Review: I Am Number Four

I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore

I am Number Four is about John Smith (that’s his name for now, anyway). John is not a normal boy, but is in fact an alien from the planet Lorien. John’s planet was attacked when he was young, and he and nine other children escaped with their protectors and headed for the nearest planet that would support life: Earth.
The race that destroyed Lorien, the Mogadorians, are now after the nine who escaped. The nine are protected by a charm, though, so they can only be killed in the numerical order they were given. One through three were found and killed, and John is number four.


When John finds out three was killed, he and his protector Henri hightail it out of Florida, their latest of many homes, and make for Paradise, Ohio. In Paradise, John starts to develop the powers that natives of Lorien developed, makes friends and enemies, has a girlfriend for the first time, and even shares his secret with a few peers. He and Henri live in Paradise for about 6 months, one of the longest stretches they have ever lived anywhere. However, their peace comes to an abrupt end when the Mogadorians find John and come to destroy him.

I really enjoyed I Am Number Four. I liked John and I felt that he reacted to his particular situation as any 15 year old would: he was frustrated and rebellious. He was still responsible (usually) and was diligent in his training and good at keeping his secret. When the time came, he rose up to the challenge to fight the Mogadorians, and with help was able to escape. I look forward to reading the next books in the Lorien Legacies and finding out more about the John’s legacies, as well as the other Lorien survivors. I Am Number Four definitely kept me entertained and turning pages.