Review: I Am Number Four by Pitticus Lore

Title: I Am Number Four

Author:  Pitticus Lore
Publisher: HarperCollins

Publishing Date:  August 3rd, 2010

Pages: 440
Genre: YA Science Fiction

Series:  Lorien Legacies #1
Source:  Audio

 

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.

This is the second time I have read this book. I really enjoyed it the first time, book format, but I never did finish the series. So this is a series I am planning to re-read and finish. Part of my goals this year. I enjoyed this book the second time around. Although this time I listened to it on audio and had a little bit of a hard time getting used to the narrator. I do like the story, I love aliens coming to earth with powers to live as one of us.  I am a sucker for those stories. I like all the characters. I get along with them nicely. The book was long but the pace was well done.  So it was still a good read for me. 

Four came to this planet to escape and to grow, to get ready for a big fight int he future. He came with eight other children. All with legacies, powers, to develop while they grow and mature. They do what they can to blend in and stay out of sight from those that want them dead. Their saving grace, they have to be killed in order. Three have been killed and now they are after Four. 

Four and his guardian move to Paradise Ohio to try and hide from their enemies. Four has changed his name to John. Here is Paradise he makes a friend... Sam, and even a girlfriend... Sarah. So life is good until John makes a mistake and now his enemies have found him and basically, all hell breaks loose. 

I really enjoyed this book. There wasn't anything that wowed me or anything big and deep. It was just an enjoyable story with likable characters and sweet relationships. I think that is why I have enjoyed his book so much twice reading. I really like the characters and the relationships. I mean I am a sucker for an alien story and a story that has people with powers. So that helped. It was fun to watch it all develop, but really I loved the characters and their relationships. 

This story has many characters. John the main character and the alien. John's guardian, Henri... also an alien. Sarah, John's girlfriend. Sam, John's best friend. And finally Mark, Sarah's ex, John's school enemy, and all around bully. Oh and a dog called Bernie Kosar. So lot's of characters and they all have a relationship that is a little different from the others, but all important to the story. I loved how each relationship showed some loyalty, some hiccups, some struggles, some love, and some fun. 

Each of these characters had things that annoyed me but really had some redeemable qualities too. Sarah was a little too sweet and good but she really was sweet and good. She allowed people to walk over her but she really had a great heart. John is pretty loyal but really too emotional and makes bad decisions because of those emotions. Henri is awesome and smart and reliable... but he just doesn't get the lives of teenagers. Mark is a jerk but he comes around. Sam is nerdy and doesn't have a spine at school but he is very loyal and doesn't run from enemy aliens. Bernie Kosar... well he has nothing annoying about him... he is just badass! 

So I liked that I loved all the characters. I liked how they were all different and have their own unique voice and I loved the focus on the problems and the power of their relationships. This book really makes a point that people should stick together and no one should attempt things on their own in life... not when you have people that care about you. 

Another thing I really enjoyed was watching Johns' powers develop. I enjoyed the fight scenes. Which normally I don't but when they are done well, I really do have fun with them. I also really liked the story about why John and Henri were here and what happened to their planet... along with the flashbacks of the war on their planet. It was enjoyable to watch it all unfold. 

I look forward to the next installment and seeing all my old friend again, along with finding new friends. I did read the second book a while back but remember very little. So I will re-read this book and then carry on to the rest which will be new reads for me. 

Still, love this book the second time around and will finish the series this time!

James Frey wrote I Am Number Four and The Power of Six along with Jobie Hughes under the collective pseudonym Pittacus Lore. After the departure of Hughes, Frey continued to write the series under the same pseudonym (Pittacus Lore) with at least one unknown ghost writer.