungles of History and the Mind

See also, this book.

Yep, you're not the only one with that aversion. One criticism I would make of Emergence is that, at least toward the beginning, it doesn't use the first-person format to its full potential--but the overall premise of the fic, and the fun that they have with it, more than outweighs that.

Another thing that just occurred to me: Monster of God by David Quammen. It's about humans' relationships with other apex predators, and explores life in parts of Earth that might be comparable to places outside the kingdoms of Remnant in one key respect (i.e. where people may still live in fear of being run down in the dark and eaten). It is also an excellent book all around.