What do you think?
Rate this book
Host
Brilliant scientist Joe Messenger believes that people can be made to live for ever. Knowing the human body can be frozen indefinitely, Joe devises a way of downloading the human brain into a supercomputer called ARCHIVE. But Joe's wife, Karen, is worried by his preoccupation with ARCHIVE, which seems to be developing signs of a distinct and sinister personality of its own. Then, just as Joe is on the brink of a scientific breakthrough, a series of macabre accidents befall him and his family - and Joe finds himself facing the terrifying consequences of his own obsessions.
634 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1993
142 people are currently reading
795 people want to read
About the author
Peter James
243 books3,646 followersPeter James is a global bestselling author, best known for writing crime and thriller novels, and the creator of the much-loved Detective Superintendent Roy Grace. With a total of 21 Sunday Times No. 1s under his belt, he has achieved global book sales of over 23 million copies to date and has been translated into 38 languages.
Synonymous with plot-twisting page-turners, Peter has garnered an army of loyal fans throughout his storytelling career – which also included stints writing for TV and producing films. He has won over 40 awards for his work, including the WHSmith Best Crime Author of All Time Award, Crime Writers’ Association Diamond Dagger and a BAFTA nomination for The Merchant of Venice starring Al Pacino and Jeremy Irons for which he was an Executive Producer. Many of Peter’s novels have been adapted for film, TV and stage.
Synonymous with plot-twisting page-turners, Peter has garnered an army of loyal fans throughout his storytelling career – which also included stints writing for TV and producing films. He has won over 40 awards for his work, including the WHSmith Best Crime Author of All Time Award, Crime Writers’ Association Diamond Dagger and a BAFTA nomination for The Merchant of Venice starring Al Pacino and Jeremy Irons for which he was an Executive Producer. Many of Peter’s novels have been adapted for film, TV and stage.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
September 3, 2021
Downloading the content of your brain and cryogenically freezing your body 😮 sorry what???
As always with Peter James this book was just on the right side of creepy, disturbing and thrilling which meant that even if the more ‘taboo’ sections I kept saying to myself just one more chapter and then you just get on or go to bed but I just found it so hard to put down.
This story was very unusual and not something I have come across previously, I really enjoyed it though and it kept me on the edge of my seat. The ending felt really in line with the whole tone of the story which I loved!
This one is going to stay with me for a long time!! 😬😬
As always with Peter James this book was just on the right side of creepy, disturbing and thrilling which meant that even if the more ‘taboo’ sections I kept saying to myself just one more chapter and then you just get on or go to bed but I just found it so hard to put down.
This story was very unusual and not something I have come across previously, I really enjoyed it though and it kept me on the edge of my seat. The ending felt really in line with the whole tone of the story which I loved!
This one is going to stay with me for a long time!! 😬😬
December 21, 2022
Although now best known for his Roy Grace detective series, this earlier work by Peter James (first published 1993, re-issued 2018) easily falls into the realm of science-fiction. This is very much science fiction of the “man as god” variety; a sort of Frankenstein with a touch of Demon Seed as narrated by HAL9000) from 2001: A Space Odyssey. Joe Messenger, Professor of Computer Science at Isaac Newton University in Sussex is determined to continue the pioneering work of his late father Willi in his quest for immortality. In his own words, to create a “post-biological human”. It looks as if his quest is taking a step nearer to its goal when he meets and hires Juliet Spring, who is studying for a Ph.D. in Artificial Intelligence. She claims to know a way to transfer human consciousness onto Joe’s supercomputer called ARCHIVE.
Then, as in all stories of this kind, when humans start to interfere with nature and become over-reliant on artificial intelligence, there come a point when things go disastrously wrong.
This is a difficult novel to assess. It’s long (640 pages, although I’ve read longer this year with no problems) and the first half really dragged, mostly owing to the lack of original and likeable characters. Everyone seemed a rehash of old cliches: the mad professor, the duplicitous colleague, the femme fatale, the loyal family etc. Things only really picked up when the disasters began to strike. Then, at least it did provide some excitement, although the main villain was easy to spot well before the end. Despite its flaws, it did partially redeem itself in the second half, and as it’s the season of goodwill, I think this novel just about manages three stars.
Then, as in all stories of this kind, when humans start to interfere with nature and become over-reliant on artificial intelligence, there come a point when things go disastrously wrong.
This is a difficult novel to assess. It’s long (640 pages, although I’ve read longer this year with no problems) and the first half really dragged, mostly owing to the lack of original and likeable characters. Everyone seemed a rehash of old cliches: the mad professor, the duplicitous colleague, the femme fatale, the loyal family etc. Things only really picked up when the disasters began to strike. Then, at least it did provide some excitement, although the main villain was easy to spot well before the end. Despite its flaws, it did partially redeem itself in the second half, and as it’s the season of goodwill, I think this novel just about manages three stars.
February 27, 2019
Another gripping and chilling book by Peter James. Chilling because of the storyline of how in 1993 we viewed technology and now 20 plus years later, having read the book on my kindle and now typing my review on my ipad, we depend so much more on technology than we should! This book was in my thoughts even when I wasn't reading. A thought provoking book in my opinion is the best type to read. So now I am off to download more of Peter's books.
April 4, 2015
I read this book 17 years ago and I picked it up purely because I had nothing else to read. At that time my reading material was Danielle Steel and other romance books. So, just a few pages to help me drift off.... 3am I was still awake, totally enthralled. Best book I have read to this day. Now I wonder if it was because it was my first venture into this genre, but somehow I doubt it.
I've read everything of his now. All fantastic. Well all the standalone books. The Roy Grace series has kept me waiting for the next instalment but I have become bored, I don't even care why Sandy left anymore and put the last one down without finishing it but that's a different review!
Back to Host. I have recommended it to everyone I know. The whole premise of cryogenics and curing death is fascinating. If I remember correctly he says in the foreword that although the story is set in (whatever year it was written) he believed that the technology will be possible in the future. There is certainly a truth in that! When we see the advances we have made in just the past decade, well nothing is impossible.
I think I must read this again. Soon!
I've read everything of his now. All fantastic. Well all the standalone books. The Roy Grace series has kept me waiting for the next instalment but I have become bored, I don't even care why Sandy left anymore and put the last one down without finishing it but that's a different review!
Back to Host. I have recommended it to everyone I know. The whole premise of cryogenics and curing death is fascinating. If I remember correctly he says in the foreword that although the story is set in (whatever year it was written) he believed that the technology will be possible in the future. There is certainly a truth in that! When we see the advances we have made in just the past decade, well nothing is impossible.
I think I must read this again. Soon!
October 30, 2024
Equal parts unsettling, fascinating, and thrilling.
Professor Messenger is an imaginative, brilliant, and flawed individual who I found myself simultaneously rooting for and against. The technical, psychological, and medical elements of the novel complement each other and help the narrative build up to what feels like a multiple chapter long climax.
However, there are some scientific parts that I wish were explained more, and I found the ending to be a bit cliche.
Professor Messenger is an imaginative, brilliant, and flawed individual who I found myself simultaneously rooting for and against. The technical, psychological, and medical elements of the novel complement each other and help the narrative build up to what feels like a multiple chapter long climax.
However, there are some scientific parts that I wish were explained more, and I found the ending to be a bit cliche.
March 18, 2020
Oi. I loved the first half, couldn't turn the pages fast enough. Then our 'hero' turned out to be a complete wanker and I lost all interest in what happened to him. Actually, I wanted him to suffer.
I did like the ending, though, so I bumped up the rating from 2 to 3*.
I did like the ending, though, so I bumped up the rating from 2 to 3*.
November 4, 2022
I’m not going to lie, when I picked this book up I was expecting it to be a horror novel about vampires, and so I was kind of disappointed when that didn’t turn out to be the case. But at the same time, I’m hoping to eventually read everything that James has ever published, and so it was still cool to get to it.
On top of that, it turned out to be about immortality and the idea of uploading the human brain to a computer, which is a topic that I find fascinating because I love anything that’s to do with technology. I also like anything that’s to do with death as well, mostly because I have death anxiety and fiction helps me to deal with it. Those two should have combined to make this a huge hit for me.
But it wasn’t a huge hit, it was just a pretty good one. I think part of that is because it was published in the early nineties and so a lot of the tech was already out of date, though it’s not as though James claims that it was supposed to be future-proof. In fact, there’s an introduction where he talks about how the book came about, and in that he explained that he decided to set it in the present day, rather than trying and failing to predict technological development. That was a good call.
The characterisation and the plot are both pretty good, and the writing is competent though not outstanding. The thing is that I’ve read quite a lot of James by this point, and you can definitely see in his recent work that he’s come a long way in the thirty years or so that have passed since he wrote this one. That’s only natural.
It’s also kind of tricky to read for purely logistical reasons, because as well as being a long old book with a ton of pages to it, it also used super small print that left me squinting at it. I always find that that hampers my enjoyment, and I tend to rate based upon enjoyment because I think that all reviews are inherently subjective. I probably knocked a half point off because of that, although it’s hard to tell. It was floating around a 3.5 from start to finish.
To be honest, it’s one of those books where it’s just okay, and so while I’m glad that I read it, I can’t imagine it threatening to break into my top books of the quarter. That’s fine by me though, because there’s plenty more Peter James for me to read and his more recent Roy Grace stuff and some of the horror that he’s been working on really scratch my proverbial itch.
In the meantime, this will be of interest to anyone who likes these kinds of techno-thrillers, as well as to die-hard Peter James fans who just can’t get enough of his work. This is reminiscent in some ways of Michael Crichton, although I think that Crichton does it better, and it was way better than Dead Letter Drop, another one of his early efforts.
I also think that it helps to put the rest of his work into context. He’s really come a long way, and the dude has spent his entire lifetime honing his craft and getting better and better as time goes on. And so even though this book was just okay, it did make me super excited to see what he’s got coming up next, and I’ll be keeping my eyes peeled for more of his new releases. Plus, they’re common charity shop fodder.
On top of that, it turned out to be about immortality and the idea of uploading the human brain to a computer, which is a topic that I find fascinating because I love anything that’s to do with technology. I also like anything that’s to do with death as well, mostly because I have death anxiety and fiction helps me to deal with it. Those two should have combined to make this a huge hit for me.
But it wasn’t a huge hit, it was just a pretty good one. I think part of that is because it was published in the early nineties and so a lot of the tech was already out of date, though it’s not as though James claims that it was supposed to be future-proof. In fact, there’s an introduction where he talks about how the book came about, and in that he explained that he decided to set it in the present day, rather than trying and failing to predict technological development. That was a good call.
The characterisation and the plot are both pretty good, and the writing is competent though not outstanding. The thing is that I’ve read quite a lot of James by this point, and you can definitely see in his recent work that he’s come a long way in the thirty years or so that have passed since he wrote this one. That’s only natural.
It’s also kind of tricky to read for purely logistical reasons, because as well as being a long old book with a ton of pages to it, it also used super small print that left me squinting at it. I always find that that hampers my enjoyment, and I tend to rate based upon enjoyment because I think that all reviews are inherently subjective. I probably knocked a half point off because of that, although it’s hard to tell. It was floating around a 3.5 from start to finish.
To be honest, it’s one of those books where it’s just okay, and so while I’m glad that I read it, I can’t imagine it threatening to break into my top books of the quarter. That’s fine by me though, because there’s plenty more Peter James for me to read and his more recent Roy Grace stuff and some of the horror that he’s been working on really scratch my proverbial itch.
In the meantime, this will be of interest to anyone who likes these kinds of techno-thrillers, as well as to die-hard Peter James fans who just can’t get enough of his work. This is reminiscent in some ways of Michael Crichton, although I think that Crichton does it better, and it was way better than Dead Letter Drop, another one of his early efforts.
I also think that it helps to put the rest of his work into context. He’s really come a long way, and the dude has spent his entire lifetime honing his craft and getting better and better as time goes on. And so even though this book was just okay, it did make me super excited to see what he’s got coming up next, and I’ll be keeping my eyes peeled for more of his new releases. Plus, they’re common charity shop fodder.
October 24, 2023
Peter James: a British concoction: consisting of essence from Michael Crichton, a modicum of James Patterson, perhaps even a sprinkle of Stephen King; all mixed thoroughly then moulded into a human figure. I liken him to Crichton because he seems mostly focussed on medical/techno thrillers and isn't too bad a writer. King because he is actually quite imaginative and doesn't mind going into some more taboo subjects sometimes. Patterson because, despite an apparent talent and vast imagination, he seems to have given up writing stand-alone thrillers in place of a risk-free series of detective novels - all boasting themed titles as cringey as Patterson's Alex Cross series*.
(* If I had the time and motivation, I would like to write a parody novel of James Patterson, taking the title of Noughts and Crosses, as this seems just about the only play on the goddamned word he hasn't gotten into yet. Honestly, wouldn't that be kind of clever? To publish a novel that satirises the overused conventions of modern airport thrillers, right down to the vaguely sinister front cover with a man-shaped silhouette juxtaposed against a blacked-out backdrop, looking moody but determined; a trite quote of praise from some New York Times journalist hyperbolically implying he suffered a coronary due the book's relentless pace; perhaps some head scratching praise from Stephen King or some other bigshot with a pushy agent. I would make the villian's dastardly plans somehow conform to the principles of noughts and crosses).
Before Host - which I promise, O patient reader, I will review momentarily, I had read Alchemist and Denial. The former was slow and dense but ultimately was an enjoyable read. The latter, though not very original, was a decent psychological thriller in the vein of Thomas Harris. Both were good and so, despite it taking me since 2013, I had always intended on returning to Peter James sometime. I have accumulated a few of his books at home.
Choosing between this, Possession and Perfect People, I obviously went with "this" most recently. So, look here ...
Like the other books, this one was decent in that the writing was fine, the story overall enjoyable, the ideas workable if rendered somewhat cliche through the passage of time. The book tackles two big sci-fi ideas: respectively Cryonics and Artificial Intelligence. Now cryonics doesn't really interest me - like the Jewish wife of James's protagonist, my Christian beliefs render the whole idea of cheating death (to such an extent) so absurdly reprehensible. The A.I. element was better albeit very Kubrickian and highly under-utilised.
To put it most simply, Host takes a bunch of cool ideas and at times it really shines. James, at his best, can be a decent storyteller. The biggest problem with this book though - the reason why it slowly drifted from a planned four stars, down to three and finally to two, is that it's just too long and awkwardly paced.
The amount of times the book almost completely changes direction is insane. It jumps sporadically through time, back and forth, but eventually settles in 1993. It starts first as something of an adulterous thriller, with occasional reminders that it plans on becoming high-tech thrillerish eventually. Then something dramtic but hardly upsetting happens and the whole things becomes a 2001: Space Odyssey thing with a computer-system having the shits with its human host. Easily the weakest part among its plus-six-hundred pages is the final section which becomes a boring kidnap story which I really didn't care about.
I read one review that almost hit the nail on the arsehole. They said something like "this book lacks menance". I agreed with that for a while but then, thinking more about it, I decided it isn't menace that the story lacks. Actually there is some - especially when the Archive computer comes in. No, what this book greatly lacks in urgency. At such a great length and plodding pace, Host really is not the thriller it could and should have been. I was reading it for ages and I am glad to be done with it. Hopefully my next James experience will be better, as this was the weakest of the three I've read so far.
Okay idea. Just too fucking long and boring.
(* If I had the time and motivation, I would like to write a parody novel of James Patterson, taking the title of Noughts and Crosses, as this seems just about the only play on the goddamned word he hasn't gotten into yet. Honestly, wouldn't that be kind of clever? To publish a novel that satirises the overused conventions of modern airport thrillers, right down to the vaguely sinister front cover with a man-shaped silhouette juxtaposed against a blacked-out backdrop, looking moody but determined; a trite quote of praise from some New York Times journalist hyperbolically implying he suffered a coronary due the book's relentless pace; perhaps some head scratching praise from Stephen King or some other bigshot with a pushy agent. I would make the villian's dastardly plans somehow conform to the principles of noughts and crosses).
Before Host - which I promise, O patient reader, I will review momentarily, I had read Alchemist and Denial. The former was slow and dense but ultimately was an enjoyable read. The latter, though not very original, was a decent psychological thriller in the vein of Thomas Harris. Both were good and so, despite it taking me since 2013, I had always intended on returning to Peter James sometime. I have accumulated a few of his books at home.
Choosing between this, Possession and Perfect People, I obviously went with "this" most recently. So, look here ...
Like the other books, this one was decent in that the writing was fine, the story overall enjoyable, the ideas workable if rendered somewhat cliche through the passage of time. The book tackles two big sci-fi ideas: respectively Cryonics and Artificial Intelligence. Now cryonics doesn't really interest me - like the Jewish wife of James's protagonist, my Christian beliefs render the whole idea of cheating death (to such an extent) so absurdly reprehensible. The A.I. element was better albeit very Kubrickian and highly under-utilised.
To put it most simply, Host takes a bunch of cool ideas and at times it really shines. James, at his best, can be a decent storyteller. The biggest problem with this book though - the reason why it slowly drifted from a planned four stars, down to three and finally to two, is that it's just too long and awkwardly paced.
The amount of times the book almost completely changes direction is insane. It jumps sporadically through time, back and forth, but eventually settles in 1993. It starts first as something of an adulterous thriller, with occasional reminders that it plans on becoming high-tech thrillerish eventually. Then something dramtic but hardly upsetting happens and the whole things becomes a 2001: Space Odyssey thing with a computer-system having the shits with its human host. Easily the weakest part among its plus-six-hundred pages is the final section which becomes a boring kidnap story which I really didn't care about.
I read one review that almost hit the nail on the arsehole. They said something like "this book lacks menance". I agreed with that for a while but then, thinking more about it, I decided it isn't menace that the story lacks. Actually there is some - especially when the Archive computer comes in. No, what this book greatly lacks in urgency. At such a great length and plodding pace, Host really is not the thriller it could and should have been. I was reading it for ages and I am glad to be done with it. Hopefully my next James experience will be better, as this was the weakest of the three I've read so far.
Okay idea. Just too fucking long and boring.
August 29, 2013
I enjoyed this but thought it lacked menace. The concept, back in 1993 would have seemed revolutionary and alien. These days, the technology we have is still light years away from the type of events described here but it feels more possible and yet totally dated all at the same time.
Of all the Peter James early 90's books this is the one that has least stood the test of the passing years, most likely because it relies upon technology that advances faster than we can keep up with. Who hasn't bought some new technology for a newer mark to be released, seemingly minutes later (yes Apple, I'm talking about YOU!) All the discussions of plugging Internet modems into walls and trailing wires, well it just makes the story seem even less plausible than it already is.
It's a good engaging read, but its transparent and obvious. From the opening chapter you know who the bad guy will be so don't read it if you like surprises as there aren't many. This also lacks the imaginative deaths of other James novels so doesn't grip in that respect. I wasn't tensed waiting for the next horrific outcome like in other examples of his work.
This dabble with a technological demon just didn't cut it for me.
Ctrl-Alt-Del.......
Of all the Peter James early 90's books this is the one that has least stood the test of the passing years, most likely because it relies upon technology that advances faster than we can keep up with. Who hasn't bought some new technology for a newer mark to be released, seemingly minutes later (yes Apple, I'm talking about YOU!) All the discussions of plugging Internet modems into walls and trailing wires, well it just makes the story seem even less plausible than it already is.
It's a good engaging read, but its transparent and obvious. From the opening chapter you know who the bad guy will be so don't read it if you like surprises as there aren't many. This also lacks the imaginative deaths of other James novels so doesn't grip in that respect. I wasn't tensed waiting for the next horrific outcome like in other examples of his work.
This dabble with a technological demon just didn't cut it for me.
Ctrl-Alt-Del.......
November 16, 2022
One thing I’ve noticed as I’ve been working my way through Peter James’ pre-DI Roy Grace novels is that they’ve been getting better as he goes. They’ve also Tended to veer away from the traditional horror topics that marked the earlier ones and which fell into some genre cliches, meaning they have been getting a little more original as they go. The last thing I noticed is that they’ve been getting longer, which possibly isn’t related, up until the point of “Host”, which is a behemoth of a novel.
Professor Joe Messenger is a believer and researcher in cryonics; the idea that human bodies can be frozen indefinitely when the person dies and kept that way until medical science has advanced to the point that it can cure what they died of, at which point they can be thawed and live longer. As part of his research, he has created a supercomputer called ARCHIVE, which he thinks could be used to store a person’s consciousness so that you don’t need to save their whole body, but just enough that you can later download their personality into a new body later on.
Joe’s wife, Karen, feels that he is becoming obsessed with ARCHIVE to the detriment of her and their son, Jack. Her feelings deepen when Joe becomes involved with a new student, Juliet Spring, who comes to the university with ideas that could move on his research in one huge leap. However, once this has been done, there are some distinct personality changes in ARCHIVE and several incidents happen in the family which suggests luck, or something else, is transpiring against them.
Boiling the plot down to this extent doesn’t do justice to all the details and layers that make up “Host”. There is a mixture of computing, biology, artificial intelligence, medicine, history and moral dilemmas combining in a novel that has a touch of science-fiction as well as some crime thriller elements and a couple of parts that could be considered urban horror. Of all the novels Peter James has written, this is the one that crosses and blurs boundaries, not just in the plot, but in the genres as well.
The characters are very well drawn in this one as well, with Joe and Karen both having very detailed back stories, separately and together and whilst Joe’s story is shaped more by his work, Karen’s is shaped more by her home life. Whilst the minor characters don’t have quite the same level of detail, they are written distinctively enough that they don’t blend into each other, either in action of speech and this helps keep the people straight in what can be a convoluted and complicated story at points.
Perhaps the one failing of this novel is that it sometimes seems longer than it absolutely had to. Whilst the main plot is quite details and often fascinating, there are parts where it veers off into areas that don’t add anything much and there are several characters who feature in several places, but only have an impact once, if at all. Whilst the story would always require this to be one of Peter James’ longer novels, it did feel in parts that it was made longer than was entirely necessary and it could have been tightened up a bit further.
This said, whilst it can be a slow and complicated read at times, largely because of the level of detail James has put into ensuring the novel is as realistic as possible, it is compelling. The layering means there is always something to be discovered and the detailed character writing means motivations aren’t always clear and mean predicting a character’s actions or reactions can be tricky on occasion. The pacing is also very good, with the pace picking up towards the end in a masterful way. Whilst “Host” is not without the occasional flaw, it is far from being without the more than occasional very good piece of writing, both in character and story.
Professor Joe Messenger is a believer and researcher in cryonics; the idea that human bodies can be frozen indefinitely when the person dies and kept that way until medical science has advanced to the point that it can cure what they died of, at which point they can be thawed and live longer. As part of his research, he has created a supercomputer called ARCHIVE, which he thinks could be used to store a person’s consciousness so that you don’t need to save their whole body, but just enough that you can later download their personality into a new body later on.
Joe’s wife, Karen, feels that he is becoming obsessed with ARCHIVE to the detriment of her and their son, Jack. Her feelings deepen when Joe becomes involved with a new student, Juliet Spring, who comes to the university with ideas that could move on his research in one huge leap. However, once this has been done, there are some distinct personality changes in ARCHIVE and several incidents happen in the family which suggests luck, or something else, is transpiring against them.
Boiling the plot down to this extent doesn’t do justice to all the details and layers that make up “Host”. There is a mixture of computing, biology, artificial intelligence, medicine, history and moral dilemmas combining in a novel that has a touch of science-fiction as well as some crime thriller elements and a couple of parts that could be considered urban horror. Of all the novels Peter James has written, this is the one that crosses and blurs boundaries, not just in the plot, but in the genres as well.
The characters are very well drawn in this one as well, with Joe and Karen both having very detailed back stories, separately and together and whilst Joe’s story is shaped more by his work, Karen’s is shaped more by her home life. Whilst the minor characters don’t have quite the same level of detail, they are written distinctively enough that they don’t blend into each other, either in action of speech and this helps keep the people straight in what can be a convoluted and complicated story at points.
Perhaps the one failing of this novel is that it sometimes seems longer than it absolutely had to. Whilst the main plot is quite details and often fascinating, there are parts where it veers off into areas that don’t add anything much and there are several characters who feature in several places, but only have an impact once, if at all. Whilst the story would always require this to be one of Peter James’ longer novels, it did feel in parts that it was made longer than was entirely necessary and it could have been tightened up a bit further.
This said, whilst it can be a slow and complicated read at times, largely because of the level of detail James has put into ensuring the novel is as realistic as possible, it is compelling. The layering means there is always something to be discovered and the detailed character writing means motivations aren’t always clear and mean predicting a character’s actions or reactions can be tricky on occasion. The pacing is also very good, with the pace picking up towards the end in a masterful way. Whilst “Host” is not without the occasional flaw, it is far from being without the more than occasional very good piece of writing, both in character and story.
Currently reading
August 22, 2021I love the Roy Grace series, and I started Host for a change of pace. The premise is interesting, especially since it was written twenty years ago and much of the technology has advanced, but that doesn't worry me - I can understand that the future viewed from twenty years ago looked different from the future that actually developed.
The thing that bothers me, however, is how the leading characters relate to one another, and how they address some of the issues that come up. Joe claims to love his wife, but fails to actually relate to her - many of the problems they experience come about as a result of a total failure to communicate. His wife, allegedly a highly educated woman, seems to have no common sense at all. I can't imagine that, even twenty years ago, anyone with any sense would have stuck their hand down a sink with a garbage disposal unit, without checking if the power was shut off, or how a mother with a missing child would have failed to check the most obvious place where their son could have been hiding (I'm generalising to avoid spoilers).
I like to read James' books, but I'm listening to this one as an audiobook because I have more time to listen to snatches in the car than I have to pick up a book at home. I will finish the book, but as I said, I'm disappointed with the central characters.
The thing that bothers me, however, is how the leading characters relate to one another, and how they address some of the issues that come up. Joe claims to love his wife, but fails to actually relate to her - many of the problems they experience come about as a result of a total failure to communicate. His wife, allegedly a highly educated woman, seems to have no common sense at all. I can't imagine that, even twenty years ago, anyone with any sense would have stuck their hand down a sink with a garbage disposal unit, without checking if the power was shut off, or how a mother with a missing child would have failed to check the most obvious place where their son could have been hiding (I'm generalising to avoid spoilers).
I like to read James' books, but I'm listening to this one as an audiobook because I have more time to listen to snatches in the car than I have to pick up a book at home. I will finish the book, but as I said, I'm disappointed with the central characters.
January 17, 2025
Brilliant scientist Joe Messenger believes that people can be made to live for ever. Knowing the human body can be frozen indefinitely, Joe devises a way of downloading the human brain into a supercomputer called ARCHIVE. But Joe's wife, Karen, is worried by his preoccupation with ARCHIVE, which seems to be developing signs of a distinct and sinister personality of its own. Then, just as Joe is on the brink of a scientific breakthrough, a series of macabre accidents befall him and his family - and Joe finds himself facing the terrifying consequences of his own obsessions.
I love Peter James books, but I really struggled with this one. It was very scientific and I felt very confused at times what was going on. I nearly gave up within 100 pages, but plodded on. Had it had been my first read by Peter James I would have been inclined not to read may more. For me the book was heavy going and it was too technical. If you like sci if / horror then this book is right up your street.
I love Peter James books, but I really struggled with this one. It was very scientific and I felt very confused at times what was going on. I nearly gave up within 100 pages, but plodded on. Had it had been my first read by Peter James I would have been inclined not to read may more. For me the book was heavy going and it was too technical. If you like sci if / horror then this book is right up your street.
November 5, 2017
Wait, this took me nearly *10 months* to finish reading?! 🤯 No way! 🤭😅
Anyway, I borrowed this from a Work colleague after I told her I’d randomly bought, read & enjoyed The House On Cold Hill-Also by Peter James. She said that this was one of the best of his {many} Books so far.
I found it a bit difficult to get into at first {as well as huge} & so put it down for a while. But then I picked it up again & really got into it. 😊
It’s a long Book for sure, but the characters are realistic, the story is really intriguing & it keeps you guessing all the way until the end. 🧠💭
If you’re a fan of Sci-Fi/Futuristic Thrillers involving Computers & good writing then you’ll definitely enjoy this! 😁👍🏽 Even if you’re not, you still might enjoy it! 👌🏽
I’ll definitely be continuing to read more Peter James Books moving forwards.
Anyway, I borrowed this from a Work colleague after I told her I’d randomly bought, read & enjoyed The House On Cold Hill-Also by Peter James. She said that this was one of the best of his {many} Books so far.
I found it a bit difficult to get into at first {as well as huge} & so put it down for a while. But then I picked it up again & really got into it. 😊
It’s a long Book for sure, but the characters are realistic, the story is really intriguing & it keeps you guessing all the way until the end. 🧠💭
If you’re a fan of Sci-Fi/Futuristic Thrillers involving Computers & good writing then you’ll definitely enjoy this! 😁👍🏽 Even if you’re not, you still might enjoy it! 👌🏽
I’ll definitely be continuing to read more Peter James Books moving forwards.
December 19, 2018
Not just boring, but impressively so!
I am nine percent of the way through this book and can't seem to reach the end of the backstory. My God. It's the dullest book I've begun in forty years. On o. Asio n, Peter James thrillers had. me reading into the wee hours. Of late he s become a pedantic nuisance, throwing up great globs of research and minutia which make for hideous and tedious reading. To have gotten so far along and still not know what the canned thing is about show remarkable if stupid patience on my part, especially that I now feel I've been trapped, listening to the.let boring tale a retired major general could consult with at an endless dinner party
I am nine percent of the way through this book and can't seem to reach the end of the backstory. My God. It's the dullest book I've begun in forty years. On o. Asio n, Peter James thrillers had. me reading into the wee hours. Of late he s become a pedantic nuisance, throwing up great globs of research and minutia which make for hideous and tedious reading. To have gotten so far along and still not know what the canned thing is about show remarkable if stupid patience on my part, especially that I now feel I've been trapped, listening to the.let boring tale a retired major general could consult with at an endless dinner party
September 5, 2019
Oh but this book was hard work! The back story to get to the main point of the book was too long and tedious, the computer jargon and cryonic's explanations were long and uninteresting, alienating anyone who doesn't have prior knowledge of either.
I enjoyed this book from about 400 pages in, but if I was someone who DNF'd books I would never have gotten this far.
A real shame because Peter James is one of my favourite authors but this is definitely one that won't be taking up valuable real estate on my bookshelves!
I enjoyed this book from about 400 pages in, but if I was someone who DNF'd books I would never have gotten this far.
A real shame because Peter James is one of my favourite authors but this is definitely one that won't be taking up valuable real estate on my bookshelves!
May 26, 2022
This is a very controversial topic. Peter James captures the true feeling when writing a book in 1993 that still is in many ways ahead of its time. In 2014, Stephen Hawking warned that artificial intelligence could end mankind and stated that man is not ready to deal with the realities of AI. In this novel, the AI is too believable to be comfortable. The menace grows slowly to the unexpected finale. As for the main character of Joe Messenger, I think he got what he deserved, rather like fatal attraction computer style.
September 19, 2022
😲
The first part of this book I have to admit was slow and a bit boring with all the cryogenic talk and explanations, I kept at it though cos I hoped it would be leading into better things and I wasn't wrong. This book picked up pace and became much more interesting.
Only thing I didn't like was the main characters personality, in fact I didn't like him at all. Slightest whim of interest from another woman and he was right there in bed with her. All the whole thinking about how beautiful his wife really was 🤨.
But yeah a good book otherwise 😆.
The first part of this book I have to admit was slow and a bit boring with all the cryogenic talk and explanations, I kept at it though cos I hoped it would be leading into better things and I wasn't wrong. This book picked up pace and became much more interesting.
Only thing I didn't like was the main characters personality, in fact I didn't like him at all. Slightest whim of interest from another woman and he was right there in bed with her. All the whole thinking about how beautiful his wife really was 🤨.
But yeah a good book otherwise 😆.
May 18, 2017
When I say this book as unbelievable I dint mean in a good way. I mean that I just couldn't believe a word of it. Peter James can write really great crime books and some of his supernatural thrillers are good too. "Host" is science fiction - not my thing at all. All the usual things you'd expect from the author are there: it's thrilling and full details of suspense but it doesn't make the story any more believable.
September 16, 2019
This is one of my very few DNFs. I only got to page 200 out of over 600. In those 200 pages nothing really happens except for seemingly unending descriptions of rooms, what people are wearing and even longer descriptions of scientific processes. Apparently, according to some reviews, it livens up after 400 pages but to be honest I couldn't be bothered. The fact that it took me six days to get even that far says it all really.
March 14, 2020
I suppose reading a book on a subject in which one doesn't believe, probably does not bode well.
However, I gave it a go. By halfway through, I was sighing and tutting at, imho, a ridiculous predictable storyline. At the 2/3 mark, I was close to giving up, but was compelled to continue to see if my predictions were correct. Sadly, they were.
I couldn't make up my mind whether Peter was trying to write a sci-fi or horror/suspense. The result being a very weak mixture of genres.
However, I gave it a go. By halfway through, I was sighing and tutting at, imho, a ridiculous predictable storyline. At the 2/3 mark, I was close to giving up, but was compelled to continue to see if my predictions were correct. Sadly, they were.
I couldn't make up my mind whether Peter was trying to write a sci-fi or horror/suspense. The result being a very weak mixture of genres.
January 20, 2022
I couldn't decide whether to give this two or three stars: it was quite slow at the start and I definitely skimmed some sections, but towards the end, it became quite gripping - I do have to admit to some skimming towards the end also.
This was quite a different story and became quite technical in the sections about cryonics and computer programing but I was able to suspend my disbelief and just go with it - the sign of a well-presented story?
This was quite a different story and became quite technical in the sections about cryonics and computer programing but I was able to suspend my disbelief and just go with it - the sign of a well-presented story?
October 6, 2017
Truly terrible. Rolled my eyes so many times reading this, so tropes. I skim read the second half. It was entertaining though, hence why it wasn’t quite a DNF; skim read to the end to find out what happened. Predictable nonsense, and incredibly self indulgent writing. No one needs to read a painstaking description of a decomposing face...
December 3, 2017
One of my favourite books I’ve ever read, and I’ve read hundreds.
The character growth, the intertwining story lines coupled with the science subject matter. Also the moral and ethical exploration within the twists and the ending.
I thoroughly enjoyed everything about this book and have gone back to it many times.
The character growth, the intertwining story lines coupled with the science subject matter. Also the moral and ethical exploration within the twists and the ending.
I thoroughly enjoyed everything about this book and have gone back to it many times.
May 17, 2021
Very long and drawn out, got bored with it and didn't like where it was going to when the neighbour was found murdered so gave up 3/4 of the way through, this is very unusual for me as I normally persevere. I'm a great fan of Peter James and have read many of his books but this is the worst book of his I've read; 3/4 read !
October 27, 2022
Gripping, thrilling, unexpected twist
As usual Peter James tests one's understanding of human behaviour. He goes into a realm of unexpected science and is it plausible? Well with the xurrent leaps and bounds of AI one can only guess. Good read, the story line is a bit convoluted at times but doesn't damage the plot.
As usual Peter James tests one's understanding of human behaviour. He goes into a realm of unexpected science and is it plausible? Well with the xurrent leaps and bounds of AI one can only guess. Good read, the story line is a bit convoluted at times but doesn't damage the plot.
September 22, 2020
I have to confess to getting just a bit bogged down with this first 100 or so pages where the main talk was the whole concept of cryonics. Once I’d got through that then normal service was resumed and it became a real page turner.
December 17, 2020
Not a terrible premise for a book, just felt the execution lacked here and there. I felt like the author tried to drop some subtle hints to keep the reader a step ahead of the characters, but the hints were so obvious, it was more lame than effective.
Read
May 1, 2021.
Joe massanger, aneurolist of England is following his father in the belief that human brain could be digiitilised and preserved indefinitely so as to be used in future.
Did not complete. Not very nice.
Joe massanger, aneurolist of England is following his father in the belief that human brain could be digiitilised and preserved indefinitely so as to be used in future.
Did not complete. Not very nice.
September 8, 2021
hmm, this book has lots of interesting ideas. It was scary too. there was also a lot of research that went into the book to make it believable. But what was the worst part is the fact that there were so many typos, misspells, grammar and editing issues. I was more shocked that nearly every page has some stupid mistake. Like Juliet-Spring, why put a hyphen there? In all fairness the book was ok, but the errors made it an annoying read.
It was recommended to me, but I think it takes a certain type of individual to enjoy it to its fullness.
It was recommended to me, but I think it takes a certain type of individual to enjoy it to its fullness.
March 24, 2023
A chore rather than a pleasure I’m afraid. Overlong and quite predictable. I had no empathy with the main character Joe or his quest for immortality. I just felt sorry for his wife Karen who suffers a great deal throughout the story without knowing what is going on... poor thing.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews