Librarian's Pick of the Week: The Maze Runner

Title: The Maze Runner
Author: James Dashner
Published: 2009
Age: 12+

"For those of you who liked Hunger Games and Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins and are anxiously awaiting her third book, Mockinjay (set to come out August 24th) here's a similar book full of suspense and nail-biting intrigue that will assuage your impatience for Mockinjay for a few days."

Synopsis: When Thomas wakes up in an elevator, the only thing he can remember is his first name. His memory is blank. But he's not alone. When the doors open, Thomas finds himself surrounded by kids who welcome him to the Glade---a large, open expanse surrounded by stone walls. Just like Thomas, the Gladers don't know why or how they got there. All they know is that every morning the stone doors to the maze that surrounds them have opened and close again every night. And every 30 days a new boy arrives in the elevator. But the next day, a girl is sent up---the first girl to ever arrive in the Glade. And more surprising yet is the message she delivers. Thomas might be more important than he could ever guess. If only he could unlock the dark secrets buried within his mind.

Review: Dashner offers up a dark and gripping tale of survival set in a world where teenagers fight for their lives on a daily basis. It starts when Thomas, a teenage amnesiac, wakes up in the Glade, a fragile oasis in the middle of an enormous maze. Here, a group of teenage boys eke out a hazardous existence, exploring the Maze by day and retreating to the Glade at night. No one knows how they got there; no one has ever found a way out ("Old life's over, new life's begun. Learn the rules quick," the group's leader tells Thomas). Bizarre technological monsters called Grievers patrol the Maze's corridors, almost certain death for any who encounter them. Thomas struggles to regain his memories, but soon the rules of the game change. With a fast-paced narrative steadily answering the myriad questions that arise and an ever-increasing air of tension, Dashner's suspenseful adventure will keep readers guessing until the very end, which paves the way for the inevitable continuation. Publisher's Weekly (Oct.)


If you're intrigued, don't forget to check our library's catalog for this book!