he Maze Runner is a 2009 dystopian novel by American author James Dashner. It takes place in a world suffering from a coronal mass ejection and whose surviving civilians fight to avoid an apocalyptic illness called the Flare. It is written from the perspective of Thomas, a 16-year-old boy who wakes up with no memories inside an artificially produced maze but who is also the key to his friends’ salvation. An organization called WICKED controls the world politically seeks a cure to the Flare and uses the youngest generation of civilians who are immune as test subjects.

Trying to escape in one of the more average stereotypical fanfiction teenage dystopian young adult nightmare battle royal hunger game mix up clones.

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.

• Book 1 – The Maze Runner
• Book 2 – The Scorch Trials
• Book 3 – The Death Cure

Finishing the last book of the trilogy, The Death Cure, has convinced me that this is one hell of a good series. Despite the cover of the book claiming that Hunger Games fans will love this, I have to say that as a HG fan, I found The Maze Runner series more enjoyable.

The characters feel real, but conflicted, and more interesting than any other YA characters I can name. Thomas in particular is a protagonist that draws you in so much that you can’t help but see it through to the end, for his sake if nothing else. The secondary characters (Minho and Newt mainly) provide more depth, humour and tragedy alike.

Dashner is a master of action sequences. The settings are epic, and although the second book, The Scorch Trails might drag to some, the outcome in the final book is worth working up to.

To me, this was a lot darker and more violent than the Hunger Games, particularly book 3. But I enjoy that kind of stuff, so the book delivered well in that area.

I sincerely hope that the movie can live up to the brilliance that I have read.