The Maze Runner

Dashner, J. (2009). The Maze Runner. New York, NY: Delacorte Press.

Genre: Science Fiction/Dystopia

Intended Audience:  Ages 13+

Personal Reaction: When I saw The Maze Runner was on the list of required reading for my class I was quite excited.  I found myself drawn into the characters and setting, unsure, as Thomas what exactly was happening.  This was a fast-paced novel with likable characters.

As a general rule I aim to not watch the movie before the book, however, I failed to do so with The Maze Runner.  Therefore, many of my reactions are in relation to how it compared to the film adaptation.  I was annoyed at how the adaptation changed the maze to not having an exit, to having one and Alby not wanting to give the Gladers hope.  In addition to changing the maze, they lacked the telepathic communication between Teresa and Thomas, taking away from the depth of their relationship. As usual, I found the book to be better than the film version, and was quite impressed with the storyline Dashner gave.

Author Facts: James Dashner began his career in accounting and later decided to become an author, he does not miss the numbers game and now writes full-time. He lives with his wife and four children and watches movies when he doesn't know what to write about. He now believes he has the best job in the world and is the luckiest guy on the planet. 

Author Website: http://jamesdashner.com/