The Rise of Nine (Lorien Legacies, #3)

Spoilers below!




Okay, so I am a HUGE fan of the genre. Anything with superpowers, aliens, or even dragons, immediately grabs my attention. This is one of the reasons that I was drawn to Pittacus' Lore's alien fantasy stories.

In case you do not know the history. This is a story of a group of aliens from the lost planet of Lorien. This planet was described as a galactic utopia. One, where peace is governed by a group of nine elders that each have a different ability. They are not benevolent, but they are well aware of the threat to their world. There is a race of aliens, know as the Mogs, led by one Setrakus Ra. They are a race of pure domination and planetary destruction. Once Lorien was attacked, the elders chose nine children and blessed each with their powers (Legacies) that would develop as the children age. Each child was appointed a guardian (Cepan). They were charged with protecting and helping train the children once their Legacies develop.

The first two books take us through the lives of Number 4 (John) and Number 6. Numbers 1-3 are dead and the Mogs came after Number 4 in the first novel. The Elders of Lorien charmed each child with a number and the Mogs had to kill them in order of sequence. Each child was impervious to damage while one of their predecessors were alive.

Unfortunately, the attack on Number 4 caused Number 6 to join the fight. One of the consequences of these two joining forces was that the charm would break if any of the children met and battled together.

With the charm broken, we were taken on a journey in the second novel, to Spain where we meet Number 7. Her story is riddled with one depressing encounter after another. We also meet Number 9 at the end of this book.

This novel, takes us to India. At the end of The Power of Six, we meet Number 10. Ella, the lost child that was sent on a second ship to Earth, which only John seems to recall. We also meet Ella's Cepan, Crayton. John stays behind with Nine in West Virginia and Number 6 went to Spain to help the other survive and attack. Once the attack is over Crayton takes the group to India where we meet Number 8.

Here is where some of the questions arise for me.

1. Who made the cave paintings? I know I didn't mention them in the review. You have to read the book to find this out.
2. How do they know the entire past and possible future of each of the Guarde?
3. One of John's friends, Sam is captured at the end of the second book. Still no answer of where he is.
4. There is a battle with Setrakus Ra at the end of the book where we find out that the US Government is working with the Mogs. During this battle one of my suspicions seemed to be confirmed. Ella developed the ability of telepathy in the book. However, the ancients state that only the Guarde that inherits Pittacaus' Lore's Legacies will be able to defeat Setrakus. I thought she might have his powers. There is a scene where she is the only person that is able to hurt him during the battle. This is even more apparent, since Setrakus has the ability to strip Legacies from the group. However, Ella seems to be unaffected. Odd? Just a theory :)

Okay, enough of my blabbing. I love this series and I cannot wait for the next novel to come out. It is full of action and a mix of love. Pittacus' writing is starting to mature. There is a fine mixture of language used in this book. Beside the occasional "hell", there is a couple uses of "shit" and "dick" thrown in. Most coming from Number Nine, which, by the way, is becoming my favorite. Also, I also realized that I DO NOT want to even be someones Cepan. They all seem to die!

Hope you check out these books. Now off to my next adventure!