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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: $12.65
You Save: $13.34 (51%)
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Avg. Customer Rating:  499 reviews
Sales Rank: 39
Media: Hardcover
Edition: 1
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 624
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.9
Dimensions (in): 9.3 x 6.5 x 2.1
ISBN: 0316068047
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.6
EAN: 9780316068048
ASIN: 0316068047
Publication Date: May 6, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: BRAND NEW COPY, SOFTCOVER EDITION, NO UGLY REMAINDER MARKS.
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| Editorial Reviews:
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 494 more reviews...
 Excellent Read August 8, 2008
Stephenie Meyers does it again, I read this book in three days, could not put it down. What a great story!
 Almost there.... (Spoilers) August 7, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
I liked this book for the most part. A couple things confused me though. In the beginning of the book she does a good job detailing the internal struggle between Wanderer and Melanie. Closer towards the end though it seemed like she gave up on describing this dynamic in as much detail. Melanie becomes more shrew and self serving, the wanderer becomes more self sacrificing. Wasn't the problem with placing a soul in an adult host body that the soul would start to take on some more human type characteristics? I'd have liked to see more of that. Also, I initially thought the book ended with the soul giving up Melanie's body. What a great ending - until I turned the 2 blank pages and found the aftermath. People don't always get what they want. Life is more beautiful because others make sacrifices. Tying things up with a pretty bow is like living off of cake and ice cream. sounds good at first but afterwards you realize that you need more than sugar and frosting. I would have given this 4 stars if those last few pages didn't exist...
Excellent! August 7, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Not since Ender's Game have I read a SciFi novel that challenges how we define humanity and morality like this book. It was incredibly well written, amazing character development and really pressed the reader to question their own personal views and truths. I liked this book better than her other series which may be b/c I'm older than what the Twilight series is aimed for but it was also because this book had bigger questions behind it and was both challenging and stimulating. I read the Host and immediately followed it by Breaking Dawn and can't believe the same writer wrote them. Hands down the Host was a must read.
In that same breadth I sincerely hope that Ms. Meyer does not write a sequel. The ending was powerful, it wasn't completely tied with a pretty bow and the questions you were left with really spoke to the beauty of the book.
A unique and compelling sci-fi novel August 7, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I have read Meyer's Twilight series, I'm on the 4th right now, but I can honestly say that I feel that "The Host" is a superior novel. The characters are rich and the apocalyptic feel is fun to read.
The book is about parasitic aliens that come to earth and take over and control our bodies. But things aren't so cut and dry, because our narrator is a host sharing a body with it's previous owner who does not want to vacate. There's action, romance, sci-fi. It's a really interesting book with no slow parts, I read it quite fast because I wanted to know what happens. I've also heard that there may be sequels which I look forward to.
Meyer's Twilight series is okay but to get a better sense at her writing talents pick this book up instead, or first.
 Odd Pacing Makes For Some Frustrating Reading August 7, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
Although some people say that it takes 100+ pages to get interested in the book, I disagree. I got interested immediately when Melanie started talking to Wanderer and showing memories of Jared.
Then, when they set out on their journey for Jared, things start getting BORING as hell. She spends pages and pages just describing the desert. And once Melanie makes it to the human hideout, she spends CHAPTERS just describing Melanie walking through the caves. This is particularly frustrating because at this point because the reader really wants to know SOMETHING about what's going to happen to Melanie or the human hideout or just anything to explain what's going on. And the author responds with gratuitous description of the CAVES.
Things get even worse when Jared leaves. There are multiple chapters where the tension/interest does not increase and the story just stagnates. Generally, people like it when a book goes somewhere, not just sits around waiting for something to happen. I guess during this part of the book, we are supposed to warm up to minor charcters (thus setting us up for Walter's supposed heart-wrenching death) but I never really bought it.
The only character in the book who is even mildly interesting is Melanie, and she hides out for half the book. Once again, frustrating. I did enjoy the romantic quadrangle, but that was the only aspect that was enjoyable - the romance. All the action/thriller stuff didn't hook me and I ended up skimming through it.
Overall, there were some things that held my interest, but I had to sift through pages and pages of filler to get to it. Don't bother with it if you don't have the time or patience to do the same.
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