The Host

“The Host” is Stephenie Meyer’s first novel outside the world of Twilight.

Originally published:  May 6, 2008

624 pages

From Amazon:

“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.”

You can read more about “The Host” on Stephenie Meyer’s site.

You can order all versions of “The Host” on Amazon.

56 Comments to “The Host”

  1. Brandi says:

    Fantastic read, I suggest it to any Twilight fan, you will love it! The writing style is just like in Twilight. Just a differant story with differant characters!! And I do beleive I love Jared just about as much as I do Edward ; ]

    • Mariah says:

      A really good book!
      Suggest to anyone who liked Twilight or didn’t!
      but who will be more hot in the movie… Jared or Ian?
      I cant pick! 🙂

    • Peggy says:

      I too loved this book…had several friends that couldn’t get past the first couple of chapters but I promised them that if they would try it was well worth the read. In today’s times I think it was very informative for some survival skills we may very well need in the near future. I couldn’t put it down and couldn’t understand how others couldn’t get caught up in it. I assumed they were so over whelmed with the Twilight Saga that they couldn’t allow their minds to stretch beyond that.

  2. Sandi says:

    A very different, but equally good story from Stephenie Meyer. A must read for Twilight fans!

    It’s a tough call – Edward or Ian. Both are great fantasy loves.

    I’ll post my favorite quotes once I get my copy back from the friend reading it now.

    Go Team Ian and Team Edward!

    Sandi
    Dallas, TX USA

  3. ggrockz68 says:

    Very good read! But, if u are not a sci-fi fan the first few chapters are a little difficult to get through. After that, the story takes off! I really enjoyed it. I did not get as obsessed as Twilight but great story.

    Also, I heard in an interview with Stephanie Meyer that she already has the second and third book outlined and plans on continuing the story! YEY!

  4. Nixonissomuchhotterthanedward!!! says:

    Um…the host is SO much better than the twilight series!! sure, it was a good read and i was addicted to it for awhile, but it gets old after awhile. Ian NEVER gets old!!!!!!! ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! personally, overall, i liked the host better than twilight not to offend anyone 🙂

  5. Jade says:

    I am the biggest twilight fan, and I didn’t want to read this for ages. I got it for christmas though last year, and read it expecting to be dissapointed… but i ADORED IT!!!! I recommened it to anybody, with any taste in books. This is not just for
    sci-fi lovers. Trust me
    Regards,
    Jade – England
    xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

    • Peggy says:

      I am a major sy fy fan and it was THE perfect follow up for the Twilight Saga books…don’t you agree? The survival skills alone was well worth the read. I thought it nearly inspirational.

  6. probabaly the second biggest twilight freak in the world says:

    hmmm………… team jared or team ian???? lol!

    • Sophia says:

      Team Jared, you?????

      • Peggy says:

        Yes, Jared.

      • Lucky says:

        November 14-20 Rate this: Share thLmFEsailPrintDiggReddit:acebookTwitterStumbleUponiike this:LikeBe the first to like this post. Tagged: Big 5, Drexel Dragons, La Salle Explorers, Penn Quakers, Philahoops, Saint Joseph's Hawks, Temple Owls, Villanova Wildcats Posted in: PENN ← Saturday recap: Penn falls to JMU on block at buzzer; St. Joe’s, La Salle win Be the first to start a conversation

  7. the REAL alice says:

    its almost better than TWILIGHT…. trust me!
    🙂

  8. the REAL alice says:

    i LOVE IAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 🙂 🙂 🙂

  9. Ivy Cullen says:

    this is a summary from my point of view…

    eh, a little interesting…a little more interesting…getting boring…so boring…so boring you might die…a little better but awkward and hurtful…boring again…interesting…getting better…getting waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay better…omg!…boring again…so exciting you just might die(again)…awkward but still exciting…awesome…

  10. Chris says:

    Well, to be completely honest.
    Twilight was a good book, dont get me wrong. I loved the characters, thats Stephenie Meyers strong point. The way the characters she creates come alive. Its quite amazing. However, the writing in Twilight was a bit too purple prose for me. It took chapters to describe the most simplistic of things. But i guess thats part of her charm.
    However, The Host, was absolutely incredible. Made me feel as if i lived in this fantastic world. I felt as if i were one with the whole novel and i could not believe the sensation i had gotten when i read this novel in particular. Really kept me from even leaving my room for an entire day and i trully felt backpain. But i felt the most pain Especially when the novel ended. The Host=Perfection.

    • Peggy says:

      well said…your comment was perfection, too.

    • Star says:

      You are a thrif store genie!! Lol. I always go to the Saalitvon Army here and other local thrift stores and NEVER find anything half as cool as your little gems! Sigh. You are so lucky and clever. 🙂

  11. sarita says:

    Ian is so sweet, wonder if a man like than exist in the world!!! =)

  12. Twilightcritic says:

    The host was ok but I’m still believing that Meyers books are a little too swoony swoony for me. I liked Twilight and it was well written but then all her books turned into was perfect attractive people with not much personality, people whining about everything and hardly any plot at all. The host is like twilight, style-wise but like the twilight series, overrated.

  13. Dabney says:

    The 1st few chapters were confusing but im about 1/3 done and im totally hooked.

  14. Linda says:

    Hi:
    I am a lover of fantasy and science fiction. I loved the book,”Do Androids believe in electric sheep.” It was the book that Bladerunner was written from. I loved it sooo much. The Host is a book that I could not put down! From the first word to the last, I was hooked and cooked. I hope that a sequal or two are in the works. With Stephanie’s wonderous imagination, I am sure that we can’t begin to think of plots that she hasn’t thought of and tossed away. For myself, I would like to discover how the humans, with the hellp of the souls who are going to defect in great numbers, are going to put the world back together again. I feel like Burns and Pet are going to be relunctant leaders in the soul revolution. I wonder if Ian and Pet, Jason and Melanie will have a family. A boy for one family and a boy for the other. What will happen to Jamie? Will Jeb continue to have such great insight into the hearts of man and soul alike? Will Doc ever find the happiness that comes to those who struggle to so much for the good of the masses? I am sure that Stephanie has many beautiful answers in her head, I hopes she shares them. By the way, I love the Twilight series as well. She was able to literally hit me between the eyes with her explosive talent. This is a great time to be alive, and I am enjoying every day of it, even if it as a voyeur.
    lta

    • steph_fan says:

      totally agree…glad to be living in the time she’s actually writing these books…Steph’s the best!!! I will buy and read everybook of hers. And I am sure I will love reading and re-reading all of them!

  15. Laura says:

    I read the Host book and thought it was good,but needs a little work done on it, like theTwilight books, which i also read. I do hope Stephenie doesn’t write another book though, so you can be openminded and think about what will happen to Wanda, Ian, Jared, Melinie, and the others. She could start another series too, that would be interesting.

  16. Sarah says:

    jared is so much better and i love them i cried so hard at the end when i thought she was going to die. such a brilliant book

  17. Megz says:

    This book is alot better than the twilight series. i fell completely in love with the characters: jared, melanie, wanda, ian….
    i couldn’t put the book down once i started reading it.
    I just got done reading it and im currently starting on my 2nd time reading it.
    i reccomend reading this book to everyone. twilight-lovers and adults.

    another thing is that once your done reading it, you’ll never take being human for granted again! It really makes you think twice about the world we live in. its definitely not a book you can forget soon.

    its better than all the twilight books COMBINED 🙂 Great Job, Stephenie! 🙂

    PS: Jared is way awesomer than edward too. haha

  18. shannon says:

    i havnt red it is it a twilight book? x 🙂

  19. abbygirl0605 says:

    the host is amazing at first i was a little skeptical to read it but I LOVE IT !!!! its different from the twilight saga but the love and the bond between the characters is there which makes any book by stephenie meyer a hit.
    P.S. Team Jacob and Ian all the way!!!

  20. I must admit it… it feels like a crime but I must say it, that I definately liked HOST better than TWILIGHT!! It’s totally awesome, thrilling and romantic. My favourite character is Ian, he’s sooo kind! I recommend it to all sci-fiction and romantic, senti-mental readers. It’s a book you’ll never forget!

  21. sara says:

    i’ve start readin’ it but uptill now is too much boring( i’m on chapter 8) .
    when something stocking happen in the story?

  22. sara says:

    i’m on chapter 8

  23. I’ll say it is a little boring in the first few chapters but it gets exciting and touching later on. I was really crying when I was reading the last chapters.:)

  24. Valeria says:

    say please how to write Stephenie in a ventilator ? WHO KNOWS THROW REFERENCE ON MAIL : valeria-m87@mail.ru WILL ME WAIT

  25. Valeria says:

    no,no,no valeria-m87@mail.ru! say please how to write Stephenie in a ventilator ? WHO KNOWS THROW REFERENCE ON MAIL : valeria-m87@yandex.ru! yes! WILL ME WAIT

  26. Lira says:

    who knows how to write Stephenie Meyer in a ventilator, will reveal to me on email:mariposa09@mail , please

  27. Sophia[jacob'sgirl] says:

    I love TWILIGHT, but I had to quit The Host it was kinda boring but the only part I didn’t read was the epilouge….. <3

  28. Anna says:

    I absolutely Loved this book!! I couldn’t set it down, it was so great!! I LOVED Ian!!! He was so awesome!! 😀 it was really good, almost better than Twilight but, that may have just been because the concept of this book was different 2 me, and that ive seen twilight 10 billion times!! Anyways, I absolutely Loved it!! <3

  29. Hali says:

    If you guys love The Host, pleeeaaassseee join my fansite for it: http://www.melstryder-wanderer.webs.com
    It’s not top quality but I worked hard on getting everything where I wanted it and stuff like that. Also, nobody joined it yet besides me, so please join!! I will update stuff if people actually join (I was planning on typing the whole book, chapter-by-chapter).

    PEACE . LOVE . THE HOST

  30. gianina favata says:

    the host is the most amazing book ever. I think its better than all of the twilight book combined. the host has more suspense.

  31. callie says:

    i love your books

  32. Милена says:

    Очень хорошая книга,я ещё под впечатлением!Под конец книги поплакала…В ощем,книга СУПЕР!!!
    Greetings from Russia

  33. Katherine says:

    I personally enjoyed The Host much more than I enjoyed The Twilight Series though both were good reads. I didn’t think I would like The Host and didn’t actually read the book until i listened to it on CD. My grandma gave it to me as a Christmas a while back. As of now I’ve read the book eight or nine times and my favorite characters were Jamie and Ian and Walter of course. 🙁

  34. valentina says:

    huireobgfdhyasobfueroq
    didn’t like this book
    it sucks

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