Melanie Stryder refuses to fade away. The earth has been invaded by a species that takes 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. About the AuthorStephenie Meyer graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in English Literature and lives with her husband and three young sons in Arizona. She is the author of the internationally bestselling TWILIGHT, NEW MOON and ECLIPSE ReviewsMeyer's YA vampire novels (Breaking Dawn will be out in August) have been touted in the Wall Street Journal as successors to J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. And with a fan base that has grown exponentially with each new release, they may not be far off. All of which makes the publication of Meyer's first adult novel even more noteworthy. It lives up to the hype, blending science fiction and romance in a way that has never worked so well. In this page-turner, Meyer explores what happens to relationships when two beings inhabit the same physical body. Earth has been overrun by an alien species called Souls, which invade human bodies and erase personalities. As the novel opens, Melanie Stryder, one of the few human holdouts, has been captured by the aliens and is implanted with a Soul named Wanderer, who is something of a legend among her own kind because of the many hosts and planets she has experienced. Inhabiting a human mind and body is unlike anything Wanderer has ever known, and soon she finds that Melanie isn't quite willing to give up to this invader. Overwhelmed by Melanie's memories and feelings, Wanderer finds herself driven to reconnect with Melanie's old life. As with her vampire novels, Meyer will make new fans of readers "who don't read books with aliens." Highly recommended for all public libraries. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 1/08.]--Jane Jorgenson, Madison P.L., WI Copyright 2008 Reed Business Information. "Stephenie Meyer is an amazing phenomenon?out of the brightness of her mind and spirit comes the illuminated darkness of her stories. For no matter how much pain her characters suffer, Meyer infuses the tales with light and hope." ?Orson Scott Card, author of The Ender Saga*"A fascinating, passionate, and unique psychological thriller. In The Host, Stephenie Meyer gives a new and surprising meaning to the phrase 'being of two minds!"?Katherine Neville, author of The Eight In this tantalizing SF thriller, planet-hopping parasites are inserting their silvery centipede selves into human brains, curing cancer, eliminating war and turning Earth into paradise. But some people want Earth back, warts and all, especially Melanie Stryder, who refuses to surrender, even after being captured in Chicago and becoming a host for a "soul" called Wanderer. Melanie uses her surviving brain cells to persuade Wanderer to help search for her loved ones in the Arizona desert. When the pair find Melanie's brother and her boyfriend in a hidden rebel cell led by her uncle, Wanderer is at first hated. Once the rebels accept Wanderer, whom they dub Wanda, Wanda's whole perspective on humanity changes. While the straightforward narrative is short on detail about the invasion and its stunning aftermath, it shines with romantic intrigue, especially when a love triangle (or quadrangle?!) develops for Wanda/Melanie. 10-city author tour. (May) Copyright 2008 Reed Business Information. Adult/High School-A race of parasitic aliens has nearly completed its benevolent conquest of the aggressive, violent human race. By implanting themselves into humans, the souls have access to all of the hosts' memories and emotions and are indistinguishable from them. The humans do not realize they're being taken over until it is nearly too late. Some resist the invasion, including Melanie Stryder, her brother, and her lover. When Melanie is killed on a mission, her body is taken over by a soul named "Wanderer." Melanie's memories prove overwhelming for Wanderer, who eventually succumbs to her need to search out her family. What follows is a tale of survival, friendship, and love. By discussing Earth's invasion from the conqueror's viewpoint, the novel takes a unique look at a fairly standard plot device. It overcomes a slow beginning after Wanderer reaches the humans and begins to care about the ones she meets personally. She comes to love Melanie's brother like her own, fights her body's attraction to Melanie's lover, and grows ever closer to another human, Ian. The humans in turn accept Wanderer as a valuable and caring individual, rather than as Melanie's oppressor. They overcome their prejudices and begin to work together in the humans' best interests. Host will likely appeal to readers interested in supernatural romance or character-driven science fiction. Questions of what defines humanity and love add a philosophical angle to an engaging and entertaining title.-Karen E. Brooks-Reese, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, PA Copyright 2008 Reed Business Information. |
Help
My Cart
– 
– 
– 