I Am Number Four (Lorien Legacies #1) by Pittacus Lore

Title: I Am Number Four

Author: Pittacus Lore

Series: 1st in Lorien Legacies

Published: August 2010 by Harper Collins

Pages: 440

ISBN: 9780061969553

Source: ARC from Star Book Tours

 

Description: 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. I am next. 

I Give This...

 

I have serious conflicting thoughts on this book.  For the idea, I would give it 4 butterflies.  For execution, I would probably give it 2.  And yet, the story was really easy to read.  Over 400 pages for a ya novel and I breezed through.  Maybe because overall, I don't think this book has much substance to it.

I particularly enjoyed whenever the subject of the alien's planet was brought up.  I thought it was an original idea of how intermingled our history was with theirs (keep in mind I haven't read a lot of book involving aliens).  I actually thought the story of their world was better developed that the rest of the novel.  I was intrigued be the idea of the nine and how they were being hunted in order because of the charm put on them.

I liked the discussions of the development of their powers (or legacies).

But, sadly this novel spends most of the time in the real world.  It seems more about the everyday struggle of a teens battle to blend in.  I didn't buy the relationship between Sarah and John.  Their 15 and professing their undying love for each other.  I'm not sure how that's possible because I didn't get the feeling that had much of a relationship.  Plus, I could never figure out why Sarah's ex was there in the end.  The reason given just didn't git well with the rest of the story.

I also wasn't really fond of the two different battles with the Mogadorians (the enemy aliens).  It just felt forced and then big battle felt way to sci-fi for me.  I'm not sure I will read the next in the series.

* Pittacus Lore is a pseudonym for the collaboration between James Frey and Jobie Hughes.