The revenge of seven

Have we run out of numbers yet? The further this series gets away from the involving humanity of the first volume, I Am Number Four (2010), the less interesting it gets. Now it's a mishmash of interchangeable superpowers, uninspiring wisecracks, and plot hurdles that feel thrown only to allow more volumes to get into print. This round, Six and crew are after Eight's body, before a new revelation sends them to a magic portal in some Mayan ruins; Ella is aboard a spaceship with the mwa-ha-ha Setrákus Ra, who calls her his granddaughter; and John is still kicking ass all over the country and whatnot. A couple of semi-interesting characters do exist a double-crossing former friend and a Mogadorian gone good but even these nudges in the right direction don't fully compensate for the flimsy world building. Still, by the end, a full-on alien invasion has begun, and that ought to make for some good explosions, right? Given the series wild popularity, there are plenty of fans who will tear through this and hope for more adventures from their favorite characters.--Kraus, Daniel Copyright 2014 Booklist