Review: I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore

Title: I Am Number Four
Author: Pittacus Lore
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 3rd August 2010
Series: Lorien Legacies #1
Source: Own Copy

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.

I decided to read this book as I want to go and see the film but with all things, I like to know what I am going into. So I picked up this book and I was surprised at how easy and quickly I fell into the story. This was one of those books where you are lying in bed saying just one more chapter and before you know it, it's 3am and you have work in the morning!! This is the first book of 6 planned books and I can't wait for the next one.

This story begins with number Four knowing that he will be next in the sequence of his kind to die. You are thrown right into the story with the back story and explanations of who they are and why they are on earth slowly being revealed throughout the first half of the book. This is well done as it does not keep you wondering about the relationship between Four and Henri too long but you quickly care about the characters and you want to know who they are.

The relationships between Four and the other characters is also well done. The relationship between Four and Sarah does not feel too rushed and develops realistically and the friendship between Sam and Four feels very sweet and you can see how the 2 would be friends.

There were slow parts to this story but they were few and far between so the pace kept you interested. Before I knew it the action had started and story carried me along to the last page. What I really liked, and what made me smile while I was reading it, was reading about the Loric Elder called Pittacus Lore. Pittacus Lore is a pen name for the author and makes me wonder if he chose the name for the Elder first or for himself first.

This was a predictable story and you could often guess some of the plot points which were to be surprises but it was an incredibly enjoyable read. As I have said before this is a series of books I am really looking forward to and I will definitely be picking up the next in the series.