I am Number Four (Lorien Legacies #1)

by Pittacus Lore

Published August 3rd 2010

In the beginning they were a group of nine. Nine aliens who left their home planet of Lorien when it fell under attack by the evil Mogadorian. Nine aliens who scattered on Earth. Nine aliens who look like ordinary teenagers living ordinary lives, but who have extraordinary, paranormal skills. Nine aliens who might be sitting next to you now.

The Nine had to separate and go into hiding. The Mogadorian caught Number One in Malaysia, Number Two in England, and Number Three in Kenya. All of them were killed. John Smith, of Paradise, Ohio, is Number Four. He knows that he is next.

I Am Number Four is the thrilling launch of a series about an exceptional group of teens as they struggle to outrun their past, discover their future—and live a normal life on Earth.

I saw this movie before I read the book and that rarely happens. I loved the movie and liked the book. I'm not sure if I was influenced by the big screen or not, but I preferred the movie.

This book is written in 1st person present tense, which I'm not used to. I feel this adjustment on my part affected my judgement in the novel. It took several chapters for me to overcome this and become involved in the story. The sentences are short and direct, lacking connection with the reader. I like to get lost in the book, almost believe I'm there, this did not happen. I am also not a big fan of aliens, outer space, world invasions, etc. I'll give every genre a try, but these are typically not my style.

Okay, now for the good parts. I actually did like the story line. It might be a bit predictable, but that suits me just fine. I wanted to know what happened to the characters, especially John and Sam. I wanted to find out about all the other Lorien aliens, if they would find everyone or not. I was emotionally invested in atleast one, maybe two scenes (I don't want to give out any spoilers). There was action, love, friendship, aliens, and super powers. Though it might not be my favorite book of all time, I will be looking to see what happens with the rest of the series.

I recommend this as a quick read, but with the warning of not expecting too much. It's a story and that's all. It doesn't evoke that great emotional connection that most readers pursue.