If trying to escape a giant maze filled with giant, gooey, stinging beasts is what you like, then the science-fiction novel, The Maze Runner by James Dashner is definitely for you.
The story stars a boy named Thomas who has just been dumped into the Glade, with about 50 other boys already there. But trouble is just around the corner. The first girl, Teresa, arrives at the Glade with the message that the Gladers need to escape the maze more than ever before.
The setting also adds interest to the story as you don’t know why they’re in a maze. A main character who stands out in Maze Runner is Teresa. As mentioned before, Teresa is a problem for the Gladers, not just because she is the only girl. During the book, you learn more about her as a character. This story is believable if you think into the future.
With the genre being science-fiction, this is a perfect theme for the novel. There are references to physics that the Gladers can’t believe. Don’t worry though, you don’t have to be Newton to understand it. This book involves aspects of adventure and thriller. The Maze Runner is one of those ‘page-turner’ books that you simply can’t put down.
At the end of the first book in this epic science-fiction trilogy, we learn why the Gladers were placed in the maze. The ending convinces you to read Scorch Trials and Death Cure.
With a maze of emotions, problems and solutions, the Maze Runner is one of the best novels that I have read. I really enjoyed this book because I feel as if you are in the Glade with Thomas and Teresa. The Maze Runner by James Dashner is an a’maze’ing book that I would recommend if you like the Hunger Games or Divergent series. I rate the Maze Runner 4.5/5 stars.
Katie R., Year 8
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‘The Maze Runner’ By James Dashner
Remember, Survive, Run. These are three words James Dashner gives the audience to describe his action-packed book, ‘The Maze Runner’.
The Maze Runner is set in a Maze, and in the middle there is a small area where a group of teenagers live and work together to survive. Where they live, there are four towering doors open to the maze that close at sundown, but they should only open one at a time.
The main character is a boy named Thomas who wakes up in an old rusty elevator. Once he gets to the top he is surrounded by a group of people looking down, but just like everyone else, Thomas can’t remember anything about himself at first. He can’t remember his own name. Shortly after he arrives, he learns everything he has to know but then he must make a choice that changes everything.
The reason you should read ‘The Maze Runner’ book is because there is so much mystery that it makes you want to read on to find out what might happen and how it’s going to affected the characters. All the character has their own interesting story.
I would recommend this this book for people aged 10-25 who want a fast-past action-packed book surrounded by mystery. I rate ‘The Maze Runner’ four out of five.
Carter N., Year 8
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“He began his new life standing up, surrounded by cold darkness and stale, dusty air.”
That was the opening sentence for this marvellous book, The Maze Runner. The Maze Runner is the first book in a trilogy by James Dashner. The author of this book did an outstanding job of making this book such a good read.
The Maze Runner is an action- packed, dystopian, science-fiction novel. I really enjoyed reading this book. It was nail biting, mysterious and a little sad. This book was such a page turner, I just read one chapter after another.
He doesn’t remember how old he is, he doesn’t remember his family. The only thing he remembers is his name. Hardly knowing himself, Thomas finds himself fighting for survival. When Thomas wakes in a strange lift he ends up stuck in the middle of a maze, powerless to try and escape. He is forced to be surrounded by other males who have been stuck in the maze for two years. Thomas knows there is a way out somehow, but the only thing is where. until he sees the doors, but the doors only stay open for a matter of time. What will Thomas do? One thing he finds out is that there are animal machines called Grievers that guard the maze and come out at night.
This book has also been turned into movie. I read the book before I watched the movie. I am glad I did that because I could picture it in my head and have my own way of understanding it. The characters in this book were very well described and all played their own part. The ending of the book was very frustrating, because Thomas completed the maze and finds himself stuck in another one. I really like the quote by the author of the book, ‘If you ain’t scared, you ain’t human.’ I liked this because it relates to this novel because it is about fighting for survival and being scared.
Overall, I really enjoyed this novel because when I first heard of it I wasn’t interested because I am not I fan of science fiction, but I am so glad it read it. It was very engaging and it was described very well. I recommend this book for people between the ages of 12-17 because any younger than 12 may not understand it as much as teens. I rate The Maze Runner 4 out 5 stars.
Lily S., Year 8
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First Hunger Games, then Divergent, now Maze Runner.
I’m guessing you would like at least of one these, and they all have something in common. They are all science fiction. Maze Runner is only the first book in this incredible series written by American author James Dashner. The author James Dashner has written many books in the past such as The Eye Of Minds, The Fever Code, The Kill Order etc.
This book is a very action-packed and interesting story. All the characters in the story are mostly teens around the age of 17. I think the character that stood the most for me was Chuck as we learned more about the story of his life than anyone else. Overall, I loved the book but hated the ending. How could you end such a good book like that?
There are many themes that are portrayed in this book, but I think they mainly wanted this this book to be mysterious and scary but still wanted a bit of comedy to keep the readers entertained.
To conclude, I really enjoyed this book as it kept me on edge and I couldn’t stop reading. The only things was the ending, but I still think that was how they wanted it to end so you would read the next one and I’m very persuaded to. I feel as if everyone should read it as it would suit everyone. 4/5 for this book.
Jarvier, Year 8
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‘The Maze Runner’ is the first book in a series written by the American author James Dashner. I have read many books of his, such as ‘The Scorch Trials’, ‘The Death Cure’, and ‘The Eye of Minds’. ‘The Maze Runner’ was first published in 2009.
Thomas wakes up in a metal box with no memory of who he is. He only remembers his name. Electric doors open overhead, with a group of teenage boys peeking through. The environment they were living in was like a farm surrounded by very high walls. They call it the glade. Beyond the high walls was a complicated maze with traps and robotic beasts called grievers.
This book is convincing. It gets me on the edge of my seat with the action in the novel. The writer’s style is uncomplicated and straightforward. The glade is the main setting in which the majority of the book takes place. It is surrounded by massive walls that make up the maze. In the glade, they make their own crops and bunks there.
The character that stands out to me is either Alby, the leader of the group, or Thomas, the main character. Thomas arrives in a cage and he proves to be brave, loyal and clever. He has a very limited memory of previous knowledge of the maze. If they get stung by the griever it becomes extremely painful for days or weeks. At the end, they escape the maze and there are people at the end that pick them up in the helicopter and they take them into the scorch.
The theme is friendship and to work together as a team and stay together, this is key throughout this book as Thomas makes relations with Alby, Minho, Chuck, Teresa, and Newt. Bravery is key throughout the maze to help save Alby.
I liked a lot about The Maze Runner because of the action and how we work together no matter what. The day after Thomas wakes up, a girl turns up in the glade; the first ever. This book is a good example of sci-fi because it has futuristic scenes and creatures. I recommend this book to young adults 12+ because it isn’t really for children because there are too many scary action packed scenes. I give this book rating 9/10 because I really enjoyed it and I thought it was well written.
Anthony M., Year 8
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The Maze Runner is an action packed sci-fi book. In this story, a group of individuals are trying to cast their way out of the maze that has taken hundreds of lives. The author of the book is James Dashner, and it was published in 2014.The book is mainly based around sci-fi but it also has a bit of horror and romance. James Dashner has written all different types of books but this one is the most popular. I would like to say the novel is interesting and I would highly recommend it.
The novel is set in another world. You would have to work for the people first before they entered you into the maze. You wouldn’t know that you were going to the enter the maze. The land area in the middle of the maze is small. The people in the maze would have to work to survive and they only live in tree houses. Some people were trying to work a way out of the maze. They try and work out a pattern of the maze because it changes every night. Thomas, Teresa, Newt, Minho, Alby, Chuck, Frypan and Gally are the main characters trapped in the maze who are trying to escape.
I really enjoyed the book “The Maze Runner Scorch Trials” because it was engaging and has a head-turning plot. The strategies they used to get out of the maze were incredible. They all played a major role in the book and if none of them had followed Thomas’s ideas they wouldn’t have survived or made their way out. It was very hard for me to put the book down because of how interesting it was and the suspense of every page in the book.
I could highly recommend this book to 12 to 18 years old and people who have a strong taste of sc-fi and adventure. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and can understand why the book series is continuing. I rate this book a 9 out of 10 because towards the end I found it to be a rushed finish.
Jake M., Year 8
This was the first book written by this author. The title was very interesting and very eye catching. It’s a good but very long novel.
