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12.08.2010

I am Number Four by Pittacus Lore {Audio Book}

I am Number Four by Pitticus Lore
Genre: YA Paranormal
Series: Lorien Legacies Book 1
Paranormal: Aliens
Purchase:  Amazon.com | BookDepository.com
Stalk the Author: Who is the author?? LOL
Audio Review copy from audible.com

PJVs QUICKIE POV:
Crazy as it is, this book I AM NUMBER FOUR shot onto the best-sellers list from no-where. I saw the movie trailer before I saw the book trailer...which in itself is odd - how does one get a movie deal before they have their book released. I knew the author must be juicy. So interest piqued I downloaded it as my 1 Audible credit and listened to it non-stop while I worked. I was so not disappointed. This book was charming in it's delivery, interesting in its world-building and the climatic conclusion was heart-stopping in it's intensity. I'm almost tempted to go out and purchase the book so I can compare it to the audio book.

REVIEW:
The main character and narrator calls himself Number Four. He is an alien, sent as a child from a planet that was over run by the most vilest and destructive of alien races. He and a few others are the only ones left from the Lorien race and on Earth hiding from killers of their race. A charm was put on the remaining Loriens, a charm that protects them from the evil race aliens hunting them. They can only be killed in order. Number three has just been killed... he is number four. And while he has his whole race riding on his shoulders and killers hunting his every move, Four is only a teenage boy and all he desperately wants is to just live.

I was very impressed with this novel. The voice of Four was innocent enough to be believable but mature enough to understand the weight that was on his shoulders. I thought his reactions were very on par for a teenage boy in this situation. I really liked Four. I also really enjoyed Henri and Sam, which were very well written side characters.

The story was fast-paced where it needed to be and slow-and-steady when you couldn't take the intensity any more. The climatic ending was almost over-whelming. I can not wait for the second in this series.

Things that were a bit iffy to me, some of which is a critique on the reader. I thought it was hilarious when he did female voices and kept picturing Sara as a transvestite. I don't think I've noticed anything like this before in an audio book, so I think it must have been off for me. Also, speaking of Sara, I wasn't too enraptured with her, she was just too perfect. Understandable because the narrator was Four and he was desperately in love with her - so of course she is going to look a perfect.

I was also reminded constantly that this story is very similar to the Superman story-line. Kal-el (Superman) was rocketed by his father to Earth just moments before it's destruction as was Four. Where it differs was Four's planet is invaded by an evil race of aliens and they are hunting him down on Earth - where Superman was not being hunted by evil aliens, but his own evil people of his race.

I'm being super picky though, and I'm only mentioning these things because they niggle at my mind and if I don't write them --- who else will I tell them to??

RECOMMENDATIONS:
Boys and Girls, adults and teens -- this is a cross gender, cross age book that should be enjoyed by a wide range of readers. Fans of the Percy Jackson series, Superman comics or the great Scott Westerfeld should enjoy!

News & Rumminations:
Word on the street that the authors that penned this particular novel are James Frey and Jobie Hughes. You might remember hearing about James Frey, he was the author that wrote the memoir titled  A Million Little Pieces and was then dubunked on The Smoking Gun --- with the very embarrassing piece called A Million Little Lies. The Smoking Gun claimed that Frey fabricated a lot of the stories that he told in his memoir. No matter if the stories were true or a little exaggerated, Oprah actually defended Frey and said that his book was inspiring to her and her fellow readers. So, because of this it would seem the writer, whether talented or not is reduced to releasing this great title under a pseudonym.

Personally I think it might have worked in his and Hughes favor. The novel is definitely a hit. On top of that they had a movie deal before the book was even released, so obviously Frey is a spectacular example of Bad Press is still Press.

But, while all this is well and good, I'm also wondering...what came first, the book or the movie? And, like the corporately generated Boy Bands and Pop Wonders that gained popularity during the nineties, is this one of those money generating series, much like the Patterson books, generated by Marketing Departments and Creative thinkers and then passed on to talented writers with an outline and a command to WRITE? Something to trump the AUTHOR LADIES OF RENOWN Rowling and Meyers? And should I have a problem with it if it is? Does the end justify the means --- this book was a very good end result.









16 comments:

Savannah said...

I just started to read this book today! I am super excited with your review. I too, saw the the movie trailer before the book trailer and it drew me immediately. I looking forward to watching them movie, which I convince the hubby to go see. He actually like the trailer and is interested.

Dren said...

Great review! The movie trailer looks great! But it is a bit concerning - which came first? I would hope that the book can provide more details than the movie otherwise - I'll wait for the movie :)

Stephanie Lorée said...

You should check out more about Frey and his antics. He lied to Oprah, made a huge scandal, and created a "fiction factory" where he underpays struggling writers to write under his name with zero rights to their own work.

Despite the book being fantastic or horrible, I won't buy or read the product of an author who conducts himself in such an unethical manner.

Melissa @ Mel's Books and Info said...

I've heard a great deal about this book. One librarian recently mentioned it as a great read at our state library conference. I think I am definitely going to have to add this one to my "to read" list. Thanks for the great review!

Roof Beam Reader said...

I've heard great things about this - but, like you, I heard about the movie before I even knew it was a book! I'm definitely adding it to my TBR pile, now - I have to read books before seeing the movie adaptations. I just have to!

ParaJunkee said...

@Savannah - The movie looks great and I really like the main guy that is playing Four. Yum.

@Dren - I'm convinced it all worked itself out together. One of those package deals.

@Stephanie - I just did a bit of research on the guy, I wasn't familiar with the whole thing, but that is crazy. A fiction factory??? I was thinking that might be the case, isn't their thoughts the same goes for book written by James Patterson?

I actually hadn't heard the rumors until after I got the book - didn't pay for it BTW ;) free audible credit. I'm not sure if it would have stopped me from buying the book though. I guess I have to find out more about the man and his antics. I have stopped buying/watching/reading things for much less!

@Melissa - It was very enjoyable, I hope you find it that way also.

@Adam - I have to read before also. But I never know if it is a "help or hinder" type of scenario. Sometimes the movies are so disappointing after you read the book - like I know I wouldn't have liked the first Twilight movie without reading the book.

Stephanie Lorée said...

Parajunkee: I totally understand. When I mentioned this movie trailer to my writer-buddy, she pointed the "fiction factory" and everything out to me. I was really disappointed, but I've boycotted things for less too. :)

Anonymous said...

If anyone wants to read more about the fiction factory, here's an article about it. So gross.
I still kind of want to read the book, though.

Missie, The Unread Reader said...

I think if I had known the history of this book, I wouldn't have bought it. It is still sitting on my shelf, unread.

I'm glad to know it is good and that you enjoyed it, but I think it is sick that Frey steals all the credit from the actual writer. He claims he fills in the pieces that a new writer can't do, and the writer isn't even allowed to talk publicly about his contributions to the book.

Sure, Frey's Fiction Factory may be one way to overcome writer's block, but I can't help feeling that the writers are taken advantage of because of all the promises of fame with movie deals.

Check this out:
http://nymag.com/arts/books/features/69474/

Missie, The Unread Reader said...

P.S. I actually listened to Lover Mine by JR Ward on audio book, and it was read by a man. I had the same reaction of envisioning transvestites when I heard him doing the females voices. It was funny. ;)

Tales of Whimsy said...

FAB review. I can not wait to read and see this.

ParaJunkee said...

@Steph - thanks for the information, I need to sit and ponder this.

@Loganeturner - Running to read that article now, thanks so much for chiming in and expanding on this.

Ya'll rock!

@Missie - It's a good book, don't get me wrong, but products off assembly lines sometimes are better than their hand-crafted brethren...sometimes. Now, this puts into question the other writer that I mentioned, Jobie Hughes. Does that means HUGHES is the actual author and Frey is just the leach who financed the writing and filled in the pieces??

And how is this different than say authors writing pieces together. Who writes it, who edits it? are they just using someones big name with another writer on the coattails! Oh the questions!

June G said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
ParaJunkee said...

@June - egads! The heart-break of being screwed over in that way! Well it is out that he wrote it now, I've seen it on different web sites all over the place, so maybe it can better serve Hughes in his later endeavors. I can't imagine this! Thanks for chiming in hun.

ParaJunkee said...

Oh...and I loved your book Mr. Hughes! Can't wait to read more of your craft - especially if you get your name on it!

bibliophile brouhaha said...

Hello, just wanted to chime in, as well - I've been avoiding the temptation to get this book because of the Frey situation. I hate to 'punish' that author for what Frey does, but it sounds like he doesn't get much credit to being with. Andrea Cremer sounded off about this when the NYT article of the Frey factory broke - you can read it at http://blurredhistory.blogspot.com/2010/11/know-your-worth.html.

-Linds, bibliophile brouhaha

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