The Maze Runner (Maze Runner #1)

Author: James Dashner

Reviewed By: Courtney

Published By: Delacorte Press
Release Date: October 2009
Genre: YA/ Dystopia
Pages: 374 pages

When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his first name. His memory is blank. But he’s not alone. When the lift’s doors open, Thomas finds himself surrounded by kids who welcome him to the Glade—a large, open expanse surrounded by stone walls.

Just like Thomas, the Gladers don’t know why or how they got to the Glade. All they know is that every morning the stone doors to the maze that surrounds them have opened. Every night they’ve closed tight. And every 30 days a new boy has been delivered in the lift.

Thomas was expected. But the next day, a girl is sent up—the first girl to ever arrive in the Glade. And more surprising yet is the message she delivers.

 Thomas might be more important than he could ever guess. If only he could unlock the dark secrets buried within his mind.

I heard of this book from a good friend and decided to read it since dystopias and my new found favorite type of books, I seem to have become obsessed with them. I don't know if it's the reality of it being so close to being real or what. All I have to say is WOW. I really didn't think this book would be that great.

 I don't know why but I seem to love every book I have ever read. I always connect to each character, and even though Tom is a man I still feel a connection. It starts off weird because Tom knows absolutely nothing about whats going on, so as he learns your learning too. I only hated some of the words like klunk...like REALLY??? (you can guess what it means right) Instead of just throwing everything in the beginning for you to learn James gives you no reference of the up and coming events and rarely any clues, you are thrust into this world like Tom and the other boys with no preparation or warning of the upcoming events. It's even and not to descriptive

When authors spend to much time describing the scene it can be quite slow and you get bored. I never got bored in this book and never put it down, well until I had to sleep :) It was additive, and very much on the edge. I never knew what was going to happen and I love when a book keeps you guessing. Tom's lost and knows he's supposed to be a runner but has no idea why, since being a runner is pretty much a death sentence. There's a couple guys there who suspect him of being a traitor because they remember seeing him before they were sent there. So that creates a lot of chaos. Then a girl comes out of the elevator the next day saying that shes the last and everyone gets sketchy of Tom and Theresa.

After Theresa shows up everything goes downhill.She shows up early in the book but ends up in a coma for nearly the whole thing. Shes the only girl in the entire glade so I figured she'd be a bad ass, instead she has such a little part in the whole thing. With their resources running low and the sun no longer shining, they have a limited time to figure out how to leave or die. So they and you are desperate to figure it out. You will just have to read and see.

Even though you are lost throughout this book it's comforting to realize the characters are just like you and just as confused. I really enjoyed this and hope that they do make the movie out of the books soon.