The Maze Runner

Author: James Dashner
Series: The Maze Runner, #1
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Release Date: October 6, 2009

Imagine waking up one day in total darkness, unsure of where you are and unable to remember anything about yourself except your first name. You're in a bizarre place devoid of adults called the Glade. The Glade is an enclosed structure with a jail, a graveyard, a slaughterhouse, living quarters, and gardens. And no way out. Outside the Glade is the Maze, and every day some of the kids—the Runners—venture into the labyrinth, trying to map the ever-changing pattern of walls in an attempt to find an exit from this hellish place. So far, no one has figured it out. And not all of the Runners return from their daily exertions, victims of the maniacal Grievers, part animal, part mechanical killing machines.

Thomas is the newest arrival to the Glade in this Truman-meets-Lord of the Flies tale. A motley crew of half a dozen kids is all he has to guide him in this strange world. As soon as he arrives, unusual things begin to happen, and the others grow suspicious of him. Though the Maze seems somehow familiar to Thomas, he's unable to make sense of the place, despite his extraordinary abilities as a Runner. What is this place, and does Thomas hold the key to finding a way out?

In The Maze Runner, Dashner has crafted a creative and engaging novel that's both mysterious and thought provoking.

Call me a dumb hipster, but I hate reading mainstream. There's no rational reason or tramatic childhood experience behind it. Every time I see a Gossip Girl or Uglies on a shelf, I have the sudden urge to make a face and walk in the other direction. For the last five years, Maze Runner was no exception. Until now, of course. So why the sudden change of heart?

Because the movie trailer was awesome, that's why.

It had won me over in a way that the book cover and summary hadn't, prompting me to buy myself a ticket on the last day of showing. Although my mind wasn't blown by the time the credits rolled, I've grown to love most of the characters and decided to give the source material a try. Was it worth it? After a week of letting both pieces of work settle in my mind, I'm still not sure. On some points, the movie was better, while on others, the book was.

And before you say it, no, this won't be one of those side-by-side comparison reviews. This is going to be all about the book. Starting now, anyway.

"Shouldn't someone give a pep talk or something?" Minho asked.

"Go ahead," Newt replied.

Minho nodded and faced the crowd. "Be careful," he said dryly. "Don't die."

Thomas wakes up in a place known as the Glade, devoid of any memories of the life he had before and left only with his name. As the inhabitants of the Glade help him adjust to his new home, he learns that they're trapped a giant, every-changing maze, their activity policed by deadly creatures called Grievers. Desperate to escape their situation, Thomas dreams of being apart of the Runners, the only ones permitted to leave the Glade and fin an exit. If only he can stop being annoying as fuck so I could sympathize with him.

... he had to do it. Somehow he KNEW he had to do it. It was such an odd thing to feel, especially after what he'd just seen... Thomas knew he was a smart kid—he somehow felt it in his bones. But nothing about this place made any sense. Except for one thing. He was supposed to be a Runner.

Look, I understand he has questions, like anyone would in his situation, and he wants to make himself useful. That's great. But to hear him whine about how he wants to be a Runner, and how no one will immediately stop what they're doing and answer all his questions for nearly two hundred pages gets really irritating really fast. Sure, a few characters call him out on it and he eventually learns to shut his mouth, but they take their sweet time going about it, and Thomas' character screamed of Gary Stu.

Another thing I disliked about him was his major relationships with Chuck, a young boy to come before him, and Theresa, the first girl and last person to come to the Glade. I simply cannot see anything in them that could warrant his strong attachment. Chuck was a creepy little brat, and Theresa... was a creepy little brat as well! Although I've been told that they serve a greater purpose in later books, as far as I can tell, Chuck was only put in to be the tragic kid who somewhat drives the protagonist to do things and Theresa the future love interest who shares an eye-rolling, forced connection with him. I had to keep myself from skimming whenever they shared a conversation.

Perhaps what saved The Maze Runner for me was Newt, the second-in-command of their settlement, and more importantly, Minho, leader of the Runners. Utterly charming and hilarious characters that stood out against a two-dimensional cast. I swear, Thomas shared more chemistry with them than Chuck and Theresa. In fact, from my standpoint, Thomas would faster fall in love with Minho, which I totally support. I also love that the author is an advocate for diversity and actually shows it in his works. Couple this with an enjoyable story, The Maze Runner turned out to be more-or-less on-par with the movie. With the questions I've been left with, I'll give the sequel a try as well.