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

Years ago, the planet Lorien was a warm, diverse planet with many different forms of life and plenty of natural resources, much like Earth. On Lorien, there lived a species called the Loric. The Loric people look much like humans, with one difference. Some Loric have superpowers, varying from being fireproof to antigravity and invisibility. The Loric lived in peace until they were invaded by the Mogadorians, another type of alien. Lorien was stripped of all resources, and every last one of the planet's animals ad people were slaughtere, with a few exceptions. Nine children, along with their guardians, called Cêpans, escaped and are now waiting on Earth. They are the planet's last hope. The nine children, now teens, are in hiding, developing their powers. The Mogadorians are hunting for them, but the children are protected by a charm. They can only be killed in the order of their numbers. The only problem with that? Numbers One, Two, and Three are dead. Number Four is next.

Four and his Cêpan, Henri, have moved twenty-one times in order to escape the Mogadorians. Being carefull has saved their lives many times, and the duo never panics. They always keep their guard up and eyes open. Four and Henri have moved again, this time to a little town called Paradise, Ohio. Four takes on the name John Smith and enrolls in the local high school. Four tries to keep a low profile, but even from his first day, things are a bit different. Not only does he almost instantly catch the eye of Sarah Hart, he also gets on the bad side of Mark, Sarah's ex, for the same reason. Then Four's powers start to show up, and keeping a low profile just got a whole lot more difficult.

Four wants to have a normal life, and after meeting new friends in Paradise, he doesn't want to move. However, he's bringing attention to himself regardless of his best efforts, and his friends, such as Sam, an alien enthusiast, may already have their suspicions about "John". After John shows more than he should have, the Mogs may be closing in, and they're not the only ones. John isn't the only Loric who's tired of hiding, and another survivior is searching for him as well.

Number Four is a bit reckless and sometimes lets his emotions get the best of him. He lets his feelings cloud his judgment sometimes, even when he knows it's better if he ignores them and takes the logical approach. I can understand that he's tired of hiding from the Mogadorians, but he's dead if he's not carefull. When it comes to staying safe, I think Henri knows best. Four wants to help people, standing up for Sam when Mark bullies him. He's likable and friendly, trying to get along with everyone.

As for Henri, Four's Cêpan compliments him and keeps him under control. He's dedicated to Four, training him and watching the internet constantly for news that could mean that the Loric are showing themselves or the Mogs are coming, all to keep Four safe. Sometimes this comes at the expense of his own wellbeing, losing sleep for several days. Henri is always prepared for an emergency and makes sure Four has his survival pack on him at all times. He's much less reckless than Four, thinking more logically.

Sarah, Four's love interest, is a really sweet girl. As in, she's going to give me a cavity. (I know, it's cheesy, but I couldn't resist.) Sarah is very kind and sunny. She tries to be nice to everyone. She used to have some issues, but now Sarah's reformed and planning on staying that way. I like that she noticed that there was a problem with her behavior and took it upon herself to fix it. She dislikes fighting and tries to keep the peace between Four and Mark. Sarah always lets Four know when he's being a bit too aggressive or harsh.

However, I can't say the same about Mark's charming personality. Mark is very possesive of Sarah even though they're no longer dating, and with his attitude, he's also delusional if he thinks angelic Sarah is going to date such a jerk! He's very hostile towards Four just because of his relationship with Sarah. Another of the many reasons I dislike him is his arrogance. Mark thinks that he can get away with anything because he's the school's star quarterback. The sad part is, it's true. Even the principal lets him get away with pretty much anything because of his skills on the football field, which is not only sad but very unfair. Mark shouldn't be exempt from school rules because he wins games.

Last - but never least - is Four's best friend, a boy named Sam. Sam is obsessed with aliens, which is probably one reason he and Four hit it off instantly, considering that Four is an alien himself! Sam expects to be judged for his love of aliens, and people usually laugh at him about it. Speaking of which, the fact that Four doesn't judge him for it is another reason why they're such a great team. SAm is a very loyal friend, sticking by Four even in crazy circumstances. Even when Four doesn't tell him everything, he goes along with the plans regardless. Sam is a bit shy, but he gains confidence as Four becomes closer to him.

I thought the idea of aliens on the runs was creative, and I liked the characters. The plot was good, and there was plenty of fighting and action with some romance and friendship thrown in for a delightful mix. I hope to see more of the six living Loric later in the series, since I saw Number Six briefly in this book. 4/5 stars.

P.S. I have seen the movie, and I don't recommend it. The casting was meh and the crazy amount of explosions and shootouts was annoying and took away from the story. Just stick with the books.

#frompagetoscreen #aliens #survival #seriesstartandstandalones