A-MAZE-ing Story!

Holy Moses, Batman! I didn't see this one coming! The Maze Runner, by James Dashner has been talked about and recommended, but for some reason I didn't pick it up until now. maybe it was the mediocre cover? I don't know why it took me so long to pick this one up, but now I am kicking myself, that's for sure! This was butt kicking story full of exciting characters, a crazy prison-like world, and enemies of all kinds.

The Glade is far from perfect, but the Gladers, young boys who all found themselves transported to the Glade in an elevator with no memories of who they were and how they got there, make do with what they have. Every boy works, either taking care of the animals, slaughtering, cooking, basic maintenance, building, or as runners. The Runners are the best of the best- a group of boys who leave the safety of the Glade's walls every day to explore the Maze outside for a way to escape. When Thomas wakes up in the elevator, he is the beginning of many weird things that bring life in the Glade to a new level of terror.

Every night the walls to the Glade close to protect the boys from the horrors of the Maze, the Grievers in particular. Grievers are giant monsters that are part creature, part machine. They look like giant blobs with mechanical arms wielding saws, needles, claws, and other mechanical terrors. When Alby, the leader, and Minho, Keeper of the Runners, get stuck in the Maze just as the doors are closing, Thomas runs to help them and they all get stuck in the Maze. No boy has ever survived a night in the Maze with the Grievers. But Thomas' quick thinking and bravery keep both an injured Alby safe and allow him and Minho to kill Grievers- something the boys never thought was possible.

When a girl, the first girl ever, comes up the elevator barely alive, the Gladers begin to suspect things are changing. When the sun disappears and the walls don't close, they know they must find an exit immediately or they Grievers will kill them one by one. But what lies outside the Glade and the Maze is something none of the boys could have expected.

This is a GREAT book for anyone who loved the Hunger Games series and is waiting (impatiently) for Mockingjay to hit the stores. The books are very, very different dystopias, but they have the sense of excitement and fervor you can't help yourself from being sucked into. This book is so dangerous and exciting, it would be a great way to suck a student into reading. I would suggest the book for high-skilled middle schoolers to high school students. The world of the Glade is intricate, but not confusing. This is also a wonderful book for male and female readers alike.

Even if you aren't into the recent dystopia boom that has rocked the YA genre, you should give this book a chance. It is just as good as Hunger Games, but it contains a world that stands on its own with a vengeance. The Gladers, while still trying to maintain order and live their lives, NEVER give up on the hope that they can escape the Maze. This hope is the backbone of this story and will keep you wanting more. The ending is a little abrupt and opens up so many more questions than it answers, but the sequel, The Scorch Trials, is due out in October, and I am willing to bet it will be just as powerful as the first book. So if you need some adventure and an all-consuming read, pick up The Maze Runner. You won't be sorry!