Book Review: Maze Runner Series

“Just follow me and run like your life depends on it. Because it does.” 

Another round of book reviews is coming your way, all!  I have oftentimes explained that I want to have four or five lives--one where I can go to grad school. One where I stay a medical lab scientist.  One where I get married at nineteen and have nine children. One where I become a high school French/biology teacher. You get the idea.  I have recently learned of another life that I'd love to have.  I have learned that there is such a thing as a bibliotherapist. They help people with mental health issues (especially depression) through a guided reading program.  I'm not very good with people (in fact, one of my coworkers the other day said very gently, "You should NEVER be a psychiatrist,") but I'm very good at recommending books if I do say so myself.

And here's one I recommend highly

As you all know, I do not review a book that is part of series until I am caught up with the series--either by reading the whole series, or I have read up to the point where I have to wait for a new installment. I finished this series about a month ago...yay!  Note: I haven't yet read Kill Order, but I don't consider it part of the series...it's a prequel.

Once again, it's hard to explain the entire series without spoiling, but here goes my best:  Thomas wakes up in the Glade.  All he knows is that there a lot of teenage boys who live here. And none of them remember where they came from. They all came out of the box in established increments, and supplies come out of the box.  The rest of their needs are supplied by farming, ranching and what have you.  They've built a society, and everyone has a job. Some of them, their job is to go out into the maze that surrounds the glade each and every day, try to find a way out, and make it back by sundown before the creatures of the maze come alive.  But almost as soon as Thomas gets there, the people who load the box--whoever they are--throw a curveball. They send a girl in the box.  And she immediately goes into a coma--but Thomas feels he knows her.

One of my coworkers asked me how it compared to the rest of the YA dystopia hype.  After reading it, and after seeing the movie, I realized that the makers of the movie tried to make another Hunger Games/Divergent. But the book really isn't.  If I had to describe it, I would say it's 1-part YA dystopia, 1-part Lord of the Flies, and 1-part Ender's Game.

The first book was out-of-this-world good. I would argue that it's a contender for best YA fantasy-scifi-adventure of the decade.  Some people have criticized the clipped writing style, but I think that it suits the narrator and the style of the book perfectly.  The second and third book could have done with a bit more editing, but generally hold their own.  And just because I have to keep my pride, I must clarify:  No matter what you've heard, it's not a zombie book. They're not zombies!  I don't do zombie books.

One thing that I particularly liked is that a lot of times, you don't know what the characters want, but not in the sense that they have no motivation.  In the sense that they don't know what they want.  Most of the characters are relatable and unique, each one with their own flaws and personalities (with the exception of Chuck I thought, but most people love Chuck, so maybe it's just me).  Some people say that Thomas loses his personality in later books, but I think he just changes.  He finds his place in the world, and that changes him.

Do I recommend it?  Yes.  Do I caution those with a slightly squeamish nature? That too. It didn't much bother me, but I also work in a lab and have guts of steal. I have a sister (or maybe sisters) who would probably find it too much.

Five stars for the first, four stars for the second, four stars for the third. Four for the series over all.