I Am Number Four

Pittacus Lore (author)

Penguin Books, USA: 2010; 360pp

ISBN: 9780143205135

Genres: action, adventure, science fiction

Issues: friendship, inheritance, identity

When John Smith, an apparently average fifteen year old moves to Paradise, Ohio, he is well aware that his job is to fit in; to be as ordinary as possible; to blend in with the walls. He should be good at it - he's been doing it all his life: moving towns, changing names, lying about his background and the man who looks after him. For ‘John' is one of nine alien children, the Garde, brought to earth by their guardians, protected by a powerful charm and destined to restore their race and the planet of Lorien.

The nine are chased by the Mogardorians; three are already dead. John is Number Four. He knows he is next. How, then, can he risk friendship? Or love? But there is Sam, with his interest in all things extra-terrestrial; and then there is the beautiful Sarah... Perhaps it is time to stop running.

A wonderful combination action/adventure, science-fiction and alien conspiracy theories, I Am Number Four is a very cleverly crafted narrative from the writing duo of James Frey (A Million Little Pieces) and Jobie Hughes. The pair, writing under the pseudonym of Pittacus Lore (a Lorien Elder) does a fantastic job of grabbing reader interest through a combination of mystery and menace; page-turning action and tension between characters does the rest. A slight environmental theme broadens the appeal - the Loric folk had their planet stolen because the Mogadorians were running short of natural resources and Earth is next on their shopping list.

Mostly, however, this is about a teenage alien who suffers the usual problems - bullies at school, fitting in, developing an identity separate from his carer, falling in love and making that step into the larger world of more adult responsibilities. The alien element gives it an at times comic twist as well as allowing a great deal of superhero style action in a context that allows for greater suspension of disbelief than, say, the Alex Rider novels. It is the details that give dimension and interest to what would otherwise be stereotypical characters of this genre - the (former) cheerleading queen, the gridiron star, the nerd and the (alien) new boy. These characters talk and act like real people; they have fears, hopes, dreams and they get embarrassed. They are believable and therefore maintain reader interest. Filming is already in progress and this highly visual novel will make a very appealing special effects action movie to appeal to teenagers. Good fun.

Sequel coming: The Power of Six