I Am Number Four [Kindle Edition]

Once there were nine, sent to keep their race alive, kept divided for their safety. Now three are dead, and the rest will have to fight for their survival. Number Four is John Smith. He's just had to flee Florida with his guardian Henri for fear of discovery, and now with their new identities they have settled in Paradise, Ohio. Simple rules have kept John alive - never stand out, never get noticed, never reveal who you are and always be ready to leave. But now those rules are getting harder and harder to keep, and John is putting himself at risk...

This was one of those books I kept hearing about but put off reading as more than a couple of people had described it as Twilight from the guy's perspective. After seeing the previews for the upcoming movie, my curiosity was piqued enough that I grabbed a copy from my local library. I really enjoyed this and, while I understand the comparisons with Twilight, found it to be unique among most of the current young adult offerings.

I found the plot to be reminiscent of Roswell and Dark Angel, but different enough to be interesting. The blurb really caught my attention, and although I was a little nervous about it being written in first person the storyline sucked me in to the point that I barely noticed the writing style which would usually irritate me. The book has a really lyrical, descriptive quality to it and I think it will make an incredible movie.

I liked John as a main character and he is well developed. I especially liked his friend Sam with all his conspiracy theories and alien obsession, and his guardian Henri. I will admit that most of the characters are a little stereotypical in their appearance, and racial diversity is pretty much non-existent. However, I'd rather have a book full of only blue-eyed blondes than one where the author forces different races into the storyline and the book becomes a mess of stereotypes.

Now the things I didn't enjoy so much, although there isn't much. I did see a couple of the twists coming quite early on but the only thing that really bugged me was that the author is actually a character in the book. It seems like cheating and a cheap ploy to play with little kid's minds. It didn't affect my enjoyment of the book, but it does affect my respect for the author.

All in all this was a great read and I'm looking forward to reading The Power of Six when it is released.

Plot: 9/10
Characters: 9/10
Ending: 10/10
Enjoyment: 10/10
Cover: 10/10

Overall: 48/50

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.

awesome book - I can definately see why it has already been optioned for a film. I have read a few reviews complaining it is too simplistic or famous fivey but I don't really know what the fuss is about - it is YA fiction not hard core sci fi. I really wish people would take a story for what it is rather than always trying to compare it to something else.

I loved the premise of this book from the outset (I am secretly a little bit of a sci fi girl - but only a little bit). The whole idea that aliens are among us isn't original but I liked the twist that they were here to escape other aliens in the hope that they would return to their own planet once again. Much time was spent giving you a real feel of number four's home world through his dreams/visions

The main driving force for me was the relationship between Henri and John/number four. I loved the way they were with other as if they were father and son and it felt very geniune as the story developed. I also loved Sam (he was like to John as Willow is to Buffy)

I liked the idea that John had to go and do all these normal human things like go and fit in at high school and put up with all the rubbish the new kid had to deal with like anyone else. This was good as it contrasted perfectly with the fact that he also had to get to grips with his legacies (new kick ass aliens powers). The scene where he finally starts to get to grips with them and uses them to help Henri rocked!

The story was action packed all the way through and often very gripping (I literally couldn't put it down at times) but what I liked about this was that rather than save up everything until the last moment different events were spread out through the book rather than there being a slow build up to a final event.

That's not to say the final event wasn't awesome in its own right. The final section and the battle that ensued was truly epic. It rounded the book up well and set up nicely for the next book.

The only criticism I had is that why was John more suspicious of Bernie? If I was I don't know why he wouldn't have been. I also wasn't fussed with the relationship he had with Sarah but it didn't offend me one way or the other.

A brilliant first book in what should be an epic series. I can't wait for the next one.

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