With attention on “Twilight” still soaring to heights that rival “Harry Potter,” it’s hard to imagine that Stephenie Meyer has already released another bestseller. Yet unlike her popular vampire series, she now takes her loyal fans down the road of sci-fi, weaving a powerful tale about the survival of humanity against foreign invaders.
Earth has been overcome by an alien species of souls that vaguely resemble pearlescent jellyfish. Unable to survive on their own, they take over the minds of human hosts and other intelligent species. While the alien race claims to have the “best interests” of the planet in mind, they are quite ignorant of the cruelty of stealing bodies from their hosts. Once captured, it’s virtually impossible for a human to resist being assimilated by the alien race. That is until Melanie Stryder was caught. Even after losing control of her body to Wanderer, the invading “soul,” Melanie continues to make her thoughts known to her captor, and constantly fights to take back control of what was stolen from her.
As the story develops, Wanderer begins catching glimpses of Melanie’s past, including memories regarding a human lover named Jared. Through constant exposure to Melanie’s overpowering emotions, Wanderer eventually finds that she is falling in love with the same man as her former tenant, making “Host” one of the rare novels to introduce a love triangle involving only two human bodies.
Conversations between Wanderer and Melanie often contain hilarious banter that is both entertaining and enlightening to behold. Since their relationship with one another is less than welcome, it comes as a great surprise to learn that they develop a sort of treaty and join forces to try and find Jared’s whereabouts.
While “Host” is dominantly a tale of love, it also covers the heavy definition of what it means to be human. Meyer reminds readers that man’s definition of good and bad isn’t always so black and white. One person’s vision of good is never like anothers. In the midst of so much bad, sometimes all we can do as humans is find the right compromise that works best for all.
Blended together with intense suspense and vividly portrayed cast of characters, this novel is a read that will keep you on the edge of your seat, anxious yet eager for what will happen next. “The Host” is not simply a science-fiction tale of body snatchers taking over the planet earth, but a timeless tale of love surviving even within the darkest of circumstances. Don’t miss this latest installation by Stephenie Meyer; the close of “Twilight” is only the beginning of an even greater adventure.
