The Power of Six by Pittacus Lore is the sequel to the widely popular young adult science fiction novel I Am Number Four, a New York Times Bestseller that was adapted into a successful motion picture. This next installment of the “Lorien Legacies” series takes us back into the fascinating world of Lorien and the adventures of John Smith (Number Four), continuing a story line that proves engrossing.
Pittacus Lore is the author’s “pen name” (The author’s real name is a closely guarded secret.) Pittacus Lore, as the story goes, is said to be the ruling Elder from the planet Lorien which has been destroyed by aliens from another planet, Mogadoria, who now plan on attacking Earth.
Some background: The world of Lorien, having been destroyed, sends nine children with their “guardians” to Earth to save not only the Lorien civilization, but to warn the people of Earth that the alien invaders are coming and they are in danger. The nine children were dispersed to countries around the world when they landed 12 years ago and have grown up under pseudonyms with their guardians protecting them like parents.
The Mogadorians have been hiding on Earth, as well, for the past 12 years developing their plan to destroy the Earth’s population and fulfill their main goal to hunt down and kill the Lorien nine.
The children are not given specific names—just numbers—Number One through Number Nine. As they reach the age of 13 or 14, they start developing what are called Legacies, various powers that help them fight the Mogadorians.
One advantage the children have is a charm they’ve been given that protects them from harm by the Mogadorians. As such, the Mogadorians can only kill them in order of their given numbers. If a Mogadorian tries to kill one of the Numbers out of order the attempted injury will be inflicted on the Mogadorian instead.
In I Am Number Four Numbers One, Two, and Three have been killed and Number Four is next on the list. When any one of the Numbers is killed, the remaining Loriens receive a painful scar, burned into their leg, telling them that a certain Number has died. We meet Number Four (named John Smith, living in Ohio) in “I Am Number Four” and most of that book portrays him trying to avoid being captured or killed by the enemy.
At the end of the first book, John (Number Four) has met Number Six and they have joined forces to try to find the other Loriens. John and Number Six have already run across some Mogadorians and a large battle erupts at John’s high school, ending with the death of several people from the school. This causes John to become known as a terrorist to the world and the police and FBI looking for him.
The Power of Six is a reference to the six remaining children from Lorien. The book is narrated in various chapters either by Number Four or Number Six and the newly introduced Number Seven. Number Seven is called Marina and she has lived in the Spanish countryside for most of her life on Earth. She has been having dreams of other people she thinks are probably Loriens—the Numbers that are still alive. And she has begun to develop her Legacies—such as breathing underwater and moving objects around in the air.
The Loriens have spent their lives hiding and trying to blend in, and now, for the first time, are heeding a call to action to come together to fight their adversaries. The author develops the characters into really diverse, interesting, young people who realize their destiny, but are somewhat afraid to accept it.
If you haven’t read I am Number Four, start with that one first and then pick up The Power of Six You’ll be quickly hooked and looking forward to the next book in the “Lorien Legacies” series.
