The Maze Runner (Maze Runner, Book One)

The Maze Runner (Maze Runner, Book One)

By James Dashner

294 ratings 484 reviews 568 followers
Book 1 of 5 in the  The Maze Runner Series
Interest LevelReading LevelReading A-ZATOSWord Count
Grades 9 - 12Grades 3 - 8X5.3101182

Book one in the blockbuster Maze Runner series that spawned a movie franchise and ushered in a worldwide phenomenon! And don’t miss The Fever Code, the highly-anticipated series conclusion that finally reveals the story of how the maze was built!
 
   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.
   Outside the towering stone walls that surround them is a limitless, ever-changing maze. It’s the only way out—and no one’s ever made it through alive.
   Then a girl arrives. The first girl ever. And the message she delivers is terrifying: Remember. Survive. Run.

The Maze Runner and Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials are now major motion pictures featuring the star of MTV's Teen Wolf, Dylan O’Brien; Kaya Scodelario; Aml Ameen; Will Poulter; and Thomas Brodie-Sangster. The third movie, Maze Runner: The Death Cure, will hit screens in 2018.
 
Also look for James Dashner’s edge-of-your-seat MORTALITY DOCTRINE series!

Praise for the Maze Runner series:
A #1 New York Times Bestselling Series
USA Today Bestseller
Kirkus Reviews Best Teen Book of the Year
An ALA-YASLA Best Fiction for Young Adults Book
An ALA-YALSA Quick Pick
 
“[A] mysterious survival saga that passionate fans describe as a fusion of Lord of the FliesThe Hunger Games, and Lost.” —EW.com
 
“Wonderful action writing—fast-paced…but smart and well observed.” Newsday
 
“[A] nail-biting must-read.” Seventeen.com
 
“Breathless, cinematic action.” —Publishers Weekly
 
Heart pounding to the very last moment.” —Kirkus Reviews
 
Exclamation-worthy.” —Romantic Times
 
“James Dashner’s illuminating prequel [The Kill Order] will thrill fans of this Maze Runner [series] and prove just as exciting for readers new to the series.” —Shelf Awareness, Starred

Take a deep breath before you start any James Dashner book.” —Deseret News

Publisher: Chicken House Ltd
ISBN-13: 9781910655108
ISBN-10: 1910655104
Published on 9/3/2015
Binding: Paperback

Book Reviews (468)

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the maze runner is a great series that takes place in the future when the flare hits causing the flare virus to make cranks very few are immune to the flare Thomas being one of them. Thomas wakes up in an elevator going up to the glade where the other kids or gladers live the first person he meets is gally (the glade bully) and then Alby (the glade leader). fast forward he decides he wants to be a runner, running through the maze trying to find the exit until Teresa shows up and figures out the code the escape and Thomas and Minho find the exit, the griever hole after they escape Gally tried killing Thomas and instead killed chuck the youngest gladder then Minho being an absolute champ shoved a spear through gallys left lung thinking they left him to die. after chuck dies wicked comes in and kidnaps the kids again to take them to a building far away from the maze claiming they are saving them when really over 30 gladers die

Maze Runner opens your mind to different possibilities and you won’t want to put it down. I recommend this book and give it a 5 star rating.

It is a good book... must read

great book its ¶eally confusing at some points though with 3 other books to follow t has also made 3 successful movies

What would you do if you woke up in the center of a maze? Would you risk your safety to return to a life you can hardly remember? Thomas finds himself asking these questions after he wakes up with his memory wiped in the Glade- a safe haven for a group of teenage boys trapped in the middle of a maze. Every so often, a new boy will be heaved up into the Glade, and their stories will all be the same. Life goes on. That is, until the first girl turns up- with a horrifying message that affects the fate of Thomas and his comrades. So, story time: I had to read The Maze Runner for a book club at school. One of the members of the club suggested Maze Runner, since he'd watched and enjoyed the movie. Since most of the other options had already been claimed, we settled on it. Big mistake. Now, I'm not cruel enough to give this one star. The concept itself was creative and interesting, and it was what willed me to read it in the first place (besides my teacher, of course.) The plot reminded me a bit of- I know this sounds strange- people who make their pet mice and hamsters run through little cardboard mazes. Of course, the stakes were far higher in Maze Runner, and there certainly wasn't a treat at the end for the Gladers. The characters in The Maze Runner were bland, cardboard-cutout type characters. Thomas spent more time in the Glade contemplating whether or not to leave it than he did actually running the Maze- a disappointment for most, since that's what the book baited you to think it was mostly about. It was all standing, and talking, and "we do this! So strange!", and "we can say the words 'shank,' 'klunk,' and 'green bean,' and act like it's unique!" This book was a DRAG to read, and the second, the Scorch Trial, was even worse. Thank gosh that was all I had to read before we left school! (And, if you're wondering, the kid who asked us to read this ended up hating it too. He said the movie was better than the book.)

This is one of my new favorite series! The writing is great but still manages to capture the fact that most of the characters are teenage boys! I only had a couple problems with it. While I love the characters Newt and Minho, I feel like the author could've given even them more depth and personality. I also found Thomas pretty annoying in book one. His constant questions were an irritating reminder of how vague the author was at this point. And like most other main characters he was totally bland. I'm currently reading "The Scorch Trials" which I think is even better than "The Maze Runner", with its own secrets and tension, while not keeping the readers completely in the dark. It also has more action and adventure because the wider range of settings. Don't get me wrong, like I said this book is awesome, and the fact that those are my only notes should be proof. I totally recommend this book! P.S. Don't look up spoilers, I found one that is making me seriously dread "The Death Cure".

I have always thought that what if one day all my when I woke up that all my memories were just lost, it’s not a great thought but this book takes memory loss to the next level. "The Maze Runner" by James Dashner takes place in the future where Thomas, a 15 year old boy wakes up in an overgrown dystopian land surrounded by a giant ever changing maze called the Glade and can’t remember anything but his name. He then gets to meet all the boys (They lost their memory too) along there with him. Notable ones include Alby, the leader of the Glade, Newt, Alby’s right hand man and a friend of Thomas pretty quickly, Minho, The lead runner in other words the best person to go in the maze, Gally, a “bully” to Thomas, and Chuck, the newbie before Thomas. So far what i’ve said isn’t too too bad but this “Maze” surrounding the Glade is filled with mechanical bug like creatures called grivers, and grivers are like bugs but most bugs aren’t out to kill you while these are. But this all changes when the first girl called Teresa shows up and… if I say any more I would spoil things. Now onto the actual review, this book is incredible IF you're ok with some decently graphic things and if you enjoy Sci Fi fantasy which I can’t say. The biggest fallback for this book is you need a great imagination or have watched the movies which I have/watched neither. In conclusion if you're fine with slightly graphic stuff (Maybe not slightly I'm not sure), have a great imagination, and are in middle school or older this book is probably great but if not you might wanna stay away from this book.

Welcome to one of the best book series in the world. I love this book and series so much!!! I actually read them all during quarantine this year, and ended up purchasing all of them. The main character, Thomas is very believable and seems like a real person, not just a cardboard cutout. The way James Dashner fashioned WICKED, the Glade, and so much more is amazing. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys science fiction, dystopian, and high action thrillers.

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