Book Review: The Fall of Five

The Fall of Five (Lorien Legacies #4)

By: Pittacus Lore

Published By: HarperTeen

Publication Date: August 27, 2013

Page Count: 352

Buy it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or IndieBound

Source: Kindly Provided by Publisher

Audience: Young Adult - Science Fiction

Review of Book #2: The Power of Six

Review of Book #3: The Rise of Nine

In The Fall of Five all but one of the Garde from Lorien are united, and thinking seriously about how to tackle the Mogadorians who are trying to exterminate them and take over the Earth. After a showdown with Setrakus Ra, the chief Mog, in the last book they are feeling a little under prepared. They didn't quite have their butts kicked, but they need to work as a team if they have any chance. 

To some extent the title gave away the plot in this installment of the Lorien Legacies. I really liked the title, but I was completely wary of number Five when he appeared. I thought this might ruin the book, but actually it really didn't. I enjoyed watching him like a hawk, along with the other members of the Garde - he just wasn't quite right, didn't fit in, and unraveling his mystery was really fun. I liked that element as so far all the Garde have got on pretty well, so throwing in a bit of a misfit was really interesting. 

I felt like in the last book, The Rise of Nine, there wasn't much left to get out of these stories and the plot had backed itself into a corner, but I was really pleased to see the story expand and move in a direction I had not previously considered. The elements that I enjoy were still there; action, cool abilities developing, and a smidgeon of romance; this time though it felt like the stakes had been raised. I wasn't wrong, some serious stuff happened at the finale and has set up the next (and likely final) book to be a real humdinger. I didn't quite shed a tear at the climactic events, because I am not sure exactly if what I think happened really did. But boy, if that really happened... next time I'll be gutted!! Cryptic yes, but I can't spoil the plot! 

Summary:

The Garde are finally reunited, but do they have what it takes to win the war against the Mogadorians?

John Smith—Number Four—thought that things would change once the Garde found each other. They would stop running. They would fight the Mogadorians. And they would win.

But he was wrong. After facing off with the Mogadorian ruler and almost being annihilated, the Garde know they are drastically unprepared and hopelessly outgunned. Now they’re hiding out in Nine’s Chicago penthouse, trying to figure out their next move.

The six of them are powerful, but they’re not strong enough yet to take on an entire army—even with the return of an old ally. To defeat their enemy, the Garde must master their Legacies and learn to work together as a team. More importantly, they’ll have to discover the truth about the Elders and their plan for the Loric survivors.

And when the Garde receive a sign from Number Five—a crop circle in the shape of a Loric symbol—they know they are so close to being reunited. But could it be a trap? Time is running out, and the only thing they know for certain is that they have to get to Five before it’s too late.

The Garde may have lost battles, but they will not lose this war.

Lorien will rise again.