The Maze Runner (Maze Runner, #1)

Jan 23, 2012

Izzy rated it

Recommends it for: tween boys

Shelves: ya, wanted-to-like-it

This book was recommended for fans of the Hunger Games series, a series that has become one of my favorites. I began The Maze Runner excitedly, hoping for an equally enjoyable, dystopian adventure. I didn't find it.

The plot was intriguing and kept me reading; in fact, it was probably the only reason why I kept reading. Some writers are able to seamlessly integrate characterization and good writing with a fast-moving plot; James Dashner is not one of them. The pacing is strange, a...more

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Jun 14, 2011

Cara rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: people who don't mind their brain getting twisted

Shelves: e-book, male-protagonist, science-fiction, series, 2011

Reading this book + No sleep= brain shock. Oh more like my brain was blown into freaking little bits. I kept thinking about it after I was done. I finished it into the late hours of the night and I kept circling in my head what was going to happen next. The point is mute but I am definitely going to read the sequel The Scorch Trials.

From the start as the reader we have NO idea what is happening. All Thomas can remember is his name. Not where he came from or any specific details of hi...moreReading this book + No sleep= brain shock. Oh more like my brain was blown into freaking little bits. I kept thinking about it after I was done. I finished it into the late hours of the night and I kept circling in my head what was going to happen next. The point is mute but I am definitely going to read the sequel The Scorch Trials.

From the start as the reader we have NO idea what is happening. All Thomas can remember is his name. Not where he came from or any specific details of his life. Neither do any of the other Gladers who he meets in the beginning of the book. The place is filled with boys whose sole purpose is to try to get out of this place by solving the maze. They haven't had any luck in two years, but that may all change with Thomas's arrival. Strange things start to happen, and people are pointing fingers at Thomas. Will he be the one to get them out, or the boy who will bring them down?

At first I was having a hard time getting into this book. Nobody wants to answer Thomas's questions, and I got just as frustrated as he did. I actually still don't completely understand why they didn't want to answer all his questions right away. The plot does pick up speed though and you get to meet Newt, Chuck, Minho, and Alby (all important characters in their own right). The world building is good because I got the creeps just thinking about the grievers, and I can feel the desperation but at the same time the camaraderie the guys have with each other. There is also a unique language setup that was a tad-bit confusing at first but you pick it up as Thomas does. The ending certainly is gonna give the series a big shakeup. I really want to see what Dashner has up his sleeve this time.

I read this because of the good reception it was getting, but also because of a display at Barnes & Nobles. They had all these books that were hugely popular within the young adult realm and I had read all of them except, you guessed it, this one. I couldn't have any of that!
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Feb 22, 2010

Heather rated it

Shelves: 2010, dystopian, ya, ala-s-best-books

At first I was a bit put out with this book. I don’t know what it is about male authors, but they can be down right infuriating. Men truly do think on a different wave length and speak another language than women. I was becoming rather frustrated with the lack of information being given, and I wasn’t sure I would be able to endure that sort of aggravation for 300 plus pages. Luckily around page 60 or so, Dashner hit his stride and I became enthralled with this story.

It’s so diffi...moreAt first I was a bit put out with this book. I don’t know what it is about male authors, but they can be down right infuriating. Men truly do think on a different wave length and speak another language than women. I was becoming rather frustrated with the lack of information being given, and I wasn’t sure I would be able to endure that sort of aggravation for 300 plus pages. Luckily around page 60 or so, Dashner hit his stride and I became enthralled with this story.

It’s so difficult to write a review that divulges information about the plot without simultaneously giving the plot away. Dashner mastered the art of dolling out need to know information in spades while maintaining an air of mystery that keeps you immersed in the story, craving for more.

The Maze Runner begins with Thomas finding himself memory-less, surrounded by teenage boys of varying ages, in a strange place called the Glade. Thomas immediately begins asking questions, attempting to get his bearings, though answers aren’t forth coming, and the Gladers are none to helpful. Nonetheless, life doesn’t seem too shabby in the Glade. There is a homestead, crops, barns filled with livestock, the sun always shines, and various supplies appear in “the box” each week upon request. There even appears to be order within the Glade, though it is filled with nothing but testosterone fueled teenage boys. There appears to be only a handful of rules, 1. Never threaten your fellow Gladers, 2. Everyone must pull their weight, 3. No one is allowed in the Maze aside from runners, 4. No one is allowed in the Maze after dark. Though the rules are rather self-explanatory, their necessity becomes all to clear once Thomas is allowed to know what lurks behind the stone walls protecting the Glade. While no one knows how they came to arrive in the Glade, why they were sent, or who sent them, they all strive towards a common goal, solving the Maze and leaving the Glade. But once the first ever girl arrives into the Glade, a trigger is pulled, and the stakes for survival are raised.

Despite the fact that I didn’t have an emotional reaction (crying when it was clear that I was meant to), I couldn’t set this book down. I wasn’t scared for any of the characters, my heart didn’t race, but I desperately wanted to solve the freakin mystery. Luckily, there is a conclusion of sorts; however, this is clearly a series as you gain new information that tickles your intrigue before coming to a major halt. Grr. So like all the other suckers, I’m sure I’ll be reading the sequel.
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Apr 12, 2011

Becky rated it

Recommends it for: Readers of Awesome.

Shelves: 2011, dystopias, highly-recommended, mystery-and-thrillers, owned, reviewed, young-adult, apocalyptic-types, science-fiction, blog_osga

I love mazes (and labyrinths, although they are technically something entirely different), but for some reason, when this book came out I wrote it off, thinking that it would be a sort of juvenile adventure story, and not really my thing. I didn't know anything about it, but the title just didn't call to me.

So when I finally did get around to reading it, even after many, many people have told me how great it is, I was still impressed by how awesome it is.

Oh awesomeness,...moreI love mazes (and labyrinths, although they are technically something entirely different), but for some reason, when this book came out I wrote it off, thinking that it would be a sort of juvenile adventure story, and not really my thing. I didn't know anything about it, but the title just didn't call to me.

So when I finally did get around to reading it, even after many, many people have told me how great it is, I was still impressed by how awesome it is.

Oh awesomeness, let me count the ways:

1) Story: Thomas, his memory wiped of any identifying clues, finds himself in a micro-community in the middle of a giant maze. The boys living in "the Glade", as they call it, aren't friendly or helpful. They are just as confused and scared and pissed off at being trapped as Thomas himself is.
They do their best to look for a way out, to survive and to keep order, but the dangers keep mounting and mounting and things are coming to a head.

I loved the feeling of helplessness and confusion and chaos in the story. From the very first page, I was drawn in, wondering what was going on, what was going to happen, whether they will find something to help them get out, whether they will live or die, how they got there and why, what new terror was around the bend... literally. This was almost non-stop to start with - learning a new life all over again, and then throw in the maze running and danger and I had to set it down just for a little break now and then.

2) Characters: I loved all of the characters in this story, even when I despised what they were doing. I believed their terror and confusion and their lack of control over the situation and themselves within it. I felt their frustration because of all of this, and the tension. I was proud of them for continuing to try.
The only character that I had a little trouble immediately connecting with was Teresa, and I think only that because she appeared so late in the book.

3) Suspense: I mentioned it above, but I have to give it its own section here, because this book was Suspense City. From the very beginning, we're on edge simply because, like our main character, we are thrust into this new situation blind. No frame of reference, no prior warning, no preparation -- but lots of hot-headed and closed-mouthed boys. And then there are the Grievers. And the Changing. And the Cliff. These things were so incredibly creepy that I was mentally kicking myself for not having read this awesomeness sooner.

4) Writing: I loved the way that this story was written, which means that I barely noticed it at all. Aside from the boys' slang words, like 'klunk' and 'shank' etc, the writing went pretty much unnoticed.
I will say also that James Dashner sure the hell knows how to make a little go a looooooong way, because even though I felt frustrated by not knowing anything about anything for, let's face it, almost the entire book, I felt that way along with the characters, not as a reader, which is a huge and vital distinction. And even now, after finishing it, I still have more questions than answers.

Luckily, the library called and The Scorch Trials is waiting for me. Then I just have to wait for October for The Death Cure. *sigh*

I can't wait to see what tomorrow brings... ;)(less)

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Jan 18, 2011

Jackie "the Librarian" rated it

Shelves: sciencefiction, youngadult, thriller

This is one of those dystopian thriller stories, where something very, very bad has happened to the world, but you don't know what. With teenagers.

Thomas regains consciousness in an elevator that deposits him in this enormous clearing being lived in by a group of teen boys. He maybe was there before, but he's not saying. (I didn't like how coy Thomas was, even with himself. In fact, I didn't much like Thomas.) Surrounding this clearing are these crazy maze walls that move around at n...more

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Jul 26, 2010

Morgan F rated it

Shelves: 2000s, sci-fi, young-adult, dystopian-apocalyptic, goodreads-author, own, read-2010, its-a-boy, adrenaline, series, medium-sized

Thomas wakes up in a lift with no other memory besides his first name. The lift deposits him in the Glade, a large courtyard surrounded by impossibly high stone walls. The Glade is populated by teenage boys in the same situation as him, they also have no memory. But they have made a life for themselves in this place, their only hope is trying to solve the maze that surrounds the walls. The Maze is a dangerous place, filled with terrifying half-machine/half-slug monsters that exist solely to s...more

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Oct 20, 2011

Laura rated it

“…sometimes you don’t look very hard for things you don’t believe will or can happen”

When your path in life appears to have more questions and confusion than answers, how do you keep going? How do you keep dreaming, hoping and searching when everything is so unclear, dark and hopeless? Well…welcome to life in the Glade!

The Glade is a place of unknowns. A world, with no sense of time or place in the universe, populated with teenage boys all trying to solve and get out of...more“…sometimes you don’t look very hard for things you don’t believe will or can happen”

When your path in life appears to have more questions and confusion than answers, how do you keep going? How do you keep dreaming, hoping and searching when everything is so unclear, dark and hopeless? Well…welcome to life in the Glade!

The Glade is a place of unknowns. A world, with no sense of time or place in the universe, populated with teenage boys all trying to solve and get out of a maze that seems to surround them. To add to the fun, no one appears to have any memory of their old lives or details about themselves—just their names. Then throw in a danger-around-every-corner vibe with half slug/half machine beasts set to hunt and rip you to shreds in the mix! It’s one hell of a world!

The Maze Runner is a brilliant blend of adventure, mystery, and inspiration. A brilliantly designed story that makes the readers feel just as trapped and confined in the maze as the characters. The first half of the book really provides no answers for the readers—more twists and turns than you can possibly handle! Just like the boys in the maze! Even with no answers, the boys keep going, searching for a way out, working together and surviving. They hold on to hope. So as a reader, you really have to do the same thing. Keep reading and searching. You will not regret it. James Dashner has crafted one powerful puzzle to run through your head!

The boys were the beating heart of the story for me. Thomas, Alby, Newt, Minho, Chuck, and all the Gladers formed this tight-knit society with order and warmth all to survive the everyday fear of not knowing why they are there or how to get out. They even created their own swear words, which I appreciated and loved actually. I mean come on—a bunch of teenage boys together are going to swear. Just a bit. ;) Hell I can swear like a truck driver! I just love the fact Dashner found a way for it to happen without actually swearing. It made the story feel very real to me. The camaraderie and eventual trust and caring the boys built was fun to watch develop and be a part of. I look forward to further adventures with this bunch! They made me smile.

With the smiles came hope! Hope is what I truly took to heart from this tale. The story is infused with it. Every page just urges the boys and the readers to keep hoping. Hold on to it. Keep fighting. Keep looking. Keep dreaming.

“Can’t take a chance that one day, in one spot, somewhere, an exit might appear. We can’t give up. Ever.”

I can’t wait for the next book!

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Mar 18, 2010

Tatiana rated it

Recommends it for: those who look for a mediocre sci-fi/dystopia kind of read

Recommended to Tatiana by: Heather

Shelves: 2010, why-the-hype, ya, dystopias-post-apocalyptic, series-dropped-lost-steam, ala-ya-2011

This book would have been great IF:

1) the characters had some personality

2) the main character - Thomas - weren't such a Gary Stu and showed some character development and growth instead of conveniently "remembering" important information to advance the plot

3) the book weren't filled with atrocious made-up slang - "shuck-face," really, is this supposed to be cool?

4) the villains - Grievers - were actually scary or dangerous
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Jun 06, 2011

Kyle Monda rated it

· review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I enjoyed most of this book. Seriously, I did. The concept is smart, the writing style is pleasant to read and the characters are fairly detailed. But, there were quite a few issues that were sometimes hard to look past.

Firstly, the beginning was TERRIBLE. I was SO close to giving up on it, because at first it seemed like a clone of Lord of the Flies, and I hated all the characters. But, it managed to pick itself up around 18% through and started to become enjoyable.

I th...moreI enjoyed most of this book. Seriously, I did. The concept is smart, the writing style is pleasant to read and the characters are fairly detailed. But, there were quite a few issues that were sometimes hard to look past.

Firstly, the beginning was TERRIBLE. I was SO close to giving up on it, because at first it seemed like a clone of Lord of the Flies, and I hated all the characters. But, it managed to pick itself up around 18% through and started to become enjoyable.

I think what made the beginning so painful was the slang. Since authors aren't allowed to publish swear words, (that is another rant which would probably make this review too long to post), the author had to use slang, like klunk, greenie, shuck, and all sorts of other words which made the begging as hard to read as trying to chop down a tree with a spoon. Once you get used to the slang, it’s fine, but the author used it WAY more in the first few chapters then the rest of the book, which seems backwards. Seriously, some of the sentences were, “You’re the klunk, shuck-face.” and, “He's a klunk, so he’ll be a Slopper,”. From what I can tell, klunk is used interchangeably as sh*t , fu*k, and cr*p, while shuck seems to mean idiot. While slang is understandable, especially in a closed community such as the glade, it would be nice if the author didn’t seem to lean on them so heavily in the first few chapters. Also, how is “greenie” related to being the newest person? And what is a shuck? If you’re going to invent slang, it should be justified, like klunk was (Which, in case you’re wondering, is the sound poop makes when it hits the pot).

Now, on to the middle. The middle section of the book was intriguing. Out of everything this book has, the plot is the best thing it has going for it. It manages to keep you interested. Once I was around half way, I finished the book in half the time it took me to read the first half.

However, there were quite a few things that drove me CRAZY. The characters are all very, very stereotypical. Thomas, the main character, is your stock nice guy. Newt is your basic “reluctant guy who’s in charge”. Gally is your classic evil villain who is completely despicable in every way and is trying to fire up a mutiny. Alby never really does much. And Chuck, oh, Chuck. Chuck is Piggy from Lord of the Flies, except not universally hated. There is nothing remotely original about the character of Chuck, chances are you’ve read (or watched) about him many, many times in your life. He’s the classic irritating but likeable fat kid that is desperate and clingy to be “cool”. For this reason, I never remotely liked Chuck, I saw him as something you had to read through to get to the good parts of the book. Another thing that really irritated me is that all the characters have perfect bodies. All the guys (except Chuck) are tall, muscular (we are always told exactly which muscles are bulging [This author really has a thing for the word bulge]), have amazing stamina, and everything else wonderful. For some reason, this author also likes to mention veins quite frequently (13 times to be exact), and always seems to describe when veins are bulging or when arms are veiny, or basically anything else. I was half expecting him to throw in, “As Minho lifted the bread to his mouth, the veins pulsed in his hands.” We are also constantly reminded of how oh so breathtakingly beautiful the girl, Teresa, is, with her amazing blue eyes and her amazing perfect lips and her absolutely amazing complexion and how everything is just so so amazing about every little inch of her body.

It seems that for every fantastic plot twist this book offered, it had to throw in one, completely cliché piece. Seriously, it’s like the author went on TV Tropes and decided to cram in as many tropes as possible. After all the intrigue of the maze and the code words, was the best he could come up with is A FREAKING COMPUTER TO TYPE THEM INTO? Seriously, there were so many places you could go with that, but no, let’s just stick with the oh, so magical computer. But that was ok; I managed to make it past that failure with minimal pain, to the final scene where they were standing in the room by the wall of the creators. Ok, cool, a little nonsensical, but cool. (Why would the creators all stand behind a glass wall just watching them? Why not just have cameras?) But then, Gally (who we just had to hate a little more, because he just wasn’t quite evil enough) was hypnotized into throwing a knife at Thomas. To make this scene worse, the author described it in SLOW MOTION. I’m not joking. It was actually written in slow motion. Chuck, diving through the air, knife spinning, hitting Chuck who then fell to the floor. It was so cliché I actually let out a small yell of rage. You knew Chuck was going to die, it’s part of his character, so it wasn’t really a surprise. But, to make an already cliché death worse, he had to save Thomas from a slow motion knife. That completely ruined the ending for me, leaving what can only be described as a sour after taste for the rest of the book. Then, a bunch of random rebels popped in, shot the place up, hauled the Gladers into a bus and took them to dorms where they ate pizza and then slept. Then, in the ending that tried desperately hard to be shocking (it was even written in evil internal memo style), the rebels turned out to all part of the experiment. This ending wasn’t shocking for many reasons. You knew the rebels weren’t what they seemed from the start, for a few very obvious reasons.

1. These WICKED people seem pretty loaded with cash. Wouldn’t they have some sort of security system? Or at least bullet proof glass.
2. As the rebels were driving away, the drove over and killed an old woman. No nice people would do that.
3. They didn’t really get much of an explanation, other then, “Oh, we just want to get to the Alps (or some mountain range, at that point in the book I didn’t really care) because we want to save children.” When really, what the WICKED people were doing is trying to solve the uber plague, which I’m pretty sure benefits everyone.

There are plenty of other reasons, but I’ll leave it up to you to think about it.

I know, that review seems scathing, but I found the book very enjoyable if you manage to look past it’s occasional painful clichés and tough beginning. I’ll probably read the second book, and hope that it doesn’t mention veins quite so often.
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Feb 05, 2011

Emily May rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, dystopian, sci-fi, read-in-2011

Well, let's just say I will be checking Amazon every day waiting for part 2 to be released. This is one of those books that leaves you desperate for more, gives you just enough so you're never bored but always manages to maintain mystery and tension. I found myself deeply attached to the wonderful array of characters and wanted more than anything that they would all make it out of the maze alive. I was pleasantly surprised by the development of Chuck's character; at first I imagined he would sim...more

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Feb 21, 2011

Milly rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, dystopia

(Audible Review)

My two cents:

I was not impressed upon reading this book. Perhaps it was a different experience altogether having to hear the audible version rather than reading the book itself. Perhaps the flaws of the book stood out more when heard rather than when read. That or the narrator of the book was simply a poor reader and just didn't do a good job narrating. Though, I'm quite sure it's the former rather than the latter that I found this book's prose juvenile an...more

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Jan 01, 2011

Hannah rated it

Shelves: 2010-reads, ya

Let me first confess that I don't read alot of dystopian YA fiction (more like almost nil), so my rating and my review of this book is certainly not anchored in any real appreciation or understanding for this genre. The only other series I can compare The Maze Runner with is The Hunger Games, and this is definitely no Hunger Games IMO. I think I was very lucky to be recommended The Hunger Games, as that series seems to set a high standard in the dystopian genre, and one that even neophyte read...moreLet me first confess that I don't read alot of dystopian YA fiction (more like almost nil), so my rating and my review of this book is certainly not anchored in any real appreciation or understanding for this genre. The only other series I can compare The Maze Runner with is The Hunger Games, and this is definitely no Hunger Games IMO. I think I was very lucky to be recommended The Hunger Games, as that series seems to set a high standard in the dystopian genre, and one that even neophyte readers like myself can enjoy.

Anyway, The Maze Runner starts off pretty interesting, and kept me off balance and eager to understand the plight of Thomas and all the other Gladers. I thought Dashner pulled off the feeling of being disoriented and memory deprived very well, and I liked that I felt the same sort of feelings that Thomas experienced coming out of the box. In addition, the concept of the maze was freaky and well executed, IMO. I enjoyed learning about the Runners and how they were attempting to solve the riddle of the maze, and the addition of the creepy Grievers provided a chilling touch.

However, by 3/4 of the way into the book, I fast became disinterested in the story, and no longer cared what happened to Thomas or the riddle of the maze. Thomas never became a fully realized character to me. He was too damn conveniently placed in the story as the ultimate solver of all the maze's mysteries. Come on, the guy is only in the Glade for a week or so, and he figures out virtually EVERYTHING that is mysterious, unsolvable or complex in the story. Yes, yes, I know Dashner attempted to explain why Thomas could do that, but I'm just not a fan of the Mary Sue/Gary Stu race, of which Thomas is a proud descendant. Personally, I enjoy my heros with plenty of flaws who manage to succeed by struggle and perserverence, not because they are gifted by the author with all the tools they will need to complete the task virtually risk free.

The ending was, frankly, lame and lackluster and didn't seem to "fit" with the thread of the plotline that came before it.

Dashner has 2 other books in the trilogy, but I won't be reading them. I just don't care enough to find out what happens to Thomas the super hero...(less)

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Nov 20, 2009

Camille rated it

Good night, this was so...
It was amazing. So intense, I was gripping the book, excited to find out how it ended. I read this in one day, not even that. I started it around 4:00 pm, and finished around 7:00 pm. Oh man! It was great! This book had everything, there was mystery, suspense, horror, a little humor. I felt this book was far too short, I wanted more, and I'm very happy this is a series, cause I want more. That is a first, well second, my wanting a book to be a series.
Well w...moreGood night, this was so...
It was amazing. So intense, I was gripping the book, excited to find out how it ended. I read this in one day, not even that. I started it around 4:00 pm, and finished around 7:00 pm. Oh man! It was great! This book had everything, there was mystery, suspense, horror, a little humor. I felt this book was far too short, I wanted more, and I'm very happy this is a series, cause I want more. That is a first, well second, my wanting a book to be a series.
Well written, I loved the puzzles, but I figured out some of them, but not enough to make me bored. I love books that do that!!!! It kept me very entertain, all three hours.
The maze, i would just not live there, wow I know they didn't have a choice, but i would not stay, i don't blame them for trying to get out. But the maze is just, I can't believe that it was created, it's cruel.
I loved the part when he gets locked out for the night. AH!!!! I was gripping the book! And the monsters, and the walls, with the writing. Ehh!! I still shudder as I think about it. I'm just as shocked as the characters that he survived the night, with someone that was hurt!!!!

Alright, I am going to read this book again when it comes out, cause it was like really good!

Ok, now I'm going to add my problems with this book, apart from it being too short.
I thought that he should have put more monsters. I don't like that sort of thing, but I was hoping there were more than just that one type. I was a little disappointed when there weren't other monsters. Also, what the crap were the monsters? They were like freaky! I mean don't get me wrong, they were amazing and crazy and just freaked me out like none other, and made my skin crawl. Also it was difficult to get a picture of the Grievers. he gives a very detailed description, don't get me wrong, but I just can't get a firm picture on them.
I was a little confused about why there were Maze Runners, maybe that just because I read it so fast.
I'm a little worried about his relationship with the girl. I'm worried that Dashner will make them relatives or something like that. Then it would be very odd, but whatever the Author can do what he wants.

This would also make a very good movie.

There is a theory that my dear mother came up with, everyone read this book so we can run it past you!(less)

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Jun 21, 2010

Nic rated it

Shelves: 2010, young-adult, favourites

I've just finished and all I can say is holy shuck! This book is awesome!

I was a little bit scared when I started this book that I wasn't going to like it as it is my first real dystopia/sci-fi book I've read. After about 110 pages it got to the point where I couldn't put it down for anything even while eating dinner I had it one hand and when bedtime came I wanted to stay up all night and read it.

The plot was fast paced, suspenseful and full of suprises. The twists ...more

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Jun 25, 2010

Annalisa rated it

Shelves: young-adult, speculative, sci-fi, dystopia, apocalypse, mystery-thriller

If Dashner got anything right, he delivered with the suspense. The writing can be a little dry and non-descript (maybe it's a guy thing), but once I became involved with the story, I didn't want to put it down. My problem with the book is that Dashner sometimes sacrificed the story for the suspense. It didn't always feel organic, the character choices and the plot direction, and it made me pull out of the story a little. Also, because he built up the suspense so much, the story didn't always del...moreIf Dashner got anything right, he delivered with the suspense. The writing can be a little dry and non-descript (maybe it's a guy thing), but once I became involved with the story, I didn't want to put it down. My problem with the book is that Dashner sometimes sacrificed the story for the suspense. It didn't always feel organic, the character choices and the plot direction, and it made me pull out of the story a little. Also, because he built up the suspense so much, the story didn't always deliver.

For instance, I thought the grievers were thoroughly creepy in the beginning, the stuff of nightmares, but once Thomas encountered them, Dashner didn't bother scaring us anymore. I felt as though he thought we could freak ourselves out now that we understood what they were, but after Thomas beat them, I needed Dashner to remind me that they were a threat. And I was disappointed with that night in the maze. Going into it, the suspense was awesome, but then the night felt like two hours from sunset to sunrise and it was too easy for Thomas. I wanted more escaping going on, more struggle with the maze, more time in there.

Dashner explains why Thomas has an easy time in the maze, but still. I would have liked more discovery from him instead of him just knowing stuff from his erased memory and that goes for the whole glade and all the people, not just the maze. It's tough to balance a plot-driven story with the slow pace of character development, and I think this story needed to be faster paced, but I would have liked a little more development, a little more showing of the other characters instead of Thomas telling us what they were like. More depth to the stereotypes and even with Thomas, a few fatal character flaws, a few catastrophic mistakes (other than going into the maze), that made me have to figure out if I liked and trusted him and fear for his life a little more. Also, the fake swears didn't ring true. Normally I love made-up words in a dystopia, but these didn't feel like made-up words so much as replacements for real swear words Dashner didn't want to use. There were a few times that it was too obvious what words they were supposed to be and that they were a straight-across replacement.

I think the story could have used a few more drafts before publication, but overall it's a solid, suspenseful story. I really liked the idea of the grievers and the maze test and WICKED: intense, unique, creative. When all my nitpicking fades, I'll remember that I liked the story.(less)

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Jun 14, 2011

Everley Sharp, the Clankinist rated it

OH. My. God. THIS WAS AMAY-ZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Or rather, a-MAZE-ing. Geddit?

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Dec 12, 2011

Ellie rated it

3.5

Well. There was....well, first of all, I have to get a cup of water because I have a major headache.

*Goes to get cup of water*
*Returns*

Aah. Much better.

Okay, ~~first~~ second of all, my friend recommended this book. Soo I requested it, and (foolish me) left it lying on the table where I do my homework, in plain sight of my parents. Oops. So THEN my dad says, at dinner:
"Oh, Ellie, by the way--I borrowed that book of yours, Runner? O...more

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Jan 30, 2011

Stephanie (The Night Bookmobile) rated it

Shelves: 2011, pretty-great, dystopia

Books like The Maze Runner are the reason why I read. I was so engaged in this novel that I was up into the late hours of the night reading it, hiding from the cold under the covers with my book light, while my boyfriend slept next to me. He read the book before I did and immediately bought the second book; so I knew this book was going to be a good one already because he is extremely picky when it comes to books and it is hard for a book to hold his attention. I finally put the book down for th...more

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Jul 31, 2011

prettybooks rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: read-after-university, dystopian-or-post-apocalyptic

It’s quite a simple premise really: teenage boys are taken from their homes and put in a futuristic, technologically advanced maze with dangerous, deadly creatures – Grievers – roaming the grounds. What happens next? The Gladers have to 1) avoid dying, 2) figure out what is going on, and 3) escape.

I absolutely loved The Maze Runner. I enjoyed the maturity of the characters. They were organised and worked together to create a mini society within the Glade (the middle of the Maze wher...moreIt’s quite a simple premise really: teenage boys are taken from their homes and put in a futuristic, technologically advanced maze with dangerous, deadly creatures – Grievers – roaming the grounds. What happens next? The Gladers have to 1) avoid dying, 2) figure out what is going on, and 3) escape.

I absolutely loved The Maze Runner. I enjoyed the maturity of the characters. They were organised and worked together to create a mini society within the Glade (the middle of the Maze where they lived), complete with a farm, canteen, and designated jobs. I always love the ‘lets try to figure out what’s going on’ part of a story and this book had plenty to figure out. Why were the boys put in the Maze in the first place? Who are the creators? Is there an escape? Why just boys? The pace of the story is very slow; it’s almost like it is happening real-time. There are also not many action scenes. This suited me just fine as I’m not fond of stories with constant action that doesn’t give you time to really become aware of the situation and the setting. I felt like I had time to ‘get to know’ all the characters and my way around the Glade extremely well. There was, of course, added twists, which were generally (but not always) unpredictable and unexpected. The atmosphere wasn’t as terrifying as I had hoped, given the situation, but it did have its moments. I don’t really want to go into the intricacies of the Maze here as the enjoyment comes from finding out the details, like Thomas, from the Gladers.

The Maze Runner is not a perfect story by any means nor the best dystopia I’ve ever read. There were a few things that bothered me (although not quite enough to ruin my enjoyment of the book). For example, the Gladers’ memories have been wiped and all they can remember is their names. There were times where Thomas would need to remember something, where it was an important factor, and conveniently, just at the right time, he’d remember that very-important-thing. The book does have a few problems like this but like I said, nothing big enough to ruin anything for me.

Lastly, quite a few invented slang words (e.g. shuck, klunk, shank) appear frequently throughout the book and it seems like readers either love it or hate it. I personally loved it. It was amusing at times and I thought it made sense considering the boys are completely isolated from the rest of humanity.

I enjoyed The Maze Runner much more than I thought I would. I was thoroughly impressed and so I’m giving it a five star rating, which means "I loved this book". The end is...interesting. That’s all I’ll say about it. I didn’t love it or hate it, and it leads quite nicely onto the sequel.

Dystopian or Not Dystopian? Dystopian(less)

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May 16, 2011

Ashley rated it

Shelves: favorites, tears-and-tissues, fav-male-protag, why-did-you-have-to-die

Alright Cillian, let's see if I can dredge up some of my initial thoughts of this book, and hopefully I'll be able to write up a decent review of the book I read over a year ago.

First off, I can still remember why I picked up The Maze Runner in the first place; the cover caught my eye and begged me to take it home. Come on, a giant, decrepit stone entrance to a maze? That reeks of an epic adventure, right?

Well, maybe "epic" isn't quite the word I'd use for The M...moreAlright Cillian, let's see if I can dredge up some of my initial thoughts of this book, and hopefully I'll be able to write up a decent review of the book I read over a year ago.

First off, I can still remember why I picked up The Maze Runner in the first place; the cover caught my eye and begged me to take it home. Come on, a giant, decrepit stone entrance to a maze? That reeks of an epic adventure, right?

Well, maybe "epic" isn't quite the word I'd use for The Maze Runner, but that doesn't mean this book is boring. It starts with our protagonist waking up in the cold, dark lift and having no memory of anything except his name: Thomas. The lift brings Thomas up to the Glade, a strange place surrounded by enormous stone walls with a population of 50 or so teenage boys. Now, I'll admit the beginning is a bit slow because it's mostly just about meeting the Gladers and learning about their way of life. The walls protect the Gladers from the horrible Grievers that live inside the Maze, and everyday the doors to the Maze open and the Runners go out trying to map out the Maze, coming back into the Glade before the doors close at night. Got that, shank?

Shank, klunk, and shuck - just some of the words you'll learn to use in the Glade.

So, right from the start Thomas decides he wants - no, needs - to be a Runner. The problem is that Thomas is a Greenie and has a lot to prove before he can even be considered as being a Runner. And Thomas eventually does prove his worth (view spoiler). But even so, a lot of the Gladers don't really trust Thomas, because strange things start to happen after his arrival; i.e., the girl. The day after Thomas arrives, the Box (the lift I was talking about earlier) brings up another body, which is unheard of since the the Box only delivers a body once a month. But the Box doesn't just bring up a body, it brings up a girl; the first girl ever to be sent to the Glade.

Now, I won't go into further detail about what happens, but The Maze Runner becomes a definite page-turner after the first few chapters. What I think I loved most about this book was that you are never really given any answers. All the information is withheld from you up till the very end, and even then you're left with more questions than answers. You're constantly doubting everything you think you know; is WICKED good or evil? It's infuriatingly compelling. If you plan to read this one, you might want to have The Scorch Trials near by.

(less)

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Jan 23, 2010

Eliza rated it

Recommended to Eliza by: Carter

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I enjoyed this book a lot and second many of the strong recommendations I read in other reader's reviews. I was, however, left with a number of questions. If the world is in catastrophe, how would the organization have the resources to build this giant maze, consisting of these incredible stone walls, all in a enormous climate controlled building? A building which is apparently located . . . on top of a mountain? The kids go up at least half an hour in the elevator, and they had to go throug...moreI enjoyed this book a lot and second many of the strong recommendations I read in other reader's reviews. I was, however, left with a number of questions. If the world is in catastrophe, how would the organization have the resources to build this giant maze, consisting of these incredible stone walls, all in a enormous climate controlled building? A building which is apparently located . . . on top of a mountain? The kids go up at least half an hour in the elevator, and they had to go through the giant slide to get out. Even if it is not on a mountain it is up high somewhere. Between the climate control, the stone walls, and the elevator the whole project seems incredibly resource and labor intensive for a world that has descended into chaos. And then, despite that, the project seems almost criminally haphazard. The best, bravest, and most persistent of the boys could easily be killed by accident. Also, I couldn't help thinking that a group of adolescent boys living together for years at a time would be a little more Lord of the Flies. Despite hot tempers and emotions, they remained conspicuously civilized.
Finally, I know it's easy to criticize what others have been working on (like Thomas when he first arrives) but it seemed pretty weak that all these supposedly super-intelligent boys, chosen for the success in other trials or whatever, spent two years in the maze and basically got nowhere. They didn't get the letters, they didn't find the Griever hole, they didn't even get the acronym WICKED. The fact that Thomas and Teresa had to come and "solve" everything by accessing their repressed memories was a total cop out. And the idea that the maze wasn't solvable was bull - obviously it was solvable, just in a think-outside-the-box kind of way. All the info - the words, the hole - was there before Thomas came.
Oh, and one more thing - what if Chuck hadn't saved Thomas? They would have killed one of their best guys for a reason that had nothing to do with him.
Again, I really did like the book, I just have a lot of questions. And I thought the ending was great - very curious about Group B. I'm looking forward to reading the next one. (less)

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Mar 05, 2011

LuAnn rated it

Shelves: young-adult

March 5, 2011 Review
In 2009 I read The Maze Runner,, had a terrible time getting through it, and I wrote a scathing review (see below). Because I love James so much, and because I absolutely adored his other books, I decided to attempt a second read of the book and ended up abandoning it because my initial thoughts and issues with the story hadn't changed. But last week I tried a whole new tactic. I listened to the audio book, and suddenly I understood why everyone loves The Maze Runner. Al...moreMarch 5, 2011 Review
In 2009 I read The Maze Runner,, had a terrible time getting through it, and I wrote a scathing review (see below). Because I love James so much, and because I absolutely adored his other books, I decided to attempt a second read of the book and ended up abandoning it because my initial thoughts and issues with the story hadn't changed. But last week I tried a whole new tactic. I listened to the audio book, and suddenly I understood why everyone loves The Maze Runner. All I had needed was an interpretation of the voices to help me sort out the characters and feel a sense of place. With the audio I didn't feel so lost, and I was able to be there with Thomas, what I had wanted to do in the first place. So, I've changed my rating, still taking off one point because of the problem I'd had before, and I'm 16 chapters in The Scorch Trials, also on audio, and loving it, so I guess in this case that's all I needed to do--listen instead of read. And I'm already excited for The Death Cure.

July 22, 2009 Review
A few things here to establish. First, I really like James and I'm excited that his publisher and agent are thrilled with this book and doing all they can to promote it. I think it's incredible to see a Utah author, someone I know, make it onto the national scene with a breakout novel. Second, I absolutely loved James' 13th Reality series. I've actually read The Journal of Curious Letters a dozen times as I've used it with my Jr. high English classes, yet every time the book is fresh, interesting, and exciting. I love Tick and find him a perfect representation of a middle grade boy. Third, I went into reading The Maze Runner with high expectations, and as far as the quality of the writing, I was not disappointed. However, the story itself did not move me. As a matter of fact, it hardly even hooked me. Honestly, I was completely bored and found it a chore to keep myself reading to the very end. Now this could simply be because dystopian novels are not for me (I abandoned The Hunger Games and The Forest of Hands and Teeth, both popular novels in the genre). I don't know, but the only place I was excited to read was where Teresa came, then when she actually began to communicate, I found her role in the book disappointing. Thomas was more annoying than a hero, and too much of the book reminded me of a darker version of things that happened in The 13th Reality. So, sorry James--as much as I like YOU, this book just didn't do it for me. (less)

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Apr 06, 2011

Wendy Darling marked it as abandoned

Shelves: skimmed-or-unfinished, dystopian-post-apocalyptic, young-adult, read-2011, male-ya-author, male-pov

A premise full of promise, but after 150 pages, how can there still be no answers? Deliberately withholding information becomes frustrating not only for the protagonist, but for the reader as well. The fact that Thomas does not demand more answers from his fellow captives makes it difficult to sympathize with or care what happens to him. The spoilers for the book make it sound intriguing, but I can't wade through another 200 pages before it gets to the point.

Aside from a few physical...more

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May 09, 2011

Janina marked it as abandoned

Shelves: young-adult-fiction, dystopian-apocalyptic, books-i-own, tbr-challenge, available-for-swapping, male-pov

Yeah, this was a quick reduction of my TBR pile. I won't rate this, as I've only read the first twenty pages, and am just not willing to invest any time to find out more ... Lesson I've learned: Do not buy/swap books if you aren't that interested in actually reading them ;).

#5 Street Corner TBR Pile Reduction Challenge (Jess)

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Jan 12, 2012

Kenna. rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: reviews

Just finished this book today... Wow. I don't think this is the best book I've ever read, but it is defidently the most different one! I've never heard a story like it.. It was completely unpredictable with a great story. However, it wasn't my favorite writing... I sometimes got frustrated with how naieve the characters could act... not realizing things right in front of them. The book was a bit scarier than I had anticipated. But there were only a few heard-pounding scenes and they were gr...more

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Feb 18, 2011

Mariana rated it

Shelves: adventure, dystopia, owned, post-apocalyptic, science-fiction, young-adult

Ater finishing The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet, nothing from my gigantonormous pile of to-read books was grabbing me. The only cure? Literary crack. I'm scratching that itch like a mofo.

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Jun 24, 2011

Cici rated it

Shelves: young-adult

I am like 1/2 way into the Maze Runner and I'm liking it so far, I'm not sure exactly what's going on, but neither do they, really, there's a lot of mysteries still to be solved.. I'm starting to develope my own ideas but I could be completely wrong.
I picked this book up because it was recommended to me since I loved Hunger Games, well it definetly doesn't compare, for me anyway.
I think my nephews and my son will just love it though. It is a pretty good story, it really got me thinki...more

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Jan 18, 2012

Page Girl rated it

Recommended to Page by: Yoli

Shelves: best-books-ever

Ok, now I know this is a weird title for a post but it really is the best way to describe my feelings on The Maze Runner by James Dashner. At my work, we have a main core to our little reading circle; Myself, Brenda and Yoli. Other people read what we are excited about here and there, but the three of us are the most committed to sharing each other's reading obsessions and we compare the most notes. Yoli was the first to read it and while she liked it, she was also not sure just exactly how m...more

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Jan 02, 2012

Alexa rated it

I love the pace of this book. I finished it in 5 hours. I usually don't time how long I read but I just took medicine at 8am since I'm feeling horrible and I was supposed to take it every four hours (totally missed the timer since I set it to midnight not noon). I was expecting to sleep, since I have didn't sleep at all at night, after I downed the stuff but when I checked the clock when I finished it was 1pm. In no way did I feel rushed to finish this.

It's like a slow burn or a slow...moreI love the pace of this book. I finished it in 5 hours. I usually don't time how long I read but I just took medicine at 8am since I'm feeling horrible and I was supposed to take it every four hours (totally missed the timer since I set it to midnight not noon). I was expecting to sleep, since I have didn't sleep at all at night, after I downed the stuff but when I checked the clock when I finished it was 1pm. In no way did I feel rushed to finish this.

It's like a slow burn or a slow crawl (like a baby who is just so darn cute, you can't stop watching it and all it is doing is trying to get across the living room). I don't know how else to describe how much I love the pace of it. I really want to read the next book in the series but in no way am I going crazy to get it right after I put the book down. I suppose it is like a scratch you know you can come back to, so you feel triumphant for not scratching it because it's like some kind of self control that you are not going to give into impulses. I love this feeling, little triumphs of self control. Honestly, I am the type of reader that is just obsessed? I love to feel fully immersed so I try to minimize distractions and will only read a book I know I have a chance of finishing it in one seating.

Did I skip a couple of pages? Surprisingly, I only skimmed through like three paragraphs and it wasn't even consecutively. This is important, since I tend to skim through some details when I only care about the conclusion to the plot.

I kind of don't like how when I think about it, the plot doesn't really progress very far. If I wanted to be horrible, I can totally give away what happens. But I think the charm (and this is probably why the pace is so steady) is that you are like the character. There is no feel of an omnipresent voice, what you see described in paragraphs is what the main character sees, what you hear inside his head or thoughts about other characters are also you're thoughts. It's written pretty well if I did not notice that the beginning did not drag. At first, I thought that, I was going to go crazy since the character is absolutely clueless in the beginning. But that is what the author wants, we as the reader understand the frustration that the character feels. I've found that difficult to empathize with characters in other books. My thoughts are usually, "Oh BOO HOO! You're thoughts are muddled. DEAL WITH IT. Move on in the story so I can see what happens and tell you that you're a stupid character for feeling like that". Oh yeah, I'm pretty mean to fictional characters.

So the lack of progression in the story arc is interesting because it does not feel like the author is dragging it on just because they want to make extra money with more books. It really feels well thought out in the sense that the author probably knows exactly where the beginning and the ending is (like Harry Potter). I love structured books. So it is also like Hunger Games in this sense. You have no idea how I completely adore authors who write a series and says specifically how many books they will write to complete it and actually stick to that promise.

Well, let's compare some dystopian young adult fiction. I have only read the back flap for Lord of the Flies, so I can only assume that the premise is a little similar. I think it is more like the Uglies trilogy than the Hunger Games one in the sheer fact it seems to be a little more science fiction. Hunger Games used the mutts as science experiments but the story was not about seeking out more science--it was to seek out a call for more humanity or justice to save society. In Uglies and in Maze Runner, they both seek the help of science to serve as a salvation. Could it possibly be because Collins is a woman and Maze Runner and Uglies are written by men that there is that difference? We can explore that later. In general, the main character in Uglies is a teenage girl and in Maze Runner is a teenage boy. I feel the characters are both strong (doing what is right over what is easy) to react in a similar way but they are just met with different challenges in their respective book. The mind games are a little more sophisticated in Uglies and survival is more savage in Maze Runner compared to the other two. The slang seems mush more extensive in Uglies but just as intertwined in Maze Runner.

All in all, it's a good book to pick up and it's a good suggestion for the books that I do enjoy. I'm not sure I will be having vivid dreams about this book, but I know I will think about it randomly in the future and even make references to it. You have a new fan James Dashner. I somehow have faith in you and do not feel that I will not like the rest of the series. I think I will look to see if I can download the ebook. So, I do enjoy the book to where I do not feel duped about purchasing it. But I have yet to order a physical copy of this book on Amazon. I do love my books and if I enjoy the whole series I'll build a whole library around your books (and I'll scour the earth for a hardback copy too :D).

also...bonus for SHINee fans for a character.(less)

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Sep 08, 2011

slayra rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: 2011-reads, in-english, young-adult, sci-fi-ish, dystopias

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. RATING: 3.5 star-ish...

This book is another one that many bloggers like and highly recommend. Also, the cover says anyone who liked "The Hunger Games" would like "The Maze Runner"... and while I didn't exactly love Suzanne Collins' books, I think they were somewhat original and interesting so I decided to finally read this book.

Fortunately, "The Maze Runner" did not disappoint... much. It has an Hunger Games 'feel' to it - the futuristic soci...more

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topics	posts	views	last activity
Read More Books C...: Maze Runner #1 General Discussion	51	11	7 hours, 57 min ago
One by One: The Maze Runner	13	5	Feb 10, 2012 12:10pm
Are Thomas and Teresa good characters?	36	108	Feb 10, 2012 07:37am
Sandpiper Book Club: My Book	1	3	Feb 10, 2012 05:34am
Should I read?	25	75	Feb 09, 2012 03:57pm
Who is your favorite character???	4	22	Feb 02, 2012 02:43pm

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The Maze Runner (Maze Runner #1)

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