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I Am Number Four: The Lost Files — by Pittacus Lore

I Am Number Four: The Lost Files Series in Order: 15 books

  • Six's Legacy

    Book - 1

    I Am Number Four: The Lost Files: The Legacies contains three action-packed novellas that give the heart-pounding backstories of some of your favorite Loriens. Originally published as the e-novellas Six's Legacy, Nine's Legacy, and The Fallen Legacie...

  • Nine's Legacy

    Book - 2

    I Am Number Four: The Lost Files: The Legacies contains three action-packed novellas that give the heart-pounding backstories of some of your favorite Loriens. Originally published as the e-novellas Six's Legacy, Nine's Legacy, and The Fallen Legacie...

  • The Fallen Legacies

    Book - 3

    ou know we're out there, living among you. You know we're waiting for our day to come. You have seen the power of our legacies. You know this is why they hunt us. You may think you know our stories. You are wrong. We each have our o...

  • The Search for Sam

    Book - 4

    When a rogue Mogadorian meets up with a mysterious amnesiac in Santa Monica, he knows that there's more to this guy than meets the eye. In fact, he might just hold the key to everything. In I Am Number Four: The Lost Files #4, discover what has ha...

  • The Last Days of Lorien

    Book - 5

    In this stunning prequel novella to the New York Times bestselling I Am Number Four series, discover what really happened in the final days of the doomed planet from the eyes of Sandor--who would go on to become the reluctant Cepan to Number Nine. ...

  • The Forgotten Ones

    Book - 6

    In this thrilling 144-page companion novella to the New York Times bestselling I Am Number Four series, learn the fate of Adam -- the Mogadorian-turned-ally of the Garde who risked his life to save Sam. Adam helped Sam Goode and his father, Malcol...

  • Five's Legacy

    Book - 7

    In this exciting seventy-five-page prequel companion novella to the New York Times bestselling I Am Number Four series, discover the true origins of the traitorous Number Five. Before allying himself with the Mogadorians, before infiltrating the Gard...

  • Return to Paradise

    Book - 8

    In this thrilling one-hundred-page prequel companion novella to the New York Times bestselling I Am Number Four series, discover what happened in the aftermath of the Mogadorians' attack on Paradise, Ohio, from Mark James -- Number Four's bully-turne...

  • Five's Betrayal

    Book - 9

    In this explosive one-hundred-page prequel companion novella to the New York Times bestselling I Am Number Four series, uncover the truth behind Number Five's unknown history with the Mogadorians. This sequel to I Am Number Four: The Lost Files: F...



  • The Fugitive

    Book - 10

    The Fugitive follows Mark James as he tries to track down Sarah Hart, evade the Mogadorians and the FBI, and discover the identity of the mysterious blogger he knows only as GUARD....

  • The Navigator

    Book - 11

    The Navigator reveals the truth about the crew of the two Loric spaceships who escaped to Earth and shows what happened to the pilots after they arrived and parted ways with the Garde....

  • The Guard

    Book - 12

    The perfect companion book to the New York Times bestselling I Am Number Four series I Am Number Four: The Lost Files: Rebel Allies is a collection of three thrilling stories by Pittacus Lore. Originally published as the e-novellas The Fugitive, ...

  • Legacies Reborn

    Book - 13

    In this game-changing 100-page companion novella to the New York Times bestselling I Am Number Four series, the Mogadorian invasion of Earth has begun and one teenager's life will be forever changed.At first, Daniela Morales thought the spaceship att...

  • Last Defense

    Book - 14

    In this electrifying one-hundred-page companion novella to the New York Times bestselling I Am Number Four series, discover what happened to Malcolm Goode after the Mogadorian alien invasion began.When the superpowered Garde split up, heading off to ...

  • Hunt for the Garde

    Book - 15

    In this villainous one-hundred-page companion novella to the #1 New York Times bestselling I Am Number Four series, get a unprecedented look at the invasion -- from three different Mogadorians hoping to conquer Earth. This novella picks up immediatel...

Series Premise

The core premise delves into the hidden histories and personal struggles of key figures on both sides of the conflict. While the main series follows the surviving Loric Garde—nine gifted children sent to Earth as children with their Cepan guardians after the destruction of their home planet Lorien—the Lost Files illuminate events that occur off the main narrative path. Stories reveal the early lives and training of individual Garde members before and during their time on Earth, explore the origins of the Mogadorian threat from an insider's view, and uncover secret missions, betrayals, and moments of moral awakening that influence the larger war. Readers gain insight into how the Loric charm that protects the numbered Garde functions, the development of their Legacies (superhuman powers), and the personal costs of hiding, fighting, and surviving while the Mogadorians hunt them in numerical order.

I Am Number Four: The Lost Files Series Reading Order

🔄 Best Read in Order · Start with Book 1: Six's Legacy

Standalone stories, but characters and relationships develop across the series.

The series is best experienced alongside or slightly after the main Lorien Legacies novels, with collections ideally read in their published sequence (such as The Legacies, Secret Histories, Hidden Enemy, and later bind-ups). The novellas were initially released individually or in small groups and later compiled into paperback collections that group them thematically or chronologically. While many individual stories can be enjoyed as stand-alones—providing self-contained emotional arcs or revelations—reading them in relation to the main series timeline maximizes impact. The Lost Files frequently reference or lead directly into events in the core books, enriching character motivations and plot twists. Strict linear order among the novellas themselves is less critical than their placement relative to the main novels, but sequential collection reading preserves the growing scope of the war and the evolving understanding of both Loric and Mogadorian societies.

Explanation of reading order types



I Am Number Four: The Lost Files Series Characters

Main characters shift focus across the novellas, providing fresh perspectives on the larger conflict. Number Six (Six) features prominently in early stories, portrayed as a fierce, independent survivor whose guardian Katarina shaped her resilience and combat skills. Number Nine emerges as a bold, cocky warrior whose time in hiding with his Cepan Sandor reveals his vulnerabilities and leadership potential. Adamus Sutekh (Adam), a young Mogadorian from a high-ranking family, offers one of the most compelling arcs; his exposure to Loric memories and growing disillusionment with his people's brutality drive a powerful redemption storyline. Other Garde members, such as Number Five, receive focused explorations of their isolation, temptations, and moral struggles. Recurring supporting figures include various Cepan guardians who sacrificed everything to protect their charges; Mogadorian leaders and soldiers who embody the empire's ruthless ideology; and human allies or bystanders whose lives intersect with the hidden war. The original main-series protagonists like John Smith (Number Four), Sam Goode, and Sarah Hart appear in supporting or referenced roles, tying the Lost Files tightly to the central narrative.

Setting of the I Am Number Four: The Lost Files Series

The setting primarily unfolds on contemporary Earth, with key flashbacks to the lush, once-utopian planet Lorien before its fall. Earth locations range from quiet suburban towns and high schools where Garde members hide to remote safe houses, bustling cities, and hidden training grounds. Mogadorian strongholds—sterile, militaristic bases hidden in plain sight or underground—contrast sharply with the more organic, nature-connected Loric environments. The invasion's shadow looms everywhere, turning familiar human landscapes into battlegrounds or places of quiet paranoia. Descriptions of Legacies in action, alien technology, and the stark differences between Loric grace and Mogadorian brutality add vivid, immersive layers to the world.

Tone & Themes of the I Am Number Four: The Lost Files Series

The tone is intense, suspenseful, and emotionally raw, blending high-stakes action with introspective character moments typical of young adult science fiction. Pittacus Lore's prose is fast-paced and accessible, delivering cinematic fight scenes, tense pursuits, and quieter reflections on loss and identity. The mood shifts between exhilarating empowerment as Legacies awaken and darker despair amid betrayal or isolation, with flashes of hope and camaraderie. Themes explore the burden of destiny and the fight for free will; the nature of good and evil, including redemption arcs for unlikely characters; the trauma of displacement and the search for belonging on an alien world; loyalty, sacrifice, and the price of survival; prejudice and the possibility of change across enemy lines; and the power of found family and collective resistance against overwhelming oppression. The stories emphasize that heroism often emerges from ordinary (or even antagonistic) individuals choosing a better path.

In the end, the I Am Number Four: The Lost Files series enriches the Lorien Legacies with intimate, high-stakes glimpses into the personal battles that fuel the larger war for Earth's future. Pittacus Lore masterfully uses these companion stories to humanize both heroes and former enemies, revealing that courage, doubt, and the capacity for change exist even in the darkest corners of the galaxy. For fans of the main series or newcomers drawn to epic young adult science fiction with heart and moral complexity, the Lost Files deliver essential depth and emotional resonance that make the fight against extinction feel profoundly personal. They linger like a scar around the ankle— a permanent reminder that every numbered life, every hidden legacy, and every choice to stand against the tide matters in the battle to reclaim light from shadow. In a universe where nine were sent to survive, these files prove that survival is only the beginning; true victory comes from the stories we choose to tell and the sides we ultimately join.



Books in this series fall into the following genres

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

There are 15 books in the I Am Number Four: The Lost Files series.

The I Am Number Four: The Lost Files series does not have a new book coming out soon. The latest book, Hunt for the Garde (Book 15), was published in May 2016.

The first book in the I Am Number Four: The Lost Files series, Six's Legacy, was published in August 2011.

The I Am Number Four: The Lost Files series primarily falls into the Science Fiction genre. This young adult series was written for ages 12-17, but can be enjoyed by adults too.

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