Review: I Am Number Four

Title: I Am Number Four (Lorien Legacies)

Author: Pittacus Lore

Release Date: August 2010

Publisher: HarperCollins

Series: Book 1 of The Lorien Legacies

Genre: YA/Fantasy

Summary from Goodreads:

In the beginning they were a group of nine. Nine aliens who left their home planet of Lorien when it fell under attack by the evil Mogadorian. Nine aliens who scattered on Earth. Nine aliens who look like ordinary teenagers living ordinary lives, but who have extraordinary, paranormal skills. Nine aliens who might be sitting next to you now.

The Nine had to separate and go into hiding. The Mogadorian caught Number One in Malaysia, Number Two in England, and Number Three in Kenya. All of them were killed. John Smith, of Paradise, Ohio, is Number Four. He knows that he is next.

My Thoughts:
The first thing I noticed when reading this book was the simplicity and straightforwardness of the author. (Definitely male!) In a lot of books, I enjoy vivid details, elaborate descriptions, and multiple characters. However, for this story, the streamlined approach worked very well and was one of the main things I enjoyed about it. The book wasn't loaded down with superfluous fluff that distracted from the story.

The storyline of the book was fresh and interesting (not another vampire/werewolf story!) I love the sci-fi elements of it but also appreciated the realistic, gritty feeling of the contemporary parts. I'm so excited to see what happens with Number Six and the others in the forthcoming sequels.

The only thing I didn't like about this book was the frequency of swear words. I am extra sensitive to bad language because I am so used to reading LDS fiction. Just for me personally, I prefer to read books without any bad language.

Because of this, and some graphic violence, I would only recommend this book for young adults who are over 14. However, I really liked the storyline and the way it was written and therefore award it 4 stars!