The Power of Six

Let's be honest: it's not very good. The writing isn't awful, but it's not great. The plot is full of holes that are badly patched. Plot twists that come out of nowhere (not in a good way), and solutions that are too convenient. Villains that are stereotypical and one dimensional, conveniently turning to ash when they die so there's no guilt or conflicting emotions when a hero kills them. They're so "evil" that they're dehumanized and so aren't even interesting.

But there's a certain enjoyable aspect about it. It's different than most YA literature in that it's science fiction (sort of) and focuses on a boy rather than a girl. It has more action than romance.

I just really wish it were better. If it didn't take itself so seriously, it show more might be. But it just isn't that great. show less

The Power of Six by Pittacus Lore (Lorien Legacies #2)
Pages: 406
Release Date: August 15th, 2011
Date Read: 2011, September 29th - October 1st
Received: Library
Rating: 5/5 stars
Recommended to: 14+

This summary contains spoilers for the 1st book. If you haven't read I Am Number Four, but would still like to hear my thoughts on The Power of Six, just skip the summary!

SUMMARY -
Marina is one of the orphans of a convent in Spain, but in reality she is more than that. She is a Garde, Number Seven, native of the planet Lorien. Her Cepan is a nun in the convent, and it seems she has forgotten their mission. But Marina knows she must do something. Others are out there, fighting, using their Legacies, while she sits in the same town for years with show more only one friend to speak of and nowhere to train herself to use her Legacies.

John Smith is on the run, mourning the loss of his father figure and friend, Henri. He has teamed up with his best friend, Sam, and Number Six, who came to the rescue during their fight at the School in Paradise, Ohio. But now they are being pegged as terrorists, trained weapons to be stopped. John is struggling with loving Sarah, the girl he left behind, and liking Six, the girl he's with now and could someday build a life with.

And there is a storm brewing; the Mogadorians are growing more and more powerful; their leader could show up at any time, and something big is happening in Spain. Can the Garde stop the Mogadorians? Can they unite as one force and finally defeat their enemies, once and for all?

MY THOUGHTS -
Holy freaking crud. I had no idea it would be like this. There was no telling which way things would go, and even as they happened my mouth hung open in disbelief. This book is right on. The authors totally know their craft - they are story crafters at the finest.

The Power of Six has a completely different feel to it than I Am Number Four. At first I wasn't sure if I liked it, but it turns out it was just as excellent. And the writing! So neat!! In my review for the first book, I mentioned how I didn't like their short sentences at first, but grew to love their style. This time around the style hadn't changed, but the talent had. It matured and smoothed out and lengthened the sentences and made everything way cool. It was very interesting to witness that change.

CHARACTER NOTES -
John, oh John. He's just...the best. Who am I kidding - I love him. He's awesome and I'd seriously love to meet him and be his bestie if he were real. I'm so glad The Power of Six wasn't just about Marina or Six, because I would have missed John super much.

Sam Goode, too. I love that kid, with his shaggy hair and his "turd" look (don't ask - just know it was hilarious!). He's awesome, the coolest best friend anyone, especially an alien, could ask for.

Six was more prominent and it was nice to get to know her. I really like her, with her hard edges and tough story.

And Marina! Her side of this story was totally and completely engrossing, because she is who she is. Her desire to do something now, to get out there and fight, despite her lack of training, made her irresistible. I just love her. She tugged at my heart and gave the story even more emotion than there already was, which was surprisingly a lot. She and Ella and some of their fight scenes and their desperation to live had me so emotionally involved I found myself holding my breath, afraid for them, more than once. I believe that's a sign of good characters, don't you think?

STORY NOTES -
Dang, these fight scenes are epic. And that's an understatement. I can still picture quite a few of them instantly, word for word, as thought I'd just read them. They take up quite a lot of this story, filling it to the brim with intensity. Some of these scenes even had the craziest twists. And the end - it's such a cliffhanger to me!! I mean, it's wrapped up well, but...what is going to happen next?!?!

But this story is also emotionally gripping, as I've mentioned before. There are so many personal struggles in these characters I love that it was hard not for me to turn the pages quickly, searching and grasping and the words to see how things would turn out. The invoked emotion, especially for Marina, surprised me, just like it did when I was first introduced to John.

The Rise of Nine - you have a lot to carry on your shoulders to make up for leaving me in the dark for so so long!

SUMMING IT UP -
Epic. Truly, truly. This book is worth every inch of the giant five stars I give it.

For the Parents -
A bit of nondescript kissing; some brief strong language. (1 GD, a few s**t, 1 d**k) Overall, about the same as the first book. 14+ show less

I enjoyed "I Am Number Four". Despite a very familiar premise, it was well done and had potential. The sequel novella, "I Am Number Four: The Lost Files: Six's Legacy", was interesting and really pulled me in. The Power of Six blew them both away. Book one was told from Four's perspective, and the novella from Six's. This book switches between Seven narrating her life to this point while following the news for any hint of John, and Six, John and Sam on the run from the human authorities and the Mogs. I liked the alternating perspective because it kept the pacing of the book fast. It was action-packed with tension, chases and fight scenes. The author didn't slack by having Seven be just another copy of Six and Four's lives, either. Her show more Cepan lost faith and turned her back on Lorien, leaving Seven at a serious disadvantage. But she does have some very cool legacies. Also, John finally opens his chest and reads the letter from Henry. I've wondered how 9 kids were supposed to stand against a race that wiped out an entire world of people gifted like they are, and the book actually addresses this. The letter also has unexpected consequences for Sam, who has evolved from being just a tagalong to an ally. Plus, there's the surprising, and welcome, addition of the new character Ella.

However, the book has a serious flaw. The romantic element started out predictable, moved to frustrating, and quickly became damn annoying. John's starting to fall for Six, but he loves Sarah. Sam likes Six too. Sam is John's friend but also jealous of him. Six likes-likes Sam, but also John. Bleh. I might not have been so annoyed except we're expected to believe these teens would be just like normal teens, only with homicidal aliens who murdered their parents after them! Sorry, I don't buy these kids making stupid, life-risking decisions (which John does on more than one occasion) because they're in "love". John doesn't just risk his life, but also Six and Sam. This after watching Henry die? Thankfully, the romantic element was significantly reduced compared to book 1 in favor of plot development. Also, it seems ridiculous that Henry would leave John a chest full of items that he doesn't know how to use and could even endanger him. Henry knew he could (and likely would) die at any time. It felt contrived. These were minor issues though. Overall, this was an engrossing read with a electrifying conclusion that left me eager for the next book. Highly recommended! show less

DANG IT. ANOTHER BOOK IN THE SERIES IS DONE. WHY?! ...and more importantly: When's the next book coming out? 8I ...cause I'm not sure I can take this waiting thing.


If you're reading the series and paying attention to my reviews at all, you'll know that I fangirled over the first book in this series, I Am Number Four. Well, reading The Power of Six has turned up with pretty much the same results. If nothing else, it's nice to see that an author's writing can continue to be consistently interesting and gripping, promising and exciting, as well as delivering things in a manner that shows a clear writing style. Like the previous book, The Power of Six builds up gradually, at a relaxed pace, and then it all randomly bursts and begins to rush show more you forward from one action scene to another. If nothing else, Pittacus has the roller-coaster feeling down pact.

He. Is. Doing. An. Amazing. Job.

I'm not gonna go on the whole "trying to convince you to read this" trip again. If you're here at all, it's because you showed enough interest in the first book in order to pick up the second (or at least check out a review about it). You can expect much of the same in this book as was in the last. Less emphasis on the normal and everyday however, and much, much more on the growing war. And trust me, ladies and gents, the war's a'comin'. If this book doesn't make it clear, then nothing will.

I think the last thing I have to say is that, once again, I can't help but praise the way that Pittacus has a way of surprising you. You're constantly expecting one thing to happen, and even when you're right, things never unfold quite how you expect them to. He's great at doing that to you. And for most readers, that's essential for keeping a story interesting. I also like how he took the unfolding romance in stride in this book. It's weird, and I'm not sure if it's settled quite well with me yet, but the way he handled it, I'm not as ruffled as I was initially. At the very least, no one's deceiving anybody about their emotions, and trust me. That's hard to find. Especially in today's crap. Not even gonnna give them the decency of titling them "books", because they haven't earned that right.

BUT! I digress! In the end, this book is really worth continuing. If anything, things are maintaining the same level of intrigue and excitement that fluxes throughout the first book. It's done very well, and if you haven't already, give this series a shot. If you've tried it out and it's just not your genre or not your taste at all, then that's fine. Someone else might like it more. My advice though is to definitely check it out. I think you'll find it a very entertaining and engaging read. show less

I really liked this book and I found it even better than the first book!! The lack of Sarah made this so much more enjoyable. Meeting seven, Nine and Ten was great also. I am just super frustrated with the end of the book!! I didn't want them all split up and I didn't want Sam to be in trouble and the leader is there so that sucks. But I mean I'm finally happy to be reading a book with amazing character and plot development. Nothing is rushed or too slow. Everything is done in perfect timing.

This is a super fun series. It is always action packed with lot's of twists and turns that keep you dialed in to the action. I picked up the first book in this series I am Number Four to read along with my tween daughter. We both loved that book and couldn't wait to follow along on the further adventure in The Power of Six. In the new novel, the story is told from the point of view of Four/John Smith in the U.S. and a new character Seven/Marina in Spain. We are introduced to many new characters, hello seven, nine, and ten, some mysteries (who was that in the tunnel?), and even some surprises (Sarah). My only complaint is the minute detail of some of the battles and skirmishes. It would be great for a movie but in the book it all starts show more to run together. As a mom I appreciate having a book series that both my daughter and I can enjoy. A lot of the teen books have too much sexually explicit content in them for my taste. The romance depicted her is pretty chaste. There is also a good moral message about sticking up for your friends and being loyal. I don't really like science fiction but there is just something so endearing about how these characters are written that keep me caring about them. I look forward to further reading from the Lorien Legacy series. show less

Eh.

* Warning: moderate spoilers follow! *

Having recently read – and thoroughly enjoyed – I Am Number Four, I promptly ordered the three other books in the Lorien Legacies series (The Power of Six, The Rise of Nine, and The Lost Files). Much to my disappointment, The Power of Six proved underwhelming at best.

Book #2 in the Lorien Legacies picks up where I Am Number Four left off. It’s several weeks after the epic showdown at the high school. John, Sam, and Six are in hiding and on the run from both the US authorities (which has labeled them terrorists) and the Mogadorians. They flee, they fight; they flee and fight some more. They hide and train. After learning that Sam’s father was an ally to the Garde – and may have stashed show more valuable information and supplies in an underground bunker – they return to Paradise, Ohio, to retrieve the goods. Unsurprisingly, both the FBI and the “Mogs” discover them; after another skirmish, during which John loses his Chest to the Mogadorian soldiers, John and Sam are apprehended by the police and jailed. Another skirmish, this time with the Mogs laying siege to the police department. After escaping, John and Sam separate from Six in order to retrieve his Chest – most likely stashed in Mog HQ in a West Virginian cave – while Six travels to Spain to help who she suspects is another member of the Garde, under attack from the Mogs. (Now that John and Six have hooked up, the charm is broken.) In the process, John loses Sam but finds and rescues Nine – and Six comes to the aid of Seven, now short a Cêpan.

And...that’s about it. I’ve never had so little trouble summing up a book’s plot before!

The “teaser” chapters included I Am Number Four hinted that the story’s narrator might change – from John to Number Seven, otherwise known as Marina. In hiding in a convent in Spain, Marina’s Cêpan has long since abandoned her duties, succumbing instead to the certainty and comfort provided by devout religion. Holding out hope that the Garde will one day reunite, Marina scans the news for any signs of her fellow Loriens – including John Smith. This is how we meet her: a lonely, forsaken young girl, just coming into her abilities, trying to connect with her brethren. Though they share much in common, Marina’s journey has been vastly different from that of John Smith. Through her eyes, a fresh perspective; her words offer a new story.

Alas, only half of The Power of Six is narrated by Marina. The voices alternate between John’s and Seven’s, sometimes changing chapter by chapter, other times more quickly, usually to impart a sense of urgency. This was a rather disappointing surprise (though not altogether unexpected), as I was looking forward to a new storyteller – perhaps with a slightly different tale to tell, and from a female perspective, at that. I think one could argue that allowing a different member of the Garde to narrate each successive book in the series is an interesting, fresh, engaging strategy. We already know John Smith’s story; why not let Six or Seven pick up the torch?

All in all, the The Power of Six proved rather boring. I Am Number Four featured one massive, climactic battle from which John & Co. barely escaped with their lives (indeed, Henri did not). In contrast, THE POWER OF SIX has many battles – each less interesting and impressive than the one before. In making these confrontations more commonplace, they authors also render them mundane, ordinary: nothing to write home about.

Likewise, though the odds are never in their favor (many of these battles are between two or three Loriens and human plus one Chimera – BK! - on the one side – and literally hundreds of Mogadorian soldiers and their own feral, angry beasts on the other!), our heroes always manage to triumph while sustaining little or no damage. Granted, their Legacies are developing rapidly, but still. (And yes I realize the absurdity of arguing realism in a sci fi series about alien wars; but these fights are becoming increasingly implausible nonetheless.)

Whereas I Am Number Four featured a wealth of information about the fantastical planets of Lorien and Mogadore (and the catastrophic war between the two), The Power of Six is light on sociocultural history – a shame, since this is what I most liked about the first book.

Also a shame: the writers backpedal on Loric monogamy. When John begins to develop feelings for Six, he freaks out – he’s supposed to love Sarah and Sarah only! Six reassures him with her Cêpan’s tales of multiple Lorien loves; some Loriens are monogamous for life, it seems, but not all. While the gross inequities inherent in a relationship between a Lorien and a human (humans being serial monogamists at best) could have proved a fertile ground for the writers (see e.g. Nekropolis), they all but erase the potential with this plot twist. To add insult to injury, they throw in a love “square” between John, Sarah, Sam, and Six. Yawn. (Although if it develops into a polyamorous relationship, all the better!)

Finally, while Bernie Kosar exhibits increasingly complex thought processes throughout the series – including advanced planning and logic – the implications of this are never explored. Chimera (as well as Mogadorian animals) seem to be nothing more than pets – and Bernie, a glorified guard dog – with no more rights or regard than nonhuamn earthlings. Not only are these beings sentient, but they’re intelligent by human standards, as evidenced by the telepathic conversations Four and Nine have with BK. Yet another plot thread dropped in the service of action and style.

A quick, light read, The Power of Six might be forgettable enough if not for its predecessor. Since I so enjoyed I Am Number Four, however, its follow-up is quite the letdown. I’ll keep reading the series, if only because I already own the next two books. But I really wish I’d just borrowed them from the library instead.

P.S. RIP Olivia, we hardly knew ya!

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