The Maze Runner

Reader reviewed by GBC

Thomas wakes up in an elevator.  He has no idea how he got there, only remembering his name.  Thomas finds himself in a very strange place.  Basically he is in a large courtyard in the center of an even larger maze.  Daily runners are sent out to map the maze, but must be back by nightfall.  At dark, the gates close and strange beings roam the maze, being left out overnight is certain death.

However, things change after Thomas's arrival.  The next day the first, only, and last girl comes up the elevator.  She bears a note saying that no more supplies will be coming.  Things begin to change in the Maze and Thomas, and the others, realize it is now or never.

Reader reviewed by BookBegger

Tomas woke up in a box, remembering nothing besides his own name. He finds himself in the Glade surrounded by the Gladers, who are boys that live in the Glade. For the past two years the Gladers have been searching the maze that surrounds them, trying to find an escape. No one knows why theyre there, they only know that they hate the Creators (the people who brought them there). Tomas was there for only a day when the box came up with another person, a girl. Not only has there never been two people come from the box in the same month, but there has never been a girl. Tomas was sent there for a reason. The girl has triggered something and the horrors of the maze are released to the Glade. What is happening? Who is Tomas? Is it the end of the Gladers?

The Maze Runner was amazing! I couldnt put the book down, James Dashner made the characters realistic with real emotions. At parts I was afraid for the Gladers, at the same time I was eager to keep reading. The plot was well thought and the writing was great.

Full of suspense, mystery, and adventure The Maze Runner will have you on edge the whole time.

For more reviews and book updates go to my blog, Books To Beg For. 

Reader reviewed by Carly

I loved this book! It was a little slow in the beginning but after you get past that, it is so good! There are twists and turns all the time and you will not believe what happens in the end. I can't wait for the sequal, I'm sure it will be just as good as this book if not better!!!

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!!!

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.

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

Reader reviewed by darklightkid

As the novel starts, a teenage boy named Thomas is riding a strange elevator up to a place called the Glade. Thomas steps out into a strange world, armed only with his name as he is unable to remember anything else. The first interesting thing about the Glade is that it's entirely populated with teenage boys. The second interesting thing is that it's surrounded on all sides by a deadly Maze. The third interesting thing is that the walls around the openings to the Maze shut every night at sunset and don't reopen till sunrise. If anyone is left outside, they are as good as dead, thanks to the dreaded creatures known as Grievers that stalk the Maze at night.

Thomas makes a quick friend - young Chuck, who until Thomas' arrival was the most recent Newbie, or Greenbean, in the Glade. He makes a quick enemy, too - Gally, who has major anger issues and will do anything to get rid of him. He forms a tenuous, terse semi-friendship with some of the Maze's top rankers - Alby, a black guy who serves as the de facto leader; Newt, Alby's second-in-command; and Minho, an Asian who is the official leader (having been in the Glade two years, longer than any of the other inhabitants) but often is out in the Maze looking for a way out, as he is the chief of an elite squadron known as the Runners.

But immediately the day after Thomas shows up, he is followed by another - a rarity because new arrivals only come in once a month; a double rarity because this time the new arrival is a girl; a triple rarity because she comes with a cryptic message: "Everything is going to change."

And change it does. All the normal rules of the Maze are broken as the Gladers make a mad dash to try and figure out how they will escape - if in fact it's even possible.

This is a novel that should come with a government health warning: "Do not read if you have high blood pressure, recent injuries, or pregnancy. It is one of the wildest literary roller-coaster rides you will ever read. Before reading, please ensure you have signed the waiver form I20CK [a totally random code btw] in triplicate, absolving the publishers and author in case of accidental heart failure or other illness."

Do not miss it, whatever you do. Also keep an eye out for copies of the sequel, "The Scorch Trials."

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.

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!

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!