The Host: A Novel | 
 enlarge | Author: Stephenie Meyer
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Category: Book
List Price: $25.99
Buy New: $13.25
You Save: $12.74 (49%)
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Rating:  451 reviews
Sales Rank: 26
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
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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 446 more reviews...
 Truly Amazing July 24, 2008
I first loved SM for her Twilight Saga, but I enjoyed The Host just as if not more. While it took me a while to get started, once I was into the book, there was no putting it down. The characters were engaging, the plot was interesting, and the message was profound.
After seeing SM's comment about sections of the book store I have to agree. This was marketed as her first "adult" novel, but then Amazon puts it in the list of the best "teen" paranormal novels. As SM said, a good book's a good book. Read it.
 Not truly adult fiction July 24, 2008
This book was hyped as Ms. Meyer's first "adult" fiction. Assuming you mean adult as those between the ages of 13 and 20, ok. If you mean adult as someone that is capable of following complex plot, complex character development and reading a book that isn't totally predictable, then not ok. Cute little story that could have been told in about 250 pages instead of the almost 600 it is. Interestingly, she develops the character of Uncle Jeb much more deeply than the main characters, Melanie and Wanderer! We know almost nothing about Melanie, except that she tried to kill herself to avoid implantation...and for someone that traveled all over the universe, we learn almost less than nothing about the Soul in her. Also, the struggle for "control" of the body/mind complex is pretty superficial until after they become "buddies".
Story cute, predictable and really fits more with her younger readers than truly adult science fiction.
The Host is not the same type of book as the Twilight Saga... July 23, 2008
... However it is exceedingly well written; not in the fashion of Twilight, where an exciting story is just presented straight up, but more in the fashion that it's thought provoking and presents us with truly unique material and situations.
The Host is a science fiction novel in the truest sense, and takes the reader on a journey through a 'cornered rat' mentality of humanity being oppressed by altruism rather than by dominance or violence. The only violence is on the part of the humans, yet they are still the ones being eliminated in a depressing fashion. As long as you don't try to read into this in a political sense, it's a very, very enjoyable read.
Again, please do not read this expecting Twilight; you will need to proceed slowly at the start of the novel so that you truly understood the world view, and the world, that Meyes is presenting you with in this great novel, rather than just diving into a story. I promise you that the back story to understand exactly what it is you'll be told in the remainder of the book is well worth the time to read (Not to mention, it's of course pleasurable in and of itself). That really seems to be the main complaint of most folks, but in the world of science fiction (generally) one of the first things you have to do is establish the world and boundaries a story will be operating under, and this is no exception.
Great Book July 23, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I have never read the Twilight books, but since reading this one I ordered them. Science fiction is not one of my favorite reads, but I could not put this one down and would recommend it to anyone that enjoys a great story.
 ZZZZ! July 23, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
While I like the Twilight Saga this one emphasizes just how little depth Meyer's story have. Host was horrendously boring, made absolutely no sense, and constantly contradicted itself. I didn't finish it, it was just that unbearable.
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