Customer Reviews

Host, The

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is one twisted story and probably the most unique novel I've ever read. In recalling the plot, I almost remember The Host as a movie I'd seen. The characters and scenes are all so striking and memorable. I believe this novel would translate brilliantly to the big screen. The style of writing is somewhat reminiscent of Stephen King, but this disturbing, piquant, and at times, sexy piece of writing belongs solely to Mr. Emshwiller. Kudos!

This is a wonderful book, one that unfortunately is pretty hard to find now, so get one here if you can. I've read it a few times and must read it again. It's a page turner with some really cool ideas, basically a broad metaphor for the way we live now (as is all good sci fi). In the future, Watley Caiper is a young man with an odd wish--he wants to be a mom. But the corporate/oppressive government in future Manhattan puts contraceptives in the water (in this future, by the way, the rich live on a level built exactly five stories above the poor, in a city above a city--a real estate idea that no one should mention to Donald Trump). In order to get money enough to buy drugs to get fertile, Watley decides to rent his body as a Host. Basically, a host is a human virtual reality game: through a chip in the host's head, rich people inhabit the bodies of hosts and use them to do things they'd never do in their own skins, and the host can do nothing about it. The hosting chores go from banal to deeply sexual (and be warned, Emshwiller is a naughty boy--his future is a horny place)--but murder is strictly prohibited. Guess what happens when Watley hosts! And it goes from there, with Watley trying to figure out who killed someone with his body! Similar things have been explored in other big bidget sci fi flicks, so why it hasn't been made into a movie yet I don't know! That might be a blessing. They'll probably mangle it, add a ton of explosions, and rewrite Watley Caiper for Will Smith! Bye bye, the mother angle that makes Watley so unique. In any case, this would make a great sci-fi miniseries, and they could include the book's kinetic, hypersexy sequel, Short Blade.

The main premise of this book is that people (mostly the wealthy) can pay a human "Host" to temporarily occupy their body (the Host's body) and use it for whatever purpose floats their boat. Wanna go hang gliding but you are afraid that you might get hurt? Get yourself a Host. Wanna see what it's like to be the opposite sex? Get yourself a Host.

Where has this author gone? Update: Peter is writing again! Yay!

This is one of my all-time favorite books. I'd love to see this turned into a movie. Update - the book has been optioned by a big time fancy schmancy Hollywood producer. So fingers crossed, maybe we will see it made into a movie sometime soon.

If the title of this review is not enough to make you want to read this fantastic (and fantastical) book, you're getting your entertainment in the wrong place. And if you haven't heard of author Peter Emshwiller yet, you must be living underground. Much like the protagonist. In the distant and not-so-pretty future. Somebody needs to make a movie out of this!!!

Whoever wrote this crap is probably the kind of pathetic novelist who would give himself five stars on Amazon.