| Author |
Topic:
The Host by Stephenie Meyer
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JediPriestess
Registered:
Jul '04
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Date Posted:
6/8 8:17pm
Subject:
RE: The Host by Stephenie Meyer
- Date Edited:
6/8 8:18pm (1 edits total)
Edited By:
JediPriestess
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Yep, loved the Twilight series so far. Thats why I picked up this one. But I just dont get into books like The Host. Too far out for me I guess. In all honesty, I didnt expect to like the Twilight books either but THOSE I couldnt put down.
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DarthIshtar
Title: Former CR
Star Wars Trivia Hostess
Registered:
Mar '01
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Date Posted:
6/14 12:03pm
Subject:
RE: The Host by Stephenie Meyer
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Raven posted:
One day, the leaders of the Middle East got together and announced peace. No more reprisals, no more terrorist attacks, no more spending in the military. At first, no one really believed that they meant it. But peace just happened.
However, I figure that Osama Bin Laden and co. are some of the few humans still free.
I'm one of the few people I know who has been writing fanfic for The Host and the one that I submitted to thehostlibrary.com involves a conversation about "When did you first suspect?" All of my characters had stories based on what would make me freak out and one of them was when the brother of the main character went to a Red Sox-Yankees game and half of the people were chanting "Yankees Suck!" as usual and half were going "I say, those chaps aren't half-bad, really."
It was based on the whole NBA game scene from The Host, of course.
-----signature-----
"You are some self-important encyclopedia with too much time on his hands. I will see to it personally that you are used for spare parts every time my speeder needs an overhaul. You and that overpriced forklift out there." ~Dr. Bel Maden
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Kimball_Kinnison
Registered:
Oct '01
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Date Posted:
6/14 4:33pm
Subject:
RE: The Host by Stephenie Meyer
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I picked it up on a friend's recommendation, and while it was good, I found it rather derivative in a lot of ways.
For example, I found the Souls very reminiscent of the Trill from Star Trek, the Goa'uld from Stargate, the aliens from Heinlein's The Puppet Masters (the book, not the movie), and The Hunter from Hal Clement's Needle series.
The whole idea of an alien invasion, with an alien becoming a human sympathizer, is very reminiscent of Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle's Footfall.
And much of the theme of a nation/world conquered with only a small band of survivors forming a resistance reminds me a lot of Heinlein's Sixth Column.
As far as seemingly derivative works go, it's pretty good, and I'll say that the similarities between The Host and these examples I gave isn't as egregious as something like Eragon was, but I still found it just a bit, I don't know, lack in some way. It's nothing that I can put my finger on, though.
Kimball Kinnison
-----signature-----
You deserve the wrath of Kimball...- OWM
Why, Kimball... I didn't know you had it in you.- KW
I think that Kimball just made a joke, and a funny joke at that.- Raven
Stupidity got us into this mess, why can't it get us out?
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Raven
Title:
SFF: Books and Comics Mangler
Registered:
Oct '98
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Date Posted:
6/14 5:47pm
Subject:
RE: The Host by Stephenie Meyer
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I don't think that there's much question that the world building of the Earth of The Host is fairly mundane. It reads to me like a cross between Invasion of the Body Snatchers and the Stepford Wives, though less sinister. That was fine. For some stories, the setting is the story; in the Host, the setting was just a setting. Meyer chose to use the props of alien head worms and a desert - it could just as easily have been a Sith Lord turning away from the Dark Side and becoming a Jedi, or maybe a carpenter becoming a Prophet.
I think that the most subtly hidden thread in the story is that Wanderer is Jesus.
Like I said earlier:
It's a story about a person was born under far different circumstances than most.
It's a story about a person who makes an extrodinary journey of faith.
It's a story about a person who walks into the desert and is tempted, but does not fall to temptation.
It's a story about a person who brings healing like no one has seen before.
It's a story about a person who preaches peace and non-violence, who turns the other cheek, and who loves unconditionally.
It's a story about a person who brings people back from the dead.
It's a story about a person who goes willingly to their death in order to save others.
It's a story about a person who returns from the dead themselves.
-----signature-----
1. Seek enlightenment.
2. ???
3. Prophet.
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Kimball_Kinnison
Registered:
Oct '01
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Date Posted:
6/15 8:50am
Subject:
RE: The Host by Stephenie Meyer
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Raven posted:
I don't think that there's much question that the world building of the Earth of The Host is fairly mundane. It reads to me like a cross between Invasion of the Body Snatchers and the Stepford Wives, though less sinister. That was fine. For some stories, the setting is the story; in the Host, the setting was just a setting. Meyer chose to use the props of alien head worms and a desert - it could just as easily have been a Sith Lord turning away from the Dark Side and becoming a Jedi, or maybe a carpenter becoming a Prophet.
I could agree with all of that, except that it still bears so much similarity to those previous works, especially Needle by Hal Clement (and its sequel, Through the Eye of a Needle, both of which I highly recommend to everyone).
I'm not saying that The Host is a bad book. Far from it. I bought it while on a business trip and wound up staying up to about 3am reading it (while I was doing a lot of server maintenance). It was a good read, and well written, but it still felt like something was lacking just a little.
Kimball Kinnison
-----signature-----
You deserve the wrath of Kimball...- OWM
Why, Kimball... I didn't know you had it in you.- KW
I think that Kimball just made a joke, and a funny joke at that.- Raven
Stupidity got us into this mess, why can't it get us out?
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mara_jade_rox
Registered:
Jun '07
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Date Posted:
6/19 12:57pm
Subject:
RE: The Host by Stephenie Meyer
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I think that the end was just a little, oh, not practical. I think Melanie and Wanderer should have stayed in Melanie and Ian and Jared could just deal.
-----signature-----
What happens when everyone you love leaves?
Do you waste your time grieving?
Do you love others?
Even when the don't love you?
What happens?
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Raven
Title:
SFF: Books and Comics Mangler
Registered:
Oct '98
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Date Posted:
6/19 2:15pm
Subject:
RE: The Host by Stephenie Meyer
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I definitely agree. Melanie and Wanderer had the best relationship in the book. The end that I was hoping for what the after Wanderer left Melanie, we'd see the joining between them again, and through the joining see a few weeks apart through Melanies eyes, leading to the point where they'd merge again, a merging of equals. Becoming truly one person, like they briefly were in the desert while dying.
-----signature-----
1. Seek enlightenment.
2. ???
3. Prophet.
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DarthIshtar
Title: Former CR
Star Wars Trivia Hostess
Registered:
Mar '01
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Date Posted:
6/25 8:33am
Subject:
RE: The Host by Stephenie Meyer
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I think that it makes sense that Wanda could only have her own peace as a separate entity. I look forward to seeing the development of Mel and Wanda as soul sisters/best friends.
-----signature-----
"You are some self-important encyclopedia with too much time on his hands. I will see to it personally that you are used for spare parts every time my speeder needs an overhaul. You and that overpriced forklift out there." ~Dr. Bel Maden
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mara_jade_rox
Registered:
Jun '07
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Date Posted:
6/28 7:17am
Subject:
RE: The Host by Stephenie Meyer
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I don't think that there will be another book. That's just what it sounds like on Meyer's sit.
-----signature-----
What happens when everyone you love leaves?
Do you waste your time grieving?
Do you love others?
Even when the don't love you?
What happens?
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