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There is something so bittersweet about the final book in a series you loved so much. When the final Harry Potter book came out, I was thrilled and heart-broken at the same time! With The Death Cure, James Dashner's final book in the Maze Runner trilogy, I am sad to see the series end, but I started it hopeful the ending would be as I had hoped- finally a little peace for the kids who had been at the mercy of the evil corporation WICKED.
Thomas and his friends survived the Maze (an experiment to judge their responses and hopefully find a cure to the Flare) and the Scorch (the terrifying desert filled with sick crazies). But now that they are back in the hands of WICKED, the company using them as lab rats to find the cure to the Flare, they know nothing good is going to happen to them. Held hostage and isolated for weeks, they finally find a way to escape, but to do so they have to trust Brenda and Jorge- WICKED employees planted in the Scorch to keep an eye on them. But with no other options, they find Brenda and Jorge hate WICKED as much as they do. Unfortunately, the world is a cold, dangerous place for Munies- those immune to the Flare.
Once they manage to escape, they make there way to Denver which has become a walled, protected city free from the sickness. Unfortunately, the safety in Denver is all an illusion. The sickness is slowly starting to take over. When Thomas is contacted by the Right Arm, an organization devoted to take down WICKED, he knows they have to risk their lives and go back to the lab to destroy the evil people who test kids and have no qualms about watching them die. But can Thomas and his friends, the kids who lived through so much, make it through this final trial? Can they get rid of WICKED once and for all? And even if they do, what will be waiting for them on the other side?
Oh Dashner, you rapscallion! You had me hanging through the whole book PRAYING you didn't leave those poor kids in a worse situation (and me totally ticked off) by the end of the story. Thank goodness you took it easy on those kids (and me!). We needed a good ending! This book was a great culmination in the trilogy we spent so much time waiting for (im)patiently and while I am sad to have it end, I am glad it ended the way it did.
This series is phenomenal for any student, but I think it will be particularly successful with male struggling readers. The excitement and commitment to the young characters makes the story more than just plot twists and action. The kids I know who have started this series haven't been able to put it down. In fact, the adults I know who read these books couldn't put them down either! Dashner is an evil genius, but the ending of this series proved he wasn't as evil as I originally thought- he loved his characters as much as I did!
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!
