Have you seen the trailer for The Maze Runner yet? Epic, right? Not only does it star the irrepressible Dylan O’Brien, of Teen Wolf fame (Stiles fans have been excited about this movie for a looooong time), but the action sequences look equal parts thrilling, awesome and terrifying. There’s a lot of buzz around this movie- it’s shaping up to be the blockbuster hit of 2014! But before you see the film, you need to read the book- because as all good movies are wont to do, The Maze Runner began life on a bookshelf.
Set sometime in the not-too-distant future, The Maze Runner is an exciting post-apocalyptic YA novel by James Dashner, centred around a young man Thomas. Waking up in a lift knowing nothing but his name, Thomas is introduced to his new world by a group of teenage boys calling themselves Gladers- a self-sustaining community of boys living in in a glade at the centre of a giant stone maze. A world where the walls move every night and terrifying creatures known as Grievers roam, the Maze is a place that Thomas knows he must escape.
Driven by a burning need to become a Runner- one of the boys who explore the Maze by day- Thomas works hard to integrate himself into his new society. Each morning the doors of the Maze open, and a group of Runners take off in search of a way out. Each day they return before dark, before the doors shut, lest they be caught in the Maze overnight- an event that no-one has survived.
The Maze Runner is fast-paced, compulsive reading, managing to be both exciting and mysterious. The excitement comes from action sequences in the Maze itself, which is heart-pounding stuff, but the real reason it’s so addictive is the mystery.
Who put Thomas and the rest of the Gladers in the Maze? Why are they there? Can they find the way out? IS there a way out? What are the horrors that live in the Maze and who created them? JUST WHAT IN THE BLAZES IS GOING ON AROUND HERE? And if there wasn’t enough for Thomas and the Gladers to be dealing with, matters become even more complicated with the arrival of- gasp- a girl. And she seems to know Thomas. Who is she? Thomas doesn’t know. The Gladers don’t know. The girl doesn’t even know, so good luck solving that one dear reader!
Fans of the Hunger Games and the Divergent trilogy will definitely fall in love with the page turning awesomeness that is The Maze Runner. But be warned dear reader- once you begin, you cannot stop reading- there are twists and turns right up to the last page! be prepared to kiss your sleep and your social life goodbye, for a couple of days at least.
And the best part? There’s MORE books!
So get involved Gladers!
xxx Shoshana & Sarah (guest bloggers)
