Sci-Fantasy Book: I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore

Title: I Am Number Four
Author: Pittacus Lore
Pages: 400
Genre: Fantasy

‘Daniel Jones’ was taken from Earth when he was just four years old. He is one of nine children from the planet Lorien who were taken from their families and forced to assimilate to life on Earth after the Mogadorians looted their planet. The children left with their guardians in order to uninterruptedly develop their powers in order to defeat their enemies and save their planet.

A charm was placed upon the nine guaranteeing their safety as long as they scattered from each other and never came together. If the evil Mogadorians discovered them they would be killed off in a numerical sequence. Each child would know of the others’ deaths when a searing scar would bind itself around their ankles. Originally there were nine powerful children, three had been killed off already and ‘Daniel’ thought to himself, “I am Number Four”.

After burning their identities, alien ‘Number Four’ (Daniel Jones) and his guardian Henri left their latest hideout to begin yet another life in Paradise, Ohio. ‘Number Four’s’ new identity is now John Smith. This was yet another new town, another new home and another new school to adapt to for the aliens as they dodge the Mogadorians. The two were grasping for any sense of normalcy and security. John now has a lot more at stake than just survival; he must now defend the entire race of Lorien by merely keeping himself alive. He must develop his Legacies, his super powers in time to save his people.

Since moving to a new town, John has several responsibilities to juggle in order to keep his identity secured. He certainly doesn’t want to stick out or call attention to himself. Though, making friends and developing relationships would mean putting trust in people who could easily reveal his identity. Unfortunately, John throws caution to the wind and befriends the local nerdy sci-fi alien conspirator. He also falls head over heals for a beautiful girl named Sarah and crashes headfirst into the incorrigible bully of his new school. So much for keeping a low profile!

I am Number Four by Pittacus Lore (aka Jobie Hughes and James Frey) is a thrilling science fiction novel with well-developed characters that the reader can empathize with and make connections to. It is well paced and offers the reader adventure, knowledge and compelling scenes that live within the reader’s mind. With the movie due out in February, I am Number Four should be an intriguing blockbuster.