Since mankind as a species started to tell stories to
each other one theme has been around; the intrusion of one personality on
another. This has taken many forms over the years from the religious; such as
demonic possession to medical with multiple personalities. Perhaps the most
popular variation is in science fiction. In 1956 the ground breaking movie
‘Invasion of the Body Snatchers’ was released. Based on the story by Jack
Finney; most agreed it was an allegory for the main threat of the fifties, the
advance of communism. In the years since there have been many remakes of this
story most of which could not hold a candle to the original. Now the same basic
premise is taken on in Stephanie Meyer’s latest novel, ‘The Host’. After reading
the synopsis that relates that the book is about a alien race that takes over
humanity by replacing our minds with their own I thought this would be just
another imitation of a great work of Sci-Fi. After only a handful of pages I
discovered I was pleasantly proven wrong. This is one of the most original,
intriguing and well written novels I have read in over a decade. I barely got
started reading when I realized I was completely hooked and I was loving it. Now
I have been reading science fiction for almost five decades now so it takes a
lot to impress me but this book managed with ease.
The idea of another mind taking over your body is one
of the frightening themes in Sci-Fi. The concept that the people around you may
look and even act normally but actually are harboring an alien invader is the
ultimate in paranoia. ‘The Host’ takes this rather simple idea and weaves it
with one of the strangest love triangles possible, a survival story and an
unblinking look at the heights and depths that mankind is capable of reaching.
Even if you are prone to reading quickly you will want to slow down and savor
every word in this novel. For such a simple premise it is amazing just how
complex the book is with plots and twists that will keep you turning the pages.
Most of the fan base for Ms Meyer is older teens and young adults. Her
‘Twilight’ series about a young woman who has fallen in love with a vampire has
given her a loyal group of followers and this novel is certain to add it them.
Even if you are not part of the typical younger demographic, I certainly am long
past that age, you will find her writing intelligent, witty and captivating.
The novel is set in the not too distant future where
mankind has been successfully invaded by an alien species. This invasion was not
with ray guns or space ships; it was far more insidious. These creatures, who
call themselves ‘Souls’, look like silvery multi-tentacled organisms that are
inserted via a small incision at the base of the neck usually by specialist
called ‘Healers’. Once inside the host they Souls take on the memories of the
human being and eventually completely replace all that is human. The invasion
was covert; most people didn’t realize that their neighbors were turned into
aliens. In a short time almost every human being on earth had been replaced. The
Souls have been going from planet to planet replacing the native population for
many centuries. Most have never even been to the home world of the species. On
that world, long ago, they were a species that floated along communicating with
telepathy. This allowed them to create a mental unity that they then expanded by
taking over the inhabitants of other planets. Each member of their society is
considered equal although there are committees and some work related hierarchies
to keep things moving smoothly. Besides Healers there are other set job
functions. Comforters are those that help the Souls adapt to their new hosts,
for example. The Seekers have the primary purpose of locating the last remaining
non-transformed members of a species being taken over. They also monitor the
recently implanted souls just too make sure they adapt properly. When an
individual is taken over normally the Soul fully replaces the host pushing that
personality completely out of the picture. The memories of the host are usually
available to the Soul so for the most part.
The protagonist of the novel is called Wanderer. It
has a record of eight full lives, each on a different planet. It has been a sea
creature with minimal sight, a sentient plant and numerous other forms. When
Wanderer was asked to take on a ninth life in a human it thought that this would
be just another life to live. Wanderer was not a skipper, a Soul that moved from
host to host not staying for the full life span. What Wanderer did not realize
was that this new host Melanie was stronger of will than most. While on the run
in Chicago Melanie was trapped by the Seekers. Rather than give in and be
implanted she tried to commit suicide by tossing herself down an elevator shaft.
The Healers are very good at their job and she was saved and ready for
implantation. One Seeker in particular was very anxious to have Wanderer access
Melanie’s memories and lead them to a pocket of free humans. The big problem in
the plan was Melanie’s consciousness did not go away; it coexisted in her body
with Wanderer. Together in the same body Melanie and Wanderer escape from the
perfect society of the Souls to find Jared, the man Melanie loves and her
younger brother Jamie.
What makes this novel so intriguing, so captivating is
how it builds the relationship between Melanie and Wanderer. In all her many
lives Wanderer had never had a host so determined and powerful of mind. Human
emotions and scenes were almost overwhelming to the Soul. She needed Melanie as
much as Mel needed the body that Wanderer now controls. Unlike ‘Body Snatchers’
this book allows the readers to know both sides of the conflict. The Souls truly
believe that a beautiful, rich planet like Earth was wasted on such a cruel and
violent species as mankind. From the human’s point f view this is an invasion
and the ultimate destruction of our species. This is a much more emotional
treatment of the theme than has ever been done before. The impact of reading
this is to see humanity from the viewpoint of an alien race and a deep
introspection of the best and worse in our own kind. Melanie/Wanderer becomes
something different and unwelcome by both species, a double outcast. Both
Melanie and Wanderer have a profound affect on each other and therein lies the
true heart of the story.
I was unable to put this book down. It kept drawing me
from page to page. Ms Meyer is an author of considerable talent and I look
forward to reading her other stories. There are some rumors that this novel will
be the first in a trilogy. I certainly hope that this is true. This book will
put you through the complete gamut of human emotions and leave you wanting more.
This is a book that is fresh and innovative. It takes an old theme and makes it
into something you have never come across before.