I Am Number Four

Lore, Pittacus. I Am Number Four. Book 1 of the Lorien Legacies series. 2010. 440p. ISBN 0061969559. Available at FIC LOR on the library shelves.

Eleven years ago, the planet Lorien was invaded by the Mogadorians. Though the population was scientifically advanced and possessed enormous powers called legacies, the surprise attack all but obliterated what was a beautiful planet, turning it into a wasteland.

Nine children, each accompanied by a tutor, were able to board a spaceship and escape to Earth, where they have been hiding ever since. The group split up and now each pair of trainer and child disappeared into the population, slowly training and awaiting the emergence of their legacies. Their hope is to re-establish life on Lorien and rebuild its prosperous civilization.

The Mogadorians followed them to Earth, however, and each of the nine is hunted down by these sadistic soldiers. Fortunately, they are under Lorien’s protection and can only be killed in numerical order. When Number Four, going by the name John Smith, is alerted through a painful tattoo that Number Three has just perished, he knows the Mogadorians are coming after him next.

Now established in the small town of Paradise, Ohio, John and his trainer Henri attempt to lay low. Unfortunately, John falls for beautiful Sarah and runs afoul of Mark James, captain of the football team and a bully. He also becomes friends with Sam Goode, an alien conspiracy theorist.

As the school year passes, John is forced to evade questions about his origins, while Henri continues to push his training and work on his legacies, which include resisting fire and minor telekinesis. Unfortunately, a party at Mark James results in the house burning down, and John is observed saving Sarah and Mark’s dogs from the second floor room where they were stuck. Now John’s picture and name is out on the Internet. With no time to spare, John and his friends must get ready for the Mogadorians’ assault and their dreaded monsters. Can a motley group of aliens and humans survive one of the savagest races in the galaxy?