Sunday, August 24, 2014

Maze Runner by James Dashner

The first of science fiction trilogy create by James Dashner published on October 2009. The novel revolves on the lives of young boys, with no memories, trapped inside a maze for an unknown reason and all hoping to escape the said place.



Characters

  • Thomas - (Named after Thomas Edison) He is the main protagonist of the story. Like everyone else, he could not remember anything from his past including except for the name Thomas and his desire to be a "runner". Later in the story, he realizes his importance in being inside the changing maze.
  • Teresa - (Named after Mother Teresa) The only girl that has been sent to the Glade (Maze). She can talk to Thomas through telepathy.
  • Alby - (Named after Albert Einstein) Known as the leader of the gladers.
  • Newt - (Named after Isaac Newton) One of the few gladers, second in command with Alby. He was once a runner but stopped after he injured his leg. He is one of the closest friends of Thomas
  • Minho - The leader (keeper) of the runners, who is in charge of navigating and creating the maps for the maze.
  • Chuck - (Named after Charles Darwin) The first glader to befriended Thomas since he was the greenhorn before him.
  • Gally - (Named after Galileo) Being stung by a griever, he was one of the few people who survived and was able to recover parts of his memories. Being able to see from his memories, he doesn't trust Thomas as he believes that he is one of the people who sent them in the maze. He is also the keeper of the Builders.

Synopsis

The novel opens from the time Thomas arrives at the Glade (aka the Maze) where he was greeted by Alby. The first few parts of the story explains the life of the gladers are inside the maze and how each one of them is assigned to a specific job. Though being the newbie and like everyone else who can't remember anything from their past life (except the ones being bitten by Grievers and survivide), he was accused by Gally, a co-glader and keeper of the builders, that he seen him in his memories as of the people who sent them in the maze.

Aside from knowing his name, Thomas feels that the he has been in the maze before and seeing Minho and other runners, made him feel that he wants to join them as a runner too. One night, he follows Alby outside the maze in the event of saving him and was trapped out there in the danger for one night. Being able to survive, he was then assigned as one of the runners. Days after and a new glader has been brought to the maze and this time it was different from usual since it was a girl and most of all, she knows Thomas.

From here the story progresses on their attempt to escape the maze and later find out that the reason why Thomas and the girl was brought on the maze was to trigger a series of event that will bring destruction to everyone inside.

What I Can Say

If you are a fan of sci-fi and post-apocalyptic readings, then this book is for you. The story keeps me guessing on what could be the reason why they are brought to "The Glade" but sorry for me, the story ended without telling you exactly the answer to this reason. The story ended in the way leaving the readers to guess what happens next sort of like a TV drama with "to be continued" phrase at the end. I'm not really a fan of such type of novels so I really didn't appreciate this one. For me, stories and novels should at least close the main plot line even if it has a follow up book. It's like "hey we are in a maze so let's get out" and the story ended there.

Quoted from the Book

"If you ain't scared… you ain't human."
-Alby

"It's kind of hard to ask a dead guy what he did wrong"
-Minho

"Just follow me and run like your life depends on it. Because it does."
-Unnamed man

Rating

3 out of 5

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