The Host by Stephenie Meyer

The moral of the story is don't buy unauthorized guides. Chances are really good that the person is only out to make a fast buck off of someone else's work.

If someone absolutely must read one of those unauthorized guides, only get them from the library.

Apparently that Unauthorized Guide to twilight was just drivel, as opposed to a lot of decent Unauthorized Guides, or do i find the ones for the Potter-World the exception, not the norm?

Ballroomdancer13 wrote:

The moral of the story is don't buy unauthorized guides. Chances are really good that the person is only out to make a fast buck off of someone else's work.

If someone absolutely must read one of those unauthorized guides, only get them from the library.

so i guess ur saying stephenie didn't put much thought on the story? and just wanted a quick buck?

Stephenie didn't write the unauthorized guide. Hence why it's "unauthorized" and a piece of crap. She's currently finishing the OFFICIAL guide, due next December. I'm expecting it to contain the behind-the-scenes stuff, maybe the outtakes and deleted scenes (although those you can read on her website). It'll probably have some info from the movies since it was supposed to be released October '08, but they pulled it since it was so short of the movie's release.

As for The Host, I love it. It makes me think. I like the idea of the good body snatchers, and I like that it's possible for Ian and Wanda to be together. It's totally about discrimination and hate but also love, redemption, and altruism. I have no idea how they're going to make the movie, considering the book is first person and there are two main characters using the same body, but I wish them luck. Can't wait to see what they come up with for the movie, and I can't wait for The Seeker and The Soul (books 2 and 3).

knoxdiver wrote:

Stephenie didn't write the unauthorized guide. Hence why it's "unauthorized" and a piece of crap. She's currently finishing the OFFICIAL guide, due next December. I'm expecting it to contain the behind-the-scenes stuff, maybe the outtakes and deleted scenes (although those you can read on her website). It'll probably have some info from the movies since it was supposed to be released October '08, but they pulled it since it was so short of the movie's release.

As for The Host, I love it. It makes me think. I like the idea of the good body snatchers, and I like that it's possible for Ian and Wanda to be together. It's totally about discrimination and hate but also love, redemption, and altruism. I have no idea how they're going to make the movie, considering the book is first person and there are two main characters using the same body, but I wish them luck. Can't wait to see what they come up with for the movie, and I can't wait for The Seeker and The Soul (books 2 and 3).

i though the book was over all slow... was there going to be a book two and three?

I thought about the first 100 pages were slow, but I equate them to Harry's pre-Hogwarts days in SS/PS. I tried reading that book when I was 11 and couldn't get past the first chapter. 2 months later, I got it for Christmas and decided to give it another try. Now I've been an avid Harry fan for over a decade. With The Host, I knew once they reached the cave and met with other people, it would be more exciting. The flashbacks were difficult to read, but they were necessary for the story. Without them, we wouldn't really know about Jared and Jamie and the others. There would be no drive to find them. Not to mention, Wanda wouldn't have fallen in love with Jared. So the slow parts, imo, were completely relevant and important. It's all about perspective, I suppose.

Anyway, yeah, she's made several statements about turning it into a trilogy. I think Stephenie doesn't feel the story is quite over. I'm kind of with her. I'd like to see Melanie and Wanda interact...as separate beings. Also, Wanda obviously has some adjustments, what with Pet's small body and all the Ian developments and whatnot. And they just met up with that new group of rebels. Plus, I'd love to see what happens as far as the "big picture," you know? Are even more humans going to be found? Are more hosts rebelling? What happens when the souls realize what's happening? I can't wait to get the answers!

In 2008, only a month after The Host was released, Stephenie told fans in Berlin that she was "almost done" with the sequel source

Actually before that, in April, she did an interview with MTV in which she said if she did write sequels, they would be entitled "The Soul" and "The Seeker" (sorry, apparently I put them in the wrong order in my last post): source

And in addition to those two novels/possibilities and the official guide, Stephenie has also talked about other possible works: a ghost story called Summer House, of which she has reported that she's finished 4 chapters (from July 2008); a book on time travel that she at least knows the ending to, even if she hasn't written it yet (also July 2008); and a book on mermaids. Also, perhaps one day she'll feel the desire to finish Midnight Sun or even write a novel that centers on Renesmee (she's said that she's finished with Edward & Bella, but one day she might go back into the world of Twilight to do a story on their daughter).

wow that was really helpful. i know it was really slow the first hundred pages i liked wanda and ian. ^^ he was the only nice one to her i did not like Jared blah.

i heard she might finish midnight sun i would love to read about edwards perspective!

but im assuming she wouldn't write any of that until the twilight phenonmon dies down.

Haha, totally, I can wait for Midnight Sun. The other stuff sounds cool so I'm hoping she comes out of her "hermit" year with some new stuff for the fans.

LOVE Ian. He and Jamie totally made the book, and Jeb just cracked me up. I agree about Jared, but I understand that he was just...hurting, I guess. He was so in love with Melanie that it really bothered him to have Wanderer take her place and her body. Doesn't make it right. I hated all the times he hurt her, physically and emotionally. And the way he used her/tested her to see if Melanie really was there (the kiss). That was just cruel. Still, I like how Jared and even Kyle found ways to make up for the horrible things they did. I seriously doubt Jodi (Kyle's girlfriend) will come back, but it's nice that he's so kind to Sunny. It's sweet.

yeah i know i would love to see midnight sun!
hermit year lol that's funny.
yeah but i think it was still mean all the stuff he did to wanda i mean it was cruel how he treated her but ian was super sweet and the kyle guy was sorta mean to.

knoxdiver wrote:

Stephenie didn't write the unauthorized guide. Hence why it's "unauthorized" and a piece of crap. She's currently finishing the OFFICIAL guide, due next December. I'm expecting it to contain the behind-the-scenes stuff, maybe the outtakes and deleted scenes (although those you can read on her website). It'll probably have some info from the movies since it was supposed to be released October '08, but they pulled it since it was so short of the movie's release.

As for The Host, I love it. It makes me think. I like the idea of the good body snatchers, and I like that it's possible for Ian and Wanda to be together. It's totally about discrimination and hate but also love, redemption, and altruism. I have no idea how they're going to make the movie, considering the book is first person and there are two main characters using the same body, but I wish them luck. Can't wait to see what they come up with for the movie, and I can't wait for The Seeker and The Soul (books 2 and 3).

We never said she wrote the Unauthorized Guide, but it would have been much better if she might have had some guidance on the guide, itself, or that the ones who did wrote it followed her works better than what they had done, to the point where it's on par with that of those who wrote the Unauthorized Guides to the Potter-World!

No, someone said this: "so i guess ur saying stephenie didn't put much thought on the story? and just wanted a quick buck?" and I just wanted to clarify she didn't write it.

Stephenie has been working on the official guide for at least a year. I knew about it months before the unofficial guide came out. Honestly, I really think the person who did write the unauthorized guide didn't care about making it authentic. They wanted to make sure that they had the "first guide" and were just looking to capitalize on Twilight's fame, in essence, yes, trying to make a quick buck. Those who generally write guides are better fans who are looking to share their knowledge, like those who write for HP, or even scholars, like those who write guides and analyze works by Tolkien and Lewis.

knoxdiver wrote:

No, someone said this: "so i guess ur saying stephenie didn't put much thought on the story? and just wanted a quick buck?" and I just wanted to clarify she didn't write it.

Stephenie has been working on the official guide for at least a year. I knew about it months before the unofficial guide came out. Honestly, I really think the person who did write the unauthorized guide didn't care about making it authentic. They wanted to make sure that they had the "first guide" and were just looking to capitalize on Twilight's fame, in essence, yes, trying to make a quick buck. Those who generally write guides are better fans who are looking to share their knowledge, like those who write for HP, or even scholars, like those who write guides and analyze works by Tolkien and Lewis.

I just hope that the Percy Jackson And The Olympians fans end up getting better Guides than the actually epically good guides made for the Potter-World, and the fail that are most twilight unofficial guides, nowadays.Agreed, Knox?

Nowadays, i feel that it should be a rule in life, agreed?

knoxdiver wrote:

No, someone said this: "so i guess ur saying stephenie didn't put much thought on the story? and just wanted a quick buck?" and I just wanted to clarify she didn't write it.

Stephenie has been working on the official guide for at least a year. I knew about it months before the unofficial guide came out. Honestly, I really think the person who did write the unauthorized guide didn't care about making it authentic. They wanted to make sure that they had the "first guide" and were just looking to capitalize on Twilight's fame, in essence, yes, trying to make a quick buck. Those who generally write guides are better fans who are looking to share their knowledge, like those who write for HP, or even scholars, like those who write guides and analyze works by Tolkien and Lewis.

yeah that was me that wrote that: and i think stephenie was writting a guide.

I definitely think the only people who should write guides or whatnot for any book series should be highly informed. That goes for Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Twilight, The Host, VA, Percy Jackson, whatever. If even an obsessive fan doesn't learn something from your work, you shouldn't write it. I mean, you can read the first few pages on Amazon, and it seems like the author spends all her time comparing Twilight to other stuff and the characters to other people like Edward to the 2007 (old, much?) Sexiest Men Alive list. Super lame. Maybe that's why the used books are going for as low as $2.

Don't worry, Team Dimitri, Steph's writing the official guide. It's the real deal. You can order on Amazon, or pretty much any bookstore. Although Amazon doesn't have a publish date set, Borders has it as Dec. 30, 2010, and B&N has it at Dec. 31, 2010.

knoxdiver wrote:

I definitely think the only people who should write guides or whatnot for any book series should be highly informed. That goes for Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Twilight, The Host, VA, Percy Jackson, whatever. If even an obsessive fan doesn't learn something from your work, you shouldn't write it. I mean, you can read the first few pages on Amazon, and it seems like the author spends all her time comparing Twilight to other stuff and the characters to other people like Edward to the 2007 (old, much?) Sexiest Men Alive list. Super lame. Maybe that's why the used books are going for as low as $2.

Don't worry, Team Dimitri, Steph's writing the official guide. It's the real deal. You can order on Amazon, or pretty much any bookstore. Although Amazon doesn't have a publish date set, Borders has it as Dec. 30, 2010, and B&N has it at Dec. 31, 2010.

gah really so far away? man i thought it was suppost to be published like last year. But yay i can't wait to read it!

Everything you said, knox, about the Unauthorized guide is spot on. That "author" was only trying to cash in on people wanting more of Twilight. She's awful. I really doubt the woman even read the books. She had flagrant errors about major plot points. She's no scholar, that's for damn sure. I donated my copy to the Library. If I can stop just one more person from buying that birdcage liner, then my job is done.

Knox, I just love your avatar! That kitten is too precious! "you eated my cookie?" Aww! I want to pet it on the head, say, "There, there, sweetheart, you can have another cookie (or a cat treat)."

I don't want the same negative fate or worse to be shared for Percy Jackson And The Olympians...that series has honest fans who deserve better than that!

true

Tonystark616 wrote:

I don't want the same negative fate or worse to be shared for Percy Jackson And The Olympians...that series has honest fans who deserve better than that!

It was bad enough that it happened to Twilight. I wouldn't wish that so-called "author" on ANYONE'S series! That's just plain cruel. There ought to be a law preventing this kind of BS from happening. Can't the original authors do anything about these "Unauthorized" works?

All i can think of, would be that they'd have to get the original authors to examine the unofficial guide, before its safe for any of them to be approved, official, or otherwise!

Tonystark616 wrote:

All i can think of, would be that they'd have to get the original authors to examine the unofficial guide, before its safe for any of them to be approved, official, or otherwise!

If "Unofficial" guides got approval by the author, they wouldn't be unofficial anymore. That's what these leeches are banking on. They want to sell something that is "taboo" or "secret" or "black market", so that the buyer thinks they're getting something extra, perhaps something that the author isn't telling them. But in reality, these unofficial things are just a means of riding someone else's coattails.

Ballroomdancer13 wrote:

Tonystark616 wrote:

All i can think of, would be that they'd have to get the original authors to examine the unofficial guide, before its safe for any of them to be approved, official, or otherwise!

If "Unofficial" guides got approval by the author, they wouldn't be unofficial anymore. That's what these leeches are banking on. They want to sell something that is "taboo" or "secret" or "black market", so that the buyer thinks they're getting something extra, perhaps something that the author isn't telling them. But in reality, these unofficial things are just a means of riding someone else's coattails.

But the Unofficial Guides to the Potter-world are more often than not just exceptions to the rule, are they not?

Apparently, the main reason for such exceptions to that rule, was because the Harry Potter novels are so worthwhile enough, that they'd have to be sure that their guides had enough to do with the Potter-World, while also giving their thoughts on the matter, even if Story and Plot spoilers had to be put on the line!

For the first half of the book I didn't like it. Everytime one of the guys would hit Wanda I felt sick. I hated Wanda for what she was doing to Melanie and hated the souls in general. I just can't imagine having something like that inside of me taking over. I would fight as hard as I could just like Melanie did. I've only rea dit once back in like June so its not fresh on my mind. But it ended up being a pretty good book. Definitely not the best I've read but worth the read.

I do agree with Wilda that I also hated Wanda and all the Souls. Also, that if something like that were to happen to me, I'd also be fighting it tooth and nail.

Tony, I haven't read any of the Unauthorized guides to Harry Potter. That said, I can't comment on their value.

That's epic, yet it feels so familiar, to me, somehow...i wonder where?

That said, this reminds me of the idea of if a Strigoni Benefici were to unleash their mental powers on me, in hopes of harming me, at all...i wouldn't dream of letting them get the better of me, either, instead i'd be doing more than just fighting such powers, tooth and nail, if it's in my abilities to do so...as a matter of fact, i plan to go so far as to fight with my sweat!