The Maze Runner

Nice story that unfolds really fast, and in an interesting way. I enjoyed this first part to the trilogy.

This fabulous story written by James Dashner features a cast of young teenagers living in a place where they are constantly looking for a way out, whilst trying not to be killed.
The plot is like a refreshing drink on a warm summer day; you just have to sigh with relief once you've gulped it down.
Inspiring piece of work; budding writers should read this to learn how a great plot and writing style, character creation and how to keep a good story going. Pat on the back for James Dashner!

To see my review on The Maze Runner, visit my blog: bookbabe07.blogspot.com

Wow! I don't know where to start with this book...
With a mysterious opening, I was hooked from the very first page unlike many other books. James Dashner [AUTHOR] was clever in the way of making sure the reader became intertwined within the mind of teenage boy, Thomas. Just like Thomas, we had no idea what was going on, and being thrown into the center of a chaotic labyrinth was just the first thing we knew! As we are greeted by other members of this unforgettable bundle of confused teens, we find that they, just like Thomas, have no clear memory. Almost every single character is memorable, and even when something situates between characters you don't know that well, you still find your eyes glued to the pages!
Throughout the book, I feel that James Dashner's writing improved from the first half, which somehow made the tension towards the end better than it could ever have been. I definitely recommend this book (and the rest of the series, including the prequel) to any fans of The Hunger Games trilogy, the Divergent trilogy and anyone who has a general interest into the fictional worlds of Dystopia!

Everybody is always ranting and raving about the awesomeness that is in the works of James Dashner's 'The Maze Runner'. So, when I walked into my library and saw it sitting there calling my name, I had to pick it up. The cover is boring when you first look at it. There isn't anything that's really eye catching. It's plain. The font is just..there. I was pretty sure I'd hate it for all it was worth.

I started reading the book out of curiosity. I told myself that I wouldn't read it until I finished all the books I was reading first. I figured, "Hey, why not? Just one chapter won't hurt anything." Oh, was I completely wrong. Apparently I didn't know what I was getting myself into. After reading the first chapter, I was hooked. Something about it sucked me in! Maybe it was the fact that this boy, Thomas, finds himself sitting there in the darkness of unknown territory without any memories of his life other than his name. It might have been the fact that only teenage boys of the male gender resided in the Glade. Or, it could have even been the weird dialect of the language. Either way, I devoured this book! It's one of those books that you don't want to finish in one or two days because you never want it to end, but you can't help it! I simple just couldn't put it down.

The story starts out with Thomas sitting in pitch-black darkness with no memories of a life he was sure he once lived. When light finally makes it's way to him, he realizes he isn't alone. Several dozens of boys, all around the same age, help him up out of the somber hole. They speak English, but with a weird, selective vocabulary. All seems casual in the Glade aside from having no adults present and having their memories wiped. Every month on the same day, a new boy is subjected to the Glade. But, the day after Thomas arrives, a girl is delivered, unconscious and with a message, and all hell seems to break loose.

This book is absolutely fantastic, a new favorite series for me! I'm already almost half way through the second book and it only get's better. I highly recommend this book to everyone that loves a good dystopian read. I laughed, I bawled my eyes out, and I hoped. I had so much hope for the characters of this story, but sometimes, all the hope in the world can't help them against the evils that find them. I never thought I'd say this, but it sure blows 'The Hunger Games' out of the water!

I often find it difficult to get into a "boy" book. It's usually just weapons, fighting, and unceasing action. Now, I'm not all about "feelings" all the time, action all the time can be a little much for me. What can I say, I'm a girl. However, The Maze Runner was not one of those books.

The action and mystery here were absolutely perfect. Every time I thought I had things figured out and there was going to be a little break, something new jumped out of nowhere taking me by surprise just as much as all the characters.. This scenario might be annoying in another setting, but it totally works here. It was just enough mystery and intrigue to keep me furiously flipping pages to find out all the answers. In fact, I had to keep covering up the next page so I wouldn't get ahead of myself in my excitement and skip forward.

No one character really stood out, but I liked most of them. I wish Teresa had been more present in the story, but hopefully there'll be some more about her in the next books. I was also a little confused about Thomas and Teresa's relationship since it popped out of nowhere, but thankfully, so were they.

Final thoughts: This was an absolutely fantastic start to the series. If you're up for a fast-paced action-filled dystopian-esque mystery this is the book you need. Seriously, if you've been putting this one off, you definitely need to pick it up. Also, it's an especially good "boy" book if that's what you're looking for.

I really loved this book, even though in some parts it was a little creepy and disturbing. I was hooked all the way through!

I felt as though I was there with Thomas the whole way through the book. Dashner always, somehow, knew what I wanted to ask, and had Thomas ask that question. It was really quite freaky!

Although the action really didn't kick up until later in the book, I was still hooked just because of the strangeness of the situation and how Thomas was dealing with it.

Some people might disagree, but I found the futuristic slang really interesting, and it somehow felt natural, maybe because Thomas as well felt that it was weird and strange, and eventually, Thomas and I both got used to it and it felt normal.

I think this book is amazing. Maybe not everyone would agree though, because some parts were quite strange and I got a 'weird' vibe coming through. But this book was totally for me, I really loved it and was hooked from the first to the last page!!!

Holy cow, people. This book was insane. I was completely riveted from page 1, something that rarely happens. Even with books I completely adore, it normally takes me a chapter or two to immerse myself in the world of the book. But with The Maze Runner, I was in that Box with Thomas. I was confused and uncomfortable and determined to make sense of the situation.

As the book went on, I, like Thomas, was completely perplexed and frustrated by the mystery of the Maze and why they were trapped in the Glade. But James Dashner had an uncanny ability to predict what I was going to ask, and then have Thomas ask that very question. For example, when they’re explaining that getting trapped in the Maze at night is a death sentence, I wondered if they’d attempted climbing the walls. Then Thomas asks, “Why don’t you just climb the walls?” So although I couldn’t figure out for the life of me how they were going to escape the Maze or why we were there, I was frustrated with the characters instead of at the characters.

The pacing of this book was excellent. While the action doesn’t really kick up until about 1/3 of the way into the book, I still felt my adrenaline pumping right away just because of the strangeness of the situation. There was suspense simply in not knowing why any of this was happening. Then, once Thomas gets his bearings a bit better, the real action picked up. So basically, I felt like I was having heart palpitations for the majority of this book. In a good way.

The characters were also well developed. While not every Glader was fully fleshed-out, the main ones all had their own personalities and layers. I felt like I knew these kids, and I found myself cheering for some and rolling my eyes with Thomas at others.

Even the dialogue, which I sometimes find really annoying in sci-fi/dystopian books when the author feels the need to throw in a bunch of made-up “future” slang, somehow felt natural in this book. Maybe it’s because Thomas draws attention to it almost immediately, saying it sounds weird and foreign. Since it’s acknowledged in the book, I accepted it and moved on. Eventually, it began to sound natural, to me and to Thomas.

Bottom line: I thought this book was amazing. It’s not for everyone. It’s got an extremely high “weird” factor. And the suspense that kept me on the edge of my seat for the entire book may not be what others are looking for. But for me, I completely and totally adored this book. I couldn’t put it down (literally. I read the whole thing in a day, something I was not planning on doing). It’s unlike anything else I’ve ever read. My only complaint is that my library doesn’t have Book 2 available RIGHT NOW.

This book is a strange read that is slightly creepy and gory in some parts. I found it fascinating and was hooked from the first page to the last one. It is a deep mystery that has suspense and adventure that keeps you reading on. The idea of the maze like this is pretty smart, it is also unnerving for some people who don't like scary futuristic stories. I loved it because of that though, I love some gory stories set in the future because it gives me insight to what might actually happen.

The maze runner is about Thomas, who wakes up in an elevator with no memory of anything except his first name. When the lift opens, he finds himself in the Glade, an open expanse surrounded by giant stone walls. Every morning, the walls open into a giant maze that shifts ever time the door opens. At night, the doors are shut tight. Every 30 days, a new boy arrives, so Thomas is excepted. But the next day, a girl arrives, the first girl ever. But more surprising is the message she brings with her. Thomas might be more important than he thinks, only if he can unlock the secrets in his own mind.

The characters are great. They are described quite well and they are all very different. With their own personalities, this make the book even better. I thought the idea of a giant maze with dark secrets was really good. This book is such a great read and the next two are even better.

Who wouldn't be freaked out if you woke up in the middle of a maze filled with boys and didn't remember who you were?? The mystery of this book kept me hooked from beginning to end. The strange secrets of the maze and who created it are simply fascinating! The rest of the series is filled with even more mysteries and suspense ! If you liked the Hunger Games you'll love this book too! Just try not to get too attached to the characters, you don't know what will happen!