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Original Essays | February 8, 2012

Kent Hartman: IMG A Raider by Any Other Name

1 comment By Kent Hartman

Perhaps you are aware of the fact that there is an oddly popular trivia game floating around that a group of clever (and likely bored) college... Continue »
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    The Wrecking Crew: The Inside Story of Rock and Roll's Best-Kept Secret

    Kent Hartman 9780312619749
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The Host Signed 1st Edition

The Host Signed 1st Edition Cover

ISBN13: 9781135873820
ISBN10: 1135873828
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Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

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.

Review:

"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) Editors blend speculative fiction with other genres to create anthologies with broad appeal." Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

Review:

"Meyer's ingenious adult-market debut....[P]ropulsive reading, laden with unforgettable, unsettling scenes....[T]his entertaining, somewhat soft-focus sf saga will only serve to broaden the penumbra of Meyer's fame." Booklist

Review:

"A clever premise and competent writing keep this from turning into a pastiche, though after a couple of hundred pages, readers may wish that just one artery would get punctured." Kirkus Reviews

Review:

"The Host is The X-Files meets Days of Our Lives. Despite some sticky-sweet dialogue, Meyer's story and characters will stoke fans of both sci fi and romance." USA Today

Review:

"As in her Twilight series, Meyer is more interested in relationships than in flashy genre conventions....The Host starts rolling again in its last hundred pages and Meyer's affirmative life lesson is disarming. If only the rest of the book had as much soul. (Grade: B)" Entertainment Weekly

Review:

"As a work of science fiction, The Host is a disappointment....This science fiction survivalist romance novel may not be rich enough to satisfy hardcore readers of any of these genres, but its mix of adventure and new love on a new Earth is just right to get lost in this summer." Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Review:

"[The Host] lives up to the hype, blending science fiction and romance in a way that has never worked so well....[A] page-turner....As with her vampire novels, Meyer will make new fans of readers 'who don't read books with aliens.' Highly recommended." Library Journal (Starred Review)
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About the Author

Stephenie Meyer graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in English literature. After the publication of her debut novel Twilight, booksellers chose her as one of the "most promising new authors of 2005" (Publishers Weekly). She lives with her husband and three young sons in Arizona.
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What Our Readers Are Saying

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Average customer rating based on 3 comments:
Cedate, June 9, 2008 (view all comments by Cedate)
Another amazing book by Stephenie Meyer! I hope that there will be more to come.... Loved It!
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(8 of 16 readers found this comment helpful)
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Janet Anderson, June 5, 2008 (view all comments by Janet Anderson)
This novel is an interesting fantasy spin on possession of humans by aliens. The title is a play on words, referring to the human 'hosts,' and also the host of invaders. The invaders are relatively benign, except for the little detail that the human's personality is usually destroyed. The protagonist of this book is a rare human who manages to remain a separate personality, coexisting with the invader, giving rise to entertaining issues regarding old and new relationships. The 'adult' designation is mystifying, as the content was no more spicy than that of her "Twilight" series for young adults.
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(11 of 22 readers found this comment helpful)
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lthjones, June 5, 2008 (view all comments by lthjones)
This was such a great book! Stephenie Myers has out done herself once again. She takes a very interesting plot and makes it into a romantic and suspenseful book.
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Product Details

ISBN:
9781135873820
Publisher:
Little Brown and Company
Copyright:
2008
Author:
Stephenie Meyer
Author:
Meyer, Stephenie
Binding:
Hardcover
Language:
English
Pages:
619
Dimensions:
9.56x6.38x1.86 in. 1.90 lbs.
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The Host Signed 1st Edition
0 stars - 0 reviews
$ In Stock
Product details 619 pages Little Brown and Company - English 9781135873820 Reviews:
"Publishers Weekly Review" by , "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) Editors blend speculative fiction with other genres to create anthologies with broad appeal." Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)
"Review" by , "Meyer's ingenious adult-market debut....[P]ropulsive reading, laden with unforgettable, unsettling scenes....[T]his entertaining, somewhat soft-focus sf saga will only serve to broaden the penumbra of Meyer's fame."
"Review" by , "A clever premise and competent writing keep this from turning into a pastiche, though after a couple of hundred pages, readers may wish that just one artery would get punctured."
"Review" by , "The Host is The X-Files meets Days of Our Lives. Despite some sticky-sweet dialogue, Meyer's story and characters will stoke fans of both sci fi and romance."
"Review" by , "As in her Twilight series, Meyer is more interested in relationships than in flashy genre conventions....The Host starts rolling again in its last hundred pages and Meyer's affirmative life lesson is disarming. If only the rest of the book had as much soul. (Grade: B)"
"Review" by , "As a work of science fiction, The Host is a disappointment....This science fiction survivalist romance novel may not be rich enough to satisfy hardcore readers of any of these genres, but its mix of adventure and new love on a new Earth is just right to get lost in this summer."
"Review" by , "[The Host] lives up to the hype, blending science fiction and romance in a way that has never worked so well....[A] page-turner....As with her vampire novels, Meyer will make new fans of readers 'who don't read books with aliens.' Highly recommended."
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