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The Maze Runner Series
The Maze Runner trilogy boxed set contains the paperback editions of James Dashner's" New York Times" bestselling series. "The Maze Runner," "The Scorch Trials," and "The Death Cure" are action-packed, edge-of-your-seat, dystopian adventures for readers young and old. And now they are available together as the perfect gift.
1088 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2012
302 people are currently reading
6245 people want to read
About the author
James Dashner
134 books36k followersJames is the author of THE MAZE RUNNER trilogy and THE 13TH REALITY series. He also published a series (beginning with A DOOR IN THE WOODS) with a small publisher several years ago. He lives and writes in the Rocky Mountains.
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February 17, 2014
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In light of The Maze Runner movie coming out later this year, I thought I’d get a jump on the story by reading The Maze Runner trilogy by James Dashner over the weekend. It was probably the most frustrating reading experience I've ever had in my life.
Brief Synopsis: Thomas wakes up alone in a lift with no memories other than his own first name. When the lift opens, he finds that it has delivered him to “The Glade,” an open arena surrounded by giant stone walls that form the maze. He and the 50 other boys (and eventually one girl) have to solve the maze, but they don’t know how or why. Throughout the trilogy, we learn that the outside world has been ravaged by sun flares that reached the earth and threw the planet into chaos. In addition, a deadly virus, dubbed "The Flare," was inadvertently released and is killing the remaining population. Thomas and the other "Gladers" are immune to the virus, so their brains are the key to discovering the cure. Horrible things happen to them inside and eventually outside of the maze, all in the name of science and studying their reactions inside their brains. If the scientists, aka the WICKED organization, can create a blueprint for an immune brain, they feel they can find a cure. But who can actually be trusted? Who is actually the good guy? How far is too far?
Trilogy Rating: Based on my star average for the three separate books, the whole trilogy gets a 3/5. If you’re the type that likes to read books before seeing the movie, then by all means, read The Maze Runner. It was a very enjoyable and unique read. In my opinion, you can skip the final two books and not miss anything. Also, I’m predicting that this will be one of those rare cases where the movie is better than the book.
Book #1: The Maze Runner
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Overall Impression: Without a doubt, this book is the strongest of the trilogy. The concept of the story is pretty unique and has so much potential to be something very cool. I liked the characters. It asked and answered questions at a good pace. I teetered between 3 stars and 4 stars because I felt the writing was a little juvenile and repetitive, but ultimately, I decided the book is intended for a much younger audience than me so I went with four. (Not everything can be The Hunger Games, right?)
Book #2: The Scorch Trials
Rating: 2/5 Stars
Overall Impression: Honestly, not much stands out for me in this book because it felt like pure filler. The Gladers set out to complete Phase 2. They've left the maze and are now trying to navigate the Scorch, the completely destroyed and barren desert remains of the areas around the Earth’s equator. More horrible things happen but we aren't given any answers in terms of why or how they are happening. Also, there is zero character development. I didn't enjoy this read very much. It’s a hopeful 2 stars, in that I’m hoping it’ll pick up after to the dreaded Second Book Slump.
Book #3: The Death Cure
Rating: 1/5
Overall Impression: So mind numbingly FRUSTRATING. I'll discuss specifics below, but overall, I kind of hated every second of this book. I saw another review that referred to this last book as the "written version of a Michael Bay movie" and that assessment is so spot on. We jump from one fight to the next, one explosion to the next, one problem to the next, all the while having no character development whatsoever. The third book in a nutshell: Problem arises. Make a plan. Plan fails. Succeed anyway. Repeat. Over and over and over again. It’s overkill. And I won't even touch the completely out of left field, cop out of an ending. Just ugh.
Spoilery Rant WARNING:
So, right in the beginning of book 3, Thomas has the opportunity to have his memory restored. Finally. FINALLY! All that the readers need for all of our questions to be answered is for Thomas to get his memory back. AND HE REFUSES. Other characters get their memories back, but we aren't in their heads so that's useless. Thomas gets the same opportunity mid-story and refuses AGAIN. Seriously, WTF? You set up all of these questions and scenarios but readers are supposed to accept "variables" as the answer to everything? I'm sorry, I don't care that I'm not the intended demographic for this story, that's lame no matter what age you are.
The lack of character development in the last two books also made it very hard to care about important deaths, including the death of my favorite character from book 1. I wanted to care, but all the characters devolved into bland, boring and predictable shells of themselves.
All in all, if you like answered questions and closure with your reading experiences, avoid this series at all cost. You will get neither here.
In light of The Maze Runner movie coming out later this year, I thought I’d get a jump on the story by reading The Maze Runner trilogy by James Dashner over the weekend. It was probably the most frustrating reading experience I've ever had in my life.
Brief Synopsis: Thomas wakes up alone in a lift with no memories other than his own first name. When the lift opens, he finds that it has delivered him to “The Glade,” an open arena surrounded by giant stone walls that form the maze. He and the 50 other boys (and eventually one girl) have to solve the maze, but they don’t know how or why. Throughout the trilogy, we learn that the outside world has been ravaged by sun flares that reached the earth and threw the planet into chaos. In addition, a deadly virus, dubbed "The Flare," was inadvertently released and is killing the remaining population. Thomas and the other "Gladers" are immune to the virus, so their brains are the key to discovering the cure. Horrible things happen to them inside and eventually outside of the maze, all in the name of science and studying their reactions inside their brains. If the scientists, aka the WICKED organization, can create a blueprint for an immune brain, they feel they can find a cure. But who can actually be trusted? Who is actually the good guy? How far is too far?
Trilogy Rating: Based on my star average for the three separate books, the whole trilogy gets a 3/5. If you’re the type that likes to read books before seeing the movie, then by all means, read The Maze Runner. It was a very enjoyable and unique read. In my opinion, you can skip the final two books and not miss anything. Also, I’m predicting that this will be one of those rare cases where the movie is better than the book.
Book #1: The Maze Runner
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Overall Impression: Without a doubt, this book is the strongest of the trilogy. The concept of the story is pretty unique and has so much potential to be something very cool. I liked the characters. It asked and answered questions at a good pace. I teetered between 3 stars and 4 stars because I felt the writing was a little juvenile and repetitive, but ultimately, I decided the book is intended for a much younger audience than me so I went with four. (Not everything can be The Hunger Games, right?)
Book #2: The Scorch Trials
Rating: 2/5 Stars
Overall Impression: Honestly, not much stands out for me in this book because it felt like pure filler. The Gladers set out to complete Phase 2. They've left the maze and are now trying to navigate the Scorch, the completely destroyed and barren desert remains of the areas around the Earth’s equator. More horrible things happen but we aren't given any answers in terms of why or how they are happening. Also, there is zero character development. I didn't enjoy this read very much. It’s a hopeful 2 stars, in that I’m hoping it’ll pick up after to the dreaded Second Book Slump.
Book #3: The Death Cure
Rating: 1/5
Overall Impression: So mind numbingly FRUSTRATING. I'll discuss specifics below, but overall, I kind of hated every second of this book. I saw another review that referred to this last book as the "written version of a Michael Bay movie" and that assessment is so spot on. We jump from one fight to the next, one explosion to the next, one problem to the next, all the while having no character development whatsoever. The third book in a nutshell: Problem arises. Make a plan. Plan fails. Succeed anyway. Repeat. Over and over and over again. It’s overkill. And I won't even touch the completely out of left field, cop out of an ending. Just ugh.
Spoilery Rant WARNING:
So, right in the beginning of book 3, Thomas has the opportunity to have his memory restored. Finally. FINALLY! All that the readers need for all of our questions to be answered is for Thomas to get his memory back. AND HE REFUSES. Other characters get their memories back, but we aren't in their heads so that's useless. Thomas gets the same opportunity mid-story and refuses AGAIN. Seriously, WTF? You set up all of these questions and scenarios but readers are supposed to accept "variables" as the answer to everything? I'm sorry, I don't care that I'm not the intended demographic for this story, that's lame no matter what age you are.
The lack of character development in the last two books also made it very hard to care about important deaths, including the death of my favorite character from book 1. I wanted to care, but all the characters devolved into bland, boring and predictable shells of themselves.
All in all, if you like answered questions and closure with your reading experiences, avoid this series at all cost. You will get neither here.
February 6, 2018
Book #1 ‘The Maze Runner’ - 4 stars
* Remember 🔹 Survive 🔷 Run *
————-
Book #2 ‘The Scorch Trials’ - 4 stars
* There are no rules 🔷 There is no help 🔹 You either make it or you die *
————-
Book #3 ‘The Death Cure’ - 4 stars
* It’s the end of the line 🔹 The truth will be terrifying 🔷 The time for lies is over *
* Remember 🔹 Survive 🔷 Run *
————-
Book #2 ‘The Scorch Trials’ - 4 stars
* There are no rules 🔷 There is no help 🔹 You either make it or you die *
————-
Book #3 ‘The Death Cure’ - 4 stars
* It’s the end of the line 🔹 The truth will be terrifying 🔷 The time for lies is over *
Read
April 16, 2014Finishing the last book of the trilogy, The Death Cure, has convinced me that this is one hell of a good series. Despite the cover of the book claiming that Hunger Games fans will love this, I have to say that as a HG fan, I found The Maze Runner series more enjoyable.
The characters feel real, but conflicted, and more interesting than any other YA characters I can name. Thomas in particular is a protagonist that draws you in so much that you can't help but see it through to the end, for his sake if nothing else. The secondary characters (Minho and Newt mainly) provide more depth, humour and tragedy alike.
Dashner is a master of action sequences. The settings are epic, and although the second book, The Scorch Trails might drag to some, the outcome in the final book is worth working up to.
To me, this was a lot darker and more violent than the Hunger Games, particularly book 3. But I enjoy that kind of stuff, so the book delivered well in that area.
I sincerely hope that the movie can live up to the brilliance that I have read.
The characters feel real, but conflicted, and more interesting than any other YA characters I can name. Thomas in particular is a protagonist that draws you in so much that you can't help but see it through to the end, for his sake if nothing else. The secondary characters (Minho and Newt mainly) provide more depth, humour and tragedy alike.
Dashner is a master of action sequences. The settings are epic, and although the second book, The Scorch Trails might drag to some, the outcome in the final book is worth working up to.
To me, this was a lot darker and more violent than the Hunger Games, particularly book 3. But I enjoy that kind of stuff, so the book delivered well in that area.
I sincerely hope that the movie can live up to the brilliance that I have read.
October 3, 2016
Having read the three books as a bundle I bought in iBooks, my review is for the entire trilogy.
For me, this was a wild ride which started off good and then went, slowly, down the drain.
It all starts with a teenage boy, called Thomas, waking up inside some sort of box, without remembering much of his past, and being delivered to a place called the Glade where only teenage boys like himself live. It doesn't take long for Thomas to get acquainted to some of the other boys, the place where he is and its peculiarities, one of them being the gigantic maze just outside the Glade. And so the books follow Thomas and his friends as they struggle to understand their strange situation and what they have to do.
There is much more to the story, but I think it is preferable not to spoil. And, besides, I had almost zero knowledge of the story and its events; to be honest, I think it's better not to know much.
So, what did I think about The Maze Runner Trilogy? My immediate thought is that Mr Dashner, the author, must have hated his main character Thomas, and the rest of characters, with all his guts. It's not that Dashner didn't decide to make their lives difficult. It's the ridiculous amount of times, during the three books, that Thomas and the others's lives are put in danger. This was a constant in The Scorch Trials (Book 2) and The Death Cure (Book 3). So much that it became just preposterous having Thomas to be free of a dangerous situation only to step into a worse one some pages after. It really felt that the author was punishing him and the others with increasingly difficult and violent situations.
Yes, the books are violent, there is a lot of blood spill; Dashner does not sugar the pill when it comes to gruesome.
But he seemed to have forgotten to physically describe his characters. I think Teresa was the only one with a most complete description. Chuck, Brenda and Newt had some traits described, and Thomas was told he was ugly by some of his friends. Although this could just have been their mocking Thomas, something the characters do a lot throughout the whole thing. But I could never really see Thomas in my mind, and with him being the main character it was a pity.
I also found that some things didn't quite add up, that some characters (I can remember one in particular) seemed to have vanished (or did I miss something?) and that the story tended to drag (with a lot of violence) towards the end.
Basically, for me, the first book was quite good, the second just too cruel and the third a bore. How is it possible that a book packed with action (and violence; have I mentioned the random and really unnecessary violence that you can find in these books?) can be so boring? To make it worse, The Death Cure is the longest of the three instalments. Near the end I just wanted it to end.
Although I didn't hate this trilogy, it didn't exactly made me warm up to it. Despite it being compared to The Hunger Games, The Maze Runner is not as exciting, and, as I wrote, becomes boring towards the end.
Fortunately, I didn't have my expectations too high, and the books read well and fast.
Moving on...
For me, this was a wild ride which started off good and then went, slowly, down the drain.
It all starts with a teenage boy, called Thomas, waking up inside some sort of box, without remembering much of his past, and being delivered to a place called the Glade where only teenage boys like himself live. It doesn't take long for Thomas to get acquainted to some of the other boys, the place where he is and its peculiarities, one of them being the gigantic maze just outside the Glade. And so the books follow Thomas and his friends as they struggle to understand their strange situation and what they have to do.
There is much more to the story, but I think it is preferable not to spoil. And, besides, I had almost zero knowledge of the story and its events; to be honest, I think it's better not to know much.
So, what did I think about The Maze Runner Trilogy? My immediate thought is that Mr Dashner, the author, must have hated his main character Thomas, and the rest of characters, with all his guts. It's not that Dashner didn't decide to make their lives difficult. It's the ridiculous amount of times, during the three books, that Thomas and the others's lives are put in danger. This was a constant in The Scorch Trials (Book 2) and The Death Cure (Book 3). So much that it became just preposterous having Thomas to be free of a dangerous situation only to step into a worse one some pages after. It really felt that the author was punishing him and the others with increasingly difficult and violent situations.
Yes, the books are violent, there is a lot of blood spill; Dashner does not sugar the pill when it comes to gruesome.
But he seemed to have forgotten to physically describe his characters. I think Teresa was the only one with a most complete description. Chuck, Brenda and Newt had some traits described, and Thomas was told he was ugly by some of his friends. Although this could just have been their mocking Thomas, something the characters do a lot throughout the whole thing. But I could never really see Thomas in my mind, and with him being the main character it was a pity.
I also found that some things didn't quite add up, that some characters (I can remember one in particular) seemed to have vanished (or did I miss something?) and that the story tended to drag (with a lot of violence) towards the end.
Basically, for me, the first book was quite good, the second just too cruel and the third a bore. How is it possible that a book packed with action (and violence; have I mentioned the random and really unnecessary violence that you can find in these books?) can be so boring? To make it worse, The Death Cure is the longest of the three instalments. Near the end I just wanted it to end.
Although I didn't hate this trilogy, it didn't exactly made me warm up to it. Despite it being compared to The Hunger Games, The Maze Runner is not as exciting, and, as I wrote, becomes boring towards the end.
Fortunately, I didn't have my expectations too high, and the books read well and fast.
Moving on...
July 9, 2013
James Dashner amazes me with this book series. I thought the first book was exotic and compelling. The second book, I looked like an idiot with my jaw wide open in the middle of class. That was by far the best of the series, just like the dark night movies it clearly peaks at the second one. The third I thought was the weak link. Terasea was clearly not owning up to her mistakes like she was in the second one and Thomas is still being a jerk to her. STOP FIGHTING PLEASE!
July 25, 2013
Irritating. Starts decently with an interesting situation and just goes down hill. The second and third book are most unsatisfying.
March 2, 2014
So, I needed to review the trilogy as a whole because I read them all furiously back to back and now they've become one long book, overall:
Maze Runner: frustrating
Scorch Trials: better-ish
Death Cure: slightly ridiculous
I didn't hate this series as much as some people did, or maybe as I should have, as I've said before I'm very accepting of flawed writing. The concept of this series is rather brilliant, the execution is not. If you're reading it after the Hunger Games you'll see how roughly cut the ideas are compared to the thorough world building of Collins. I haven't read the prequel yet but apparently it does nothing to quench all the burning questions that are left unaddressed at the end of the trilogy.
My main problem with these novels is the feeling that Dashner had a lot of good ideas and tacked them in without any real thought about how they affected the story. Dashner falls victim to the heinous crime of showing and not telling, he spells out (quite literally) what kind of character people are meant to be and then does next to nothing to prove that, Characters end up being the same person, particularly Teresa and Brenda, who both have masses of potential but end up being interchangeable. As well as a lot of things conveniently happening and the characters saying "Well that was convenient" and then going on with the story, because it's not bad writing if the characters are aware of their unending good luck, right?
Then we come to WICKED, and I have to tell you, the anarchist in me loves an anti-statist novel more than anything. Give me young rebels seeking to restore the good values of humanity and knowledge against the suffocating and mentally unstable grip old, violence-obsessed politicians any day. However, WICKED go beyond a controlling state, WICKED are not merely a big brother government with incredible futuristic technology and an obsessive and delusion goal. I had high hopes for WICKED and their goals and their justifications and the part that Thomas and Teresa played. If you're expecting some sort of grand, beautifully written explanation at some point (I was betting on Death Cure), you're not going to get it. I can accept a lot about the vagueness of this series, but what I really can't forgive is the absolute lack of scientific explanation. I am in the middle of writing a slightly sci-fi book and I know jack-shit about the science I'm talking about but I understand you need something to go with? WICKED's goal seemed too delusion, too desperate, there was absolutely no evidence that what they were doing was even remotely in the right direction, cruel or not, the whole justification of WICKED is hinged on the solid belief that they are doing something that has real scientific value and do you see that? No. What happens? Dashner tells you that this is what's going on and you just have to accept it.
This review got very long, very quickly and I'm sorry but I am going through an entire and deeply flawed trilogy. The end was actually really good, very reminiscent of Mockingjay but it suggests a follow up book or that the prequel follows the same storyline (early WICKED formation is what I'm dying for) but there isn't and apparently it doesn't, and I'm almost too angry to read it (but I might, probably will). Really, I think Dashner had these great ideas and could have had a great series but someone along the way popped up and gave him a checklist and we ended up with this watery, dumbed down, rushed version of something amazing. All I have to say is you cannot hope to address this kind of material without it getting gritty and intense and way too deep for younger readers, you're just disappointing everyone. But I am actually looking forward to the movie, Dylan O'Brien is perfectly cast and will definitely make Thomas into a character rather than a literary device, while the ridiculous amounts of action and overdramatic nature of the plot as a whole will make for an entertaining watch. This series is an easy read and captivating enough if you're willing to go with it, there are moments of brilliance and moments that fall so short you want to find whoever let this be published like this and strangle them.
Maze Runner: frustrating
Scorch Trials: better-ish
Death Cure: slightly ridiculous
I didn't hate this series as much as some people did, or maybe as I should have, as I've said before I'm very accepting of flawed writing. The concept of this series is rather brilliant, the execution is not. If you're reading it after the Hunger Games you'll see how roughly cut the ideas are compared to the thorough world building of Collins. I haven't read the prequel yet but apparently it does nothing to quench all the burning questions that are left unaddressed at the end of the trilogy.
My main problem with these novels is the feeling that Dashner had a lot of good ideas and tacked them in without any real thought about how they affected the story. Dashner falls victim to the heinous crime of showing and not telling, he spells out (quite literally) what kind of character people are meant to be and then does next to nothing to prove that, Characters end up being the same person, particularly Teresa and Brenda, who both have masses of potential but end up being interchangeable. As well as a lot of things conveniently happening and the characters saying "Well that was convenient" and then going on with the story, because it's not bad writing if the characters are aware of their unending good luck, right?
Then we come to WICKED, and I have to tell you, the anarchist in me loves an anti-statist novel more than anything. Give me young rebels seeking to restore the good values of humanity and knowledge against the suffocating and mentally unstable grip old, violence-obsessed politicians any day. However, WICKED go beyond a controlling state, WICKED are not merely a big brother government with incredible futuristic technology and an obsessive and delusion goal. I had high hopes for WICKED and their goals and their justifications and the part that Thomas and Teresa played. If you're expecting some sort of grand, beautifully written explanation at some point (I was betting on Death Cure), you're not going to get it. I can accept a lot about the vagueness of this series, but what I really can't forgive is the absolute lack of scientific explanation. I am in the middle of writing a slightly sci-fi book and I know jack-shit about the science I'm talking about but I understand you need something to go with? WICKED's goal seemed too delusion, too desperate, there was absolutely no evidence that what they were doing was even remotely in the right direction, cruel or not, the whole justification of WICKED is hinged on the solid belief that they are doing something that has real scientific value and do you see that? No. What happens? Dashner tells you that this is what's going on and you just have to accept it.
This review got very long, very quickly and I'm sorry but I am going through an entire and deeply flawed trilogy. The end was actually really good, very reminiscent of Mockingjay but it suggests a follow up book or that the prequel follows the same storyline (early WICKED formation is what I'm dying for) but there isn't and apparently it doesn't, and I'm almost too angry to read it (but I might, probably will). Really, I think Dashner had these great ideas and could have had a great series but someone along the way popped up and gave him a checklist and we ended up with this watery, dumbed down, rushed version of something amazing. All I have to say is you cannot hope to address this kind of material without it getting gritty and intense and way too deep for younger readers, you're just disappointing everyone. But I am actually looking forward to the movie, Dylan O'Brien is perfectly cast and will definitely make Thomas into a character rather than a literary device, while the ridiculous amounts of action and overdramatic nature of the plot as a whole will make for an entertaining watch. This series is an easy read and captivating enough if you're willing to go with it, there are moments of brilliance and moments that fall so short you want to find whoever let this be published like this and strangle them.
November 18, 2025
Title in English: The Maze Runner. The Scorch Trials. The Death Cure
The last time I was so gripped by a series was in 2017, and it was Cassandra Clare's 'Mortal Instruments.'
I didn't watch the third movie, watched, with scrolling through some moments, the second movie, I liked the first movie, but I loved these books! I read all of them in less than a week
The last time I was so gripped by a series was in 2017, and it was Cassandra Clare's 'Mortal Instruments.'
I didn't watch the third movie, watched, with scrolling through some moments, the second movie, I liked the first movie, but I loved these books! I read all of them in less than a week
November 16, 2012
The whole series of the Maze runner was an amazing and interesting trilogy. I believe it is one of the most original ideas for books I've ever seen. I love how each book ends with a twist or a cliffhanger. I recently read the prequel, and surprisingly the first book has the best story line and keeps your attention and never bores you for a second. In the end you are like. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!
I believe the major theme of this book is Global Warming. The book has a disease called the Flare which makes you grow crazy and bellicose. "The Flares must have been devastating ,inflicting catastrophic damage worldwide... Which meant a quick melting of the polar ice caps. Which meant sea levels rising at an alarming and apocalyptic rate."(Dashner 100).The purpose was to - in a hidden way - warn people that if they don't stop their bad habits the world will just self destruct. Global Warming is a huge problem and Dashner showed what would happen to our world in the 2050's. The book had a lot of success. His writing style is very cool and he makes everything so dramatic. That makes a good book.The government would be taken over by rebels and bands. "They say the ones that drop off supplies in Asheville have PFC painted in big letters on the side . Post-Flares Coalition."(Dashner 19). The Post-Flares Coalition is all of the governments in the world teamed up to try to help the world, but turn out to make many wrong decisions in this book.
On a review from http://mackinbooksinbloom.com the person said this book had a touch of romance and heavy on-the-edge-of-your-seat-action. This is very true. It relates to the hunger games also, so if you love the hunger games (like i do) you will definitely want to read this series. The author has this awesome ability to just always keep you guessing. I believe that is a key skill in writing.
That is why my 2nd favorite series is now the maze runner. I think everyone can connect to this book. The author's beginnigs and endings are unbelievable, especially when in the first book you know nothing to start off. Finally, the best part of the series is the way he peels off a little back story in every chapter.
I believe the major theme of this book is Global Warming. The book has a disease called the Flare which makes you grow crazy and bellicose. "The Flares must have been devastating ,inflicting catastrophic damage worldwide... Which meant a quick melting of the polar ice caps. Which meant sea levels rising at an alarming and apocalyptic rate."(Dashner 100).The purpose was to - in a hidden way - warn people that if they don't stop their bad habits the world will just self destruct. Global Warming is a huge problem and Dashner showed what would happen to our world in the 2050's. The book had a lot of success. His writing style is very cool and he makes everything so dramatic. That makes a good book.The government would be taken over by rebels and bands. "They say the ones that drop off supplies in Asheville have PFC painted in big letters on the side . Post-Flares Coalition."(Dashner 19). The Post-Flares Coalition is all of the governments in the world teamed up to try to help the world, but turn out to make many wrong decisions in this book.
On a review from http://mackinbooksinbloom.com the person said this book had a touch of romance and heavy on-the-edge-of-your-seat-action. This is very true. It relates to the hunger games also, so if you love the hunger games (like i do) you will definitely want to read this series. The author has this awesome ability to just always keep you guessing. I believe that is a key skill in writing.
That is why my 2nd favorite series is now the maze runner. I think everyone can connect to this book. The author's beginnigs and endings are unbelievable, especially when in the first book you know nothing to start off. Finally, the best part of the series is the way he peels off a little back story in every chapter.
August 30, 2020
Labyrint mi dal poriadne zabrať. Ani nie príbehom, ale skôr svojou hrúbkou. Vybrala som si vydanie, v ktorom sú obsiahnuté dohromady všetky knihy série, ale tomu som napokon rada, aj keď mi čítanie zabralo trochu viac čase ako zvyčajne. Ak by som jednotlivé diely čítala samostatne a nie takto naraz, tak by som sa možno ku koncu ani nedopracovala.
Filmové spracovanie som videla už dávnejšie, ale to mi nijako nepokazilo zážitok z čítania. Prvá časť bola totožné z tou filmovou, ale potom sa to už najprv v detailoch a postupne v čoraz dôležitejších veciach odlišovalo. Preto som bola v napätí a bolo to výborné.
Dystopiu zbožňujem a táto série je dosť vydarená, prostredie bolo originálne, zápletka trochu chaotická, pretože hlavných zloduchom bola organizácia CHAOS. Miestami som sa strácala v tom, čo CHAOS od tých detí vlastne chce, ale zachránil to dostatok akcie a napätia. Thomas bol super, Minho ešte lepší a Newt je proste srdcovka. Naopak Teresa bola zvláštna, nikdy som u nej vedela, na koho strane stojí a ako sa zachová.
Túto vydarenú dystopickú sériu, ako aj iné výborné knihy nájdete na stránke www.preskoly. Sk, ktorým zároveň ďakujem za jej zaslanie.
Filmové spracovanie som videla už dávnejšie, ale to mi nijako nepokazilo zážitok z čítania. Prvá časť bola totožné z tou filmovou, ale potom sa to už najprv v detailoch a postupne v čoraz dôležitejších veciach odlišovalo. Preto som bola v napätí a bolo to výborné.
Dystopiu zbožňujem a táto série je dosť vydarená, prostredie bolo originálne, zápletka trochu chaotická, pretože hlavných zloduchom bola organizácia CHAOS. Miestami som sa strácala v tom, čo CHAOS od tých detí vlastne chce, ale zachránil to dostatok akcie a napätia. Thomas bol super, Minho ešte lepší a Newt je proste srdcovka. Naopak Teresa bola zvláštna, nikdy som u nej vedela, na koho strane stojí a ako sa zachová.
Túto vydarenú dystopickú sériu, ako aj iné výborné knihy nájdete na stránke www.preskoly. Sk, ktorým zároveň ďakujem za jej zaslanie.
July 19, 2014
To say it frustrated me to death would be an understatement because I didn't outright hate it, I wish I did.
It has potential, plot wise and character wise but the author didn't take it any where!! The questions the mystery and the plot brought up made you wanna continue reading but then it got to a point where nothing was convincing and it felt like I was being bullshitted there! i sensed no character development whatsoever, it all felt plain and superficial after the first installment in the trilogy and that frustrated me the most. Because there was great character material in there, truly and I feel like the author made no use of that!
And oh god how I despised the main character! He annoyed me more than Harry Potter did in the beginning of the Order of the Phoenix and that's saying something!
Bottom line, it felt like I was reading a draft of a potentially great trilogy.
It has potential, plot wise and character wise but the author didn't take it any where!! The questions the mystery and the plot brought up made you wanna continue reading but then it got to a point where nothing was convincing and it felt like I was being bullshitted there! i sensed no character development whatsoever, it all felt plain and superficial after the first installment in the trilogy and that frustrated me the most. Because there was great character material in there, truly and I feel like the author made no use of that!
And oh god how I despised the main character! He annoyed me more than Harry Potter did in the beginning of the Order of the Phoenix and that's saying something!
Bottom line, it felt like I was reading a draft of a potentially great trilogy.
April 7, 2014
This trilogy should have been ONE book. JUST ONE. The second book does not continue the story... in actuality it just rips it apart and starts over and the third book is just a recycling of the first and second told with a bit more desperation and the inevitable and gross love triangle. We are never really told why the perfect candidate is the perfect candidate or any of the other important details... evidently that is in a prequel which came out after the trilogy, however I will not buy the prequel because I'd rather set my money on fire than be manipulated by this author yet again.
August 15, 2014
First thing first, I didn't like it.
After the first novel, which was kind of interesting and somewhat engaging, the story goes downhill, FAST! Ridiculous plotlines, character defined as the best of the best, the Einsteins of their age (literally, they get their nicknames from historical geniuses), making stupid choices and not seeing betrayals coming even when they practically introduce themselves while curling their metaphorical evil moustaches!
The lead character goes from being a pretty smart, brave guy, becoming a leader despite himself, to being the equivalent of the blonde girl asking "who's there?" at the beginning of every horror movie.
James Dashner is an engaging author, there are some unexpected turns here and there, mostly by how gruesome some parts of the trials are, but the plot is truly lacking: it's mostly a ridiculously long journey riddled with banal acronyms, ridiculous villains acting for The Greater Good, unreasonably grisly tests and incredibly obvious spies.
Things got so obvious I practically skimmed the whole of the last book.
I had the feeling the second and third books were not a labour of love, but works rushed through to make the deadline. In my opinion, they were not well thought out at all, especially when compared to "The Maze Runner".
When I find myself hoping for the main character to "DIE, oh my gosh, I can't stand you anymore, you're so stupid, damnit!", then I can't in good conscience recommend this to anyone else.
(Unless you're just looking for a bloody, idiotic thriller, that is.)
After the first novel, which was kind of interesting and somewhat engaging, the story goes downhill, FAST! Ridiculous plotlines, character defined as the best of the best, the Einsteins of their age (literally, they get their nicknames from historical geniuses), making stupid choices and not seeing betrayals coming even when they practically introduce themselves while curling their metaphorical evil moustaches!
The lead character goes from being a pretty smart, brave guy, becoming a leader despite himself, to being the equivalent of the blonde girl asking "who's there?" at the beginning of every horror movie.
James Dashner is an engaging author, there are some unexpected turns here and there, mostly by how gruesome some parts of the trials are, but the plot is truly lacking: it's mostly a ridiculously long journey riddled with banal acronyms, ridiculous villains acting for The Greater Good, unreasonably grisly tests and incredibly obvious spies.
Things got so obvious I practically skimmed the whole of the last book.
I had the feeling the second and third books were not a labour of love, but works rushed through to make the deadline. In my opinion, they were not well thought out at all, especially when compared to "The Maze Runner".
When I find myself hoping for the main character to "DIE, oh my gosh, I can't stand you anymore, you're so stupid, damnit!", then I can't in good conscience recommend this to anyone else.
(Unless you're just looking for a bloody, idiotic thriller, that is.)
May 10, 2013
They were okay. I was intrigued, but the writing style isn't anything to write home about. The story line drags on through each book. I'd say the first one is the best and you don't truly need to continue after that. But, it was a easy and light read.
Read
June 28, 2024Just finished the first 3 on audio and it is such an entertaining and easy book to listen to. Enjoy it way more then the movies
February 24, 2014
The Maze Runner trilogy was a very good trilogy in my opinion. Their was many moments where there was a chill going down my spine. The trilogy is based around a teen named Thomas. His memory was erased and he was sent to a place with four giant stone walls. It was called the glades. But, he wasn't the only one there. There were other teens there. Some older some younger. Not knowing anything about his past, he becomes friends with the gladers and they all have to escape. Through a GIANT maze. They usually get a boy every thirty days. But, one day every thing changed. One day they got a girl. But, their was also a note inside. It read: This is the last one. Now they really have to escape. They send Thomas out to be a runner and they find a way out. But, that was suppose to be the end of it. It wasn't. Outside it was even worse. Solar flares have destroyed the earth. Now they have new worries. Cranks. They are humans with the Flare. The Flare is a disease that slowly makes you go insane then kills you. But what they don't know is that most of them are immune to the flare. But one isn't Newt. They think that they have and they have to get to this place where it is said to have the cure. When they get there they are put into different trials. Thomas is sent to a white room. Total isolation. After twenty some days they are reunited and plan to escape. They get separated again now they have to escape. After the get away from the guards they fly to Denver. They walk around but Newt stayed behind because he had the flare. When they get back Newt is gone. He was taken to a place where they keep all the Cranks. They go to get him back but he refuses to go with them. They go back to Denver to find the city over run by Cranks.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
August 30, 2020So many people had recommended this series to me as the next big franchise and something I should definitely get my hands on. However, when I looked at the Goodreads page for The Maze Runner I saw ratings of one star, which completely put me off - I didn't want to waste my time reading something that people thought was one star! But eventually by coincidence I got my hands on a copy and decided that I might as well read it while I had it.
I'm not going to delve into any plot points, because there would be an incredible amount to cover. The idea itself of the trilogy I thought was awesome - for a dystopian novel it's pretty unique although the storyline and plot twists of the first book were all very predictable. In fact, I found that I was riveted only when I got to the second and third book. I read both in two days, and literally could not put them down.
I see a lot of criticism saying that there is no character development, it isn't very well written, and a lot of other valid points. The Maze Runner trilogy is not a literary work of art, I'm admitting that now. But that doesn't mean it does not keep you entertained. The whole trilogy is set within a month or two at most, and I felt that pressure for time as I was reading; it felt a lot like being on an average rollercoaster - even though it wasn't the best one I've been on, I still had a great time doing it.
My final recommendation if you've gotten this far is that you should read the whole trilogy (I haven't gotten around to The Kill Order yet, so I'll review that separately). Don't go in there expecting The Hunger Games or Divergent, go into it expecting three books of non-stop action and adventure, and just enjoy it for what it is.
I'm not going to delve into any plot points, because there would be an incredible amount to cover. The idea itself of the trilogy I thought was awesome - for a dystopian novel it's pretty unique although the storyline and plot twists of the first book were all very predictable. In fact, I found that I was riveted only when I got to the second and third book. I read both in two days, and literally could not put them down.
I see a lot of criticism saying that there is no character development, it isn't very well written, and a lot of other valid points. The Maze Runner trilogy is not a literary work of art, I'm admitting that now. But that doesn't mean it does not keep you entertained. The whole trilogy is set within a month or two at most, and I felt that pressure for time as I was reading; it felt a lot like being on an average rollercoaster - even though it wasn't the best one I've been on, I still had a great time doing it.
My final recommendation if you've gotten this far is that you should read the whole trilogy (I haven't gotten around to The Kill Order yet, so I'll review that separately). Don't go in there expecting The Hunger Games or Divergent, go into it expecting three books of non-stop action and adventure, and just enjoy it for what it is.
October 20, 2015
If I am to be completely honest, The Maze Runner Trilogy is one of my least favourite young adult trilogies out there. I wanted to enjoy it so much, and yet when it comes down to it I enjoyed the film more than the book. Now doesn’t that suck? It’s one of the worst things in the world. It rarely happens, but every so often something will pop up with a great premise only for you to be let down.
I cannot say what my exact problem was as there were quite a few things. I disliked the main character, finding too many flaws with how he was played out. The story was never taken quite as far as I would have liked. The speech patterns of the characters left me banging my head against the wall, as the dialogue was nowhere near as endearing as it was intended to be.
As a whole, this one left me more than a little bit disappointed.
I cannot say what my exact problem was as there were quite a few things. I disliked the main character, finding too many flaws with how he was played out. The story was never taken quite as far as I would have liked. The speech patterns of the characters left me banging my head against the wall, as the dialogue was nowhere near as endearing as it was intended to be.
As a whole, this one left me more than a little bit disappointed.
April 15, 2014
Dashner kept dangling the carrot that enlightenment and understanding was coming for the characters and the reader. It always seemed just out of reach and I almost gave up on it a few times. We are kept mostly in the dark until the third book but I'm glad I made it to the end. There is still a lot left unanswered and I do wish that the reader was given more details throughout the story. I don't think it would have detracted from the overall story. If you can keep your frustration in check... I can't say for sure it was worth it but... you might not be disappointed that you pressed on to the end.
November 24, 2023
Bolo to dobré. Aj ked musím prehodnotiť svoju záľubu v sci-fi, pretože tam vždy zomrie priveľa postáv a celý svet je úplná naruby. Postavy však boli sympatické a súcitila som s nimi. Na koniec som sa však nemohla ani poriadne sústrediť, kvôli udalostiam pár desiatok strán predtým. Asi som si mala dať pauzu a dočítať to inokedy.
February 26, 2016
I'm still mad about something that happens at the end!
July 13, 2020
Check out my reviews on the main page of each individual book!
December 15, 2017
I actually love these books! Which is a bit of a surprise, because it took me weeks to pick each one up after I borrowed it. I was just so scared at what the author would do the guys next! xD
I guess it started out a little slow, and frustrating because no one inside there told us what is going on! But in a few chapters the pace picked up and I couldn't put it down!
First of all, I love Thomas. He is seriously epic xD I was so happy I was finally getting to read a male author and meet a male main character again, because I have been so full of female authors and protagonists the past few months. And neither James Dashner nor Thomas disappointed. Thomas was so incredibly sensible. Not in the slightest like some of the girls whom I have been reading lately. He knew when to listen and when to obey, but he didn't buckle down or let others push him around. He stood up and did what he believed was right. He didn't panic nor pick fights for no reason because he was frustrated. He kept his head all along. He was a hero if I ever saw one. I fully agree with the speech Minho made about him at his first Gathering. Also, what was terrific was this – Thomas was completely honest with his friends. What bugs me incessantly is when the hero has a secret, and when we know it would be best if he/she told his/her friends about it, but he/she doesn't, and later it comes out too late, and either something terrible has already happened, or everyone gets furious. But Thomas told them just about everything. That was awesome!
I also liked all the other characters. Even though they really annoyed me at first by keeping so. many. secrets. (WICKED was sooo frustrating because they had so many secret and were always lying!) I really felt for all of them. It was, as a matter of fact, fun to be among so many boys for a change :D Anyway. I really felt about Chuck the way Thomas did. I learned to like almost all the boys. I didn't even hate Gally. I mean, I think Gally was really unreasonable and stupid at first, but I kind of felt sorry for him. I haven't seen the movie versions of these books but I know Will Poulter was acting Gally so that might have something to do with my not-hating him? Chuck was just the best in book one, and I liked Minho more and more through out the three books. And Newt. Newt totally broke my heart in book three, I'm not kidding! I was absolutely shattered. The other guys, even if they didn't play as huge a role, were okay and I liked them – Alby, and Jorge, and Aris, and Frypan, and so on and so forth. Sure they were impossible and annoying sometimes and yet I never despised any of them. As for the girls... Teresa was something. I have an incredible amount of respect for her, and I understand everything she did – and yet I also fully understand Thomas's feelings and reactions to her. Brenda was really surprising at first – I got a few laughs from her, and even though I frowned at her a few times in the beginning, I really grew fond of her. This was the first time there was a “love triangle” with two girls and one boy, which was interesting to say the least, but I was okay with it. For one thing, Thomas was so sensible most of the time and I totally got all his feelings and for the most part they were busy trying to get themselves not killed so there wasn't all that much time for romancing. Still though – why is everyone falling for the main character? All the time? Doesn't any of the other guys deserve some attention? How was Thomas the only decent enough person? And what about the other girls? Hello? But this can be overlooked, because it happens everywhere all the time. Also the Rat Man was infuriating and just terrific. And WICKED never ceases to puzzle and annoy me.
The settings. Honestly, they was awesome. Different from the other sci-fi settings I have been in so far. They was fascinating. The maze, the scorching desert, the towns, the WICKED headquarters, the city (Denver). I probably wouldn't have been able to picture it correctly if I hadn't seen the movie images, so that really helped.
The plot. It was great. My favorite part was when ... well, when Thomas was being heroic, of course. It was super exciting. I just couldn't put them down. I had to see how they solved things and got out out of sticky situations. There were surprises along the way. And I liked the work and planning that went into it – things didn't always get solved by chance or luck. Sometimes they were just following their instincts, but they had brains, so awesome. I loved their fighting spirit, and that determination despite everything that was so horrible. The worst parts were how many people died. I really hate the Creators. Those kinds of people in sci-fi really tick me off. And all the secrets! *screams* That was one thing that kept me reading! These books basically leave the characters and reader clueless for most of the time and always suspecting things and people and trying to guess the lies and the truth and the motives.
And the last book, ending, was so horrible and shattering, and everything was just a horrible and terrific end-of-the-world story and wow some resolution. I don't know if I should be happy or devastated. But you know, sometimes I plot and write devastating sad endings so I'm good.
Content wise... well some language, but it was made up... so I guess some of you might still find it problematic, but I wasn't so bothered. Also violence. James Dashner tortured his characters like OH! HOW COULD THEY GO THROUGH ALL THAT?! So violence sensitive people look out! (People set on fire and having their heads eaten off and beasts that kill you and crazy nut cracks who may be cannibals and so on and so forth.) I was seriously freaked out on occasion (good job, I like being freaked out) and it was so creepy and suspenseful. OUCH.
Four and a half stars for the whole series, though I think the first book deserves five!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 4, 2015
**Skip to the end if you want the TL;DR**
--->>Massive Spoilers, do not read if you have not read the whole series<<----
Thoughts on the Trilogy
First off I want to say that I saw the Maze Runner movie, and it intrigued me so much that I got and read all three books in two days, so that should show how much interest I do have in this series. That being said I do have some major problems with how the Maze Runner Trilogy was handled
First of all, I wanted to see more Characters developed. The only people from the Glade that we really got to see was Thomas,Chuck, Gally, Newt, and Minho. Alby is just stern and dismissive of Thomas until the Changing, then he is just completely broken and depressed. Teresa is developed a good deal, and she has more character development later on, so that done well. But the problem I have is that after Thomas, Newt, and Minho leave the maze, they go through absolutely no character development. One could say that Thomas changes by deciding to not get his memories back or by deciding to not work with Wicked, but the Thomas we know in the Maze does not seem to develop after the first book. It seemed to me that there was a great opportunity to really show Thomas getting close with all the other Gladers during the second book, when they are just walking for miles in the desert. That could have been a great way to characterize some of the unknown gladers and to really show that Thomas, Newt, and Minho were close or getting closer. Because lets be real, it is very hard to get close to someone after a week and a half, no matter what you have gone through. This would have also giving meaning to the deaths of Gladers, and would of hopefully made Thomas care about 50% of them dying in a huge battle. Thomas seemed like a bit of psychopath for not feeling anything from their deaths just because he doesn’t know them.
Second of all the Gladers should have never left the Maze so early. One of my main issues with this series is that we spend so little time with the Gladers in their world. That was what really drew me in to The Maze Runner, learning about all these young boys living and working together in this place. Their hopes and fears were really something we could identify with and relate to because they were normal human things. I could really relate to these kids, and seeing them grow and develop was great for the little time we got. But as soon as the kids leave the Maze all of that is gone. If you hadn’t been introduced to a Glader yet then they were completely unimportant for the rest of the series, merely spare luggage taken on a ride.
This leads me on to my third point, which is that they shouldn’t have left the Maze so soon. The Maze was a beautiful storytelling device, a clear and decisive goal that all of us could get behind. We are trapped in a maze and we need to find a way to get out, pure and simple. The problem is immediate, is tangible, and is very easy for the reader to see. The second book loses so much because it does not seem to have a clear focus or goal. Sure, there is the goal of getting to the safe haven, but that is not a goal that is inherent in the situation, it is a goal that someone literally told them is their goal.
Which brings me to my fourth point. The second two books should not have happened. The plight and struggle of the Gladers was what really turned me on to this series, and having it all cut away so soon seemed like a real missed opportunity. The first book should have been solely about Thomas adapting to life in the Glade. Meeting new people, settling in, and really adapting to his new situation. This would make the reader really feel attached to the Glade, just as Thomas learns to be. It would also serve to characterize more of the Gladers, and would allow for Thomas to really become friends with them. As it stands, Thomas apparently gains the friendship of Newt, Minho, and Chuck all within a week, which seems highly unlikely.
And my last and final point is that all the sci-fi stuff should have been heavily downplayed, if not completely erased.James Dashner seems to really not understand what people liked about his first book so much. It wasn’t WICKED and the world outside, it was the struggle of Thomas to adapt to this new life and the common struggle of the Gladers against the threats in the Maze. The intrigue of who they were and how they got there served perfectly as an overarching goal, a common objective. When that is taken away we are left with a B list sci-fi apocalyptic action plot that constantly asks you to suspend your disbelief. I nearly gave up at the start of the second book when it was revealed that it was WICKED all along who rescued them. Really? They decided that a fake rescue was what was needed? Why didn’t they just throw the boys into the Scorch trials the minute they escaped the Maze? What was served by having them believe they were rescued and then telling them they were not? I know that it supposedly had to happen to gather patterns and the such but that just smells of a weak plot crutch to me.
The whole business with the Variables and data collection seems like such a flimsy plot device to move the story along. Why would WICKED need to kill so many of them? To get a good pattern recognition? You would think that after %80 of the Gladers were dead they would no longer need to collect the same pattern over and over again. And I know that you’ll probably say “Well they were just doing survival of the fittest.” Look, if randomly getting pulled out of a group of boys in the middle of the night and killed is survival of the fittest then we’re all screwed.
**TL;DR**
All in all I really wish that Dashner had focused the story more on life in the Glade and the characters who inhabit it, and had left leaving the Maze as the final, or at least a much later, conclusion to the series.
--->>Massive Spoilers, do not read if you have not read the whole series<<----
Thoughts on the Trilogy
First off I want to say that I saw the Maze Runner movie, and it intrigued me so much that I got and read all three books in two days, so that should show how much interest I do have in this series. That being said I do have some major problems with how the Maze Runner Trilogy was handled
First of all, I wanted to see more Characters developed. The only people from the Glade that we really got to see was Thomas,Chuck, Gally, Newt, and Minho. Alby is just stern and dismissive of Thomas until the Changing, then he is just completely broken and depressed. Teresa is developed a good deal, and she has more character development later on, so that done well. But the problem I have is that after Thomas, Newt, and Minho leave the maze, they go through absolutely no character development. One could say that Thomas changes by deciding to not get his memories back or by deciding to not work with Wicked, but the Thomas we know in the Maze does not seem to develop after the first book. It seemed to me that there was a great opportunity to really show Thomas getting close with all the other Gladers during the second book, when they are just walking for miles in the desert. That could have been a great way to characterize some of the unknown gladers and to really show that Thomas, Newt, and Minho were close or getting closer. Because lets be real, it is very hard to get close to someone after a week and a half, no matter what you have gone through. This would have also giving meaning to the deaths of Gladers, and would of hopefully made Thomas care about 50% of them dying in a huge battle. Thomas seemed like a bit of psychopath for not feeling anything from their deaths just because he doesn’t know them.
Second of all the Gladers should have never left the Maze so early. One of my main issues with this series is that we spend so little time with the Gladers in their world. That was what really drew me in to The Maze Runner, learning about all these young boys living and working together in this place. Their hopes and fears were really something we could identify with and relate to because they were normal human things. I could really relate to these kids, and seeing them grow and develop was great for the little time we got. But as soon as the kids leave the Maze all of that is gone. If you hadn’t been introduced to a Glader yet then they were completely unimportant for the rest of the series, merely spare luggage taken on a ride.
This leads me on to my third point, which is that they shouldn’t have left the Maze so soon. The Maze was a beautiful storytelling device, a clear and decisive goal that all of us could get behind. We are trapped in a maze and we need to find a way to get out, pure and simple. The problem is immediate, is tangible, and is very easy for the reader to see. The second book loses so much because it does not seem to have a clear focus or goal. Sure, there is the goal of getting to the safe haven, but that is not a goal that is inherent in the situation, it is a goal that someone literally told them is their goal.
Which brings me to my fourth point. The second two books should not have happened. The plight and struggle of the Gladers was what really turned me on to this series, and having it all cut away so soon seemed like a real missed opportunity. The first book should have been solely about Thomas adapting to life in the Glade. Meeting new people, settling in, and really adapting to his new situation. This would make the reader really feel attached to the Glade, just as Thomas learns to be. It would also serve to characterize more of the Gladers, and would allow for Thomas to really become friends with them. As it stands, Thomas apparently gains the friendship of Newt, Minho, and Chuck all within a week, which seems highly unlikely.
And my last and final point is that all the sci-fi stuff should have been heavily downplayed, if not completely erased.James Dashner seems to really not understand what people liked about his first book so much. It wasn’t WICKED and the world outside, it was the struggle of Thomas to adapt to this new life and the common struggle of the Gladers against the threats in the Maze. The intrigue of who they were and how they got there served perfectly as an overarching goal, a common objective. When that is taken away we are left with a B list sci-fi apocalyptic action plot that constantly asks you to suspend your disbelief. I nearly gave up at the start of the second book when it was revealed that it was WICKED all along who rescued them. Really? They decided that a fake rescue was what was needed? Why didn’t they just throw the boys into the Scorch trials the minute they escaped the Maze? What was served by having them believe they were rescued and then telling them they were not? I know that it supposedly had to happen to gather patterns and the such but that just smells of a weak plot crutch to me.
The whole business with the Variables and data collection seems like such a flimsy plot device to move the story along. Why would WICKED need to kill so many of them? To get a good pattern recognition? You would think that after %80 of the Gladers were dead they would no longer need to collect the same pattern over and over again. And I know that you’ll probably say “Well they were just doing survival of the fittest.” Look, if randomly getting pulled out of a group of boys in the middle of the night and killed is survival of the fittest then we’re all screwed.
**TL;DR**
All in all I really wish that Dashner had focused the story more on life in the Glade and the characters who inhabit it, and had left leaving the Maze as the final, or at least a much later, conclusion to the series.
March 11, 2018
Ktosi sa vyžíva v mučení a tvári sa, že to mučenie má opodstatnenie. Nemá. Je samoúčelné, žiadna vyššia myšlienka v knihe nie je. Problém nespočíva v tom, že tam nie je, ale v tom, že sa tvári, že tam je. Keby sa niekde aspoň našla zmienka o tom, že imunitu spôsobila krajná situácia a preto je nevyhnutné bičovať mozgy chlapcov do krajných situácií, skúmať ich a prísť na faktor, ktorý imunitu spôsobuje... Všetky tie strasti, útrapy, ktoré sú deckám nachystané, sú strašná sprostosť. "Kocka" už bola, úzkosť bola, odlúčenie, rezanie, zrada, dáme aj "zombie"... Čo ešte nebolo? Autor si možno odškrtával z vopred starostlivo pripraveného zoznamu vecí, ktoré na čitateľov určite zaberú.
February 5, 2017
Mám z toho smíšené pocity. Mám spoustu otázek, mám pocit, že jsem spoustu věcí nepochopila, ale ve směs to byla jedna velká jízda!
April 30, 2020
Decent read for the target audience.
July 31, 2023
Review for the first book: - read it in under 4 hours on a long train journey. Couldn't put it down! Good for YA and older readers alike.
April 25, 2017
A little disappointed about the ending, but i guess, I should not expect to get an all-out happy ending in a dystopian fiction. And also the middle part of the third book was not that pacy as the first or second one. But Overall, that is a great and unique series.
February 14, 2016
Zitat:
"Thomas didn't respond, and for a long time they just sat there, holding hands, no words spoken, in their minds or aloud. He felt the slightest hint of peace, as fleeting as it was, and tried to enjoy it for however long it might last." (S. 280, Maze Runner 01)
Meine Meinung:
Nachdem ich die Hunger Games-Trilogie ausgelesen hatte, wusste ich lange Zeit nicht, welche Reihe ich als nächstes anfangen sollte. Nichts schien mit dieser Ausnahmeserie mithalten zu können und dann - ja dann! - stieß ich auf The Maze Runner von James Dashner. Die Beschreibung der Story machte mich sofort neugierig und so bestellte ich mir gleich das Boxset, um alle Bücher vom gleichen Verlag und mit derselben Aufmachung zu haben. Es gibt soch nichts schlimmeres, als eine Serie mit Büchern aus unterschiedlichen Verlagen zu sammeln, oder? Das Bücherregal hasst sowas :D
Sehen die Taschenbuchcover nicht unglaublich hübsch aus? Diese Naturlandschaften haben es mir echt angetan ♥ Jedes Cover hat mich die Umgebung, in der sich Thomas in dem jeweiligen Buch aufgehalten hat, hineinversetzen lassen. Auch die Erstauflage der Hardcover aus dem Carlsen Verlag fand ich toll! Leider sind sie inzwischen vergriffen und ich habe nur das 3. Buch auf deutsch daheim :( Dafür ist es von James Dashner höchstpersönlich signiert! Hach.
Aber kommen wir zur eigentlichen Geschichte und den Charakteren. Von beiden war ich von der ersten Seite an begeistert. Man wird nichtsahnend in das Labyrinth geworfen und hat genau so viel Hintergrundwissen wie Thomas am Anfang – nämlich keines. Das macht es umso spannender, da man sich mit dem Protagonisten zusammen auf die Suche nach Anworten auf die folgenen Fragen macht: Wer ist W.I.C.K.E.D? Sind es die Bösen oder die Guten? Was hat es mit dem Labyrinth auf sich? Und wo sind eigentlich die Erwachsenen geblieben?
Gut fand ich auch, dass keine Liebesgeschichte erzwungen wurde, auch wenn es am Anfang noch leicht den Anschein machen mag. Der Fokus liegt wirklich auf den Hintergründen der Umstände und den Charakteren selbst – was in diesem Fall super umgesetzt worden ist.
Diese Geschichte hat mich zu keiner Zeit gelangweilt, es gab kaum Längen und die Charaktere sind mir allesamt ans Herz gewachsen. Was wäre die Geschichte nur ohne den coolen Minho, den süßen Newt oder den starrköpfigen Gally? James Dashner hat es zudem verstanden, eine eigene Sprache für die Jugendlichen im Labyrinth zu entwickeln, ihnen so den Status einer eigenen Gesellschaft zu geben, und damit alles noch authentischer darzustellen. Die Gladers (dt. Lichter) würden sagen: Shuck it :) Gekonnt die Zensur umgangen, Herr Dashner!
Allen voran Thomas, aus dessen Sicht die Geschichte erzählt wird, wirken die Charaktere sehr tiefgründig. Über einige erfährt man mehr, über andere weniger, aber durch die gekonnten und zum Teil lustigen Dialoge werden sie einem alle nähergebracht und man schließt sie ins Herz. Dieses wird einem allerdings im Verlauf der Geschichte mehrmals gebrochen. Gerade im dritten Buch sind Taschentücher keine schlechte Idee.
Nur eine Sache habe ich leider zu bemängeln: Das Ende! Ich weiß nicht, ob ich es (vom Inhalt) mögen oder (von der Schnelligkeit der Erzählung) blöd finden soll. Auf jeden Fall hat es mich mit einem nicht zufriedenstellenden Gedanken zurückgelassen.
Fazit:
The Maze Runner ist eine zurecht gehypte Bestsellerserie mit authentischen Charakteren, einer spannenden Geschichte und Aufmachung und eine frischen Idee, die so noch nicht dagewesen ist. Einzig und allein am Ende sehe ich Mängel, die sich aufgrund der teils überhasteten Erzählweise ergeben. Trotzdem möchte ich eine absolute Empfehlung für diese Serie aussprechen!
"Thomas didn't respond, and for a long time they just sat there, holding hands, no words spoken, in their minds or aloud. He felt the slightest hint of peace, as fleeting as it was, and tried to enjoy it for however long it might last." (S. 280, Maze Runner 01)
Meine Meinung:
Nachdem ich die Hunger Games-Trilogie ausgelesen hatte, wusste ich lange Zeit nicht, welche Reihe ich als nächstes anfangen sollte. Nichts schien mit dieser Ausnahmeserie mithalten zu können und dann - ja dann! - stieß ich auf The Maze Runner von James Dashner. Die Beschreibung der Story machte mich sofort neugierig und so bestellte ich mir gleich das Boxset, um alle Bücher vom gleichen Verlag und mit derselben Aufmachung zu haben. Es gibt soch nichts schlimmeres, als eine Serie mit Büchern aus unterschiedlichen Verlagen zu sammeln, oder? Das Bücherregal hasst sowas :D
Sehen die Taschenbuchcover nicht unglaublich hübsch aus? Diese Naturlandschaften haben es mir echt angetan ♥ Jedes Cover hat mich die Umgebung, in der sich Thomas in dem jeweiligen Buch aufgehalten hat, hineinversetzen lassen. Auch die Erstauflage der Hardcover aus dem Carlsen Verlag fand ich toll! Leider sind sie inzwischen vergriffen und ich habe nur das 3. Buch auf deutsch daheim :( Dafür ist es von James Dashner höchstpersönlich signiert! Hach.
Aber kommen wir zur eigentlichen Geschichte und den Charakteren. Von beiden war ich von der ersten Seite an begeistert. Man wird nichtsahnend in das Labyrinth geworfen und hat genau so viel Hintergrundwissen wie Thomas am Anfang – nämlich keines. Das macht es umso spannender, da man sich mit dem Protagonisten zusammen auf die Suche nach Anworten auf die folgenen Fragen macht: Wer ist W.I.C.K.E.D? Sind es die Bösen oder die Guten? Was hat es mit dem Labyrinth auf sich? Und wo sind eigentlich die Erwachsenen geblieben?
Gut fand ich auch, dass keine Liebesgeschichte erzwungen wurde, auch wenn es am Anfang noch leicht den Anschein machen mag. Der Fokus liegt wirklich auf den Hintergründen der Umstände und den Charakteren selbst – was in diesem Fall super umgesetzt worden ist.
Diese Geschichte hat mich zu keiner Zeit gelangweilt, es gab kaum Längen und die Charaktere sind mir allesamt ans Herz gewachsen. Was wäre die Geschichte nur ohne den coolen Minho, den süßen Newt oder den starrköpfigen Gally? James Dashner hat es zudem verstanden, eine eigene Sprache für die Jugendlichen im Labyrinth zu entwickeln, ihnen so den Status einer eigenen Gesellschaft zu geben, und damit alles noch authentischer darzustellen. Die Gladers (dt. Lichter) würden sagen: Shuck it :) Gekonnt die Zensur umgangen, Herr Dashner!
Allen voran Thomas, aus dessen Sicht die Geschichte erzählt wird, wirken die Charaktere sehr tiefgründig. Über einige erfährt man mehr, über andere weniger, aber durch die gekonnten und zum Teil lustigen Dialoge werden sie einem alle nähergebracht und man schließt sie ins Herz. Dieses wird einem allerdings im Verlauf der Geschichte mehrmals gebrochen. Gerade im dritten Buch sind Taschentücher keine schlechte Idee.
Nur eine Sache habe ich leider zu bemängeln: Das Ende! Ich weiß nicht, ob ich es (vom Inhalt) mögen oder (von der Schnelligkeit der Erzählung) blöd finden soll. Auf jeden Fall hat es mich mit einem nicht zufriedenstellenden Gedanken zurückgelassen.
Fazit:
The Maze Runner ist eine zurecht gehypte Bestsellerserie mit authentischen Charakteren, einer spannenden Geschichte und Aufmachung und eine frischen Idee, die so noch nicht dagewesen ist. Einzig und allein am Ende sehe ich Mängel, die sich aufgrund der teils überhasteten Erzählweise ergeben. Trotzdem möchte ich eine absolute Empfehlung für diese Serie aussprechen!
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