Review of The Maze Runner

And for for next winner of my book review contest, I present you with a review of The Maze Runner, a very popular book here at my intermediate school.

The Maze Runner by James Dashner


Review by Ray Henriksen




4 out of 5 stars for The Maze Runner
Sixteen year old Thomas mysteriously wakes up on a huge, dark elevator with no memory of how we got there. Eventually the elevator stops, and he finds himself in “The Glade”, a large grassland surrounded by massive steel walls, with doors that defy gravity. “The Glade” is inhabited by 60 other teenage boys. But the next day, a girl shows up, breaking the normal schedule of new arrivals. More importantly, the note she was carrying could end them all . . .

I liked this book because it is right up my alley of fast-paced, action-packed novels. I liked how the plot pretty much included everything: distrust, action, mystery, memory swipe, etc. Another good thing is how almost everything is realistic enough for me to really connect with the character. My favorite part is during the climax when they are forced to battle the seemingly invulnerable creatures that surround them.

Now comes an author’s least favorite part: the bad things. Honestly, I can’t think of too many things that I didn’t like, but no book is perfect. There are some questions unanswered. You would hope that they will be answered in the sequel (some are, but some aren’t). There were a few slow parts sprinkled throughout the story, but none longer that two or three pages.

The genre of The Maze Runner is science-fiction, but the characters are very realistic. If you enjoy fast, suspenseful, action-based novels, then this book is right for you.