The Scorch Trials by James Dashner

Title: The Scorch Trials

Author: James Dashner

Series: Maze Runner #2

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Age: 13+

Pages: 368

Buy: Amazon.com

THE SUMMARY

Thomas was sure that escaping the Maze meant that the Gladers could get their lives back. But when Teresa showed up and triggered The End, they had no idea that escaping was just the beginning. Outside the Maze, Thomas and the Gladers must now face the Scorch—a hot, dry, and dangerous wasteland where nature itself seems to be against them. Out there, they learn that the government is virtually nonexistent. There is no order, no structured society, only WICKED, and who knows where they stand. Oh yeah, and then there’s the Cranks—people covered in festering wounds driven to insanity from a disease known as the Flare. And guess what? All of the Gladers have it.

Now the Gladers have two weeks to cross the Scorch in order to save themselves. Supposedly, at the end of this set of Trials is a safe haven and the cure to their brain disease. But with new variables, new alliances, and Test Group B to deal with, Thomas can only wonder what WICKED’s real intentions are, and if the answer lies somewhere locked inside his mind.

THE REVIEW

For those of you who read my review of The Maze Runner, you'll know that I was eager to read this book. And I'm giddy to say that it did not disappoint! Like The Maze Runner, The Scorch Trials is an adrenaline-shot rollercoaster. Dashner picks up right where he left off in the previous book, and wastes no time putting Thomas, Newt, Minho and the rest of the Gladers through hell. New spooks hide around every corner (or in some cases, hang from the ceiling) which will have you sitting on the edge of your seat. Though I hate to admit it, I was afraid to read parts of this book in the dark. Don't judge me! Wouldn't you be scared if psychotic zombie-like people were chasing after you demanding to have your nose? Life for Thomas in this book is like playing Resident Evil or BioShock or one of those other freaky zombie video games.

*coughs* Anyway, like The Maze Runner, more questions than answers arise from the new turns in this plot, but Dashner has significantly improved the way information is revealed to the characters and reader so the confusion is tolerable, if not enjoyable. You’ll be guessing throughout the entire novel who and who not to trust. In addition, as mysteries unfold, we learn more about Thomas and his character, shedding some light on WICKED and their position in all of this. This is done tastefully through sporadic flashbacks that come to Thomas in dreams, and in the end, I was left wanting more. Seriously, I have half a mind to march myself over to Delacorte Press and demand to read The Death Cure (the last book in the series). I cannot wait to see what Trails lay ahead for Thomas, Teresa, and the Glader Gang when this trilogy concludes!

THE RATING

7/8 Tentacles

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

If you have heard anything about The Maze Runner, then you’ve probably heard people say that those who liked The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins will probably enjoy this book. After reading it, I have to agree, or agree that those who liked The Hunger Games will AT LEAST find The Maze Runner interesting. Though their plotlines are completely different, they have a similar dystopian feel and a necessity for the kids in the books to survive and escape the situation they’ve been thrown into. However, it’s hard to compare the two beyond that.

The book begins with Thomas waking up in a metal lift, also known as “The Box.” He has no memory of who he is (aside from his name), where he came from, or how he got there. When the doors of the lift open, he is greeted by a bunch of boys who, like him, don’t remember anything about their life before arriving at the Glade, an expanse of land surrounded by metal walls which close every night just before it gets dark. He quickly learns that the Glade rests in the center of a gigantic, continuously changing maze, patrolled at night by vicious cyborg-like slug creatures called Grievers. And…there is no way out.

Days after he arrives The Box makes another delivery, this time delivering the first girl ever to arrive in the Glade. She delivers a spooky message—the end is near—before passing out into a fitful coma. Now Thomas must decipher the reason why he thinks he knows this girl (named Teresa), and if there is a way out of the Maze before things completely fall apart.

As I said before, fans of THG will find the plot of The Maze Runner interesting enough. However, just about every answer to every question you can think of is withheld until the end, and even then there's a ton of questions remaining. I’m guessing that Dashner decided to do this in order to build suspense, which is accomplished, even though it was irritating in some places. Despite this, I found it forgivable because there was enough going on at the moment of the scene to excuse the questions, which is why overall, I really enjoyed reading this book. Dashner is very good at moving his plot along quickly, and filling it with action. At one point Thomas runs out into the Maze at night to save some of his fellow Gladers, and ends up facing the grievers in what I think is one of the coolest survival scenes to recently hit the shelves. There is quite a bit of jargon/invented slang that the boys in this book use, which takes a little while to get used to, but I don’t believe it hurt the story at all. It’s not difficult to figure out that words like, “Shuck-head,” and “Klunker” are curse words, and by giving his characters their own unique slang Dashner has made them more realistic. We all make up our own inside jokes and insults when we’re young, right? Especially as teenagers. I’m assuming that some of the mysteries about the Maze will be answered in book 2, The Scorch Trials (set to be released on October 12, 2010), as the focus of this first installment was really just about escaping.

Final Rating: 6/8 tentacles