The Death Cure (Maze Runner Trilogy Book 3)

oh my goodness! i have finally finished reading the trilogy... i still have Kill Order and Fever Code to go. but i can finally say, i have finished the series.

this has been a thrill ride even though i read some spoilers before i read them. and truthfully, it took out the genuine emotions i have in some situations. but i still stand in it being a good book.

though this is the last book, i didn't find it as exciting as scorch trials. this was crazy good but this book has been more about finding out all the answers. so this has been more explanation than anything else.

quite disappointed about meeting new characters in scorch trials that barely mean anything in death cure. i thought that part was such a good plot but it sucked that they barely matter.

i can't remember if i said this before, but this book can be so realistic in terms of climate change and with the environment. and i think that the author gave a very real world to us in the far future. but the real reason for the existence of WICKED was just wow but at the same time, meh! but that's science for you.

i'll stop talking now cause i know my opinion won't matter since the book has been long ago at the same time there probably thousands of reviews already.

in general though. good book, great trilogy. not too excited to read the prequels, but they are definitely in my to-be-read list.

see you when i get there!

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Considering my dislike for both The Maze Runner and The Scorch Trials, I seriously considering abandoning this series. However, the first two books in the series did pique my curiosity enough that I decided to read The Death Cure in order to find out a) why these group of children were subjected to such horrors and b) how WICKED could possibly hope to create a cure out of their struggles. Unfortunately, The Death Cure continued to use Thomas’ lack of memories to keep the reader in the dark for most of the book, and then gave us the weakest explanation for a series’ sequence of events I have ever had the misfortune of reading in a dystopian.

In my review of The Scorch Trials, I commented on how Dashner’s various plot twists seemed pointless, “like Dashner was just making things up as he went” giving the book “an almost careless and unplanned feel” and I hate to say it, but that feeling of meandering continues with The Death Cure. And then I finally realized what was happening to make me feel that way! Dashner has not written a layered tale.

"Think back on those really satisfying endings. Those “AHA!” moments in a story when the final twist is revealed and the carefully laid–yet hidden!–clues are suddenly so obvious. All those connections you had missed were right before your nose the whole time!"

Here, Susan Dennard is talking about a story having resonance, where different subplots are woven together to create one “deep, complex, echoing plot.“ The Death Cure (and then I guess I would also argue, The Scorch Trials) lacks resonance. While Newt’s subplot gave his journey a definitive conclusion, it did nothing to further the main plot. I felt the same about the note he had given Thomas; I was hoping it would contain information that would explain something, anything. Or that it would give Thomas the information he needed, during a pivotal moment, to outsmart WICKED. Unfortunately, it proved to be merely a plot device to create suspense and intrigue. The same argument could be made with the tension between Thomas and Theresa; the words left unspoken between Thomas and Theresa were used to keep the readers in suspense. By the end of The Death Cure, when she had given us no new insight into the motives or history of WICKED, I realized that her subplot also did nothing to further the main plot. But the biggest disappointment when it came to subplots was Thomas’ refusal to get his memories back. I kept waiting for that “AHA!” moment Susan talked about, where the reasons behind Thomas refusing to get the answers he was looking for made sense. For the moment where it was revealed that WICKED had been lying, or that there was some purpose to Thomas being kept in the dark. Unfortunately, it was also used as just another device to keep the reader in the dark and did nothing to move the main plot forward (if anything, it held it back!)

So after hundreds of pages where it felt like we were merely spinning in circles, as nothing was connecting and nothing was being done to actually defeat WICKED, you could say that I was ready to completely throw in the towel when Thomas started considering helping WICKED with their next round of trials.

"For some reason, Thomas couldn’t get Janson out of his head. Could going back really be a way to save [name removed]? Every part of him rebelled against the idea of returning to WICKED, but if he did go back, and was able to complete the testing…"

Seriously? My frustration with Thomas was only increased when it was finally revealed how the trials were supposed to have found a cure. Here’s where things get slightly spoilery. Considering that the brain, or killzone, is the area that the Flare attacks, the doctors of WICKED decided that a map of the killzone would lead them to a cure. So they rounded up the brightest kids they could find, most of whom were immune to the effects of the Flare with a couple of non-immunes as variables, and put them through various trials in order to watch their brain activity. Why the trials needed to be as barbaric or dangerous as they were, was never explained. Why the trials only tested children, was never explained. Why the doctors couldn’t have gotten the same kind of data from simulated experiences, was never explained. Considering what those children were put through, many of whom didn’t make it out with their lives, for the explanation to be so lacklustre is an insult to my intelligence as a reader.

On top of my frustrations with Dashner’s lack of resonance or resolution, I also had to suffer through some of the worst writing of the series. I actually lost count of the amount of times Dashner started a sentence with (or some variation of) “Thomas knew they had no choice but to…” It made Thomas unaccountable for many of his actions, as he was always being forced into making an impossible decision. There were also some truly awkward phrases, which forced me to re-read several sections in order to make any sense of it. One example would be this line, during one of the many action scenes where Thomas is somehow able to overpower several more experienced fighters:

“He blocked the next punch with both of his forearms, then threw both fists up and at Janson’s face, connected.”

I had to read that sentence out loud to my husband to ask him if I was just being picky, or if it actually didn’t make any sense.

I’m not even going to touch on the characters; I found them as flat and dull as ever, with most of them being quite interchangeable.

In short, The Death Cure lived up to its predecessors by being a mixed bag of unconnected plots, poor decisions and weak resolutions.

The Death Cure was an absolutely fantastic end to the series. Now here's some reasons why:
1) Tons of heart-pounding action
2) Very little romance
3) Sob-inducing moments
4) An ending I could live with

1) If life hadn't gotten in the way, I think I would have finished this in one day. And that never happens for me. You might think all action all the time would get a little old, but it seriously doesn't. I was all tense and on the edge of my seat for basically the entire book. And the zombie-like Cranks were pretty darn freaky, but not too scary for those who aren't fans of horror.

2) Now don't get me wrong, I enjoy a good romance, I really do. But sometimes, I just want to read something that isn't all about the romance. The Death Cure is absolutely perfect for that. There's tiniest, slightest, minutest about romance, but it doesn't overpower the story at all. It's more like a tiny little footnote that still manages to fit into the story perfectly.

3) Fans of dystopia probably realize death is pretty common, but you know what, it gets me every time. And that is all I will say on the subject. You have to read it to find out more :P

4) I really, really enjoyed the ending. It answered enough of my questions and left me with a good overall feeling. And that's all I'll say about that as well so double :P

Cop out ending. That's really all I have to say. No answers, no character development. Just moving from one fight scene/run for life scene to the next with nothing to make the book worthwhile to read. It completely ruined the series for me.

Dashner's series has been highly lauded by a lot of people. Many rate it just below The Hunger Games in action-packed awesome dystopia. Unfortunately, I have never liked it, as is evinced in my review for the second book. I kept hoping I would find something of serious value in it, which is why I read through to the end of the series. In fact, I liked the first book best of all of them.

Even now, having finished, I feel like so much was never explained or perhaps even though out about what was going on in this world. The ending struck me as incredibly lame and ineffective. There were so many hints about deeper things going on with WICKED and with the Flare. He has all of these dreams/memories that suggest all of this crazy, interesting, horrifying stuff, but nothing else is ever done with that. Perhaps he wanted to leave it open for more books later, but I don't think this was cool at all.

Anyway, I don't want to continue ranting about this, because, as I said, most people will really love this book and this series. However, if you're in the minority that was not impressed with the first book (or even two), you will not be thrilled with this one either. This series is more about action than explanation or really getting into a well-thought-out new universe.

This book has more fight, action, and tears involved. It is my favorite of the Maze Runner Trilogy. It is one of the best conclusions that I have ever read. I am so going to read this trilogy again, it was so good. The ending was a great way to finish, and it was brilliantly written.

Thomas knows that Wicked can't be trusted, but they say the time for lies is over, that they've collected all they can from the Trials and now must rely on the Gladers, with full memories restored, to help them with their ultimate mission. It's up to the Gladers to complete the blueprint for the cure to the Flare with a final voluntary test.
What Wicked doesn't know is that something's happened that no Trial or Variable could have foreseen. Thomas has remembered far more than they think. And he knows that he can't believe a word of what Wicked says.
The time for lies is over. But the truth is more dangerous than Thomas could ever imagine.
Will anyone survive the Death Cure?

The action escalates immensely with all the guns and fights between everyone. I thought that made the book more exciting. But with all the fighting, it ruins the relationships between the characters as friends go against each other. The disease sneaks into the characters minds also messing up all the friendships they built. But I think without that, it would make it more boring, so I guess I turns out good.

This epic finale is a must read. I recommend it to young adults that are over twelve. It is a brilliant book that will steal your heart and twist your soul.

Really sad about how everything ended. I really enjoyed the second book!

This was the best book i ever read and will probaly read it again because it was awesome.

This was a great trilogy! always kept me interested in what was going to happen to everyone!