132 - I Am Number Four (Book Review)

I Am Number Four was another proof copy Waterstones sent me to review before official publication.

I knew before I read it that filming had already started for the book-to-movie, and the movie itself was already predicted to be one of the biggest hits - or at least the one of the most anticipated - of 2011. With this in mind I had high expectations before the book even came through my letter box. And I wasn't disappointed.

When you read as much as I do you tend to pick up on subtle differences between types of authors. For example, female authors tend to weight their books heavily with character detail and emotion while male authors load their books with history and back-story and concrete information. I Am Number Four was written by two men, and my biggest (and only) complaint would be that I was left hungry for more character development to sink my teeth in to.

Otherwise the book is fantastic.

Nine adolescent aliens and their guardians inhabit the earth having fled their home planet before it was destroyed. They have been in hiding, but they are being hunted. Slowly but surely the last of their species are being killed. This story follows one of the aliens, Number Four, and his guardian as they try to make Paradise, Ohio, their new home. Four - also known as John Smith - enrols in the local high school, and things seem to go downhill from there.

The book is riveting, packed with drama, mystery and plenty of romance and emotion, too. I might go so far as to say it is 'Twilight' for the guys and anyone else looking for a fantasy series of teens, danger and romance without the cliché mould of 'vampire & human'. Yes, series, as this is book one of six, or so I hear.

Will I reread it? Yes.
Will I recommend it? Yes.
Will I buy the rest of the series? Definitely.
Am I afraid that the movie will spoil the series' potential before it has a chance to break through? Unfortunately, yes.

Read it while you can still make up your own mind!