The authors’ penname is Pittacus Lore, who claims to be a ten thousand year old alien warning the world of hostile aliens living among us. I personally love the penname, and the way they use the name in the actual story. It furthers the illusion that this fiction could actually be a reality and draws the reader further into the story. The book’s authors are actually Jobie Hughes and James Frey.
Number Four is one of nine kids, called Garde, that were specifically chosen for their Legacies, or powers. The elders of their planet saved these young ones from the annihilation of their planet, Lorien, and shipped them to Earth. Another alien race called the Mogadorians came to their planet for their resources and has now moved to Earth, where they are not only infiltrating our society, but also hunting down the Nine that escaped their previous invasion. The children, most of who are now teenagers are on the run, each accompanied by an older Lorien they call their Cepans, who protect and train them individually.
Here’s the rub. As long as each of the Nine stays away from the others they have a special protection charm that only allows them to be killed in numerical order. I would have preferred a better solution than this. I thought that this was a little unfair and almost cruel to the early numbers. Because of this so-called protection charm, they must keep hidden and apart until their individual powers have fully emerged.
The first book starts with Number Four receiving his third scar, which lets him know that number three has just been killed and he is next on the list. Number Four’s Cepan, Henri, then moves him to Paradise, Ohio where you later learn Henri is seeking a human friend of the Lorien race. In this latest move, Number Four has taken the name John Smith.
Several important characters are found here in Paradise. I won’t divulge the names of each character found in Paradise that will impact the series because some of them are surprises for later books. I have recently finished the fifth and latest book, The Revenge of Seven, and although I am itching to review this book I thought it prudent to start from the beginning. A couple characters I feel should be named are Number Four’s best friend, Sam, a geeky sci fi enthusiast, and his love interest, Sarah. He also takes in a stray dog he names Bernie Kosar, who provides a surprising and enticing twist.
Number Four’s powers begin to surface, and you are taken along for the ride. It goes without saying that his training and newfound powers are an exciting read. The love interest, on the other hand, is not my favorite part of the story; however almost everyone enjoys a good love story, especially forbidden love. They do a nice job using this romance to complement the story without taking over. Number Four gets a taste of a normal human teenage life, something that fuels his determination to end the, as of now, secret war with the rival alien race. The budding friendship with the inquisitive and persistent sci fi geek, Sam, is a more interesting story, and is far from over at the end of this book.
Speaking of the end of the book, without giving too much away, I will only say that the Mogadorians finally catch up with Number Four and there is, of course, and an explosive battle. A feisty champion shows up just in time to help these new found friends escape the attack. After their cover is blown, Number Four is forced to flee to a new town, and new dangers in search for the other Garde, leaving the reader only wanting more.
I have eagerly devoured each new book, where the remaining Loriens are revealed and further battles, betrayals, and friendships ensue. There are also numerous e-books, short stories, which further the storyline and give you valuable insights to the various characters. I am impatiently awaiting the next and final book in the series due to be released in August 2015.