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. -Chapters Canada
This book was pretty amazing. I did see it a lot before I decided to read it, the movie tie-in version that is (which I loathe for any book!), as I passed by chapters, and a little bit on the Internet. There were some factors that made me want to read it, though, as with any book.
First of all, I realized that it is a movie as well. Both I had been aware of, but hadn't really put together that they were one and the same until about two weeks before the movie release. I instantly knew I had to read it, because of course any book-to-movie fandango needs to be book then movie, in that order, and that order only. Also, the fact that Alex Pettyfer plays the lead in the movie was pretty persuasive, as I can see that he is gonna be like THE hit new face around Hollywood for at least the next little while (you really do not even want me to elaborate on my prediction). Thirdly, the author(s), whom are cleverly anonymiscized by the pseudonym Pittacus Lore, is made up in part by James Frey. This intrigues me immensely, as I have of course read A Million Little Pieces (and only part of My Friend Leonard, probably the only book EVER that I have not finished) and am terribly familiar with the Oprah controversy that surrounds Frey. I also have a certain fondness for Diana Agron (she plays the love interest in the movie) due to her being one of the stars of Glee.. and come one, I would die for Glee..
Anyway, so now you know some of the background.
Having said that, this book was marvelous, had me hooked from the beginning. It is sci-fi, but in a very humanistic and subtle way, I found. Kinda of dystopian as well, which made me reminiscent of The Uglies trilogy/saga by Scott Westerfeld, in the way that they mention Earth in a very allegorical way, that serves to warn us ready, subtly, of the harm we cause our planet every day, and the possible consequences. Love that.
I also want to mention, before I get into detail, that the romantic aspect was delicious, and I hope to see it carried through the series :)
Spoiler Alert: Don't read after this point if you don't want to know specific book details!
The book starts out very intriguingly, introducing us into the novel ideas that surround John and Henri, and their planet, Lorien. We learn quite fast that they are in danger. John especially, since he is Number Four in line, the first three already killed. When John gets the third tattoo on his leg, he knows that Number Three is dead. This means that they need move again, which is all that they really know since arriving on Earth, when their planet and race were absolutely obliterated by Mogadorians. There are many other important details that I'm not going to get into now, but I find them all interesting and new, and that is pretty important to me, as, since I've read so many books, I rarely run into book concepts that don't remind me of another book and are completely unique in themselves.
After moving to Paradise, Ohio, it doesn't take John long to fall for fair Sarah Hart. This is really quite obvious, but still in a very obvious way. So John is continually told by Henri (his guardian from Lorien) to keep a low profile, so that they won't be tracked by the Mogadorians, but John's Legacies (powers) are just now emerging, and he of course cannot help but to use them at various times to save Sarah.
Of course this leads to the Mogadorians arriving, right after John is forced to tell Sarah the truth about himself. The books ends shortly after this, after an almost too good to be true fight (almost was too easy, but I guess I can let it go, just this once). Number Six shows up, and Henri dies, which I still don't quite want to believe is the truth :( . The book is a series, and now I guess that John and Six are gonna meet up with the remaining four numbers, to battle it out with the Mogadorians, so they can save the Earth and return to their planet.
I just hope John comes back for Sarah.
And does not fall for Six, which was subtly foreshadowed in the novel.
Although, I may have to come back and remind myself of what I am thinking now, because we all know how easily swayed I am by a little romance :D
Wanting to continue--Cheers & Enjoy♥
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