The Host: A Novel (Hardcover)Amazon.com Review : Amazon Best of the Month, May 2008: Stephenie Meyer, creator of the phenomenal teen-vamp Twilight series, takes paranormal romance into alien territory in her first adult novel. Those wary of sci-fi or teen angst will be pleasantly surprised by this mature and imaginative thriller, propelled by equal parts action and emotion. A species of altruistic parasites has peacefully assumed control of the minds and bodies of most humans, but feisty Melanie Stryder won't surrender her mind to the alien soul called Wanderer. Overwhelmed by Melanie's memories of fellow resistor Jared, Wanderer yields to her body's longing and sets off into the desert to find him. Likely the first love triangle involving just two bodies, it's unabashedly romantic, and the characters (human and alien) genuinely endearing. Readers intrigued by this familiar-yet-alien world will gleefully note that the story's end leaves the door open for a sequel--or another series. --Mari Malcolm
Reader Praise:
Exciting and Thought-Provoking Post-Invasion Story, May 6, 2008
By SciFiChick "www.SciFiChick.com" (Fishers, IN USA) - It's been years since parasitic aliens calling themselves "Souls" have invaded Earth and taken over. Once a "Soul" is placed in a human host, the alien takes over and suppresses the human's mind. But when Wanderer awakes in her new body, she finds that her human host isn't so easily overcome. Melanie, her younger brother, and the man that she loves have been in hiding; and she'll do anything to get back to them, even resist the alien parasite that has taken over her body. The parasitic "Souls" are easy to dislike at first. But Meyer has given the alien race such a rich and colorful backstory that is truly fascinating. And Wanderer is a unique "Soul" who soon finds herself caring for the same people as her host, and finding herself torn between ties to her own people and the humans. It's been a long time since I've read such a stirring, science fiction tale that has made me go through so many emotions. The Host is a deep and beautiful story, and very different from Meyer's popular, young adult series. This is a rare story that made me stop and think about the choices that are made and what I would do in their place. Intense, exciting, dramatic, and inspiring, I'd highly recommend this novel to any reader, not only science fiction fans.
By SciFiChick "www.SciFiChick.com" (Fishers, IN USA) - It's been years since parasitic aliens calling themselves "Souls" have invaded Earth and taken over. Once a "Soul" is placed in a human host, the alien takes over and suppresses the human's mind. But when Wanderer awakes in her new body, she finds that her human host isn't so easily overcome. Melanie, her younger brother, and the man that she loves have been in hiding; and she'll do anything to get back to them, even resist the alien parasite that has taken over her body. The parasitic "Souls" are easy to dislike at first. But Meyer has given the alien race such a rich and colorful backstory that is truly fascinating. And Wanderer is a unique "Soul" who soon finds herself caring for the same people as her host, and finding herself torn between ties to her own people and the humans. It's been a long time since I've read such a stirring, science fiction tale that has made me go through so many emotions. The Host is a deep and beautiful story, and very different from Meyer's popular, young adult series. This is a rare story that made me stop and think about the choices that are made and what I would do in their place. Intense, exciting, dramatic, and inspiring, I'd highly recommend this novel to any reader, not only science fiction fans.
What it means to be human PLUS some sci-fi excitement, May 22, 2008
By Lewis Aleman "Author of Cold Streak, a Suspen... (New Orleans, LA) - Host is Stephenie Meyer's first venture into the adult mainstream, and, with a story that borderlines between sci-fi and literary, she's written a wonderful novel. The Host starts off with narration from the alien parasite host who has been implanted into a human body. Typically the human's mind slips away into the background never to be noticed by the new alien host, but sometimes a human spirit is so strong that it lingers and begins to communicate with the new being inside its body. This is the case with Wanderer, our alien host narrator, and Melanie, the human consciousness, which causes an ongoing internal battle throughout the story, both fighting over use of the body and Melanie's human memories. It's always wonderful to become immersed in a different environment in a book, where it completely takes you on an adventure outside of your ordinary life. The Host does this exceptionally well through its vivid descriptions of underground caves, a harsh desert, and even descriptions of the lives of beings on other planets. It's definitely a great getaway, so much so that it is hard to put the book down. You get the feeling of being right there with the characters in a strange environment, much like in LOTR, Chronicles of Narnia, or even Edgar Allan Poe short stories such as "The Pit and the Pendulum." If you're concerned about the quality of this novel because she has written primarily young adult previously, don't be. This is in every way a novel that can be enjoyed by both adult and young adult readers with appeal to any fan of sci-fi, the human condition, fantasy, and even literary. Meyer's writing is top-notch with colorful descriptions, inner dialog, and a smooth-flowing plot. The characterization is spot-on making you care about the main characters as the danger rises around them.
By Lewis Aleman "Author of Cold Streak, a Suspen... (New Orleans, LA) - Host is Stephenie Meyer's first venture into the adult mainstream, and, with a story that borderlines between sci-fi and literary, she's written a wonderful novel. The Host starts off with narration from the alien parasite host who has been implanted into a human body. Typically the human's mind slips away into the background never to be noticed by the new alien host, but sometimes a human spirit is so strong that it lingers and begins to communicate with the new being inside its body. This is the case with Wanderer, our alien host narrator, and Melanie, the human consciousness, which causes an ongoing internal battle throughout the story, both fighting over use of the body and Melanie's human memories. It's always wonderful to become immersed in a different environment in a book, where it completely takes you on an adventure outside of your ordinary life. The Host does this exceptionally well through its vivid descriptions of underground caves, a harsh desert, and even descriptions of the lives of beings on other planets. It's definitely a great getaway, so much so that it is hard to put the book down. You get the feeling of being right there with the characters in a strange environment, much like in LOTR, Chronicles of Narnia, or even Edgar Allan Poe short stories such as "The Pit and the Pendulum." If you're concerned about the quality of this novel because she has written primarily young adult previously, don't be. This is in every way a novel that can be enjoyed by both adult and young adult readers with appeal to any fan of sci-fi, the human condition, fantasy, and even literary. Meyer's writing is top-notch with colorful descriptions, inner dialog, and a smooth-flowing plot. The characterization is spot-on making you care about the main characters as the danger rises around them.
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