James DashnerReviews

Middle School
This story is about Thomas who wakes up with no memory and recollection. He discovers that he is now ink a maze with a bunch of other guys and must find a way to escape.
I would say this story is perfect for middle schoolers and is just a super run read in general!

Once again the prospect of a movie adaptation compels me to read the book first. I'll just not mention the other compelling reason why I am doing this to myself :)

This continues to be wrought with just as much action, suspense, and confusion - maybe even more so than [b:The Maze Runner|6186357|The Maze Runner (Maze Runner, #1)|James Dashner|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1375596592s/6186357.jpg|6366642]. Like that book, not many questions are answered, if any at all. I see what they're doing. I do.

Soooo, I'll continue to be pathological if the 3rd book is made into a movie. Only then will I continue to venture forth into this madness.

In comparison to the first book, I didn't like it as much, but it still felt like a nice ending to all the stuff that happened. The most confusing part, was when the setting changed from book one to book two, which is another reason to like the book, because the reader is always on the same level of knowledge as Thomas. You never feel superior to him or like he is wrong in what he does, because you never know better yourself.
There is a slight lack of representation, but a few different ethnicities kind of make up for it, so all in all it's a good book and was a fun read for me personally.

I read The Maze Runner (first book in a series) some years ago. I liked it – it was different in a really interesting way. This boy, Thomas, ends up in what is called “The Glade,” only he has no memory of how he got there or really anything else except his name. Everyone else—all boys—arrived there much as Thomas just did—via “the lift,” and with no memories of their lives before. The Glade is surrounded by this immense, seemingly endless, maze that keeps changing and the other boys in The Glade send their fastest runners into the maze daily to try to find a way through. Nobody has ever made it through. The maze isn’t exactly people friendly - there are these things called Grievers that come out when it gets dark (usually) and attack the runners - sometimes killing them. Thomas joins the other boys in the quest to find the way out, but then something unexpected happens: a girl arrives on the lift. Things are about to change…

This book was okay, not great, just okay. I didn't particularly connect with any of the characters and while the story did keep me interested, I didn't care for how it ended. I don't think I'll be reading the prequel/sequels (unless I can pick them up as cheaply - $1.99 - as I did this one.)

Oof, my opinion on this one has really gone down over the last few years. Believe it or not, I used to really like this book. Even more surprisingly, I still like the movie! I rewatched it a few weeks ago, and I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. The book, however, is quite a different thing. People who've read the book and seen its adaptation know how different the two things are. A ton of elements were changed, and I believe they were for the best. I don't like comparing books and movies as they're two different mediums of entertainment, but I must say that I enjoy the movie a lot more than the book when it comes to "The Scorch Trials". The book just isn't good.

Despite that, the first half is actually somewhat decent. I think it's well-paced and well-structured, and the plot is mildly entertaining. It feels very grounded and gritty, even more so than the first book. The situation seems more dire, and the Trials of WICKED feel even more brutal and horrifying. The story is also pretty straightforward. The Gladers wake up in their dormitory, and things start getting extremely weird. Then, Rat Man shows up and tells them that they have to go 100 miles north after entering a Flat Trans and reach a safe haven to get a cure for the Flare. It's a pretty simple premise, and it works well.

However, around the time Thomas and Brenda reach the dance club, things start getting very strange. The story starts to feel pretty disorganized and random, and then things just... happen. The plot doesn't feel like it has much of a rhythm to it. Thomas gets shot and instantly healed, Teresa's massive betrayal happens, it's revealed that her betrayal was all an act to stimulate some killzone patterns, the Gladers arrive at the Safe Haven, a battle with massive robots ensues, Thomas makes it into the Berg and wakes up in a white room, and then the book just sort of... ends. It just doesn't feel like a contained story. It feels like Part 2 of a 3-part story, so it doesn't hold up on its own very well. Also, we still don't know much about WICKED's grand plan by the end. I'm sorry, but we're two-thirds of the way through this damn thing. The main premise shouldn't be revealed in the beginning of the final chapter.

That's pretty much my main problem with this book. It feels messy, not just as its own story, but also as the middle chapter of a trilogy. A lot of my other problems with this book are the same as those I have with the first book. James Dashner is still the author, and he's still not that great. The dialogue isn't much better, the Glade slang is as annoying as ever, and the characters feel just as shallow as they did in the previous story. I don't know, man, but I really don't feel anything towards any of these people. Sure, Minho is really funny, and Newt is a tad-bit interesting, but besides those two, I don't feel anything for anyone else. Thomas just seems like a massive idiot who doesn't have the world's interest at his heart and only cares about himself and his friends. He can't think for more than two seconds about what Teresa's options were when it came to what WICKED had asked of her, resolving instead to be as bratty, whiny, and stubborn as he always is. Dude, Teresa's only options were either to do what WICKED had told her to do or let you die. You ever think of that, or is your skin that important that a couple of bruises are enough to make you lose trust in your best friend forever? Grow up. Percy Jackson and Harry Potter would never.

Anyway, I don't really have much else to say. This book is kinda bad, and I'm dreading re-reading "The Death Cure" because I remember how much I hated it the last time I went through it.

I'm just gonna say it. I believe that the ending of the Maze Runner franchise is one of the worst endings to any story I've ever encountered in my life. I honestly couldn't believe it the first time I read the series. It is absolutely atrocious. This book, in general, is pretty freaking bad, but the ending is downright abysmal.

As I've mentioned a couple times, Minho and Newt are the only two characters in the entire franchise whom I remotely give a crap about. One thing I like about this book is that we finally get to see some humanity from Minho. In the previous entries, it seemed like all Minho did in life was crack jokes and do his job. Here, however, a bit of his human side is seen after Newt gets the Flare. That brings me to my favorite part about this book: Newt. I love how they ended his story. It is tragic and well-written. Newt is practically the only good constant throughout this whole series. Consequently, his death is the only moment in the whole series that brings a tear to my eye. Couldn't give two shits about any other deaths, sorry.

Besides that, this book freaking sucks, dude. Unlike the first two entries, the plot isn't even that great. The story is unbelievably boring and uneventful for the most part. Despite this being the shortest book in the trilogy, it somehow feels more sluggish than the first two. Not much happens until the last hundred pages, then it's revealed that the Right Arm is planning to take WICKED down, so that happens, the protagonists go back to the Maze and fight some Grievers again for nostalgia bai-, I mean, rescuing some Immunes, and a couple hundred people make it to paradise on the other side of a Flat Trans. The end.

Actually, you know what? I'm not gonna go that easy. Let's look at this ending more closely. The entire point of this whole trilogy is finding a cure for the Flare virus, right? The first and second book are dedicated ENTIRELY to Phases 1 and 2 of the Trials, respectively. Thomas is the final piece to the puzzle of designing this cure, and it almost happens. However, we can't have satisfying conclusions. We can't have something that was built up for an entire fucking trilogy actually get resolved. Instead, at the very last motherfucking second, Chancellor Paige comes out of nowhere and instructs Thomas to take all the remaining Immunes to paradise in order to begin civilization again while the rest of the world drives itself to extinction. Are you fucking kidding me, dude? After all that set up, we're just going to resort to a hastily prepared Plan B and leave the rest of the world to rot? How am I supposed to root for these protagonists? How am I supposed to feel satisfied with this ending? It's fucking insulting, man.

Add to that the fact that the ending in paradise lasts all of 3 pages, and you have one of the worst endings ever written in fiction. We aren't even told which of the Gladers from Group A and Group B survived. We don't even get to see this new civilization flourish. The whole fucking story just... ends. Are you serious?

For the last time, I'll mention that I don't like Dashner's writing style. The dialogue sucks, and the characters couldn't be any shallower. New characters are introduced left and right, but tons of them feel like the exact same person. It's clear Dashner didn't put an ounce of effort into making them remotely unique or interesting, so he settled instead for having them be just some extremely flat, one-dimensional puppets who do nothing more than drive the plot forward.

Sigh... I don't really have much else to say. I felt a ton of emotion at Newt's death, and I had the slightest sense of nostalgia seeing the protagonists back in the Maze, but, other than that, this has got to be one of the worst endings I've ever read in my life. I don't want to think about it ever again.½

I know anyone who reads this review is probably going to be shocked by this, but "The Kill Order" is actually my favorite book of the Maze Runner franchise thus far. I don't know, man. This just feels like a much more solid read than the previous three books.

For one thing, Dashner's writing style isn't that bad this time around. The dialogue doesn't feel that shallow and annoying anymore. Sure, there is the occasional "he was starting to like her more and more" that has grown to be my least favorite phrase in the entire franchise because of how lazy it is, but, for the most part, the dialogue feels like it comes from real human beings in this book. It's just a lot more organic and vibrant.

In addition, the characters are pretty solid. I actually enjoy reading them more than I do the characters from the previous three books. They're less shallow. I really empathize with their struggles and hardships. These characters go through absolute hell throughout the course of 12-18 months, and you really start to root for them by the end. Despite the fact that the characters in the Maze Runner trilogy go through even more trauma than these people, I honestly couldn't give a crap by the end of that trilogy because the writing was so bad and the characters were so unlikeable.

Mark's development in this story is extremely fascinating. Through flashbacks, you see how he started off as a laid-back, carefree teenager who wanted nothing more than to screw his next-door neighbor. However, as the book progresses, you watch him become stronger, fiercer, and more resolved. By the end, not only has he become a hardened soldier who has persevered through so much trauma, but he's also become extremely compassionate and caring. The scenes where he rescues Trina and Deedee from the basement of a house and from the barracks of the Berg are absolutely incredible. You see how truly resolved he is to keep the girls safe. While all this is happening, though, he is slowly succumbing to the Flare and becoming more and more insane. Despite that, he fights with every ounce of willpower he possesses to remain sane long enough to complete his final task: getting Deedee to the PFC so she can help develop a cure. He is a great character, and it makes me all the more angry that his, Alec's, and Trina's sacrifices all go to waste because Dashner decided to pull fast one on us and deliver one of the worst endings to any franchise ever with "The Death Cure". Sigh.

This book is also easily the bloodiest, goriest, and scariest book of the series thus far. Dashner doesn't hold back with the horror elements here. Things get pretty intense. However, it never feels gratuitous nor forced. It just feels like a good zombie-apocalypse story, one with a heavy emphasis on the theme of survival.

I enjoy this book quite a bit, but I wouldn't classify it as great or anything. I did get quite emotional in the last 75 or so pages, but most of the rest of the book is just... fine. The only parts I really like besides the final sections are the flashbacks. They're pretty nicely spaced apart, and they're quite interesting, honestly. I do kinda wish we got some more view-points of when the Flare first struck the Earth, but I'd say I'm quite satisfied with what we got.

So, yeah, I like a lot of things about this book, but it is just okay for the most part. Honestly, if the whole franchise was written as well as this one was, I would have a lot less to complain about.

This is arguably the most important novel I've ever read in my life. This, along with one other book called "Paper Towns", is what kickstarted my reading career. It was assigned to me in English class in 9th grade (about five years ago), and I thought it was utterly fantastic. I loved the Glade, I loved the Maze, and, most importantly, I loved the suspenseful tone. I remember reading Thomas's first venture into the Maze to rescue Alby and Minho around midnight, and I would probably say that that was the moment I decided to become a reader. As soon as I finished this book, I tore through the rest of the series, then I read The Hunger Games series, then Divergent, then Harry Potter, etc. For that, this book will always have a special place in my heart. However, do I still like it as much 5 years later?

Sadly, no. This book isn't great by any means. This book's biggest problem, in my opinion, is its writing style. I'm really not a fan of Dashner's writing. I know it's a bit harsh, but I'm being honest here. The first 120 or so pages are incredibly boring. James Dashner just keeps repeating the same information over and over again. The amount of times he explains Thomas's memory loss drives me insane. Did this book have no editing phase? In addition, not much really happens until Thomas dashes into the Maze (which is an awesome moment, by the way). Sure, there is a lot to be explained about this new world and these new characters, but did it really need to be that slow? The pacing is absolutely atrocious, man.

I also think a lot of aspects of this story are extremely cringeworthy. The biggest offender is the dialogue. It is awful. The characters feel extremely shallow and unoriginal as a consequence. I also really dislike the Glade slang. I think it is extremely unnecessary and annoying. I know a lot of people like it, but I just can't stand it, especially since it's used in practically every other sentence.

Lastly, has Dashner ever heard of the rule, "Show, don't tell"? Instead of letting the reader infer these characters' personality traits through their actions and dialogue, he just tells them what they're like. That's not how you write a character, man. Leave some room for ambiguity. It will make your stories so much more interesting in the end.

With that being said, I still enjoy the suspenseful nature of this book even though I know what's going to happen. The tension is palpable anytime a Griever is around the corner. James Dashner may not be able to write good characters, but he can certainly write good action scenes with suspenseful tones and gruesome imagery.

I think the plot is alright. I know a ton of people despise the plot of this book because of how silly and unbelievable it is, but I've never really minded it. There are tons of twists and turns, and watching Thomas navigate his life in the Glade and slowly figure the Maze out is really intriguing. It's a decently structured story, honestly.

So, yeah. I have a TON of problems with this novel, but I'm still somewhat sentimental to it overall. A great wave of nostalgia washes over me every time I go through it, and it always ends up leaving a warm feeling in my heart.½

Yeah, I don't think there should be any debate as to what is the best Maze Runner book because it's clearly this one. James Dashner's writing style has improved with each entry in the series, and it is now at a point where his books are actually bearable to read. The characters don't feel like hollow shells anymore, and the dialogue doesn't make you want to rip your hair out.

The best way I can describe this book is that it feels... warm. Watching Thomas and his friends grow up in the WICKED complex for 10 years is so pleasant. Those early days of Thomas, Teresa, Minho, Newt, and Alby sneaking around the WICKED complex have such a cozy feel to them. I really don't know how else to describe it. Thinking about this book always gives me a sense of nostalgia and pleasure.

Thomas's character is no longer poorly written. He has character development, for once. He starts off fiercely believing in WICKED and their goals despite some bad things that occur to him there. However, as the years pass by and WICKED becomes more and more messed up, Thomas slowly changes his mind and gains a rebellious nature. It doesn't happen overnight; it's a slow, arduous process where Thomas analyzes his ambivalence towards this place over a very long period of time, slowly giving in to the fact that he wants no part of it anymore. It is extremely well-written, and it is a great example of how to do character development properly.

The book is always exciting. James Dashner constantly manages to find a way to spice the story up. He doesn't let it go on for too long without anything interesting happening. He spaces the action scenes pretty well, and the end result is a well-paced, smoothly flowing story that rarely leaves the reader bored.

My biggest problem with this book is a very odd choice that happens towards the end. I don't know how Dashner could have possibly forgotten about it as it's such an integral part of the story, but he somehow did. The first death in the Glade is portrayed as this massive, game-changing event that will forever alter the way Thomas views WICKED and Ava Paige. Thomas and Teresa storm the Psychs' observation room and demand some answers. Ava responds by saying that this was never meant to happen and that things will be smoother from now on. Cool. But, then, Dashner completely forgets about this element of the story, and, for the remainder of the book, Thomas is practically never concerned about the numerous deaths that happen in the Glade. Bro, I thought George's death was extremely important to you! Do you not give a shit about the deaths of any of these other Gladers? How could Dashner forget to resolve that aspect of the story? Did he just forget about it or was he just not bothered? I don't get it!

Also, this book just further increases my hatred for "The Death Cure". By the end, 4 of the 5 books of this entire fucking franchise are devoted to finding a cure for the Flare. One book's entire aim is to get Teresa to WICKED so that she can help develop the cure, one book involves setting up Phase 1 and Phase 2 of WICKED's trials, and 2 more books are devoted entirely to said trials. All of that, and we end with a last-second Plan B where all the Munies go to paradise, leaving the rest of the world to rot without any cure for the Flare. So stupid.

In conclusion, this book is extremely entertaining to read, and it is the only one in the franchise (besides maybe "The Kill Order") that I want to revisit yet again at some point in the future.½

Excellent book for boys, and good for girls who like adventure and a little violence. Not really my thing, but I must say, I could not put it down. Leaves you hanging for the next one in the series.

Wow. This was really dark and violent and just an awful story to get through.

Overall I was not a fan of this trilogy. I didn't care enough about the characters, I was never really sure who I should be rooting for, and the final resolution was unsatisfying after all of the buildup. It felt mostly like I was reading about a violent video game.

There is a slight twist -- one sentence really -- in the epilogue that makes the whole thing even MORE bleak. The flare release on purpose? Really?

I know that there is a new book out and I'm wondering if it explains what was up with Thomas and Teresa before The Maze Runner.

Once again, I am sucked in by a clever and intriguing ending to a book that I only kindof enjoyed.

This is another YA dystopic fiction book, this time centered more around a boy, and I think that's why I liked it a little bit less than others I've read. They use a lot of unfamiliar slang to talk to one another in the book that's barely disguised cursing and I'm sure it's a pretty realistic way for teenaged boys to talk to one another but I found it irritating.

The story is interesting, there are some really great scenes that beg to be made into a movie and there's an interesting cliffhanger. I'll read book two but from the library!

In a nutshell: combo of Enders Game and Hunger Games.

I'm giving this one three stars but that is no fault of the book. I'm just not its intended audience so I think you need to take my rating with a grain of salt.

It had been a few months since I read book one of this series(The Maze Runner) so it took me a few chapters to regain my footing and understand who the people were and what was going on in their universe. Once I did that, I started to enjoy myself.

The whole book feels like a screenplay for a teen action flick. The kids face a bunch of super creepy, violent, and scary obstacles on their way to the "safe haven". Thomas, our lead character, doesn't know who to trust or what to believe and neither do we. By the end of the Scorch Trials we are all just left with more questions.

Bring on Book 3!

Mostly, I enjoy this series, but I really hate the fake language that they occasionally sprinkle into the conversation. Either use real curse words or don't! I'm so bugged by reading about klunks,shanks, or slints.

The first book was good. The second one wasn’t good, but I was still curious. The third book was rotten and hard to finish and I’m disappointed I wasted my time.

I dont like i had to give this one a lower rating but only did because compared to the other books it didnt suck me in like the others. I didnt DNF it and glad i did as it did start to pickup and make me want to read the next one very soon

I thought the general plot idea was great and the author drove the story foward well. Unfortunately the characters, descriptions, and dialogue were a bit lacking.

Excellent book. Was reaching for the next one soon as I finished!

I loved this book so much! I think it is def. my favorite maze runner book as well. I loved seeing how thomas and his friends backstory and also how they go to the moment in the the start of the maze runner series. So many little things we learned and It made me love these characters even more. It was a wonderful end to this series and I am so happy I finally read it. I felt like this book was the prequel that I wanted and I still love thomas as hero!

This book was a slow but i did enjoy it. I felt it was little bit hard to get invested in the main characters because they were almost all going to die. But the ending of the story saved it for the reveal about one of the main characters. I just missed the main character from the main series but overall i think it gave you so much info that makes series book 1-3 make more sense. It was not my favorite book but i like the new characters that we met, i i wish we had more time with them.

I really enjoyed this book. I loved exploring a new world by this author and remained me a lot of ready player one. The world building could have been a tad clearer but overall a good unique story with fun characters.

I loved this book so much! I think it is def. my favorite maze runner book as well. I loved seeing how thomas and his friends backstory and also how they go to the moment in the the start of the maze runner series. So many little things we learned and It made me love these characters even more. It was a wonderful end to this series and I am so happy I finally read it. I felt like this book was the prequel that I wanted and I still love thomas as hero!

This book was a slow but i did enjoy it. I felt it was little bit hard to get invested in the main characters because they were almost all going to die. But the ending of the story saved it for the reveal about one of the main characters. I just missed the main character from the main series but overall i think it gave you so much info that makes series book 1-3 make more sense. It was not my favorite book but i like the new characters that we met, i i wish we had more time with them.

I really enjoyed this book. I loved exploring a new world by this author and remained me a lot of ready player one. The world building could have been a tad clearer but overall a good unique story with fun characters.

As the islanders flee on The Maze Cutter in hopes of finding the Godhead and the cure, they encounter others who may have other plans. Kletter, the ship’s captain who arrived on the island is now dead and her secrets are dead with her.

Meanwhile, Goddess Romanov has been busy eliminating those who have gotten in her way of carrying out the Evolution. As war ensues, the islanders, Minho & Roxy near Alaska. The Villa is not what it was believed to be.

When secrets and information is decimated, the weary group is left with more doubts than ever before. Onto book #3.

Thank you to LibraryThing Early Reviewers, Akashic Media Enterprises, and James Dashner for this ARC.½