Friday, August 15, 2014

THE MAZE RUNNER by James Dashner

Dystopian; Science Fiction; Horror

Kirkus Reviews (September 15, 2009)
Boys come to the Glade via an empty freight elevator with no memory of how they got there or of their prior lives. This disorientation is made more frightening when they realize that to survive they must lock themselves in every night to avoid the horrors of the Grievers, beings that are part machine, part animal--and altogether deadly. The boys in the Glade send out Runners each day to find a way out through the Maze that surrounds their one patch of safety, with no success. Life goes on until one day the elevator delivers a girl. She brings a message: She is the last child to be sent, and there will be no more deliveries of food or supplies. Now the Glade is cut off, and as the Grievers gather for an all-out attack it's clear that it's now or never--the Maze must be solved. Dashner knows how to spin a tale and make the unbelievable realistic. Hard to put down, this is clearly just a first installment, and it will leave readers dying to find out what comes next. (Science fiction. 12 & up)

Great recommendation for those who like the Hunger Games and Divergent. Not for the timid - a scenario similar to Lord of the Flies with lots of gore and creepy 'grievers'! A page turner.

Okay, just finished  book 2 and 3: The Scorch Trials and The Death Cure. Now I see that there is a prequel - The Kill Order! Full disclosure: I am a chicken with horror; cannot read Stephen King or watch horror films. I would definitely classify this as horror, but I couldn't stop reading and made it to the end. This has been such a big hit with my middle school students for years and I knew I had to read it. I am exhausted (kept wanting a quick happy ending!) but it was well worth it. Great series! Just make sure your reader likes a little horror! Thanks James Dashner. Twitter: jamesdashner and #dashnerarmy

Check out the movie! "Based upon the best-selling novel by James Dashner. The Maze Runner, coming to theaters September 19, 2014.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

This book is AMAZING. It is by far my favorite book. If you read this book I recommend reading the sequels, the scorch trials, and the death cure. and the pre sequel, the death cure.