I Am Number Four (Lorien Legacies #1)
By Pittacus Lore
Genre: YA Sci-Fi
Recommended Ages: 15+

Nine of us came here. We look like you. We talk like you. We live among you. But we are not you. We can do things you dream of doing. We have powers you dream of having. We are stronger and faster than anything you have ever seen. We are the superheroes you worship in movies and comic books–but we are real.

Our plan was to grow, and train, and become strong, and become one, and fight them. But they found us and started hunting us first. Now all of us are running. Spending our lives in shadows, in places where no one would look, blending in. We have lived among you without you knowing.

But they know.

They caught Number One in Malaysia.
Number Two in England.
And Number Three in Kenya.
They killed them all.

I am Number Four.

The Gist:

I Am Number Four is the start of an intriguing series of aliens masquerading as humans, trying to escape slaughter but a different alien race. The small intricacies of their powers and protective charms add interesting layers to the story.  It’s a quick sci-fi read with lots of action in the second half. It’s an entertaining read without graphic scenes so it’s a great recommendation for teenagers in my opinion.

What I Liked:

I enjoyed learning about the remnant aliens from Lorien and their powers, specifically how they appear. A lot of the powers are pretty typical of what you see in stories like this, but I appreciated the way in which they receive them and that it was slightly different.

The relationships between the characters was well formed.  It was endearing to see Henri and John together and how they’d grown to be more like father and son. And I also liked how John accepted Sam and watching them become good friends.

From the beginning, you felt this constant underlying threat of attack from the Mogadorians which was good at adding suspense. When will they strike? It could be at any time? What will they do?

What I Didn’t Like:

There’s a rule that is ground into writers’ heads over and over, and it’s the “Show, don’t tell” rule. It basically means instead of saying someone was scared, you describe what it happening to them mentally and physically.  Their pulse turns rapid, sweat coats their palms, etc. It makes for a more dynamic description of what’s going on. This book broke that rull big time, especially in the beginning. I was getting so annoyed and bored because it was John felt this, then he felt like this, etc.

For me, I thought a lot of the first half could have been cut because it felt unnecessary. The last third of the book was when things really started to take off and I was hooked then, I just wish I could have been hooked sooner.

LunasLuckyRating: 3.5/5 Lunas