I Am Number Four

By Pittacus Lore

440 Pages

Published by HarperCollins

★★★★★

 By Em

 

 Let's start with this. This is one of my all time favorite book series in the entire world. I mean, way up there with Harry Potter, Hunger Games, and Percy Jackson. I'm a major sci-fi fan and this book; this is the kind of modern sci-fi that I drool over. And, it may be sad to say, but I was inspired to read this book when I saw the commercial for the movie, which after seeing it, I think was a horrible let down after reading the book. But, I still have to thank the not-so-good movie for kindly inspiring me to read this series, because I LOVE IT!!

Four wants a normal life. He and his Cêpan Henri, who everyone thinks is his father, have been on the run since Four arrived on this planet. Yeah, their aliens, from the planet Lorien. Four, along with eight others, all given a number, and their Cêpan, people meant to train and educate them, are the only survivors from their planet, no hiding on Earth, avoiding the monsters that destroyed their planet, the Mogadorians. Numbers One through Three have already been killed by the Mogs, and Number Four is next. The charm that was placed on them when they left the planet is all that has prevented the Mogadorians from being able to kill him so far. Numeric order, which means, he's next.

After fleeing their last home, Four takes on the alias John Smith (real creative right?), and he and Henri travel to Paradise, Ohio, which is right in the middle of...well, nothing. Here, John goes to school, where he makes new friends, new enemies, and even may have found the love of his life. But, he can't quite live that normal life he wants yet. His Legacies, powers that will allow him and the other eight to fight the Mogadorians, start to develop. And, his new friend has an odd sudden knowledge about the Mogadorians John so desperately fears. Maybe Paradise won't quite be nothing after all.

Like I said, love love love love love this book. The concept is so utterly interesting that I could not stop reading it. The Lorics are interesting aliens, who develop awesome powers and are capable of amazing things. They can run as fast as cars and are stronger than the buffest of body builders. They all have telekinetic powers that develop as they get older. But now, the Mogadorians! Ahh, they seem like something that would have come out of Star Trek. While some of them look like normal people, the one's that John keeps seeing in his visions, well, not so much. Their larger than almost any human with creepy bald heads (yes, bald heads are a little creepy sometimes) and dark eyes. They have deadly swords that move like liquid but are yet, very solid if they were to stab you. they have cannons that suck the life out of almost any living thing. Come on, don't tell me those things wouldn't give you nightmares if you were being hunted by them. 

My favorite character absolutely has to be Sam! I don't know why, but his nerdiness and occasional sarcastic wit just made me melt! Why in the world Cassidy doesn't like him will forever be a mystery to me. He is just one of those characters you can't help loving! He's obsessed with alien theories, but little does he know that his new best friend is exactly what he has spent his life reading about. Bernie Kosar is a close second to Sam in the favorite-character-meter. He is this cute little beagle that takes a liking to john when he first moves to Paradise, who is full of sudden strange happenings. I won't elaborate, because I don't want to ruin him for anyone!

Now, of the series, I Am Number Four isn't my favorite. While there is lots of training with Legacies and battling Mogadorians, I think they spend a little to much time focusing on John's relationship with Sarah. (And not enough with Sam!) Though, this is a theme throughout the series, it is toned down a lot in the next two books. In this one, it is very prominent, and I wish it wasn't so. But, even with the romance, this book was enough to excite me about reading more of the series, and I was so happy when I did.Though, this is another book where the story comes first and the intricate wording and description comes second. You're not going to find a lot of big words that make the author sounds smart, or detailed descriptions that take four pages to describe something. This is and idea book, and the idea is amazing!

 This was a great sci-fi book and one that will appeal to a wide range of readers. I mean, how often is there a book that Morgan, Melanie, Cassidy, and I all enjoy? Trust me on this one, that is rare. There is a nice amount of humor, action, and normal teenage things, that get a special little twist thanks to a friendly neighborhood aliens! I think most people could find something to love about this book. I know I did!