I Am Number Four

     “When you have lost hope, you have lost everything. And when you think all is lost, when all is dire and bleak, there is always hope.” In I Am Number Four, by Pittacus Lore, hope is essential. This book is a young adult, science fiction book, but it has action adventure and romance mixed in at the right points. Although hope is necessary, survival is the key to this book. John Smith, the main character, puts survival before everything. He has to survive to save his race. That might seem extreme, but it’s exactly what’s happening. John’s home planet, Lorien, was taken over by the Mogadorians. During the invasion, 9 Garde, people like John, and their Cêpan, or their guardians, escaped on a ship. The Garde are half of the Lorien race. They are the warriors, and they are supposed to defeat the Mogadorians. They were able to make it to Earth, but the Mogadorians, whose goal is only to destroy them, followed them. They have killed the first 3 Lorien, and John is number four.

            John Smith is a new to the small town of Paradise, Ohio. Henri, his ‘father’ (actually his Cêpan) finds a small house for them, while John tries to settle in to his new surroundings. On his first day of school, he meets Sarah Hart, a pretty junior. John also meets a new friend named Sam Goode. The year goes on, and Halloween arrives, and along with the holiday, it brings haunted hayrides. John, Sam and Sarah are planning on going together. While they are waiting for the next wagon, Sam and Henri get into an interesting conversation. They are going back and forth with alien accusations. Henri and Sam laugh many of them off, until Sam mentions an interesting one. “Did you know that the Mogadorians are on a quest for universal domination, and they have already wiped out one planet and are planning to wipe Earth next? They’re here seeking human weakness so that they can exploit us when the war begins.” (Page 130) Henri and John are terrified that someone found their secret.

            Because of the ‘legend’ that Sam told them, John and Henri work on tracking down the publishers of this tale, while they also work on developing John’s legacies. A legacy is a power that is given to the Garde. His legacies become more and more important as the book goes on. And in the midst of this whole mess, John is dating Sarah. It might seem like another problem, but in John’s life, it’s the one perfect thing. When she invites John and Henri over for Thanksgiving dinner, they eagerly accept. Before the dinner, Henri makes the trip to see the publishers, leaving John on his own. When Henri doesn’t come, John becomes worried, but doesn’t do anything drastic, at least, not at first.

            The author brings forth some interesting points. One of them is that love is above all. While this is often a point in young adult books, in this book it doesn’t always necessarily mean love of a companion. Sometimes, it’s John’s love for Henri, the closest thing he has to a father. Other times, it’s his love or his connection to his home planet that makes him keep trying. His love doesn’t have to mean he wants to marry that person. He loves his friend Sam; he loves his parents and family that he never knew. And of course, he loves Sarah, which often makes him do drastic things. No matter what kind of love John expresses, it pushes him to new heights, bringing him hope, which is exactly what he needs.

            This book makes you think about what you truly care about, and what your priorities are. Would you fly away from your family, from the life you knew, to save your kind? Not only that, how far would you go to protect what you love? John gives everything, something an average person couldn’t do. Of course, John isn’t your average person. He goes to extreme measures to protect his world, and I’m not just talking about Lorien. He wants to save everyone, and he doesn’t want to know the casualties of war.

            This book is amazing. I love books, and I love to read, but this is now easily one of my favorites. I Am Number Four is truly an amazing book. It isn’t a book that follows the instructions, “How to Write a Teen Novel.” It’s different. You can’t find another book with the same kind of plot. It’s a book that you can read over and over again, and get something different each time. If you like books like Maze Runner, or The Hunger Games, this book is definitely for you. It teaches someone that sometimes, running isn’t the answer. It also shows that although survival is key, sometimes even the priorities have to bow down to love. This book deserves an A, no doubt about it.