The Maze Runner by James Dashner

Title: The Maze Runner

Author: James Dashner

Genre: Dystopian Science Fiction

Audience: Young Adut

Other Info: 1st book in a trilogy

" 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. "

- Summary from Good Reads

I especially loved this book because it was a page turner, and I was up late every night, using all my strength to keep my eyes open so I could keep reading. When I had other obligations in the middle of my reading, all I could do was think about The Maze Runner and constantly calculate the time left before I could return to reading this book.

This book was absolutely compelling. Thomas and the mysterious world of the Glade drew me in from page one. James Dashner undoubtedly has an amazing imagination and creativity, as the story line and setting for this book is one of the most original I have ever read. This book had me holding on because it was filled with unexpected twists and turns, and was completely unpredictable, all in positive exciting ways. The mysterious touch on everything kept me going.

The writing style was also great, although not as good as it could have been. The main character, Thomas, had a distinct voice throughout the book and it made me feel like I really knew him, inside and out. In fact, because of his memory loss, I actually knew just as much about him as he knew about himself. That was great because I could follow his voice. When he was confused, I was just as confused. When he was running away from the grievers, I felt as if I was running away too, right beside him. I was more scared for him being killed by them then he was himself! Dashner did an amazing job connecting the protagonist of this book with the audience.

With mystery, thrill, suspense, action, and a touch of romance, this book deserves a good solid rating of…

4.5 Beasts