Honestly, I really didn’t like the first book of the Lorien Legacies series, I am Number Four. I like the series as a whole and really encourage people to read the books, but the first book really wasn’t the best work in the series. I am Number Four is about an alien named Number Four from the far-off planet Lorien. Number Four is in hiding on Earth and frequently jumps from one identity to the next. The book follows Number Four as he becomes John Smith of Paradise, Ohio. Number Four grows into his superpowers and tries to fit in with the locals of Paradise. Ironically, the town is anything but a paradise to the alien-in-hiding.

The idea and concept of the book is really good, which is what makes the rest of the series so amazing, but the main character, John, needs more development and less of a whiny attitude.  I also found that John was too distracted from his goal and purpose on Earth. Personally, I just didn’t like John’s narration of the plot’s events.

I kept reading the series because the idea of the series is great, it’s just not executed well in the first novel. Also, I continued to read the rest of the series because the author introduced one of my favorite characters in the series, Number Six aka Loric, who is a fierce warrior, at the end of the first novel.

I would give this book maybe 2 out of 5 stars. However, I do love the series as a whole and think that the following books (The Power of Six, The Rise of Nine, The Fall of Five, The Revenge of Seven, The Fate of Ten, and United as One) are really well-written and add a lot to the story of the Loric on Earth.