The Maze Runner and The Scorch Trials: The Collector's Edition

by James Dashner

Get lost in the thrilling action and twisting plotlines of James Dashner’s #1 New York Times bestselling Maze Runner series. Read the first two books—The Maze Runner and The Scorch Trials—discover lost files from the offices of WICKED, and learn forgotten Glader memories in this collectible edition.

The Maze Runner is now a major motion picture from Twentieth Century Fox. Don’t miss the sequel, Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials, coming to theaters on September 18, 2015, with Dylan O’Brien as Thomas, Kaya Scodelario as Teresa, Will Poulter as Gally, Thomas Brodie-Sangster as Newt, Rosa Salazar as Brenda, Giancarlo Esposito as Jorge, and Aidan Gillen as the Rat Man.

Remember. Survive. Run.

Genres: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Dystopia, Fantasy, Fiction, Romance, Audiobook

816 pages, Paperback

First published April 14, 2015

About the author

James is the author of THE MAZE RUNNER trilogy and THE 13TH REALITY series. He also published a series (beginning with A DOOR IN THE WOODS) with a small publisher several years ago. He lives and writes in the Rocky Mountains.

Reviews

[Jess the Shelf-Declared Bibliophile · Rating 4 out of 5]

Check out my reviews on the main page of each individual book!

[Nicole M. Hewitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Since I am reviewing each of these books separately (you can find them HERE, I thought I'd include my 12-year-old son's review of the Collector's Edition here on Goodreads:

The Maze Runner and The Scorch Trials Collector’s Edition is an excellent book! (Or is it books? It’s a combo, so probably just book.)

Written by James Dashner, this book is a very nice way of packaging the two books together, while also adding the bonus of “Confidential files, recovered correspondence, and suppressed memories” and “An exclusive fan sticker”, which I’m pretty sure is a bumper sticker from looking at it.

I rate these two books forty-seven out of five stars, the reason for it not being infinity being the fact that the series has an ending.

In the first book, The Maze Runner, Thomas, our main character, is brought up from a strange box into “The Glade” with no memory of his past. Turns out, The Glade is in the center of a massive maze, and other boys who call themselves “Gladers” have been trying to escape for years. Part of the reason it’s taking so long is because there are monsters in the maze called “Grievers” who come out at night. Another reason is that the maze’s giant stone walls MOVE every night.

When the first ever girl comes from the same box the next day, and Thomas figures out he can communicate with her telepathically, incredibly strange things start happening, such as the sun disappearing from the sky and the box stopping coming up with supplies weekly. Will Thomas and the
Gladers make it out of the maze alive, or will they all starve to death without their supplies?

In the next book, The Scorch Trials, Thomas and the Gladers have escaped from The Maze, only to find out that life outside is even harder than in The Maze, and that they will all go insane due to a sickness called “The Flare” if they don’t get to a certain spot in two weeks’ time. When Thomas gets separated from most of his group, will he make it back to his friends?

I personally believe that all of the books of the series should be included in this collector’s edition and then the “Maze Runner Files” put at the end, due to the fact that there are many spoilers, even for book two, which it is placed before in the book!

Very well put together and written, I would recommend this book to anyone who is capable of reading the word Griever!!!

One of my favorite books I’ve ever read, and I’ve read a LOT of books!

Disclosure: We received a copy of this book for review. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own - or, in this case, my son's.

[Brenda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would have been incredibly frustrated with this had The Maze Runner Files not been included, because OH MY GOD the lack of answers is driving me bananas. Thankfully, that little gem included in the book (between the two separate novels, which makes no sense) revealed some pretty big spoilers, so I was able to glean a tiny bit more information than I would have if I had just read the books separately. So thank you, Comic Con, for providing this! I was significantly less rage-y as a result.

Honestly though, it is just a really freaking fun story. I held off on reading this series for so long because I couldn't get past the initial idea. It's a dystopian world.... where someone forces them to run around a maze? Why? I still don't really get it, but after getting my hands on this and reading it through I can see why people continue to read it anyway. Minho in particular is one of my favorite characters, and once I looked up who the actors were I was very happy. Have you seen the guy who plays Minho?! Pardon me while I fan myself...

The pacing is incredibly fast paced. I think the first book was spaced over a grand total of like a week, maybe two. Scorch Trials was a bit longer, but with all the action it definitely makes sense. There is just SO MUCH HAPPENING all the time. There's definitely something going on, something that Thomas and Theresa and Aris were all involved in. Again, based on the files that were included, I'd say it's a pretty safe but of what it is.


Ooh! And the best part!? There's a Brenda in this book! YAY! I AM REPRESENTED!!!!! She seems to be a bit of a hussy, but whatever I'll take it.

Now I'll just have to get the final two from the library or borrow them from a friend.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I only read the maze runner so far so i haven't technically finished the book yet. I'll add a second review to this one when i finish the scorch trials. The most common puzzle presented to humans since the dawn of time; a maze. So complex and confusing, and yet, solvable, or are they? Every maze has an exit, except the one Thomas seems to have found himself in after he arrives in the glade from the box. Every boy in the glade arrived the same way Thomas did, in a dark and trembling elevator that opened up to the glade. The boys have no idea who sent them there or why, they're trying to solve a gigantic moving maze that lies outside the glade behind mammoth sized doors that open in the morning and close at night. No one ever dares get stuck outside in the maze after the doors close, because no one has ever survived a whole night in the maze, until Thomas shows up. He wants to be a runner, despite the terrifying tech creatures that live inside the maze, the boys call them the grievers. If a person gets stung by a griever they go through the changing, an excruciating process that makes a persons veins stick out in purple and blackish green colours. I liked Newt's personality more than Alby's, Alby comes across as a bit of a hothead and bit of a dick. Newt is more likable in personality. Gally is the bully of the glade, he's been through the changing and he claims he's seen Thomas from somewhere before the glade. Gally is an absolute dick, he seems to have a problem with Thomas right from the get go. In the movie he's a bit less of an asshole. The book over exaggerates his character too much. Gally seems intent on staying in the glade despite Thomas and Minhos recent discoveries of a possible exit. It’s like that in the movie too, Gally seems to think the glade is his home, I guess everything that happened to him between his arrival at the glade and Thomas showing up fucked him up a bit. I think he might have been unstable before the glade as well. Maybe his mind was more susceptible because of what he’s been through. Everyone must have been messed up somehow after arriving there, having your memories wiped and arriving in a glade surrounded by a mammoth sized maze with no idea how you got there or why must screw up even the most sane person. Chuck is a very endearing curious boy that Thomas takes to right away. It’s too bad he got murdered in the end, he was an innocent kid and you can tell Thomas had a deep bond with him by the end. Every night after the doors close, the walls in the maze shift and move, as if an ordinary maze wasn't hard enough. To make matters worse, Minho and the other runners have been running around it for two years and there seems to be no way out. The maze is massive, miles long and the walls are covered in tons and tons of ivy. Thomas eventually realizes that he has to get stung by a griever if he ever hopes to get his memories back and help his friends escape the maze. Considering that Ben tried to murder Thomas after being stung by a griever it seems to be a really suicidal move. It works though, Thomas gets some of his memories back and he knows how to escape the maze. The creators picked Thomas and his friends for a reason, they have a higher than normal intelligence and they are immune to a disease out in the real world called the flare. That is the point of the maze, the creators put them there and study their brains and reactions to what they call variables. The flare is a terrifying disease that attacks a persons brain and it slowly drives them insane, it reduces people to something less than an animal. It's a horrible scary disease that has brought humanity to its knees. People around the world call the brain the kill zone now, because that's where the flare ravages a persons brain. People are desperate for a cure, the virus can be treated, but only the wealthiest can afford it. It can be treated, but not cured, it’s a numbing agent called bliss. Bliss numbs a persons emotions and slows down their brain activity, slowing the disease down in the process. If you can afford it you’ll stay sane a while longer, but it only delays the enevitable. I liked the confidential files in the middle of the book, it gives you more information about Thomas and his past along with Teresa. The only girl in the maze who arrived a few days after Thomas. In the confidential section the book you learn that WICKED is responsible for the release of the flare, they wanted to reduce the population to ease up on earths resources. I think they got what they deserved, not the people who caught it obviously. You don't fuck around with viruses, and the flare is a perfect example, viruses can mutate. I don't think they should be putting Thomas and his friends through such terrible things in an effort to find a cure to a disease they released. They wanted to reduce the population...and they succeeded. If not for the sun flares that ravished the earth afterwards they might not be in such a precarious position. Humanity is on the brink of extinction, and it's WICKED's fault. The worst part is that i can see our government doing this exact thing. It's sick to say but it's entirely possible. The book varies a bit from the movie in some parts, like with Ben, in the movie they banish him to the maze for attempting to kill Thomas. In the book Alby shoots him with an arrow. Another thing is how they escape the maze, i won't say how in the review because i don't want to spoil anything for anybody. Read the book then watch the movie and you'll see what i mean. I think the movie did it better personally, more realistic and believable. But the whole purpose for the maze and no hope of escape is to weed out the weak links, Thomas tells them that after he gets his memories back. The creators want to see who'll give up and who won't. These kids are different, special, because most people would have given up on a moving maze with no exit. They plow onward over and over running through the maze in hopes of one day they might find an exit. Thomas is an "out of the box" thinker. Unlike the rest of the people in the glade he is willing to try different ways to escape the maze, like spending the night out there after the doors close. Everyone else just tries the same thing over and over again. A really good book, i read it before five years ago but thought I'd read it again because of the movies. I'm definitely going to see the death cure when it comes out. Hopefully they won't break the movie into two parts like the Deathly Hallows from Harry Potter. A great and imaginative book. definitely worth reading if your looking for a new book.



The scorch trials.
Thomas and his friends are taken to a dormitory by their so called "rescuers". But everything is not as it appears to be, when Thomas and his friends wake up the day after their rescue, they find the people that rescued them hanging from the ceiling from nooses. Not long after that they discover that Teresa has been removed from their group, outside her door it says the word, "The betrayer". They see a bunch of crazed cranks outside their dormitory window. Cranks are people consumed by the flare. Luckily the windows have bars on them. They discover that very same window has been mysteriously bricked up after they discover a boy named Aris has taken Teresa's place. A few days later they find a man behind an invisible wall whom everyone calls "rat man" He informs them that they have a very dangerous journey to cross the scorch; a burned out wasteland that was badly burned during the sun flares years ago. This is phase two; cross the scorch and through a flare riddled wreck of a city, go due north over some mountains and make it to the safe haven. They go through something the next morning called a "flat trans" a sort of invisible gray wall kind of thing, apparently it's really expensive technology according to Jorge. They go through the flat trans and through a long black tunnel where big silver balls fall on their heads and slices their heads clean off. I don't see what the point of doing that to them has to do with anything, much less the variables and the patterns that they're trying to collect for their cure. The gladers are told that they have the flare, that they need to reach the safe haven if they hope to receive the cure. Once they reach daylight they realize that crossing the scorch isn't going to be an easy trek. The sun is really really hot, it sounds like the sun flares made the sun a hundred times more brighter and hotter, and more dangerous to be out in without protection. The crank riddled city seemed to be the worst part of the journey to me. These people who are consumed by the flare are less than animals, some of them anyway, especially the ones missing body parts and limbs. The flare targets the brain, what the people in that world call the "kill zone" now, where the flare destroys a persons humanity and makes them go slowly insane. They lose all the things that makes a person human, empathy, love, fear, self preservation, sympathy. The cranks Thomas and Brenda encountered in the tunnels below the city were completely insane, all missing their noses and covered in wounds head to foot. They don't seem to care whether their missing limbs and body parts, or even notice for that matter. That's why the flare is so dangerous, these people will hurt you and kill you without any kind of fear for their own life. It's like a person who has nothing to lose, they're extremely dangerous. In the confidential parts of the book there was a short part there about after the virus when it was released, some guys were flying over the ravaged area where the flare was released and saw movement, they ran into some of the first cranks. They got cornered and eaten by them, i think WICKED has long since rued the day they ever decided to release the flare. Thomas and his friends run into some cranks when they enter the city after a very dangerous storm, a thunder storm, like ours but a thousand times worse with violent bolts of lightning and hurricane like winds. They tell them about WICKED and promise them that they can get the cure if they help them get through the city to the safe haven. After Teresa betrayed Thomas and what she did to him, i don't blame him for not trusting her. Even if it was part of the variables and the trials. There was another maze, full of girls. The same stuff happened except with a boy instead of a girl. I don't like how WICKED keeps lying to them and killing them off the way they are. They need a cure, so instead of analyzing their brains responses to variables and putting them through hell, maybe they should try having them have sex with each other. I know that sounds cold and harsh but think about it, some of these kids are immune to the flare, so instead of killing their only hope for immunity off one by one they should try that. At least i think they should anyway. Another way would be the bliss, or numbing agent as Brenda called it. The flare feeds off a persons brain activity and emotions, the bliss slows that down, hence slowing the flare down. Just delaying the inevitable. The less brain activity, the slower the disease. Have they considered putting some of them in medically induced comas? Their brains would be active to some degree but not as much as when they're talking and walking around. Put some of them in a coma until they find a cure, with breeding or science or whatever. I think it's an idea that WICKED should've considered instead of watching them be brutally murdered one by one. In this world if someone was immune to a disease that thousands of others weren't, you wouldn't see us murdering them. The government would get a hold of that person and find out why they're immune and try to make a cure from their blood or whatever. Like in the movies when a virus has wiped out ninety five percent of the population. The people who are immune aren't killed and murdered, they're taken captive and held against their will to see why they're different from millions of others. They cherish and them and hold them against their will at all costs. I think they could've gone a different way is all, the bio tech creatures are unnecessary in my opinion. A good and intense read into a brutally harsh world that shows no mercy for anyone or anything living on it.

[Zosia · Rating 4 out of 5]

'The Scorch Trials' by James Dashner is the second part of 'The Maze Runner series'. I really enjoyed the first book so I wanted to continue reading and read the whole series. The second part didn't dissapoint me and I enjoyed reading it as well as the first book. That one is taking place on the scorch and characters have to find the save heaven. The book is full of new, interesting plots. There are also new characters who are very intriguing, ambiguous and kind of misterious. There are very many unexpected things so you feel suspenced and doubtful. Just like in the first book chapters are short and always end in the way that makes you unable to put the book away. The series of 'The Maze Runner' is not something that everyone will like but still it is very interesting and different than other books moving the same subject so I found it amazing and worth reading. I am obviously going to read other parts of that series and found out some intriguing mysteries that 'The Scorch Trials' left without answers.

[Ziyad Bakkali · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of my favourite books because I could understand everything the author was talking about. When I read this, i was thoroughly appalled. It Is perhaps for kids twelve and up. Yes, lightning strikes do occur, but the person lives afterward. Thomas gets shot, battered and beaten, as do the Gladers. As for the sexual content, nothing that's not in a pg-13 movie. Overall, this is one of the best book series I've read, and you should,too.

[jessica ☾ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this! Getting to see all the extra little bits and bobs was super fun, and really succeeded in fleshing our the series- I had so much fun I think I may have to revisit the original trilogy again!

[Quinn Fritsch]

good

[Gillian · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Maze Running is an interesting concept. Even leading into The Scorch Trails, the story is engaging and curious. The actual writing itself is mediocre at best. Little diversity within each character, each character is only important when they're present in the story -- basically dead to the story when they're not on stage. The plot itself is very basic and linear, leading you always to the next step and the following after that. It gives little clues as to what is going on within the story, but in more of an exasperating way.

Since this copy has the first and second book in one, I'll divide my thoughts briefly. The first book is terribly written and happens over too brief a time. It stalls over unimportant details for its quick time-line, and doesn't develop its characters. There's little culture within the Maze, and for how supposedly smart everyone is, they all seem pretty ordinary. There's no focus on the falseness of the Maze -- something that I think is a detriment of the short time frame it operates in, and was something the first Hunger Games book really accomplished. The second book, The Scorch Trails, is better. There's a significant tailoring in its script, less use of all things simile, and is more interesting, I think -- you get a better sense of the actual world and universe, and actually learn some things, instead of the boredom of the first book.

I will finish up and say this: if you're looking for a quick, action packed, and a concept heavy/more unique young adult novel, this is worth a read. If you appreciate grammar, solid characters, good writing, and a structured, well though out story? You might consider passing on this one.

[Siobhan · Rating 3 out of 5]

If I am to be completely honest, The Maze Runner Trilogy is one of my least favourite young adult trilogies out there. I wanted to enjoy it so much, and yet when it comes down to it I enjoyed the film more than the book. Now doesn’t that suck? It’s one of the worst things in the world. It rarely happens, but every so often something will pop up with a great premise only for you to be let down.

I cannot say what my exact problem was as there were quite a few things. I disliked the main character, finding too many flaws with how he was played out. The story was never taken quite as far as I would have liked. The speech patterns of the characters left me banging my head against the wall, as the dialogue was nowhere near as endearing as it was intended to be.

As a whole, this one left me more than a little bit disappointed.

[Steph Amador Tribbett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very slow start but once the craziness started happening it didn't seem to stop. Don't want to get into to many details but I really enjoyed this. Maze Runner took me awhile to finish but ended with so much action that I was able to catapult into Scorch Trials and fly through that one. I will be continuing the series as soon as I have access to the rest of the books (supplemental extras included).

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hmm, I would get it for collection purposes, but I assume when the 2nd part of Death Cure comes to theaters, there will be a 3-book bundle? I loved the series, and felt incredibly saddened by the prequel. One day, I hope to have the 5 book bundle, hehheh. I'll rate this 5 stars since I've read these two already.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adore the Maze Runner series and i had to get this edition as its gorgeous! It includes the first and second books (Maze Runner & Scorch Trails) as well as Maze Runner Files, which was interesting to read. I loved this, dont have anything bad to say, as i freaking love this series, the characters, the story and the world. Thank you James Dashner. I gave this book 5 stars.

[Taianna O · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book was really interesting, I especially liked the random surprises that came up at a sudden part, My favourite character was the girl they found in the scorch her name was Brenda, I liked her because she was brave and I have really gotten to know her character personally by the end of the book. I recommend this book for anyone who likes to read books about horror or violence

[Mac · Rating 5 out of 5]

October 30th 2014

[Sakebushippo · Rating 4 out of 5]

LEER RESEÑAS COMPLETAS EN MI BLOG:

Correr o morir: https://www.blogdivergente.com/2012/1...
Prueba de fuego: https://www.blogdivergente.com/2015/1...

Cuando empecé a leer el libro tengo que reconocer que en un principio me pareció lento. No hablo de muchas páginas, sino de unas… 40 o 50 páginas de 400. El libro, a medida que va avanzando, más intrigante e interesante se pone.

Thomas es el protagonista. Un día, de repente y sin saber por qué, aparece en una caja donde está encerrado. Entonces unos chicos, sí, chicos, porque solo hay chicos, lo sacan de la caja. Así es como Thomas aparece en el Área donde vivirá los próximos días de su vida.

[Larry Epp · Rating 3 out of 5]

The next stage in the adventures of Thomas and his Maze running buddies -- out of the maze and into a literal scorched earth which they must cross to get to the cure. Many twists instituted by "WICKED" to find "patterns" that the characters work through. Okay. But, for someone with the qualities hinted at in "recovered memories" Thomas seems very slow on the up-take. The invented slang/swear words are annoying after a few.

[Susan B · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've had this book ever since I saw the "Maze Runner" movie, my daughter thought the whole thing would make more sense to me after I read the book. It just confirmed that it was not for me, I've read a lot of young adult books, but I have to say, this made the least sense to me. Will not be reading the rest. Some of the characters were loveable and you enjoyed them but they were all killed off,

[L B · Rating 5 out of 5]

beautiful.... I am addicted... refuse to read the juicy chapter 2 of book 3 at the end... I hate spoilers and it isn't even the 1st chapter so big taboo no no. oh but I am definitely curious about Tom.... group A and B and Brenda n Jorge... plus of course Aris and Teresa. cranks... wicked is good... we shall see...

[Lorna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed book 1. I’m not a fan of the “files” concept. Would so much sooner things were revealed by good writing rather than told straight out on a separate addition. The second book got just a bit carried away and ended at a place where I just have to read book 3. Here we go again. Hoping it has more to it than aliens and betrayal but not banking on it.

[Osaka 오사카 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I hate that girl with the brown hair i forgot her name thesa, think. Thomas should really be with the other girl or Newt atleast.
Hah, ignore me.
This is a good book except for thesa's lying, betraying, doublecrossing, backstabbing, ratpassing,dumb, bimbo, self.

Anyway, yeah its good i watched the movie which turned out to be nothing like the book.

[Shaoroun · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75, very surprised at how different the books were from the movies. Didn’t like all the recapping in the 2nd book, definitely want to read the next ones now

[OOOOOOOferman · Rating 5 out of 5]

koolio

[Emily L-P · Rating 5 out of 5]

Action packed. Very good read.

[Kirsten · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 stars

I think the fact that this took me over 200 days to finish speaks for itself

[🌈⭐️RoseOfRainbows⭐️🌈💕 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always a fav. #GladersGonnaGlade

[Thurston · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Is one OF my favorite books and I love re reading it!

[Devon Ashby · Rating 1 out of 5]

Truly bad. Not even fun

[Donnabella · Rating 4 out of 5]

4

[Upasana Jha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed it.