Most Helpful Customer Reviews
16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Surprisingly good, 9 Aug 2011
I bought this as a package deal since I was buying my wife two books at the time and got 1 free. I chose this based upon nothing more than there wasn't anything else that caught my eye in those few minutes of looking. I read the blurb when I actually decided to start reading this and my heart sank; alien invasion, people with superpowers and a storyline that seemed to be an inverse model of The Invaders - with either an impossible ending or a never ending set of 'oh they nearly got us' scenarios. Anyhow, I was pleasantly surprised. Okay, this is not the strongest of stories and it certainly is not unique. The plot is on the whole obvious and there is the constant feeling that to believe the remaining few Loriens can defeat an entire race of beings that have already trounced their planet is a step too far. There are times when you want the 'hero' to actually do something (a little Harry Potter in that he seems to be 'lucky' rather than clever or skillful). Given all of that, surely I have rated this too high!? Yet, I read this quickly and found myself wanting to continue on. I found myself enjoying this 'teen' book despite the predictability and annoying 'oh, no the hero has fallen over again!' situations. I found the writing style consistent throughout, the obvious elements satisfying and the flow set to a good rate. I gave this four (hey, it's like the title told me to do this) because it is a good read and it allows you to escape the normal run of things. It is chewing gum for the mind and helps you relax whilst keeping you engaged. I like the characters and I accepted the basic concepts. A good book in all and worth a read.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Amazing read, 27 Mar 2011
When I first heard about this book it was described as basically being a story about an alien invasion. If that's enough to put you off wanting to read `I Am Number Four', then don't let it because this book is about so much more. It's about being the newcomer in a small town and trying to fit in, it's about the bond between fathers and sons, it's about those pangs of first love and it's about growing-up and discovering who you are and who you want to be. John Smith is not your average teenager. He's actually an alien from the planet Lorien, sent to earth, along with eight others, to be protected against attack from the evil Mogadorians. The Mogadorians (who are crazy scary!) are intent on tracking down the nine escapees and killing them, although they can only be killed in the correct order. 3 have been dealt with already and number four (John) is next. This is not your typical sci-fi fare. 'I Am Number Four' makes a cracking good read, which I thoroughly enjoyed. The first half of the book is about introducing the characters and developing the emotional attachment between them and the reader. The second half picks up the pace nicely and I found myself turning pages ever more rapidly to find out what was going to happen next. I was rooting for John and his friends and I think my knuckles turned white from gripping the book so tightly! The story ends leaving you wanting more, which is why 'The Power of Six' (book 2 in the Lorien Legacy) has swiftly shot to the top of my wishlist. I can easily see why this book was optioned for a major movie adaptation. The story just leaps off the page and you can see it clearly happening right in front of your eyes. I would heartily recommend this book to anyone. I loved it!
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41 of 45 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
"We were nine. Three are dead., 1 Sep 2010
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Programme (What's this?)
I am Number Four". This introduction on the cover really piqued my interest, and was a major factor in my choosing this book. It even offset the dislike I have for "narrator names" instead of giving the true authors. Four is a teenager who has had to leave every place he has ever lived because he is being hunted by aliens who are out to kill him. He's not being paranoid, for he is an alien too and he's next on the evil aliens' hit list. With his adoptive father and mentor, John Smith (as he calls himself this time around, and he may as well wear an "I am here" tee-shirt) settles down yet again, in yet another small town. But this time things are different. He is finally developing the superpowers his people are known for. He falls in love. He befriends a geeky conspiracy theorist kid. He adopts an odd stray dog. He gets on the wrong side of the school bully, who just happens to be the school's star player, principal's pet and ex-boyfriend of his new girlfriend. That's right, John Smith has moved to Clichetown USA. I may sound like I'm being sarcastic, but despite having one dimensional baddies and a story that for the most part goes exactly where you know it will, this is actually a very enjoyable book. Don't look at me like that - I don't know why something so predictable and derivative kept me turning the pages, but there you have it. It's written with such enthusiasm and aplomb that none of the above actually mattered to me. Would I read the sequel though? No.
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