“In the beginning there were nine of us.”

From Pittacus Lore’s Lorien Legacies: I Am Number Four.

When their home planet of Lorien was destroyed by an alien race called Mogadorians, the leaders developed a plan that would give both the Lorien and human races a chance at survival.  Nine children were gathered, given an adult guardian, and loaded onto a ship to Earth.  Once on Earth, their proximity also became their greatest threat; a protection was placed on the group of children (Garde) so that as long as they stayed away from each other, the kids couldn’t be killed out of order.  For the past ten years, John (Four) and his guardian (Henri) have been hiding and moving all over America; unfortunately, after the Mogadorians conquered Lorien, they set their sights on Earth and the Lorien survivors.  One, Two, and Three have all been hunted and killed, which means that John is next.  Henri and John step up their vigilance and move to the middle of Ohio in an attempt to stay off the Mogadorian’s radar.  John only wants to live a normal life and he feels like that could be possible with a girl named Sarah and a nerdy kid named Sam.  Things quickly fall apart, though as John realizes that he has started to develop the special abilities/powers that he has been waiting for and that the Mogadorians are already on their way to John’s new home.

The first book in the Lorien Legacies series is full of action and suspense, but also enough heart to bring the characters to life.  John’s character is the perfect lead and does well because he not only wants to survive, but to also help others survive.  The book’s story is more developed than the movie adaptation and builds a strong, interesting foundation for the rest of the series.  I Am Number Four is a must-read for fans of the sci-fi genre and a thoroughly enjoyable read for other readers, as well.