The Maze Runner

Maze Runner was a wild ride I couldn't put down. The plot's originality had me hooked with all its twists and turns, turning it into this page-turner I couldn't resist. Dashner's maze world? Pure genius.

Every mystery unfolding kept me racing through the pages, completely caught up in the characters' urgency and the need to unravel the maze's secrets. It felt like a personal challenge, a puzzle I just had to solve.

Dashner's talent for keeping the suspense alive made the whole experience immersive, and I couldn't help but appreciate the intricate plot. Maze Runner is a personal victory, and… show more.

My favorite type of books are ones that blend dystopian, science fiction, and scientific facts together, and a lot of mystery.

In Maze Runner, a teenage boy wakes up in a box surrounded by a bunch of other boys that he doesn't know. Then they have to work together to find a way out of the maze before things become even more dangerous. Yup, a lot of suspense and mystery, and the author had my heart pounding.

The Maze Runner has such an interesting premise and though it's a YA book, readers of all ages will enjoy it.

The Maze Runner is a brooding YA mystery, where teens wake up inside a massive maze full of challenges and dangers… but their memories are wiped clean.

They have no idea where they are or what’s happening, and as they try to work together to escape the maze, they are also uncovering the secret of how they got there in the first place, which gives the story intrigue and suspense.

I enjoyed the puzzles and the taut relationships as the characters decide what to do and who to trust; I also liked the idea of the massive architectural elements and… show more.

It’s horrifying to think you might risk everything you have for freedom, only to discover it isn’t what you thought.

I appreciate the depth of disillusionment at the heart of The Maze Runner, and how its characters persist despite it, because the alternative is to simply give up, and that’s not who they are. I’m always inspired by stories of perseverance, which is why the dedication of one of my books reads: “Because trying is all anyone can do”.

My main characters often have to sacrifice everything they have for the better life they believe exists; but in the end… show more.

Dashner is one of my favorite authors. His books are always expertly written and include interesting protagonists, antagonists, and supporting characters which I typically don’t see in a lot of writing. Maze Runner incorporates mystery, survival, sci-fi, and adventure with tons of exciting twists and turns. It’s extremely engaging for the mind and will keep you on your seat!

I love books that combine mystery, science fiction, high stakes, adventure, and sizzling plots. The Maze Runner does it all. From the opening pages, I wanted to know how Thomas got there, and why? Why was his memory wiped? What’s the purpose of the maze? Who’s behind it all? And most important, is there a way out? Well worth the read.

To be honest, I read this book after seeing the movie because I wanted to understand how the author described the creature in the maze. The author did a great job of giving just enough information to let the reader’s imagination swell. Whoever designed the creature for the movie certainly let their imagination go wild, for sure! Even after seeing the movie, I found the book so powerful in stirring my imagination—and my adrenaline. It’s one of those books you just can’t put down.

“If you ain’t scared… you ain’t human.” This is a perfect example of the relatability of the characters in The Maze Runner, even in an unrelatable situation: teenagers trapped inside a limitless, ever-changing maze—without their memories! As they struggle to survive, they uncover the secrets of both the shadowy organization that put them there and the maze itself. It features a male protagonist, and the intriguing plot will keep you coming back for more. I highly recommend this series… and the prequel is worth a read too!

While this book came out a while ago in 2009, and was made more famous by the film adaptation, I feel it’s fallen under the radar for people who have recently discovered their love of science fiction. Dashner’s dystopian is dominated by male characters, which I found refreshing since so many popular dystopian novels feature female protagonists. The Maze Runner’s non-stop action makes it the sort of book you want to read in a single sitting.  

Even though the first book doesn’t give much space to ecological disasters, it’s certainly a theme that runs throughout the series, including the resulting lack of drinkable water. And that’s why this is my second book pick. I loved the world of The Maze Runner (even if, at times, the slang drove me a little crazy!) – so cleverly written, so many twists that kept me turning the page to try and work out what the hell was happening, and a great baddy organisation that was easy to hate.