Tuesday, July 13, 2010

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

Rating:
Characters: 17/20
Plot: 15/20
Originality: 18/20
Writing: 17/20
Recommendation: 17/20
Overall: 84/100 or B
Source: Library

When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his first name. He has no recollection of his parents, his home, or how he got where he is. His memory is black. But he’s not alone. When the lift’s doors open, Thomas finds himself surrounded by kids who welcome him to the Glade, a large expanse enclosed by stone walls.
Just like Thomas, the Gladers don’t know why or how they got to the Glade. All they know is that every morning, for as long as they could remember, the stone doors to the maze that surrounds them have opened. Every night, they’ve closed tight. Every thirty days a new boy is delivered in the lift. And no one wants to be stuck in the maze after dark.
The Gladers were expecting Thomas’s arrival. But the next day, a girl springs up—the first girl ever to arrive in the Glade. And more surprising yet is the message she delivers. The Gladers have always been convinced that if they can solve the maze that surrounds the Glade, they might be able to find their way home . . . wherever that may be. But it’s looking more and more as if the maze is unsolvable.
And something about the girl’s arrival is starting to make Thomas feel different. Something is telling him that he just might have some answers—if he can only find a way to retrieve the dark secrets locked within his own mind.
Thomas is an awesome character and I could feel how much he cared about Theresa. Theresa was also an amazing girl and I liked that she was really strong and intelligent at times. The other characters seemed to blend together at times. It took me a while to get into this book. The Maze Runner has an amazing premise, but I felt that a lot of this book was could have been condensed or cut out. I did like the mystery in WICKED and the secret codes. I also liked the though of an unsolvable maze. I found it to be a pretty original for a Dystopian novel, but I feel that is could have been stronger. Dashner is a great writer and I am excited to see what he writes next. I would recommend this book to fans of Uglies and The Hunger Games.

7 comments:

  1. This book is EVERYWHERE, isn't it? I really wanna read it! Everyone is raving about it and it makes me wanna read it so bad!

    ReplyDelete
  2. i have to add this book to my list!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I just picked up Hunger Games. Liking it so far. Maybe I'll check this out.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I love the Hunger Games, and this book sounds really good! I've always glanced at this book and thought, nah, I'm sure there is something better I can pick up... now I'll be sure to pick it up next time I go to Borders.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I have this one sitting right next to me. About 5 inches away from my keyboard. I need to read it soon.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I have to agree with you; the premise sounded so promising, but the execution was a bit lackluster. Still, it was a good book and I'd totally recommend it to boys and fans of the genre.

    ReplyDelete
  7. This story was amazing! I had just finished reading The Hunger Games and wanted to find something similar when I came across this trilogy. These book are just as enthralling! They are an easier read yet they are constantly turning and pulling things out that you don't expect. They are just believable enough that you get sucked into the story and want to read until the end... which you will then want to go pick up the next book to get it started! I would hightly recommend these stories if you like a combination of fantasy, adventure, and fun!

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for visiting. Every comment creates a smile.

LinkWithin

Blog Widget by LinkWithin