Book Review: Maze Runner

Maze Runner by James Dashner

Have you ever awakened in a strange place and lay wondering for a moment "Where am I" before remembering? What if you didn't remember where you were, or who you were, or anything about yourself other than your first name? This is the opening premise of "The Maze Runner", and the mystery only deepens from there.

Teenager Thomas finds himself in a glade surrounded by a massive maze, and in the company of dozens of other teenage boys who share the same memory loss. The boys work together to survive in the glade while searching for a way of escape without falling prey to the murderous Grievers. The arrival of a teenage girl signals a game change, forcing desperate decisions by Thomas and the others to escape before the Grievers take them all.

The book is constructed in the style of game-playing mysteries. The teens find themselves part of a diabolical game, and to survive they must determine both the rules and a way to win the game. Although the character relationships are a bit simplistic, the friendship between Thomas and the hapless Chuck is touching. Nevertheless, it is not the characters that drive the story, but rather the mystery and the inevitable action that follows.