The Host by Stephenie Meyer

I haven't yet read Ms. Meyer's incredibly popular Twilight series, but I was intrigued by the plot of her latest novel, her first for adults. In The Host, aliens have taken over Earth by way of souls inhabiting human bodies and carrying on their lives. It seems more peaceful than the pod aliens from Invasion of the Body Snatchers, but still seems eerie, which leads to Melanie's plight. As one of the last actual humans, she is captured by the aliens and has a soul put into her body, a veteran intergalactic traveler by the name of Wanderer. What makes Melanie unique is that she doesn't willingly give up her body, and by way of vivid memories and emotions, convinces the Wanderer to help her find her boyfriend and brother, whom Melanie is convinced are still alive and human. Their unusual situation is further complicated by the fact that humans will kill them if they know Melanie isn't human anymore, and the soul is stalked by a relentless Seeker, who wants to discard Melanie's body or inhabit it herself to drive out all human presence. It's a fascinating story that starts out beautifully, with a range of emotions and a breathless chase, but quickly plateaus into a prison-like situation. The adults tend to act like bratty teenagers, which leaves the reader to wonder if Meyer is more comfortable writing for that age group, and while the story progresses believably, the 600-plus page book could have easily shed at least 200 more. Meyer plans a sequel and third book in this new series, and though this book could stand alone, I plan to read the others, and hope that they will not dwell on adolescent emotions and complex situations made all too simple. In the end, The Host is a brilliant story, but seems introductory to Asimov and Atwood.