Book Review & Contest: The Maze Runner by James Dashner

THE MAZE RUNNER (MAZE RUNNER TRILOGY)

SYNOPSIS: When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his first name. His memory is blank. 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, open expanse surrounded 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 the stone doors to the maze that surrounds them have opened. Every night they’ve closed tight. And every 30 days a new boy has been delivered in the lift.

Thomas was expected. But the next day, a girl is sent up—the first girl to ever arrive in the Glade. And more surprising yet is the message she delivers.

Thomas might be more important than he could ever guess. If only he could unlock the dark secrets buried within his mind.

REVIEW: Thomas wakes up disoriented in a dark elevator lift with no recollection of where he came from or where he is going. The lift doors open to reveal a group of strange teenage boys. They welcome him to the Glade, an acre of land bordering a large stone maze with shifting walls and unsolved mysteries. None of the Gladers know why they were placed in The Glade, but they make sure they are safely within its protective walls after dark. Why? The large doors keep out the Grievers. Grievers are slime ridden metallic creatures who mostly come out at night and will prick you with their deadly needles. The day after Thomas arrives, a young, beautiful girl shows up unexpectedly in the lift. She collapses into a coma after revealing a cryptic message about time running out. Pretty frightening, right? This is the puzzling, suspenseful world James Dashner has created in THE MAZE RUNNER.

The Glade is an extremely creepy place with arbitrary “variables” and ever changing rules that challenge the stakes of survival. A less talented author would leave the reader incredulously shaking his head with disbelief, but Dashner's writing was so skilled, I was able to suspend any reservations I might've otherwise had about the plausibility of the experiment. Like the Gladers, I learned to accept the rules of the Glade and found myself anxious to solve the riddle of the Maze. Thomas' character evolved believably and I thought his reactions to his situation were highly relatable. He proved himself to be a smart, courageous leader among the Gladers, and an extremely likable protagonist.

One of the things I enjoyed most about THE MAZE RUNNER was the Lord of the Flies type hierarchy system that developed within the Glade. It was interesting to me to see how the boys established a pecking order of authority and delegated the work necessary to insure their survival. I also found it intriguing that though Thomas’ memories were wiped, he instinctively knew that he had to be a Runner and that he was connected to the mysterious girl disrupting the Glade with her arrival. The first time Thomas put himself in a deadly situation outside the walls of the Glade was a true nail biter and my absolute favorite part of the book.

THE MAZE RUNNER is a heart stopper and a nail biter that will keep you up in the wee hours of the night. My skin prickled with excitement reading this book and I absolutely can’t wait for the next installment in this series. From the moment Thomas wakes up in the lift, you are plunged into a heart stopping tale of mystery, with well developed characters and a fast paced, entertaining plot. Just like the Runners, whose job was to barrel through the maze searching for patterns and clues, I felt myself hurtling along with them, desperate to unlock the secrets of this frightening world. The end was my favorite part of the book. It has a twist I did NOT see coming either. Check this one out- you don’t want to miss it!

As a special bonus, I am excited to offer up TWO COPIES of this book! If you have wanted to check out THE MAZE RUNNER, here is your chance! Just leave me a comment and you will be entered to win. Bonus entry if you link/post to any social network you wish. Contest ends 12/25 and is open to all US residents. Good luck!**NOTE: THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED**

Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 384 Pages
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers (October 6, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0385737947
ISBN-13: 978-0385737944

Buy at Amazon, Borders, Books-a-million, Barnes & Noble, Indiebound

James Dashner is also the author of the 13th Reality series. James was born and raised in Georgia, but now lives in the Rocky Mountains with his family. After several years working in finance, he is now a full-time writer.