The Maze Runner by James Dashner

The Maze Runner by James Dashner
Genre: YA Fiction/Dystopian
Publication Date: 2009
Pages: 374
Challenges: Support Your Local Library #9
Source: Library


The Short Version:
Interesting story of teens in a controlled environment for reasons unknown, but with continually changing life threatening dangers.

Why I Read It:
I’ve been reading positive reviews about this book from bloggers I’ve come to trust since before it was even available. I knew it was the first of a planned trilogy so I was willing to wait on the long library waiting list.

The Book:
Thomas wakes up in a lift not remembering anything but his first name. When the doors open after the lift arrives at the top, he finds himself in an environment he knows is odd, even though he has no clear memories of his past. He’s in a glade surrounded by high stone walls. Everyone there is a teenage boy. Like Thomas, none of them remember their lives before their arrival in the glade via the same lift that brought Thomas. There are four doorways in the walls that close at night. Beyond those doors is a maze and being caught out in the maze after the doors close means probable death. The Gladers believe that if they can solve the maze, they can escape. In the meantime they have developed an organized society of sorts. Everyone has a role to play in their survival. What Thomas quickly decides is that he wants to be one of the Runners who explore the maze during the daylight hours in an effort to solve its secrets and perhaps determine why the creators of the maze have sent them all to this place.

My Thoughts:
This was an interesting story that I ended up describing as good but not spectacular. The glade, the maze, the dangers out in the maze and the society the boys have developed is a bit different than anything I’ve read and for that reason I enjoyed it. It was a bit violent and that increased along with the tension and dangers. I had several different guesses as I was reading as to how this would play out and what would happen at the end. Even though I knew ahead of time that it ended with a cliffhanger, I was surprised several times along the way.

I liked the story but I had issues with the made up slang the author used throughout the book. It just became a bit ‘Klunky’ (if you’ve read the book you’ll know why I’m apologizing for saying that but I couldn’t help myself). It was a bit distracting. Despite that I found the world that the author created quite interesting and unique.

All in all I was intrigued by the story and despite the violence found it entertaining and different. I didn’t love it as much as some of my book blogger friends did, but I enjoyed it enough to be looking forward to continuing with the series when the second book comes out this fall.

Rating 3.5/5