The Host by Stephenie Meyer

I had to post this because everyone gets all giddy over Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series (I did too, don't get me wrong), but I think her best work so far is overlooked. The Host is a far superior book in regards to character development, underlying themes and plot line. It is also Meyer's first novel intended for an adult audience.

The Host is set on Earth after a massive takeover by an alien parasite species (don't run away yet), but there is a small human resistance that hides from the "souls." The problem is that the "souls" have created the perfect society. There is no violent crimes, no stealing, no currency even. They have made a better world, so are the humans justified in taking back our planet when we lived so violently? What does it mean to be human? Should we suppress free-will to make a better society? Is that society really better? There are so many thinking/talking points of this book that I find fascinating and that is just in the underlying story.

Of course, in true Meyer fashion, there is a love triangle. This one is complex and quite unique to any other that I have read, which makes the story even more enjoyable. Altogether a great read and I highly recommend it.

After you read it, I found so interesting discussion questions at the following site. WARNING: Do not go to this site if you have not read the book. It will spoil it!

http://bestsellers.about.com/od/bookclubquestions/a/host_q.htm

The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett

The concept of this book intrigued me. I mean, why would people who were destitute and routinely struggling for survival commit so many resources and so much personal labor to the building of these massive cathedrals? Most people during this time period (1100s) were poor in a way we now only see in third-world countries and still they aspired to build incredible monuments to their faith. Many of these building stood the test of time and are still standing today, which is a testament to their workmanship. I doubt my house would last a fifth of that time. When you also consider the amount of time put into building these cathedrals (sometimes 50-100 years) it is a miracle they are even completed, if you consider that these must have been built through famine, the changing of those in power, wars and various other problems. These were ideas I never really considered until I read the preface of this book. I found Follett's interest and life-long love of cathedrals very captivating and I couldn't wait to get into the rest of the book.

Now, 973 pages later... I can't say that I recommend this book beyond its preface. Do I think it was a masterful work? Yes, but it left me feeling unsettled and disgusted. I think there is enough in the world to bring you down that you don't need a book to do it for you too. To be honest, the only reason I kept reading is because I wanted the villain of the book to die so badly that I kept going. Follett's villain rapes, kills and destroys all around him, the descriptions of which are not likely to leave me soon. That alone makes it not worth it. Trust me, unless you enjoy being depressed and angry for 973 pages, read the preface in the bookstore and leave it on the shelf.