Review: The Rise of Nine - Pittacus Lore

The Rise of Nine by Pittacus Lore, published by Penguin on 30th August 2012

Goodreads synopsis:
They caught Number One in Malaysia.
Number Two in England.
And Number Three in Kenya.
They caught me in New York - but I escaped.

I am Number Six. The Mogodorians want to finish what they started.

But they'll have to fight us first.

Review:
This is one of my favourite series of all-time!  It's addictive and gripping and the long wait between books is unbearable.  'The Rise of Nine' is the third instalment in the Lorien Legacies by Pittacus Lore and yet again was a heart-stopping and pulse-pounding read.  I literally couldn't put it down.  There's edge of your seat action from the word go and it's compulsive reading for fans of the series.

The story is this time narrated by three characters: Four, Six and Seven, so we're treated to multiple perspectives of events.  Four is with Nine and Six and Seven are together along with Ten, so the story switched between the two viewpoints.  A different typeface was used for each narrator but it perhaps would have been easier to have had each chapter headed with the character's name as it sometimes took me a couple of seconds to work out who was now speaking.  Four has always been my favourite character but he has to take a little bit of a backseat to what seemed to be the main story of Six and Seven's hunt to find Eight.  It's great to see them all gradually coming together.  I can only imagine what it's going to be like when all of them are reunited.

I really like the way that they are learning more about each other and their own abilities. Their legacies compliment each other and when they are fighting as a group they are always stronger and more powerful. Their greatest foe so far is revealed in the book and he turns out to be a formidable enemy who it's going to take their combined strengths to defeat.

We don't get to see much of Sam and Sarah which was a shame as Sam in particular is another of my favourites.  It's interesting having two humans in the mix though as they are so much more vulnerable than the others but still determined to do their fair share of the fighting. 

The story is spread over a wide geographical range, skipping from Chicago, to India, to New Mexico.  The part of the book set in India was especially good, as they try to track down Eight.  He turned out to be unlike anything I'd imagined.  He has really powerful legacies and has learnt to survive on his own after the death of his Cepan.  There's hints of a romance developing between him and Seven which I hope is explored further in the future.       

I can't wait to see if Number Five makes an appearance in the next book in the series.  As far as I know, there are another three books planned so lot's more action and adventure still to come.  It's the event of the year when a new book in the series is published so I'll be counting down the days until the next one.  

Trailer: The Lorien Legacies - Pittacus Lore

On 12th April, Penguin Razorbill will be publishing the paperback edition of 'The Power of Six' by Pittacus Lore. 

I've seen him on the news. Followed the stories about what happened in Ohio. John Smith, out there, on the run. To the world, he's a mystery. But to me . . . he's one of us.

Nine of us came here, but sometimes I wonder if time has changed us—if we all still believe in our mission. How can I know? There are six of us left. We're hiding, blending in, avoiding contact with one another . . . but our Legacies are developing, and soon we'll be equipped to fight. Is John Number Four, and is his appearance the sign I've been waiting for?

They caught Number One in Malaysia.
Number Two in England.
And Number Three in Kenya.
They tried to catch Number Four in Ohio—and failed.

I am Number Seven. One of six still alive.

And I'm ready to fight.

This is the second book in the series and is a fantastically thrilling read.  The Lorien Legacies is one of my favourite series and each installment seems to be even more gripping than the last.  You can read my review of the book here

Here's also the brilliant trailer for the series which offers a tantalising glimpse at 'The Rise of Nine' which is due out on 30th August 2012. 

Review: The Power of Six - Pittacus Lore

The Power of Six by Pittacus Lore, published by Penguin on 23rd August 2011

Goodreads synopsis:

I've seen him on the news. Followed the stories about what happened in Ohio. John Smith, out there, on the run. To the world, he's a mystery. But to me . . . he's one of us.

Nine of us came here, but sometimes I wonder if time has changed us—if we all still believe in our mission. How can I know? There are six of us left. We're hiding, blending in, avoiding contact with one another . . . but our Legacies are developing, and soon we'll be equipped to fight. Is John Number Four, and is his appearance the sign I've been waiting for? And what about Number Five and Six? Could one of them be the raven-haired girl with the stormy eyes from my dreams? The girl with powers that are beyond anything I could ever imagine? The girl who may be strong enough to bring the six of us together?

Review:
I've been feverishly awaiting the release of 'The Power of Six' ever since reading and loving 'I Am Number Four' which is the first book in the series and which completely blew me away.  I was captivated by the story of John Smith and his heritage as one of the remaining Lorien Six and have been dying to find out what happens to him next.

Initially, when I knew the second book was going to be about number six I was a bit worried that the focus wouldn't be on John anymore but I needn't have worried because he's still at the heart of the story and much of the action continues to revolve around him as he faces new threats to his existence.  As the next to be killed, he's in an extremely precarious situation and danger follows him wherever he goes.

The narrative is shared between John who is still on the run along with Sam and Six, and Marina, who we're introduced to for the first time as number seven.  Marina is currently living in a convent in Spain, which doubles as an orphanage.  She's been there so long that her Cepan no longer seems to believe in the Lorien legacy and the the threat of the Mogs taking over Earth.  Marina is desperate to leave the orphanage and locate the others, even if it means leaving her Cepan behind.  It was great finally getting to see another of the Lorien survivors and although I started off being more intent on following John's journey, Marina grew on me quickly and soon her narrative had me totally engrossed.

One of the things that I really like about this series is the friendship between John and Sam.  Sam is a human and doesn't have special powers but he's incredibly loyal to John and an extremely good friend.  I love the way in which they each try to help the other out of various difficult and dangerous situations.  There are also some surprising revelations about Sam's dad and I'm looking forward to learning more about these.

Plenty more is also revealed about Six and the story she has to tell is shocking and horrifying.  It was interesting finding out how she'd survived on her own for so long and great to see her in typical kick-ass mode.  I enjoyed the interactions between her and John and the seeing the seed of romance growing between them. 

I love these books so much, from the fast-paced and unique stories, to the adventure and excitement which grabs hold from the very first page, to the continual shocks and surprises which are frequently sprung on the reader throughout.  This is a series to rival anything else on the market at the moment and anything else that's come before.  'I Am Number Six' is a breathless, unputdownable book which was mind-blowing and amazing.  Hopefully there won't be too long to wait until the next gripping installment.

Review: I Am Number Four - Pittacus Lore

Goodreads synopsis:
Nine of us came here. We look like you. We talk like you. We live among you. But we are not you. We can do things you dream of doing. We have powers you dream of having. We are stronger and faster than anything you have ever seen. We are the superheroes you worship in movies and comic books—but we are real.

Our plan was to grow, and train, and become strong, and become one, and fight them. But they found us and started hunting us first. Now all of us are running. Spending our lives in shadows, in places where no one would look, blending in. we have lived among you without you knowing.

But they know.

They caught Number One in Malaysia.
Number Two in England.
And Number Three in Kenya.
They killed them all.

I am Number Four.

I am next.

Review:

When I first heard about this book it was described as basically being a story about an alien invasion.  If that’s enough to put you off wanting to read ‘I Am Number Four’, then don’t let it because this book is about so much more.  It’s about being the newcomer in a small town and trying to fit in, it’s about the bond between fathers and sons, it’s about those pangs of first love and it’s about growing-up and discovering who you are and who you want to be.

John Smith is not your average teenager.  He's actually an alien from the planet Lorien, sent to earth, along with eight others, to be protected against attack from the evil Mogadorians.  The Mogadorians (who are crazy scary!) are intent on tracking down the nine escapees and killing them, although they can only be killed in the correct order.  3 have been dealt with already and number four (John) is next.

This is not your typical sci-fi fare.  'I Am Number Four' makes a cracking good read, which I thoroughly enjoyed.  The first half of the book is about introducing the characters and developing the emotional attachment between them and the reader.  The second half picks up the pace nicely and I found myself turning pages ever more rapidly to find out what was going to happen next.  I was rooting for John and his friends and I think my knuckles turned white from gripping the book so tightly!  The story ends leaving you wanting more, which is why 'The Power of Six' (book 2 in the Lorien Legacy) has swiftly shot to the top of my wishlist. 

I can easily see why this has already been optioned for a major movie adaptation.  I can't wait to see who they're going to cast as John.  The story just leaps off the page and you can see it clearly happening right in front of your eyes.  I would heartily recommend this book to anyone.  I loved it!