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| The Host: A Novel (Unabridged) | 
 enlarge | Author: Stephenie Meyer
Publisher: audible.com
Category: Book
List Price: $49.98
Buy New: $26.24
You Save: $23.74 (47%)
Avg. Customer Rating:  544 reviews
Media: Audio Download
ASIN: B001AZT98I
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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
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| Customer Reviews: Read 539 more reviews...
 Exciting and Thought-Provoking Post-Invasion Story May 6, 2008
218 out of 243 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.
 okay, but not great May 8, 2008
138 out of 239 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.
A Fascinating Story! May 6, 2008
113 out of 127 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.
 Disapointing... May 8, 2008
50 out of 115 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.
What it means to be human PLUS some sci-fi excitement May 23, 2008
44 out of 45 found this review helpful
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R1HR2FTBDJ0OVQ The 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.
I was not expecting the story to be as deep as it is, as it deals with essentially what it means to be human. In fact, a great deal of the conflict is internal, but in a very interesting way. The themes of selflessness, community, and kindness toward one's enemies are prominent throughout the novel. The story develops into a renegade group of remaining humans struggling to survive against the much farther advanced alien conquerors.
The end of the novel is obviously set up to start the next book in the series, and I am certainly looking forward to it. IMHO, I think the book would have had a stronger ending for me if it ended one chapter earlier, cutting out the epilogue, but that is a very minor point. I'd recommend this one to anyone. This has been the biggest pleasant surprise that I've found this year.
--Lewis Aleman Author of Cold Streak
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