Now, I will say from the off, that I am going to try and keep this as spoiler free as possible, but there may be a few little slips here and there. If you really do not want ANY single detail in the book to be revealed, then do not read on! I'd hate to spoil the experience for you!
Written by: Pittacus Lore.
Published by: Penguin (UK), HarperCollins (US)
Format: Hardback.
Released: 23rd August 2011.
Rating: 5/5.
Official synopsis: "We are the last defence.
I've seen him on the news. Followed the stories about what happened to John Smith. 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.
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 ready 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 might be strong enough to bring the six of us together?
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. And I'm ready to fight."
When I reviewed I Am Number Four last Summer, just prior to it's publication, I said: "What we have here ladies and gentlemen, is what is sure to become the next global phenomenon of the literary world. Do not miss out!", and I have to say that The Power of Six only furthers that statement for me! When reading it, you just get the sense that this is something special.
Taking off pretty much where the first book left of, John Smith, aka Number Four, is on the run with his friend Sam, his dog/transformer/chimea, Bernie Kossar, and Number Six who joined them towards the end of I Am Number Four. The book also heavily features a brand new Loric, Number Seven who is living with her Cepan in Spain. I know that some were unhappy at finding out that there'd be a new Loric child in this book as many thought from the synopsis that it'd just be about Number Seven and we'd see nothing of Numbers Four and Six, but that is not the case. There's just about the right balance between both of the scenarios: Number Four and Number Six on the run from the FBI in America, believed to be terrorists after the destruction of the High School in Paradise, Ohio, and Number Seven in the convent trying to persuade her Cepan that they need to move, to train, that the Mogodorian's are coming and there isn't time to waste.
And boy those Mogadorian's don't let up do they? After the high profile events in America making International news, the Mogs are even more hellbent on destroying the Loric children before they can unite when they will become invincible. In this book we learn a bit more about the background of why they were chosen as the ones destined to return to Lorien and return it to its former glory, and also we learn just who or what exactly was on that second ship that left Lorien on that fateful day. As well as that some other surprises which spring up every now and again - some I'll be honest I would never of thought of! And while we're on the subject of the Mogodorian's, we also get a few glimpses of their leader and let me tell you, he is one scary, scary alien. Looking forward to seeing more of what he has to offer as the series progresses.
Again, I will say what I said last year for I Am Number Four, I love the whole idea that this is being told by a Loric elder, Pittacus Lore, but the fact that it's written in first person really detracts from this for me. I do have a little theory that perhaps all of the Nine Garde are actually one, and that one is actually Pittacus Lore chronicling the story from the future, but then I realised thinking about this actually hurt my head so I stopped. The writting is however just as addictive and captivating as that of the first.
The climax of this book is just as dramatic as that for the first, I want to say so much but am forced to say so little as it would spoil it completely. And the fact that really, we're getting two climaxes (one in America, one in Spain - which might I just say is just as dramatic if not more so!) for the price of one is brilliant! Just believe me when I say that it's nail bitting, fast paced and taut with suspense! It left me unbelievable gagging for Book Three which I'm praying is out next year!
Overall I think this book will please the legions of fans that banded together after reading Book One. It's got suspense, action, fight scenes, a teeny bit of romance is chucked in the mix too - but not enough to make boys turn away, put the book down and run a mile, it's subtle and handled really well. A great read that deserves to be a bestseller. My only hope is that the film for I Am Number Four did well enough for the makers to actually adapt this one too because the film is a brilliant adaptation (one of my favourite book to films adaptations ever...) and one only hopes that Dreamworks can work some magic on this one to!
My thanks go to the lovely Sarah at Puffin for sending out my copy after the first one sent out when walkies in the post! Cannot thank you enough for sending me this and must apologise for bombarding you with tweets while reading it!
