The Maze Runner

[Wanderer]

The Maze Runner
By James Dasher
.::A Book Review::.

James Dashner’s The Maze Runner is book one of a young adult / science-fiction / dystopian trilogy set sometime in the future.

At the beginning of the novel, sixteen-year-old Thomas wakes up in an elevator, realizing that he cannot remember anything except for his own name. The elevator opens to a place called the Glade, a “haven” in the center of a gigantic maze. The Glade contains four entrances leading into the maze, which open every morning and close every evening. The people of the Glade consist only of teenage boys, and every month, a new boy is delivered into the Glade. None of them has any memory as to how they got there, or what their purpose is. All they know is that they must somehow solve the maze in order to escape and return to the lives they can no longer remember. Solving this maze, however, seems impossible for the maze walls move every night. In addition, horrible, disgusting, and extremely deadly creatures called the Grievers appear to live inside the Maze. Because of these lethal creatures, the boys of the Glade employ the best of the best to be Runners – boys who run daily through the maze to map out the maze walls and somehow find the exit. Though Thomas’ memory has been wiped, the Glade somehow feels familiar to him, and he feels a strong, unexplainable desire to become a Runner. One day, things begin to change for the Gladers when, for the first time, a girl enters the Glade with a message that will change everything.

James Dashner crafts a vivid, unique story filled with danger, action, twists, and interesting characters including: Thomas, the courageous, rule-breaking main character; Alby, the leader of the Glade who seems to have caught a glimpse of the mysterious world outside of the maze; Newt, Alby’s loyal second-in-command; Chuck, an innocent boy who befriends Thomas and longs to return to the home he can’t seem to remember; Minho, the strong, brave, funny leader of the Runners; and Gally, the boy who apparently hates Thomas for no reason and claims to have seen Thomas before despite their memory-wipes.

Overall, The Maze Runner is an extremely suspenseful, addicting read that had me racing to finish it to see what would happen next. While some of the plot twists are somewhat predictable, the book still manages to play up the element of surprise. The ending of the novel particularly makes you want to see what happens next in the sequel, which I hear is even better. The only complaint I had was that I found it hard to become attached to any of the characters (except maybe for Minho, which is probably only because he was my favorite character); the character development wasn’t as powerful as it could have been. However, I would probably recommend this novel to anyone who liked action-packed books along the lines of The Hunger Games or even the Uglies trilogy.

8.5/10

[Mel]

Sounds like a fun book! I didn't like The Hunger Games but I liked the Uglies trilogy... should I read it?

[Wanderer]

Yeah. It's not even that similar to The Hunger Games or Uglies... It's just that they are all very action-packed. (Uglies not so much, but still...)

[Mel]

I might check it out. You made it sound intriguing ;D

[pugsfromhell]

I've read it too. Its definitely interesting, and has some cool ideas about humans and how far they will go to keep on surviving, but like Wanda said. the plot twists are so predictable!!! Everything that happened, I saw coming, sometimes even before they reached the problem I had worked out how to solve! Also, its a little formulaic. Characters are what they seem to be, no secrets, no hidden motives, no underlying personal struggles.

The second book, the Scorch Trials, is supposed to be better, but not much.

[Wanderer]

Exactly!! Like the solution to the maze was so fugging easy, I'm surprised they didin't figure it beforehand! (And remember, these guys are supposed to be "geniuses".)

[pugsfromhell]

And I also think the telepathy with that one girl (I forgot her name) is so stupid and cheesy!

[Wanderer]

The telepathy didn't even make sense... they did not explain that. Quite honestly, the girl just annoyed me... it's just like, Why the heck are you even here? To be Thomas' love interest?

Yah, lame.

[Mel]

Am I... the only one who liked Teresa? Probably because she was the only girl in the book ^___^

[pugsfromhell]

Heh. I think you are. Teresa is just randomly there, and she doesn't bring anything new or mildly interesting to the book. Like Christine said, she is just there.

[Wanderer]

I am reading the Scorch Trials and wtffffffff I hate Teresa so much and Thomas's unhealthy obsession with her.... UGH.

[Mel]

It's called romance, lulz.

[Wanderer]

Their romance is so... shallow though...

Anyhow, I'm almost done with the Scorch Trials. Whoever said that book was better than than Maze Runner needs to get their head checked.

[pugsfromhell]

indeed. I didn't fall in love with the Maze Runner to begin with, so i knew the second one wouldn't be any better.

and besides, i think the people that say it is better are into romance novels like Twilight *shudder*

[Wanderer]

Ugh, you're probably right. Anyway, The Scorch Trials was incredibly disappointing. I'm still going to read the last book though, just to see how things turn out.