By: James Dashner
Review Copy received from publisher
Second book in the Maze Runner Trilogy
.Summary (from Goodreads): Solving the Maze was supposed to be the end. No more puzzles. No more variables. And no more running. Thomas was sure that escape meant he and the Gladers would get their lives back. But no one really knew what sort of life they were going back to.
In the Maze, life was easy. They had food, and shelter, and safety . . . until Teresa triggered the end. In the world outside the Maze, however, the end was triggered long ago.
Burned by sun flares and baked by a new, brutal climate, the earth is a wasteland. Government has disintegrated—and with it, order—and now Cranks, people covered in festering wounds and driven to murderous insanity by the infectious disease known as the Flare, roam the crumbling cities hunting for their next victim . . . and meal.
The Gladers are far from finished with running. Instead of freedom, they find themselves faced with another trial. They must cross the Scorch, the most burned-out section of the world, and arrive at a safe haven in two weeks. And WICKED has made sure to adjust the variables and stack the odds against them.
Thomas can only wonder—does he hold the secret of freedom somewhere in his mind? Or will he forever be at the mercy of WICKED?
My Review: You know that feeling when you've had a dream that you are certain is important, but you're not exactly sure why? Then as you go through the day you remember less and less and can't quite seem to put it all together? Yeah, that's what this ENTIRE book is like. I almost felt like I needed to take notes to put all of Thomas's random memories and thoughts together. Then I could present him with the finished work and say, "Okay, now would you PLEASE tell me what is going on here."
The Maze Runner
left me scratching my head. We are twisted in a completely new direction in The Scorch Trials. We've got all the same people, plus some, and a brand new mission. How is it then that after I have finished reading the book I feel like I know nothing new about Thomas, or Teresa for that matter. What these characters need is to sit down and have a serious DTR (discuss the relationship. It's a Utah County thing, I think. Anyone else ever heard that term before?) Anyway, unfortunately everyone is trying so hard to stay alive that there just isn't any time to stop and figure out what in the world is going on.Basically, James Dashner has set up The Death Cure to answer a lot of questions. It's going to be a doozy of a book. Doing a trilogy this way has its pros and cons. Both The Maze Runner
and The Scorch Trials are books that I read in one sitting. They are intense, fast-paced, and the plot takes many unexpected turns. This book is kind of unusual in that there is no real villain. It's man vs. nature almost, except nature is controlled by man. We aren't sure who is putting Thomas and his friends through these trials or for what purpose, but we are meant to believe that it is for a good purpose.I really enjoyed the book, and I know that reluctant readers (especially boys) will love the series. However, if you haven't started the series already, I might recommend waiting until The Death Cure comes out later this year lest your brain explode from anticipation.
My Rating:
Profanity: Just the made up stuff like shuck and klunk and such.
Sexuality: None, just some kissing
Drugs and Alcohol: Very mild. But they've got bigger problems than under-age drinking
Violence: Death and destruction, but not gruesome.
