I went to Spain to find Seven, and I found even more, including a tenth member of the Garde who escaped from Lorien alive. Ella is younger than the rest of us, but just as brave. Now we're looking for the others--including John.
THEY know the charm is broken.
THEY know we're all in danger now.
THEY are determined to find us before
WE find each other.
WE must come together.
WE are Lorien and Earth's only hope, and
WE are prepared to sacrifice everything.
POWER IN NUMBERS WILL SAVE US ALL.

All the Lore fans in the house- raise the roof!

I have to admit that I wasn't really into the Lorien Legacies books until last month, but here I am now! I spent a few weeks breezing through I Am Number Four, and when The Power of Six ended so abruptly, I was clawing my way towards the book box; frantically reaching for the third installment in the series. Needless to say, The Rise of Nine did not disappoint.

The Rise of Nine is definitely better than it's predecessors. The best book in the series so far, I have to say. It's riveting and I often found myself completely immersed into the story because I wanted to know what would happen next. It's a nicely done plot that's complex yet simply riveting in a sense. It's action-packed and gives you an adrenaline rush unlike any other, but somehow Lore manages to slow down at just the right intervals, giving us simply raw moments that are just beautiful.

The book picks up from where The Power of Six left off. Six is travelling with other members of the Garde and a Cepan in hopes of locating Number Eight. Meanwhile, Four is travelling with Nine, trying to figure out where to go from there. I can't tell you much about the story without revealing the plot, and I know that some of you haven't read the series yet, so that's all I can say. We do get introduced to a lot of new characters though, resulting in significant amount of character development.

Four is still as stubborn and reckless as ever, but he does grows up a lot and matures through the book. He now has a sense of awareness of the missions he has to fulfill, but he still wavers when it comes to deciding between duty and friendship and makes a lot of stupid decisions. Luckily, Nine is there to punch some sense into him. Nine has to be my favorite member of the Garde so far. He is the exact opposite of Four, living in heavily populated cities rather than hiding in small towns like Paradise, Ohio. He is often rash and uses brute force, but he has his head in the game and knows exactly what to do. I am quite apathetic about Six, Seven, Ten, and the newly introduced member; Eight. They stay neutral throughout the book and didn't really leave much of an impression on me. The author shows us a vulnerable side of Six though, and I really enjoyed that rare moment when the strong and fierce Six shows a heartbreakingly raw and humane side.

The alternating perspectives between Four, Six and Seven really makes the book a lot more interesting. It was refreshing to hear the story told through different perspectives. I did get a bit confused at times because of the lack of headings, but the voice of each character really comes through and it doesn't take long to figure out whose head you're in.

The series is one of the best out in the market today, but it does have it's flaws. I can't ignore the fact the execution and pacing is similar in each book. It's just a constant repetition of running, hiding, waiting, and learning something that twists the plot at the end of the book. The sentences sometimes end abruptly, and it ticks me off. I would also have liked it if the author described the situations a bit more, because sometimes I felt like something was lacking. Pittacus Lore has clearly done it again by delivering such a strong installment. This guy definitely knows how to convert a sci-fi virgin into a sci-fi fanatic. I just wish that he would stop adding more than necessary to the plot, and focus on the problems at hand.

The Rise of Nine definitely rose above my initial expectations. It is an action-packed and fast-paced read that all kinds of readers would enjoy. Filled with a diverse set of characters that you'll fall in love with coupled with a plot that would blow your mind, The Rise of Nine is a definite must-read. If you're an avid reader who is stuck in a reading slump or a non-reader who's looking for a good novel to start out with, The Rise of Nine is the perfect book for you.

THE NUB AND GIST: 4 STARS

Buy the book from: The Book Depository | National Bookstore | Fully Booked