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Audible sample
The Maze Runner (Maze Runner, Book One) (The Maze Runner Series) Audio CD – Unabridged, October 6, 2009
When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his name. He’s surrounded by strangers—boys whose memories are also gone.
Outside the towering stone walls that surround them is a limitless, ever-changing maze. It’s the only way out—and no one’s ever made it through alive.
Then a girl arrives. The first girl ever. And the message she delivers is terrifying: Remember. Survive. Run.
The Maze Runner and Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials, and Maze Runner: The Death Cure all are now major motion pictures featuring the star of MTV's Teen Wolf, Dylan O’Brien; Kaya Scodelario; Aml Ameen; Will Poulter; and Thomas Brodie-Sangster.
Also look for James Dashner’s edge-of-your-seat MORTALITY DOCTRINE series!
Praise for the Maze Runner series:
A #1 New York Times Bestselling Series
A USA Today Bestseller
A Kirkus Reviews Best Teen Book of the Year
An ALA-YASLA Best Fiction for Young Adults Book
An ALA-YALSA Quick Pick
“[A] mysterious survival saga that passionate fans describe as a fusion of Lord of the Flies, The Hunger Games, and Lost.” —EW.com
“Wonderful action writing—fast-paced…but smart and well observed.” —Newsday
“[A] nail-biting must-read.” —Seventeen.com
“Breathless, cinematic action.” —Publishers Weekly
“Heart pounding to the very last moment.” —Kirkus Reviews
“Exclamation-worthy.” —Romantic Times
“James Dashner’s illuminating prequel [The Kill Order] will thrill fans of this Maze Runner [series] and prove just as exciting for readers new to the series.” —Shelf Awareness, Starred
“Take a deep breath before you start any James Dashner book.” —Deseret News
- Print length11 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- Grade level7 - 9
- Dimensions5.07 x 1.13 x 5.88 inches
- PublisherListening Library (Audio)
- Publication dateOctober 6, 2009
- ISBN-100307582884
- ISBN-13978-0307582881
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Editorial Reviews
Review
A #1 New York Times Bestselling Series
A USA Today Bestseller
A Kirkus Reviews Best Teen Book of the Year
An ALA-YASLA Best Fiction for Young Adults Book
An ALA-YALSA Quick Pick
"[A] mysterious survival saga that passionate fans describe as a fusion of Lord of the Flies, The Hunger Games, and Lost."—EW.com
“Wonderful action writing—fast-paced…but smart and well observed.”—Newsday
“[A] nail-biting must-read.”—Seventeen.com
“Breathless, cinematic action.”—Publishers Weekly
“Heart pounding to the very last moment.”—Kirkus Reviews
“Exclamation-worthy.”—Romantic Times
[STAR] “James Dashner’s illuminating prequel [The Kill Order] will thrill fans of this Maze Runner [series] and prove just as exciting for readers new to the series.”—Shelf Awareness, Starred
"Take a deep breath before you start any James Dashner book."-Deseret News
Product details
- Publisher : Listening Library (Audio); Unabridged edition (October 6, 2009)
- Language : English
- Audio CD : 11 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0307582884
- ISBN-13 : 978-0307582881
- Reading age : 10+ years, from customers
- Grade level : 7 - 9
- Item Weight : 9.6 ounces
- Dimensions : 5.07 x 1.13 x 5.88 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #4,896,696 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #1,777 in Teen & Young Adult Fiction on Boys' & Men's Issues (Books)
- #6,581 in Teen & Young Adult Friendship Fiction
- #7,181 in Teen & Young Adult Dystopian
- Customer Reviews:
About the author
James Dashner is the #1 NY Times Bestselling author of over a dozen books, including The Maze Runner series (movies by 20th Century Fox, now owned by Disney). He grew up in Georgia but now lives in the Rocky Mountains with his wife and their four children. For more information on him and his books, events, etc., please visit jamesdashner.com.
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find the story suspenseful and interesting. They praise the writing quality as well-written and easy to read. The characters are praised for their great development and connection with the narrator. Many readers find the book exciting and entertaining, keeping them interested without dragging. They appreciate the creative concept and world-building. Overall, customers enjoy the story and consider it an addictive start to the series. However, some find the story confusing and difficult to follow.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers enjoy the suspenseful story with its interesting premise and valuable themes. They find the book action-packed with twists and turns that keep them hooked. Readers appreciate the author's ability to create mystery and allusions that keep them guessing. Overall, they enjoy reading this dystopian view of the future.
"This is a very exciting read. It has the same kind of vibe as hunger games, has great character characters, the description of the surroundings make..." Read more
"...Many things work for me in this book. Dashner's ability to create a mystery for not only the character in the book, but for the reader to experience..." Read more
"...Now. The Maze Runner has such an interesting premise - a teenage boy wakes up in a box surrounded by a bunch of other boys that he does..." Read more
"...The story is thick and intense, with a surprise around every. Single. Corner...." Read more
Customers find the book well-written and easy to read. They appreciate the simple, straightforward prose that is readable. The narrator is described as good and the writing style is believable. The book makes sense and is a quick read, making it suitable for those looking for an engaging story.
"...it visually engaging in your mind, it's fast paced and just a well written story. It's a real page turner as I couldn't put it down...." Read more
"...While the prose is simple, straightforward, and eminently readable, I had a difficult time selecting a memorable quote because there were so few...." Read more
"...All the emotions flying around in this book make it sooooo believable...." Read more
"...I didn’t realize how two-dimensional Thomas was or how the writing was barely tolerable the first time I read it...." Read more
Customers enjoy the character development. They find the characters engaging, even though they are young. They also appreciate Thomas as the narrator and find them relatable.
"...It has the same kind of vibe as hunger games, has great character characters, the description of the surroundings make it visually engaging in your..." Read more
"...Children will, most likely, be able to identify with certain characters or situations...." Read more
"...Also, there was very little character development. By the end of the book I didn’t feel like I really knew and of the characters...." Read more
"...So I was so happy to see that The Maze Runner focused on strong character development, problem solving, and action instead of romance...." Read more
Customers enjoy the book. They find it exciting, interesting, and creative. The story keeps them hooked from the beginning with its suspense and surprises.
"...Please join me again, next week as we look at another exciting new read...." Read more
"...Things were revealed at a great pace, keeping me interested without ever dragging things out or taking away the mystery appeal...." Read more
"...That maintains the shock value, the total lack of any grounding context, which is how we should feel when the doors open and we get our first..." Read more
"...This book is so dangerous and exciting, it would be a great way to suck a student into reading...." Read more
Customers find the book creative and engaging. They appreciate the original concept, characters, and setting. The world-building is intricate yet not confusing. Readers find the story inspiring and convey an incredible story.
"...That being said, many redeeming qualities exist in this book. Children will, most likely, be able to identify with certain characters or situations...." Read more
"...also, the whole series is kid-friendly, yet made to capture the imagination in teenagers and adults...." Read more
"...The world created is original but I could picture much of it easily since it is so based on the world we know now...." Read more
"...What is great about the concept and how it was delivered is that it is highly intriguing and makes you want to just keep reading and try to unravel..." Read more
Customers enjoy the story quality. They find the premise, characters, and mystery engaging. The series is addictive and makes them want to read the sequels. The book starts out interesting and quickly hooks them. Readers appreciate the author's skill in setting up the story and the first few chapters are not bad at all.
"...I loved the premise, the characters, and the mystery and anticipation of it." Read more
"...to admit that the opener really built the tension and got me excited for the overall story...." Read more
"...This is the best first book of a trilogy I have ever read...." Read more
"...Dashner could've had the perfect chance to make a great sequel, especially with the end of the first and beginning of the second books...." Read more
Customers have differing views on the pacing of the book. Some find it fast-paced and engaging, with smooth action and great revelations that keep them interested. Others feel the plot starts out slow and drags on a bit too long. The slang can be confusing at first, making it difficult to understand some parts.
"...of the surroundings make it visually engaging in your mind, it's fast paced and just a well written story...." Read more
"...Things were revealed at a great pace, keeping me interested without ever dragging things out or taking away the mystery appeal...." Read more
"...The pacing is a little bit slow, but the sheer amount of information and things that are going on all over the place is incredible...." Read more
"...The story is interesting and moves quickly and the mystery behind everything makes you want to keep reading...." Read more
Customers found the book a mediocre read with confusing and lackluster storytelling. They found the pacing off, the ending unsatisfying, and the story depressing. The mystery was poorly developed, making it feel like a cheap thriller.
"...a few of the characters, and the setting, but it’s overall a very mediocre read...." Read more
"...This book is indeed mazy, with abrupt turns and dead ends and out of the blue developments, and it does involve running, but mostly from one..." Read more
"...The pacing is a little bit slow, but the sheer amount of information and things that are going on all over the place is incredible...." Read more
"...Teresa, the girl, is unconcious at first, and upon the crowding of the gladers around her body, she jolts to life with a note in her hand, reading &#..." Read more
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Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on July 19, 2015This is by far one of the greatest books I have ever read. And I am a very, very, VERY picky reader! (I don't even like the Narnia books that much!)
I love reading books with "Fandoms" and not much else. So, after watching the first movie of The Maze Runner, I couldn't wait to see what happened to my favorite characters, and I took a chance and bought the trilogy (not knowing that there was in fact a prequel, but that is a whole other ballgame ;) ). All I will say, is that James Dashner does NOT disappoint!
The story is thick and intense, with a surprise around every. Single. Corner. The way James wrote it, his chapters are only a few pages long (4 or 5 pages each) and at the end of every one, there is something new and exciting happening that you just can't stand to not know! The characters are alive and vibrant, practically flying off the pages with who and what they are. Each and every character has his/her own dialogue that they use throughout the series, making them all the more unique and lovable.
Just the characters themselves are amazing! Everyone's looks are explained to the reader in such detail that you can just see them right in front of you! Every person is different, and has something different about them. The character Newt has a limp (why, you don't know yet), the character Chuck is the youngest one and wonders about his family. Everyone is different, and not one is the same! And after you get so far, you develope a relationship to these characters and root and cheer for them throughout the whole entire series! You feel bad when they feel bad and you feel happy when they feel happy! James Dashner did it right!
And James Dashner really connects with your feelings in these books. When someone gets hurt, or killed, you can just feel the sadness overtake you, or the anger rush to your head when you want to jump through the pages and save that person. I will admit, I teared up at the third book (sorry, no spoilers), it really had me. And I have NEVER cried over a book before. Never. But this book, this series, really got to me. All the emotions flying around in this book make it sooooo believable. It makes you want to help the characters, or want to choke them to death (no pun intended for those who have read The Death Cure). It really pulls at your heartstrings, or makes your heart soar in happiness. It is amazing!
Also, I have read some reviews where "they say Shuck, Shuck it, Klunk, Slinthead too many times!". Well, I got news for you: Those words are forever in my dictionary! (Just cuz you're jealous that you can't write a book, doesn't mean that you have to dog everyone else)
One of the only characters to use those words (more than like three times, thank you very much) is the character Minho, who is in fact a hilarious sassy-pants. But the way he says it is not annoying; he knows when to use it to be funny, and he knows when to use it when he is serious. And I am very thankful that James Dashner made the characters use Klunk, Slinthead, Shuck, rather than a few other choice words that he could have used . . .
And also, the whole series is kid-friendly, yet made to capture the imagination in teenagers and adults. The story is so easy to follow, and there are so many things going on, yet you never feel lost trying to remember so many different names of places or people, etc. Everything is explained, whether it be in three sentences or throughout the whole series. But there is not one question that goes unanswered. You just have to be patient for some rather than others, and in order to find out what you want, you have to read more than 5 pages.
Everything I have ever wanted in a mysterious, end-of-the-world-without-being-creepy book is right here! This is definitely a book worth buying, no matter who you are. This is a must read! It is absolutely worth every penny!!
I wish I had a review from a person like me, so I am going to give one myself:
If you take anything away from this review, just take my advice. Please buy this book. You will. Not. Regret. It.
PLEASE IGNORE EVERY BAD REVIEW OUT THERE! Trust me :)
Happy reading, see you in the Glade!
- Reviewed in the United States on September 15, 2014Book Review by: Sharon Powers.
What is as fascinating and perplexing as a trip to the carnival to visit the house of mirrors? What can give the reward of a spiritual journey as you walk through a garden path or stroll through the woods? What tradition fits in with the spooky atmospheres and scary games children and adults utilize as a Halloween activity? What can be as entertaining and educational as a simple game in a Kindergartener's coloring book? And... what prize can you sometimes get from a Cracker Jack's box as a novelty and fun game calling upon your eye-hand coordination? You've probably already guessed that the answer to all the questions is, a maze.
The Museum of Unnatural History tells us that a maze is a "confusing, intricate network of winding pathways; specifically with one or more blind alleys..." and that a maze is nothing more than a puzzle that requires a solution and, therefore, "usually has a goal which is meant to be reached."
Scientists have studied rats' ability to remember the pathways needed to work their way through mazes set up to test those abilities. Scientists have tested rats utilizing rewards, such as food, no rewards, smells and various other conditions. The rats were tested to determine their spacial learning and memory. The studies conducted with rats and mazes helped scientists understand "general principles about learning" that were then applied to humans.
With a title like, The Maze Runner, we shouldn't be surprised that the characters in the novel will be faced with some kind of goal that needs to be reached and to reach that goal, they must traverse the confusing and intricate network of some kind of maze. By the title, we can assume that James Dashner wants the reader to understand what it is like to have to run a maze similar to those the scientists used to test rats abilities. The title prompts me to ask why is the runner running the maze? Is the "Runner" being tested like the scientists tested the rats? And then, almost immediately, I thought of the maze that Harry Potter (and a few other competitors) had to run, in which the runners had to face all sorts of danger and even death. To get started, let's take a look at a short synopsis of the book.
SHORT BOOK SYNOPSIS:
From the School Library Journal we find out that Thomas, the protagonist of the book, awakens to being in an enclosed space, an elevator, and that the only thing he can remember at all is his first name. Thomas is confused and panicked and he wonders where he is.
Coming out of the box, Thomas finds himself with a group of teenage boys, (he thinks) maybe 50 or 60, who look at him and call him a "klunk, shuckface." Feeling confused, Thomas hears someone say that he is now in "The Glade." Thomas asks questions and wants answers, but no one will give them to him. He wants to get away from all these boys, from his "Captors," he thought. The boys seem suspicious of Thomas, but when one boy, Chuck, is assigned to help him, he soon makes friends with him.
Thomas must adjust to the life in the Glade, an agrarian community that the boys must work hard to maintain. Life can be harsh for a "Glader"; violation of the rules can cause you to be expelled into the maze, essen- tially a death sentence. Thomas learns that the boys are looking for a way out of their prison-like environment through the maze, but after two years of searching, they are quickly losing hope.
Will Thomas and the other boys be able to figure out the secret of the maze, find out why they are captive, and who is behind all the manipulation? Will Thomas and the other boys ever have their questions answered? Suddenly, the boys are all shocked out of their complacency--everything changes. A comatose girl is delivered via the box (elevator) to the group, then the sunlight is turned off, the food deliveries stopped, and the huge gate into the maze is left opened to let the maze's monsters roam the compound. Now they have only one question: How long can they last?
Some books are literally filled with memorable quotes. In John Green's, The Fault in Our Stars, for example, there were so many that I had such a really hard time selecting just one as my favorite. This book, The Maze Runner, by James Dashner, has the opposite problem. While the prose is simple, straightforward, and eminently readable, I had a difficult time selecting a memorable quote because there were so few. In any event, I did select a quote; here it is:
Thomas swallowed, wondering how he could ever go out there. His desire to become a Runner had taken a major blow. But he had to do it. Somehow he KNEW he had to do it. It was such an odd thing to feel, especially after what he'd just seen... Thomas knew he was a smart kid-he somehow felt it in his bones. But nothing about this place made any sense. Except for one thing. He was supposed to be a Runner. Why did he feel that so strongly? And even now, after seeing what lived in the maze? (p. 39)
Thomas grapples with conflicting emotions of fear and courage in the face of his desire to become a maze Runner. He feels the strangeness of the juxtaposition of those conflicting feelings and seems to almost take a step back to observe those feelings that he longs to understand. I think many people, especially teenagers in this society, have conflicting feelings because it is so difficult to navigate through the tough teenage years and into adulthood. I am sure that even adults have conflicting emotions at times and may identify with Thomas, too. This is why I think this particular passage was so well-done.
THE MAZE RUNNER--BOOK-TO-MOVIE!
Any author should be proud of having their book come to the big-screen. Not only will Book 1 of this series be seen on the silver screen, but because the trilogy is so popular chances are better than good that we may see subsequent book-to-movies from this series.
Directing the movie is Wes Ball with writing credits going to James Dashner (book), Noah Oppenheim, Grant Pierce Myers, and T.S. Nowlin (screenplay). Dylan O'Brien will play Thomas, Ki Hong Lee will play Minho, while Aml Ameen will play Alby, Blake Cooper as Chuck, Thomas Brodie Sangster as Newt, Will Poulter as Gally, Dexter Darden as Frypan, and Kaya Scodelario as Teresa. This movie is rated PG-13.
WHAT I THINK ABOUT THIS BOOK:
WHAT WORKS FOR ME: This book's audience, geared to grades 6-10, I would say is primarily focused on boys in grades 6-10. Even so, I would not exclude girls of these ages from reading this book because I used to read stories like this when I was in middle school and high school. So, if you are a girl that likes not only dystopian novels, but one in which the protagonist is a boy, then go for it. And...girls, don't forget that the one girl in the novel is an important player!
I think young men of this age in our society face many of the feelings the protagonist feels. Young men can easily identify with feelings, say, of confusion and anger when restricted to their home or bedroom, or put on suspension by parents. Some of the themes of the book deal with imprisonment or confinement, holding cells, and unjustifiable injury, pain, and death, inflicted as a result of being confined in "The Glade."
Second, I like other themes in the book, as well: Fear and Confusion; Rules, Justice, and Judgment; Freedom, Exploration; Memory and a Loss of identity; Mystery and Secrets, Trust and Sacrifice and a real big theme, the Manipulation of the children's lives by unknown, unseen others. James Dashner has a lot going on in this book, but the one big advantage he has in addressing these themes is that with "Dystopian" novels, many of these themes are readily present.
The messages in the book seem to convey to the reader those that are typical of themes and messages found in other dystopian novels. I've reviewed a number of "dystopian" novels, two, for example, are The Giver by Lois Lowry; and Divergent by Veronica Roth (You can see those reviews and discussions of dystopian society by clicking on the links). Dystopian novels typically criticize society and the brutal methods they employ to control citizenry through usurpation of power.
Many things work for me in this book. Dashner's ability to create a mystery for not only the character in the book, but for the reader to experience, as well, is amazing. Even at the end of the book in the "Epilogue," where we learn more about the "Chancelor, Ava Paige," (and her "Associates"), mystery still pervades the story. The information we learn about what the mysterious group intends--through a "Memorandum" that the Chancelor sends to her Associates--is shocking and is, quite naturally, the springboard with which Dashner propels us into the next novel of the trilogy.
The writing style is simple and straightforward, dialog (at times) perfunctory, but effective. Style and word choice is typical for readers in this age group. Finally, since Dystopian novels are all the rage right now, it seems a great vehicle in which to write about teens struggling to survive, grow, feel safe, and be able to trust. Well-done James Dashner.
WHAT DOESN'T WORK FOR ME:
While Dashner kept the story moving well from the beginning, and showed us how intelligent teenagers can be, how innovative and courageous and capable they can be, and infuses lots of good action sequences in the story, he kind of blows it all at the end. In highschool, I was running a race in a track and field event. I was ahead and knew I would win, I crossed--what I thought was--the finish line and stopped running. It wasn't the finish line. I had made a mistake. Everyone ran passed me and I lost the race.
Up until we get to the last couple of chapters it went well, but then something happened and the story immediately lost the momentum it had all along. Those chapters are like my track and field event where I stopped running. We then get to the Epilog where the story picks up again. Shocking events propelling us into the next book are given us. Those last couple of chapters should have been cut out, entirely (of course, leaving in the Epilog). Lawyers have a saying that applies here, too. "When you've finished presenting your case, stop talking."
MY RECOMMENDATIONS AND RATING:
The intended readers for this book, as I said, above, is for grades 6-10. Many heavy-duty themes exist in this book, everything from death, mayhem and violence, societal abuse of children (including theft of children), horrible suffering of children (the change) including screaming, judgment of death by children against other children, etc. My point is, anyone who knows they are sensitive to these themes in literature should consider before they read. Parents, you know your child best, and must judge whether or not your child is mature enough to read about these themes.
That being said, many redeeming qualities exist in this book. Children will, most likely, be able to identify with certain characters or situations. Moreover, the teens in this book exhibit noble qualities, like bravery or courage, tenacity, steadfastness, intelligence, loyalty and integrity. So, a balancing of considerations may be in order. As a guideline, the movie is rated PG-13 for "thematic elements and intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action, including some disturbing images."
MY RATING: Because of all the reasons I have stated, above, I give this book 4 stars out of 5. If the ending had not stalled-out, I would have given the book a better rating.
Thank you for joining me this week as we got to take a look at a very exciting dystopian novel for young people grades 6-10 (or adults--after all, I enjoyed it and I'm an adult!). I sincerely appreciate that you took the time to read my book review of this trending novel that is coming to theaters September 19, 2014. Please join me again, next week as we look at another exciting new read. Have some fun this week and don't forget to read at least a little bit everyday.
Until next time...
...many happy pages of reading.
My love to you all.
Sharon.
Top reviews from other countries
- MichelebReviewed in Canada on November 25, 2024
5.0 out of 5 stars Good read.
I really like this series and will buy the next one. Delivered super fast. If you like sci-fi, you wille enjoy this read
- popsydragonReviewed in the United Kingdom on October 31, 2024
5.0 out of 5 stars great read
Picked this up to join in with my daughter’s reading addiction; finished it before she did. A suspenseful read with a great end. I hope she picks up lots of writing ideas from it, it certainly was well planned out with good characters and a steady development. Enjoyable!
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بورانReviewed in Saudi Arabia on October 23, 2024
5.0 out of 5 stars كتاب ممتاز
اولاً الكتاب جميل جدًا، ولكن لم يأتيني مغلف ، ويبدو انه مستخدم ، ولكن لا يهم ، المهم هو ان اقرأه.
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Angelo H.Reviewed in Italy on July 6, 2024
5.0 out of 5 stars ottimo
ottimo libo e ottima saga
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Martin Sergio Ibarra MorenoReviewed in Mexico on June 14, 2020
5.0 out of 5 stars Muy buen libro, lo leyó mi hija de 14 años y le gustó mucho
Muy buen libro
Lo calificó con un diez