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The Maze Runner (2009)

by James Dashner

Other authors: See the other authors section.

Series: The Maze Runner (1)

MembersReviewsPopularityAverage ratingConversations / Mentions
16,222775317 (3.77)1 / 358
Sixteen-year-old Thomas wakes up with no memory in the middle of a maze and realizes he must work with the community in which he finds himself if he is to escape.
  1. 430
    The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (smammers)
  2. 220
    Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card (aeleone)
    aeleone: More sci-fi than Maze Runner, but the characters experience a similar situation as the boys in the maze. Plus, it's super classic.
  3. 132
    Lord of the Flies by William Golding (bookworm12, wordcauldron)
    wordcauldron: When I read this, it reminded me of an orchestrated Lord of the Flies.
  4. 80
    Gone by Michael Grant (stephxsu)
    stephxsu: Incredible world-building and suspense-building featuring a plethora of interesting and sympathetic characters.
  5. 50
    Running With the Wolves by J.E. Reed (paigemartin)
    paigemartin: The characters are placed in a foreign environment without an understanding of how they got there or who put them there. The battle to escape back to reality is filled with monsters and adventures that lead to an incredible amount of character development.… (more)
  6. 40
    Incarceron by Catherine Fisher (bluenotebookonline)
    bluenotebookonline: Bit more fantasy than The Maze Runner, but a similar setup (hero who's trapped) and pace.
  7. 31
    Wool by Hugh Howey (KatyBee)
  8. 10
    The Last Girl by Joe Hart (LiteraryReadaholic)
  9. 00
    House of Stairs by William Sleator (gaialover)
  10. 11
    The Final Trade by Joe Hart (LiteraryReadaholic)
  11. 00
    The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier (Anonymous user)
  12. 00
    Das Labyrinth erwacht by Rainer Wekwerth (Friederike.Geissler)
  13. 33
    Insurgent by Veronica Roth (Waterbuggg)
    Waterbuggg: Both books are action-packed and have a similar premise and secret.
  14. 00
    The Gardener by S.A. Bodeen (kaledrina)
  15. 22
    Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi (bluenotebookonline)
    bluenotebookonline: Also action packed, has a dystopian setting, includes quite a bit of kids vs. adults, etc. Prinz award winner.
  16. 00
    The Roar by Emma Clayton (Anonymous user)
    Anonymous user: Has a lot of action. A dystopian setting where Kids are force in to a competition to service.
  17. 01
    The Unknown by J. W. Lynne (Anonymous user)
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Group TopicMessagesLast Message 
 Book talk: the maze runner series2 unread / 2Ennas, February 2016

» See also 358 mentions

English (761)  Spanish (10)  French (1)  Dutch (1)  Italian (1)  Catalan (1)  German (1)  All languages (776)
Showing 1-5 of 761 (next | show all)
This book was okay, not great, just okay. I didn't particularly connect with any of the characters and while the story did keep me interested, I didn't care for how it ended. I don't think I'll be reading the prequel/sequels (unless I can pick them up as cheaply - $1.99 - as I did this one.) ( )
  thatnerd | Mar 2, 2024 |
This is arguably the most important novel I've ever read in my life. This, along with one other book called "Paper Towns", is what kickstarted my reading career. It was assigned to me in English class in 9th grade (about five years ago), and I thought it was utterly fantastic. I loved the Glade, I loved the Maze, and, most importantly, I loved the suspenseful tone. I remember reading Thomas's first venture into the Maze to rescue Alby and Minho around midnight, and I would probably say that that was the moment I decided to become a reader. As soon as I finished this book, I tore through the rest of the series, then I read The Hunger Games series, then Divergent, then Harry Potter, etc. For that, this book will always have a special place in my heart. However, do I still like it as much 5 years later?

Sadly, no. This book isn't great by any means. This book's biggest problem, in my opinion, is its writing style. I'm really not a fan of Dashner's writing. I know it's a bit harsh, but I'm being honest here. The first 120 or so pages are incredibly boring. James Dashner just keeps repeating the same information over and over again. The amount of times he explains Thomas's memory loss drives me insane. Did this book have no editing phase? In addition, not much really happens until Thomas dashes into the Maze (which is an awesome moment, by the way). Sure, there is a lot to be explained about this new world and these new characters, but did it really need to be that slow? The pacing is absolutely atrocious, man.

I also think a lot of aspects of this story are extremely cringeworthy. The biggest offender is the dialogue. It is awful. The characters feel extremely shallow and unoriginal as a consequence. I also really dislike the Glade slang. I think it is extremely unnecessary and annoying. I know a lot of people like it, but I just can't stand it, especially since it's used in practically every other sentence.

Lastly, has Dashner ever heard of the rule, "Show, don't tell"? Instead of letting the reader infer these characters' personality traits through their actions and dialogue, he just tells them what they're like. That's not how you write a character, man. Leave some room for ambiguity. It will make your stories so much more interesting in the end.

With that being said, I still enjoy the suspenseful nature of this book even though I know what's going to happen. The tension is palpable anytime a Griever is around the corner. James Dashner may not be able to write good characters, but he can certainly write good action scenes with suspenseful tones and gruesome imagery.

I think the plot is alright. I know a ton of people despise the plot of this book because of how silly and unbelievable it is, but I've never really minded it. There are tons of twists and turns, and watching Thomas navigate his life in the Glade and slowly figure the Maze out is really intriguing. It's a decently structured story, honestly.

So, yeah. I have a TON of problems with this novel, but I'm still somewhat sentimental to it overall. A great wave of nostalgia washes over me every time I go through it, and it always ends up leaving a warm feeling in my heart. ( )
  Moderation3250 | Feb 24, 2024 |
Excellent book for boys, and good for girls who like adventure and a little violence. Not really my thing, but I must say, I could not put it down. Leaves you hanging for the next one in the series. ( )
  mjphillips | Feb 23, 2024 |
Once again, I am sucked in by a clever and intriguing ending to a book that I only kindof enjoyed.

This is another YA dystopic fiction book, this time centered more around a boy, and I think that's why I liked it a little bit less than others I've read. They use a lot of unfamiliar slang to talk to one another in the book that's barely disguised cursing and I'm sure it's a pretty realistic way for teenaged boys to talk to one another but I found it irritating.

The story is interesting, there are some really great scenes that beg to be made into a movie and there's an interesting cliffhanger. I'll read book two but from the library!

In a nutshell: combo of Enders Game and Hunger Games. ( )
  hmonkeyreads | Jan 25, 2024 |
I thought the general plot idea was great and the author drove the story foward well. Unfortunately the characters, descriptions, and dialogue were a bit lacking. ( )
  carolovestoread | Jan 14, 2024 |
Showing 1-5 of 761 (next | show all)
 
The story reads like a maze with erroneous turns, dead ends, and a plot that should work but falls short. However, an amazing story nonetheless.
added by alfawolf | editLibrary Media Connection, Constance G. Pappas (Nov 1, 2009)
 
James Dashner has created a thrilling dystopian novel.
 
The Maze Runner has a great hook, and fans of dystopian literature, particularly older fans of Jeanne DuPrau's The City of Ember (Random, 2003), will likely enjoy this title and ask for the inevitable sequel.
added by Katya0133 | editSchool Library Journal, Kristin Anderson (Oct 1, 2009)
 
With a fast-paced narrative steadily answering the myriad questions that arise and an ever-increasing air of tension, Dashner's suspenseful adventure will keep readers guessing until the very end.
added by Katya0133 | editPublishers Weekly (Sep 21, 2009)
 

» Add other authors (23 possible)

Author nameRoleType of authorWork?Status
James Dashnerprimary authorall editionscalculated
Blanco, Marcelo OrsiIllustratorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Burger, Anke CarolineÜbersetzersecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Deakins, MarkNarratorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Di Liddo, AnnalisaTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Dunajski, ŁukaszTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Fournier, GuillaumeTraductionsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Girolamo, Maurizio DiNarratorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Kappel, Rogier vanTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Korhonen, JussiTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Mateo, Noemí RiscoTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Mendonça, MartaTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Monteiro, HenriqueTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Musselman, DanExecutive producersecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Nathan, DavidSprechersecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Reichler, MitchellAuthor photosecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Risco, NoemíTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Saburit, Carles AndreuTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Spångberg, YlvaTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Straub, PhilipCover artistsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Tõnisoo, MaiTõLkijasecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Toroscai, SimonaTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Van Kappel, RogierTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Winger, CecilieOvers.secondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Yeşildal, GizemTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed

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For Lynette. This book was a three-year journey,
and you never doubted.
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He began his new life standing up, surrounded by cold darkness and stale, dusty air.
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ISBN 0385737289 is actually for The Magician by Michael Scott.
Do not combine this work item with either book since the information entered does not apply to just one of the works.
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Wikipedia in English (1)

Sixteen-year-old Thomas wakes up with no memory in the middle of a maze and realizes he must work with the community in which he finds himself if he is to escape.

No library descriptions found.

Book description
If you ain’t scared, you ain’t human.

When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his name. He’s surrounded by strangers—boys whose memories are also gone.

Nice to meet ya, shank. Welcome to the Glade.

Outside the towering stone walls that surround the Glade is a limitless, ever-changing maze. It’s the only way out—and no one’s ever made it through alive.

Everything is going to change.

Then a girl arrives. The first girl ever. And the message she delivers is terrifying.

Remember. Survive. Run.
Haiku summary
Teen must run through maze
To figure out his past and
Survive scary plot.
(legallypuzzled)

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Average: (3.77)
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