The Body Snatchers (Hardcover)

Dr. Miles Bennell receives an odd patient from his old ex-girlfriend Becky: Her cousin Wilma is making bizarre claims about her uncle Ira and aunt Aleda. She claims that while they look, talk, dress and act just like Uncle Ira and Aunt Aleda, that they are somehow imposters. Miles talks with Wilma, but she doesn't show any typical signs of insane delusions. What's more, other people are insisting similar things about their friends and family -- that they seem just the same, but that they aren't themselves.

Then things get more complicated. Miles's pal Jack and his wife Theodora have an "unfinished" person in their basement, a never-been-alive-and-not-living-now human being that is slowly turning into a duplicate of the real person. Growing out of alien pods that have migrated to our planet, the pod people are slowly and seductively working over the town -- and they will soon have the entire world.

This now-classic SF book was published in the 1950s, before the advent of space opera and Star Wars. (It also has a noteworthy resemblance to Robert Heinlein's "Puppet Masters," a similar book published four years before) Finney's book can be a bit dated in places (the female characters are kind of wimpy -- they tend to get hysterical and follow the level-headed manly men) and some of the supporting characters remain undeveloped, but overall it's an entertaining read.

The writing and dialogue are solid, not outstanding, but pretty good. It does raise some interesting questions about human nature: In one scene, Miles is offered a life without strife by the pod people, and quickly turns it around to reveal that not only would a world of pod people be doomed, but also would have no drive, no enjoyment, no real living as we know it. It would all be bland, with no suffering but also no pleasure. Finney's writing is probably at its peak there, especially given the cold, pleasant attitude of the pod people -- no mustache-twirling and cackling for these villains.

As with many first-person narrators, Miles is not a fantastic character. In fact, he's dull; the only time he peps up at all is when he and Becky make out. Writer pal Jack is a bit more interesting (I wonder if he was a sort of alter ego for Finney); Becky and Theodora have secondary roles, but are nevetherless fairly good. All other supporting characters, unfortunately, are pretty forgettable.

Though the movie deviated strongly from the book, fans of that film might want to check the origjnal story out anyway. Interesting and pretty well-written, especially for fans of horror/SF.