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| The Host: A Novel | 
 enlarge | Author: Stephenie Meyer
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Category: Book
List Price: $25.99
Buy New: $13.90
You Save: $12.09 (47%)
New (31) Used (3) Collectible (1) from $13.90
Avg. Customer Rating:  46 reviews
Sales Rank: 6
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 624
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.9
Dimensions (in): 9.1 x 6.1 x 2
ISBN: 0316068047
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.6
EAN: 9780316068048
ASIN: 0316068047
Publication Date: May 6, 2008 (New: This Week)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: Brand new- Bookstore quality
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Amazon.com
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
Product Description
The author of the Twilight series of # 1 bestsellers delivers her brilliant first novel for adults: a gripping story of love and betrayal in a future with the fate of humanity at stake.
Melanie Stryder refuses to fade away. The earth has been invaded by a species that take over the minds of their human hosts while leaving their bodies intact, and most of humanity has succumbed.
Wanderer, the invading "soul" who has been given Melanie's body, knew about the challenges of living inside a human: the overwhelming emotions, the too vivid memories. But there was one difficulty Wanderer didn't expect: the former tenant of her body refusing to relinquish possession of her mind.
Melanie fills Wanderer's thoughts with visions of the man Melanie loves-Jared, a human who still lives in hiding. Unable to separate herself from her body's desires, Wanderer yearns for a man she's never met. As outside forces make Wanderer and Melanie unwilling allies, they set off to search for the man they both love.
Featuring what may be the first love triangle involving only two bodies, THE HOST is a riveting and unforgettable novel that will bring a vast new readership to one of the most compelling writers of our time.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 41 more reviews...
 Exciting and Thought-Provoking Post-Invasion Story May 6, 2008
40 out of 43 found this review helpful
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.
A Fascinating Story! May 6, 2008
27 out of 30 found this review helpful
In the future Earth has been taken over by a unique alien species. The infiltration was slow and undetected until it was too late. Now these aliens, known as Souls, live inside human bodies, which act as hosts for the invading parasites. Usually when a Soul is placed in a new host it is able to take full control of the body, pushing aside any remnant of the human consciousness that once lived inside.
After a Soul named Wanderer is inserted into her new host she soon realizes something isn't right. It seems the human who once inhabited this body refuses to give in and die. Melanie Stryder wants no part of Wanderer and is doing everything she can to fight back. Even though Wanderer controls the body, nothing she does is able to quench Melanie's spirit. She is always there, in her head, so to speak.
As time goes by Melanie's memories become Wanderer's and soon she finds herself longing for the people that meant so much to her host. Melanie left behind her brother and the man she loves, and now Wanderer has developed those same feelings. Soon Wanderer and Melanie begin working together to track down Melanie's loved ones, all the while being careful that they don't lead the other Souls to the humans who are in hiding. When they finally do find them, they must figure out a way to live peacefully with a group of humans who have grown to hate Souls. Emotions flare and relationships are tested in agonizing ways as two lives must share one body and as enemies must learn to co-exist and survive.
Stephenie Meyer has taken the publishing world by storm with her groundbreaking young adult Twilight series. The Host is her first stand alone adult novel and millions of readers are anxiously waiting to see how it stacks up. Having never read any of the Twilight books, I didn't know what to expect from a Stephenie Meyer novel. What I found was a fascinating story that is really unlike anything I have ever read.
While this story certainly has sci-fi elements, it is not what most would consider hard-core sci-fi. Meyer focuses more on the relationships of the characters and the intriguing dilemma of two lives sharing one body. Much of the book deals with Melanie and Wanda's complicated love triangle with Melanie's old flame and Wanda's new love interest. There is action and suspense laced throughout, and Wanda's relationship with the surviving humans is tension filled to the max. The novel's real strength lies in the character of Wanda as she is constantly pulled between her duty as a Soul and the compassion she develops from her connection with Melanie and the other humans. Indeed, Wanda is the most human character of them all.
Meyer's writing is top-notch throughout and never lags despite the massive page count. Readers who expect a fast paced storyline wrapped up in a mere 100,000 words may be disappointed. However, those who enjoy a steady paced tale that slowly builds into a powerful and emotional ending will love The Host. In the end we are left with just the right amount of closure, but also with a little taste of what is to come. I can only hope Stephenie Meyer will continue this incredible saga she has begun.
 okay, but not great May 8, 2008
21 out of 30 found this review helpful
As a keen adult fan of the Twilight series (yep I'm well past the YA agegroup but hey us addicted readers don't discriminate where books are concerned lol); I was disappointed in this book. I agree with many people who said it was too slow to start. It takes about a third of the book to get you really interested. (And frankly, I may well have given up had I not known from Ms Meyer's other books what she is capable of). The last two thirds of the book are interesting and yes, overall it was enjoyable. But would I rush to reread it? No. Is it on my 'favourites' shelf with Twilight? No. Would I recommend it to others? Ummmm...maybe if you're not spending a fortune on a copy, (although it would not be in my first 30 recommendations of books). But only purchase this for adults and mature YA readers - not because of the themes, but because I have noticed YA readers struggle with the slowness and extensive (overly extensive for my money) dialogue of this book.Overall, the concept is intriguing but the execution is disappointing.
 Disapointing... May 8, 2008
20 out of 38 found this review helpful
I'm a big fan of the Twilight series. So, when The Host came out I decided to give it a try purely because it was written by Stephenie Meyer.
I'm sorry to say that I didn't like it at all. There seems to be some good fan reviews of the book, but I can't decide if they are completely honest, or written out of loyalty to Stephanie.
I can always tell if I like a book because I won't be able to put it down. I'll just keep reading until its finished. The Host felt like it took forever to read, and I kept taking breaks, getting distracted and procrastinating.
I think the reason I disliked it is because it dragged in the beginning, it seemed to take forever to get started. The middle was okay, and then it dragged some more. The plot, the setting, the characters, just didn't live up to the wonderful world she produced in Twilight.
As far as I'm concerned, Stephenie should stick to Twilight, and get Midnight Sun published ASAP.
Entertaining and Thought-provoking May 6, 2008
13 out of 20 found this review helpful
For those YA's that love the Twilight series, there isn't anything too 'adult' in this book, even though that is the intended audience purportedly. Meyer's has a way of creating vulnerable yet strong characters in her books and she doesn't let us down here. In many ways her characters remind a lot of those in Amy Lane's Little Goddess series (which is definitely more 'Adult') or her latest series (more YA) in that they bear their suffering and tragedy with a solid core of ethics and morality that, while at times may stretch believability, still provide an emotional catharsis and identification with those better parts of ourselves. Love conquers all, even across species, isn't exactly a new theme, but Meyer really brings a great story and environment to life, that transports us while we are in it. There are also hints of Nalini Singh's Psy-Changeling series here, which have always had a Pavlovian reaction for me: the 'emotionless' breaking through their conditioning, experiencing love for the first time, and all the heartache and joy that can encompass.
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